Monday, September 30, 2019

Advances in Technologies that impacted on Policing

The police have originated from many years ago coming up with new technology to make the people the serve safe. Police officers made a change to patrol on foot to actual patrol cars. They have made it so nobody has to wait for a call to no were crimes is , they have two way radios always strapped around them. And they also made it to where as though they have lab tops in every patrol car to look up any information when ever they need to. So the police have came from a lot to be able to increase a way to make there jobs easier. The patrol car has been an excellent use to the police officers with catching suspects. Due to patrol car there are more eyes around the area that we live in, they are able to drive to the crime scene quicker to help someone who may be in serious danger. Without the patrol cars a lot of people would be getting away with all types of crime. Due to the fact that not every cop out there is fit or in shape so people could take the cops on foot and get away because they know the streets so well. That’s another reason why the patrol cars have been a good source to pick up crimes. Two way radios have been a major impact on how the patrol officers know where there any type of disturbance in the area that they are patrolling; due to the two ways radio an operator can specifically call on the patrol unit that is around the area where there is disturbance or were anyone is breaking the law. Without the radios a police officers wouldn’t be able to call for back up whenever they need it or some assistance. They also wouldn’t be able to call in if someone is dying and in need of an ambulance or a fire. One of the most brilliant technologies that the police officers have in the patrol cars is the lab tops. The lab tops are basically another operator for them when patrol officers want to look up information for themselves, they can also write out there police reports on there so that all grammar can the on point. On the lab tops they can also look at anyone’s file to see if they need to be taken when being pulled over or any outside action for example if a cop looks up your profile and if you have a warrant out for your arrest. They can arrest you right there in your presence because the lab tops have that type of information on them. Technology has been a major impact on how crimes have went down in the past years. Due to these three new enforces criminals are off the street on the patrol is on the watch more. If it weren’t for these new gadgets the criminal and civil laws would be broken, and a lot of things going bad. The arrest rate would go down and the criminals in the streets would take over and do as they please.

Sunday, September 29, 2019

Inkwell Accounting Department Essay

The Accounting Department 1. Inkwell has a small finance team. The accounting department is based in the head office of the company, which is located in Birmingham. There are 8 people in the finance team. Each member of the team has their own computer. The team has access to the internet using Firefox and two printers integrated to each computer. 2. Inkwell has one Financial Director, Anil Gupta. Anil’s main job is to manage the overall financial position of the business, ensuring capital investments and corporate strategy is properly dealt with. He has delegated the running of the accounts department to the company accountant. 3. Inkwell has one company accountant, Michael O’Payne who has been in charge of most financial affairs before Anil Gupta joined the company. The others in the financial team report to him. 4. The team consists of one accounts technician, one General Ledger and Inventory Clerk, one Accounts Payable Clerk, one Accounts Receivable Clerk, one Costing Technician and one Payroll and Personnel Database clerk. 5. The accounting department keep a close relationship with the shop staff. The main mode of communication is through email and phone calls, occasionally a member from the team will pay them an unexpected visit. The Accounting Department- Key Internal Stakeholders 1. Anil Gupta, Financial Director, has the overall responsibility for all finance, legal and accounting procedures and systems. He produces annual reports and statutory accounts. Alongside this he deals with financial issues such as banking and also legal issues, such as contacts. Anil has 30% of the company’s shares when joined the directors in 2008. 2. Michael O’Payne, the Company Accountant, has been in the company since the set up of the company. His main duties include running the day to day responsibility of the accounts department. He also produces monthly management accounts and approves payments to suppliers. After observing the company there is a low level of tension between him and Anil. However, Michael still needs to report to Anil, if he likes it or not. 3. Alex Fox, accounting technician, has the responsibility of making sure the accounting system is reviewed and recommend changes, along with other project work. She has to report to both Anil and Michael, however works more closely to Michael. 4. Michelle Labelle, General Ledger and Inventory Clerk, has the duties of maintaining the company’s cash book and keeping control on the company’s inventory. This requires Michelle to keep in close communication with the store managers. She too reports to Michael. 5. Liana Khan, Accounts payable Clerk, has the responsibility of entering all the suppliers’ invoices and credit notes on to the accounting system. She also has to ensure payments are arranged to suppliers. Liana also reports to Michael, her Father in Law. 6. Greg Morris, Accounts Receivable Clerk, has the duties of inputting all data received by customers, as well as credit control duties. These duties include sending out monthly statements to customer, working out discounts and chasing customers who have not paid in the time given. 7. Alan Cook, Costing Technician, has the responsibility of operating the costing system. This means Alan has to work closely with the Sales director in order to reach market prices. Alan uses Quickcost software to do his work and has been doing it for since the company started. He also monitors the cost and profitability of each cartridge on a monthly bases and advises management about variance targets. 8. Sharon Ward, Payroll and Personnel Clerk is responsible for the running of the payroll, both Weekly and monthly and also to make sure the personnel database is always up to date. Sharon uses Sage Payroll systems to process all her statutory forms.

Saturday, September 28, 2019

Industiral Revolution

The Industrial, French and American Revolutions Industrial Revolution The Industrial Revolution was a period from the 18th to the 19th century where major changes in agriculture, manufacturing, mining, transport, and technology had a profound effect on the socioeconomic and cultural conditions starting in the United Kingdom, then subsequently spreading throughout Europe, North America, and eventually the world. Starting in the later part of the 18th century there began a transition in parts of Great Britain's previously manual labour based economy towards machine-based manufacturing.It started with the mechanisation of the textile industries, the development of iron-making techniques and the increased use of refined coal. In terms of social structure, the Industrial Revolution witnessed the triumph of a middle class of industrialists and businessmen over a landed class of nobility and gentry. Ordinary working people found increased opportunities for employment in the new mills and fa ctories, but these were often under strict working conditions with long hours of labour dominated by a pace set by machines.Most notably, average income and population began to exhibit unprecedented sustained growth. However, harsh working conditions were prevalent long before the Industrial Revolution took place. Pre-industrial society was very static and often cruel—child labour, dirty living conditions, and long working hours were just as prevalent before the Industrial Revolution. American Revolution The American revolutionary era began in 1763, after a series of victories by British forces at the conclusion of the French and Indian War ended the French military threat to British North American colonies.Adopting the policy that the colonies should pay an increased proportion of the costs associated with keeping them in the Empire, Britain imposed a series of direct taxes followed by other laws intended to demonstrate British authority, all of which proved extremely unpopu lar in America. Because the colonies lacked elected representation in the governing British Parliament, many colonists considered the laws to be illegitimate and a violation of their rights as Englishmen.In 1772, groups of colonists began to create Committees of Correspondence, which would lead to their own Provincial Congresses in most of the colonies. In the course of two years, the Provincial Congresses or their equivalents rejected the Parliament and effectively replaced the British ruling apparatus in the former colonies, culminating in 1774 with the coordinating First Continental Congress. In response to protests in Boston over Parliament's attempts to assert authority, the British sent combat troops, dissolved local governments, and imposed direct rule by Royal officials.Consequently, the Colonies mobilised their militias, and fighting broke out in 1775. First ostensibly loyal to King George III, the repeated pleas by the First Continental Congress for royal intervention on t heir behalf with Parliament resulted in the declaration by the King that the states were â€Å"in rebellion†, and the members of Congress were traitors. In 1776, representatives from each of the original thirteen states voted unanimously in the Second Continental Congress to adopt a Declaration of Independence, which now rejected the British monarchy in addition to its Parliament.The Declaration established the United States, which was originally governed as a loose confederation through a representative democracy selected by state legislatures. French Revolution The French Revolution (1789–1799) was a period of radical social and political upheaval in French and European history. The monarchy that had ruled France for centuries collapsed in three years. French society underwent an epic transformation as feudal, aristocratic, and religious privileges evaporated under a sustained assault from liberal political groups and the masses on the streets.Old ideas about hierarc hy and tradition succumbed to new principles of citizenship and inalienable rights. The modern era has unfolded in the shadow of the French Revolution. The growth of republics and liberal democracies, the spread of secularism (the concept that government or other entities should exist separately from religion and/or religious beliefs), the development of modern ideologies, and the invention of total war all mark their birth during the RevolutionDestabilisation of accepted process and/or challenge tradition. The term ‘revolution’ is common in all three of the events as societal upheaval and revolt was at the very epicenter of the American, French and Industrial revolutions. Political, social and customary structures were vastly altered, and the ‘common man’ was given an unprecedented voice in matters of national concern. There was a newfound value and respect self determination, and people started to stand up for what they believed was right.The Industrial R evolution profoundly changed the way society functioned as conventionally, people relied on manpower to produce goods and energy, not machines. The introduction of machines in Northern America conflicted with Southern America which lived off plantations and relied on slavery, and this eventually led to the American Civil War. In all three revolutions the destabilisation of a small number of people holding power occurred.The Americans and the French overthrew their governments which were essentially a small number of aristocrats, and the Industrial revolution made it possible for anybody to produce goods and provide services. Job availabilities increased and the employment rate increased. Furthermore, the machinery introduced in the 18th and 19th centuries serves as the very basis of industries today. Whilst the machinery may have evolved, they foreshadowed the technologically savvy and advanced society that today we call the 21st century. Industiral Revolution The Industrial, French and American Revolutions Industrial Revolution The Industrial Revolution was a period from the 18th to the 19th century where major changes in agriculture, manufacturing, mining, transport, and technology had a profound effect on the socioeconomic and cultural conditions starting in the United Kingdom, then subsequently spreading throughout Europe, North America, and eventually the world. Starting in the later part of the 18th century there began a transition in parts of Great Britain's previously manual labour based economy towards machine-based manufacturing.It started with the mechanisation of the textile industries, the development of iron-making techniques and the increased use of refined coal. In terms of social structure, the Industrial Revolution witnessed the triumph of a middle class of industrialists and businessmen over a landed class of nobility and gentry. Ordinary working people found increased opportunities for employment in the new mills and fa ctories, but these were often under strict working conditions with long hours of labour dominated by a pace set by machines.Most notably, average income and population began to exhibit unprecedented sustained growth. However, harsh working conditions were prevalent long before the Industrial Revolution took place. Pre-industrial society was very static and often cruel—child labour, dirty living conditions, and long working hours were just as prevalent before the Industrial Revolution. American Revolution The American revolutionary era began in 1763, after a series of victories by British forces at the conclusion of the French and Indian War ended the French military threat to British North American colonies.Adopting the policy that the colonies should pay an increased proportion of the costs associated with keeping them in the Empire, Britain imposed a series of direct taxes followed by other laws intended to demonstrate British authority, all of which proved extremely unpopu lar in America. Because the colonies lacked elected representation in the governing British Parliament, many colonists considered the laws to be illegitimate and a violation of their rights as Englishmen.In 1772, groups of colonists began to create Committees of Correspondence, which would lead to their own Provincial Congresses in most of the colonies. In the course of two years, the Provincial Congresses or their equivalents rejected the Parliament and effectively replaced the British ruling apparatus in the former colonies, culminating in 1774 with the coordinating First Continental Congress. In response to protests in Boston over Parliament's attempts to assert authority, the British sent combat troops, dissolved local governments, and imposed direct rule by Royal officials.Consequently, the Colonies mobilised their militias, and fighting broke out in 1775. First ostensibly loyal to King George III, the repeated pleas by the First Continental Congress for royal intervention on t heir behalf with Parliament resulted in the declaration by the King that the states were â€Å"in rebellion†, and the members of Congress were traitors. In 1776, representatives from each of the original thirteen states voted unanimously in the Second Continental Congress to adopt a Declaration of Independence, which now rejected the British monarchy in addition to its Parliament.The Declaration established the United States, which was originally governed as a loose confederation through a representative democracy selected by state legislatures. French Revolution The French Revolution (1789–1799) was a period of radical social and political upheaval in French and European history. The monarchy that had ruled France for centuries collapsed in three years. French society underwent an epic transformation as feudal, aristocratic, and religious privileges evaporated under a sustained assault from liberal political groups and the masses on the streets.Old ideas about hierarc hy and tradition succumbed to new principles of citizenship and inalienable rights. The modern era has unfolded in the shadow of the French Revolution. The growth of republics and liberal democracies, the spread of secularism (the concept that government or other entities should exist separately from religion and/or religious beliefs), the development of modern ideologies, and the invention of total war all mark their birth during the RevolutionDestabilisation of accepted process and/or challenge tradition. The term ‘revolution’ is common in all three of the events as societal upheaval and revolt was at the very epicenter of the American, French and Industrial revolutions. Political, social and customary structures were vastly altered, and the ‘common man’ was given an unprecedented voice in matters of national concern. There was a newfound value and respect self determination, and people started to stand up for what they believed was right.The Industrial R evolution profoundly changed the way society functioned as conventionally, people relied on manpower to produce goods and energy, not machines. The introduction of machines in Northern America conflicted with Southern America which lived off plantations and relied on slavery, and this eventually led to the American Civil War. In all three revolutions the destabilisation of a small number of people holding power occurred.The Americans and the French overthrew their governments which were essentially a small number of aristocrats, and the Industrial revolution made it possible for anybody to produce goods and provide services. Job availabilities increased and the employment rate increased. Furthermore, the machinery introduced in the 18th and 19th centuries serves as the very basis of industries today. Whilst the machinery may have evolved, they foreshadowed the technologically savvy and advanced society that today we call the 21st century.

Friday, September 27, 2019

Bioinformatics Lab Report Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Bioinformatics - Lab Report Example After conducting a blast p search, I chose the following proteins EFR29682.1 a hypothetical protein from Anopheles darlingi it had an E value of 10. This protein is not in any way related to Down syndrome. This is a protein from mosquito saliva and matches by chance. This E value is high; its significance is low in relation to Down syndrome (Pevsner 7). Protein 2 is EGW12244.1 known as Down syndrome critical region protein 3–like from Chinese hamster (Cricetulus griseus). This protein has an E value of 1 and is related to Down syndrome since the E value is very low. The hamster genome is similar to the human genome (Pevsner 15). Protein 3 was XP_002122877 with an E value of 0.4 it is a protein predicted to be similar to Down syndrome critical region protein 3 (Down syndrome critical region protein A). It is a protein from Ciona intestinalis, an invertebrate that is closest to humans and shares 80 % of the genome. It has very high significance in the study of Down

Thursday, September 26, 2019

Leadership Theories in Organisations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Leadership Theories in Organisations - Essay Example There are various theories that explain how entities are led to achieve company’s objectives. Trait approach theory, skills approach theory, transformational leadership theory, situational approach theory, style approach theory, contingency approach theory, path-goal theory and psychodynamic theory are leadership theories to be analyzed. The area of focus is leadership in the construction industry. Sir Michael Latham, Sir John Egan and Ray O’Rouke (Build 2008) have been identified as leaders in the construction industry. According to Chartered Institute of Building (2008), UK’s construction industry does not have highly influential leaders. Trait leadership approach suggests that personal characteristics dictate success and effectiveness of a leader. According to Daft (2007 p. 38), intelligence, honesty and patience are some of the personal characteristics that must be possessed by all leaders. Creativity, self confidence, higher levels of energy, height, self ap pearance, knowledge, speech fluency, popularity, sociability, persistence, hard work and desire to excel are some of the key traits that define leaders (West and West 2006 p. 98; McNeal 2010; Griffin P. 473). In addition, simple acts of kindness can make one a strong and reliable leader (Maxwell & Littleton 2001).Trait approach theory presumes that leaders are born and not made. This theory approach does not seem consistent with the construction sector in the UK. This is because the sector lacks highly influential leaders yet it presumes that leaders are born and not made. Does it mean that of all the employees in the construction sector, there is no single natural leader? It is not possible in the whole industry not to have a single person with all or most of the personal attributes that makes one a natural leader. Most leaders and managers in the construction industry were above forty three years of age. If leaders were born, then the industry could have

Nonverbal communication in organizations Research Paper

Nonverbal communication in organizations - Research Paper Example However, it can be apparently observed that business organizations often face certain problems (such as misinterpretation of non-verbal signals), leading towards ineffective business performance and corporate culture. In this regard, certain recommendations have been provided with the objective of enhancing communication process. Contextually, it can be affirmed that business organizations, with effective communication process may aid in enhanced performance of business operations in the present competitive business scenario. Nonverbal Communication in Organizations In the present business scenario, market competition has augmented to a substantial extent with the development in the field of technologies and increased level of globalization. A similar argument has remained in focus of various studies conducted in the recent era, for example in Mujezinovic (2011), Rho (2009), Ambady & Rosethal (1998) and Vasu, Stewart & Garson (1998) to name a few. Although the arguments in these stud ies have been varying and often contradictory, the inferences drawn have been commonly in agreement with the statement that modern business organizations are required to be much competent in performing internal along with external business activities with the intention of executing business operations in a competitive along with a profitable manner. In this regard, communication is determined to be playing an imperative role in assisting business organizations to conduct their respective business activities efficiently. While this particular notion is agreed upon by many, the way through which, communication processes within organizational contexts can be managed remains to be a major point of dispute among researchers. Recent researches in this regard, have viewed that business organizations often communicate externally along with internally1;2;3. As argued by Rho (2009), externally, business organizations communicate messages for conducting various activities such as marketing. On the other hand, internal communication denotes the process on the basis of which effective communication is made between employees and employers. In this context, effective communication will facilitate organizations in better management, coordination and execution of effective business operations towards the accomplishment of desired business targets4. Arguably, non-verbal communication is regarded as a procedure of communicating information and messages through expressions, mimics and gestures. As noted by Spaho (2013), this type of communication involves conveying of messages in any form other that language or words. The impact of non-verbal communication is based on various factors that include inner coherence, dissimulation capacity, ability and strength to manipulate information among others. Non-verbal communication often plays a decisive role in conveying important messages within a business organization in accordance with which business operations can be executed in an eff icient manner5. Discussion Explanation of Non-verbal Communication in Organizations In the most simple way, non-verbal comm

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

The Economic Dominance of the United States Essay

The Economic Dominance of the United States - Essay Example On the other hand, however, people who worked in the Soviet economy were given very little incentive to be more productive. Everybody was given a quota to meet and once that was done, then no more was required of them. The economic dominance of the United States was because its economy was basically in private hands with very little interference from the government. The encouragement of private enterprise in the United States is the reason why its economy prospered and why the most dominant multinationals in the world at that time came from this country. When compared with other economic powers such as that of the Soviet Union, the latter’s did not have enough opportunity to ensure that it was diversified enough to stay competitive on the global scene. While the United States economy remained dominant for a period of some thirty years and benefitted many of its citizens, it was also detrimental to many people, not only in the United States itself but also in the developing countries where its companies conducted their activities. The capitalist economic system of the United States created a situation where there developed an unprecedented level of unemployment not only within the country but also in developing countries (Keohane 5). Because of the vicious and predatory nature of the capitalist system, one of the main causes of unemployment was when companies went out of business. In many instances, this came as a surprise and people were hardly ever prepared in case they were suddenly unemployed. Gerschenkron is of the opinion that the United States’ economy was maintained through its exploitation of the developing countries, the latter being the source of cheap raw materials for the American industries (102).

Tuesday, September 24, 2019

Themes The suffering body by compare the work 2 artist Louise Essay

Themes The suffering body by compare the work 2 artist Louise Bourgeois and Francis Bacon in different and similar approach under the theme of Suffering Bo - Essay Example Artists such as Louise Bourgeois and Francis Bacon (listed in their fields respectively) recognize and accept these changes and interpret them in their artworks. Art began around 15 000 BC, often favouring drawing over colour in forms such as cave paintings. There have been changes from emphasis on geometrical shapes such as mosaics and arches, religious and gothic-based, in which art evolved from it's two dimensions and was practised in sculpture format, the Victorian and art Nouveau-influenced craft movements in which art became decoration through to Dada in which the art was taken off the canvas - new materials and exhibiting practises were used to encourage stronger responses from the audience. Subject matter had changed from communicative, to aesthetic, to political, social and emotional. Dada was the jump-off point for performance art. The origin is said to be found in 1917 in Zurich, where several notable Dadaists, spoke nonsensical words to complement nonsense acts to protest the Great War and the importance f art in general: "...No more cute art in frames, no more static art that only makes the Philistines richer." An integral part f the ritual f performance art is it's ephemerality - it is not static like most artworks. After it is finished nothing will be the same again and nothing is left. Performance art is described as unprecedented and because f its originality, it is difficult to censor. It is very relevant to its time because f the short period f time needed between the process f conception and performance and political, social and philosophical views can be explored in-depth such as in the 1970's and in the 1980's in which "Queer Theatre" was founded in which homosexual issues were dealt with. It occupies an environment with specific objects and actions for a specific amount f time and because f the brevity and intent f the artwork, everything present has a meaning. Performance art also brings another change to the world f the artwork - the role f the audience. It is made to be watched and experienced in the moment specifically for those who witness it, therefore, the audience has a much more integral part. As the audience is generally small, there can be much interaction between them and the artist and the experience is much more direct and the message is more vigorously felt because f the proximity and actuality f the piece. What happens on stage can affect the audience and the artist more directly views their response. The audience can be loud, angry or irritating and what the audience does can affect the actors on stage unlike with other fixed artworks, whatever the audience does, (aside from vandalising it) the artwork will not change. Louise Bourgeois is a forerunner in performance art. His performance works are often structured around the confines f the artist's own body and often have a deeply impacting affect upon his audiences because f their graphically disturbing nature. For example, in 1977, he created the illusion f cutting off one f his arms with a small axe after stuffing meat into a shirtsleeve fitted with a prosthetic hand. In 2000 he impounded himself in a small cell-like confinement, without

Monday, September 23, 2019

My strengths and weakness Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

My strengths and weakness - Essay Example I also responded to critical questions about financial products such as procedures for money transfer, steps of opening electronic banking and password configurations. I have utilized my good communications to enhance the communities through; resolving differences and integrating different communities with a view to satisfying their needs thus, solving their problems. Creativity has greatly expounded my mind to think beyond the world of imagination. In my business experiences at Citibank, I thought and recommended: "Money Management Sumer Camp" which was accepted by the company and also inquired fascinating in-depth questions about work. Through my creative mind, I have been able to divide spaces and encounters in public places so as to minimize social barriers and impact relationships between people and communities. Enthusiasm has been the core pillar of my social development.In my trainee duties at Citibank, China I was ever passionate about my job and people, passionate about help ing individual clients open and close banking accounts. In my community, I have carried out extensive social responsibilities such as the provision of food, clothing, and mentorship to poor, afflicted and needy in the society. However, my greatest weakness has been due to poor time management. This has been as a result of numerous tasks running simultaneously thus making me difficult to choose the right activity to be completed first. I am working on this through the formulation of diaries to guiding me in the right procedures.

Sunday, September 22, 2019

Galileo on religion and science Essay Example for Free

Galileo on religion and science Essay Explain Galileo’s attempt to make science and religion compatible, with particular reference to methods of justification. How successful is he? Use Kuhn’s notion of incommensurability to investigate Galileo’s attempt to reconcile the propositions of science and religion. There will always be a battle between religion and science, it is a truth universally acknowledged. Galileo attempted to make the two compatible by suggesting that the truth can only be sought out if the notion under consideration can be accurately tested and if the opposing view can be founded as false. Galileo’s goes into depth about the truth of scripture and the sciences, intertwined with the reason of man, in his letter to Christina of Lorraine, Grand Duchess of Tuscany. Early on in the letter Galileo, infers from St Augustine that the Holy Ghost did not intend to teach â€Å"how heaven goes† rather â€Å"how one goes to heaven†. Galileo interprets this as the underlying basis for the â€Å"common† people to believe that man should not concern themselves with science and that it is against the Bible, and therefore blasphemous. Furthermore this misconception is continued, as Galileo believes that the â€Å"common† people understand the truth in the Bible is largely to do with one’s salvation and other physical things such as whether the Sun or Earth are mobile, are irrelevant. From this Galileo leads on to discuss that â€Å"physical problems† are able to be solved through â€Å"sense-experiences† and reason, as well as the â€Å"authority of scriptural passages† highlighting that either are valid to contain the truth. Galileo argues that God gifted man with the power of reason and logic, so that they would be able to discover and learn about his creation. God did not â€Å"set bounds to human ingenuity† so why should the church impose them, by discrediting and prohibiting some of the greatest work of philosophers and scientists? Galileo had two types of physical propositions: those that are able to be subjected to tests and experiments and those that can only be conjectured about; and these are best left to faith and Holy Scriptures. Galileo did not believe that everything in the universe was known to man, he believed that there were more truths to be discovered. He did not agree that â€Å"free-philosophizing† should be shunned, because the Holy Ghost states that â€Å"man cannot find out the work that God hath done from beginning even to  end†. Galileo is not satisfied by this and urges others to not side with the common opinion of the scriptures, to the point where it blocks logic and reason, and ultimately truth. He highlights this by using the Sun and the Earth: the debate about the still Sun and the mobile Earth, as many come to believe – â€Å"it was most absurd to believe otherwise†. This is because Nicholas Copernicus provided evidence for his claims which were reasonable and logical; that it was â€Å"plain as daylight†. Galileo stresses the importance of not bending the word of God to fulfil ones â€Å"foolish fancies† i.e. one should guard themselves against deliberately misinterpreting the Holy Scripture to suit their own end. The repetition of this (citing scripture to back up their skewed claims) will lead to the inevitable adoption of this understanding and consequently missing the true mean behind the scriptural passages. This is what Galileo means when he refers to as the â€Å"v ulgar† and â€Å"common† people, sometimes misinterpret the holy writings of the Bible â€Å"to fulfil their foolish fancies†. Because of this Galileo advocates the importance for mankind to step away from information that just concerns salvation and to broaden their horizons; most importantly, to not be afraid of the truth. By this he suggests that Holy Scripture and explanations of physical things have their own place in the world and that man should keep an open mind to explore both, because both are valid sources of the truth. He goes on to say that God did not intend for his Word to be misinterpreted like this and the true meaning to be obscured, and this â€Å"sort of abuse† should not â€Å"gain countenance and authority†. However as Galileo stated it is â€Å"more pleasant to gain a reputation for wisdom† without experiments and research than it is to pursue science and produce evidence for these physical observations. Galileo is thankful to God because he does not allow the majority of these â€Å"common folk† as stated above to have all the authority, some learned people too have authority. Galileo is not speaking blasphemy, he is suggesting there is a place for both Holy doctrine as well as scientific doctrine and he attempts to prove this. Galileo is concerned with obtaining the truth about the world we live in, whether religion provides an answer or science. This is evident in the letter when he is discussing the â€Å"celestial bodies† concerning the work of Copernicus. Galileo believes that it would be wholly unjustified to ban  Copernicus’ work after it has been confirmed over the years, he puts it: â€Å"in my judgement to be a contravention of the truth† if this were to occur. Basically Galileo believes if something is true, the basis of the truth either, religious or scientific is equally creditable. He further states that if scientific fact is unattainable, it must be a thing of faith and religion; â€Å"where human reasoning cannot reach† and there â€Å"is no science but only opinion of faith† the truth must be in the Scripture. This is demonstrated in the letter â€Å"whether the stars are animate† or â€Å"whether or not the heavens are spherical†. Galileo believes that ultimately that the science behind a phenomena will equate to the Scripture that describes it; â€Å"the true senses of the Bible† â€Å"will most certainly be found to agree with the proven fact†. He further goes on to admit, that at first the two may seem completely different and closer scrutiny is required. Galileo proves his point further by stating that â€Å"two truths can never contradict each other† ultimately, the religious and scientific, must both be compatible for something to be proven true. The matter of Galileo’s success is dependent largely on his era and the audience. Being a follower of God as well as a man of science and a philosopher, Galileo had to come to terms with both his beliefs and what his physical senses and reasoning told him about the world. He achieved this by describing that the facts produced by reasoning will equal the truth held in the Scripture; both religion and science were correct. However, this was conditional: the Holy Scripture should not be misinterpreted and the notion under consideration should be tested through logic. Following this Galileo, believed that the understanding held by an individual of the Holy Scripture, chiefly relied upon how leaned such a person was and their capacity to understand the true meaning of the Scriptural passages. Primarily Galileo could not disregard the Bible wholly: firstly, as mentioned above he himself believed greatly in God and secondly the people of the time were immersed in the religion from infancy it was to them, â€Å"common† knowledge and the truth about the world. Given this Galileo had to find a solution to please both religious beliefs whilst allowing scientific inquiry and philosophising to occur. As he describe the â€Å"vulgar† and â€Å"common† people may shun his ideas, because they do not accept anything that is not Holy Scripture, and believe Galileo and other scientists and philosophers to be blasphemous. However Galileo attempts to  make sense of this by discussing that perhaps they misinterpreted the Bible and consequently the true meaning (which is compatible with science) is lost to them, that it is beyond their capacity to comprehend. It is remarked by Galileo: â€Å"people who are unable to understand both the Bible and the sciences far out number those who do understand† – perhaps this is Galileo commenting on his own success; that he is only able to reach people if they understand the true meaning of Scripture and are capable of understanding the sciences. Galileo in his attempt to reconcile the propositions of both religion and science, it is evident that he employed Kuhn’s measures of perpetual incommensurability. The evidence acquired via observation is an insufficient basis for theory comparison, due to the inherent idea that perceptual experience is theory dependant. Basically, one’s ability to develop a theory is based on their previous life experiences; whether it be from actual physical events, emotional or spiritual events. All play a role in the development of a theory, which is formed based on how an individual sees the world and what they conclude about it. This in mind, it can be observed that Galileo’s religious upbringing and his adulthood, greatly influenced his views on religion and science. Galileo believed that Holy Scripture and the sciences were compatible; it can be inferred from his letter (as previously discussed) that when human reasoning is unable to provide an answer than it must be left to faith. Extrapolating on this one may conclude that Galileo could be suggesting that the true meaning of science was written in the Bible and God gifted humans with the power to reason, to ultimately find out the truth of the world, of creation. It is this notion that people may find it hard to come to terms with because, it was believed that God did not want humans to discover the truth. However, Galileo questioned (as did many others) why then did God bestow reason and logic on humans? This ultimately drives Galileo in his quest to make religion and science compatible. This reflects the perpetual incommensurability of Kuhn; that one’s background will inevitably colour their perception, as demonstrated by Galileo’s attempt to reconcile religious faith and the s ciences. Reference list All in text citations and all information about this essay were sourced from the following: ATS2867, Thinking about Science Study guide and Readings, Monash University, 1998: 15-30;51-66.

Saturday, September 21, 2019

Voting Choice and Age Research Results

Voting Choice and Age Research Results Statistics Assessment Social Research Skills 1 In this assignment you will need a) to answer some general questions about quantitative data analysis and b) to answer some questions using data taken from the 2014 British Social Attitudes Survey. All questions must be answered. 1. The following questions are about measurement List the different levels a variable may take and describe the properties of the levels. Nominal level is where the variable only measures differences between cases such as gender. This is because nominal level does not need any ordering among its responses. Ordinal level is where the variable can be ranked but the differences between categories is not available. An example can be educational achievement. Interval level are numerical scales in which intervals have the same interpretation throughout, such as temperature, but it is unusual to see this used in social science. Ratio level is an interval scale with the additional property that its zero position indicates the absence of the quantity being measured, such as income. List the level of measurement that has been used for each of the variables in the dataset (other than the serial number)? Do not use the level of measurement in the data file. They have all been set to scale. England, Scotland or Wales? Nominal Sex Nominal Age Interval/ratio Number of children in HH aged 4-15yrs Interval/ratio political party identification Nominal Better for govt to be formed of one party, or two in coalition? Ordinal How many, if any, cars or vans does your household own or have the regular use of? Ordinal How many trips did you make by plane during the last 12 months? ordinal How many employees do you supervise? ordinal How many hours do you normally work a week in your main job including any paid or unpaid overtime? Ordinal Are you now a member of a trade union or staff association? Ordinal Do you tend to trust or tend not to trust the police? ordinal Respondents religion nominal How old were you when you completed your continuous full-time education? Nominal How important to always to vote in elections ordinal People who want children ought to get married ordinal Gay or lesbian couples should have the right to marry one another if they want to ordinal There is one law for the rich and one for the poor ordinal Left-right scale ordinal Libertarian-authoritarian scale ordinal Welfarism scale ordinal To which of these groups do you consider you belong? ordinal How important to help people in the rest of the world who are worse off than yourself: ordinal How do variables levels of measurement affect statistical analyses? Give examples. Knowing the level of measure can help with how to interpret the data from that variable. This also means that the appropriate statistical analysis used on certain values because if the value was nominal then data would not be averaged or use a t-test on the data. 2. You are required to report some descriptive statistics. Report your findings using any charts or tables you think are appropriate. Report two measures of dispersion and two measures of central tendency of the number of children aged between 4 and 15 living in the respondents households? Statistics Number of children in HH aged 4-15yrs dv N Valid 2878 Missing 0 Mean .33 Median .00 Mode 0 Std. Deviation .741 Variance .548 Range 5 Minimum 0 Maximum 5 Measures of central tendency were computed to summarize the data for the number of children in households aged 4-15yrs variable. Measures of dispersion were computed to understand the variability of scores for the number of children in households aged 4-15yrs variable. The following are the results of this analysis; N = 2878, M=0.33, SD=0.741. When you look at the mean, it appears that there is signficant number of children aged 4-15yrs living in households. Also, based on the small standard deviation, it looks like the data is not varied. What percentage of the sample believe it is better for government to be formed of one party on its own? (report valid percent)    Better for govt to be formed of one party, or two in coalition? Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent Valid Govt formed by one political party on own 620 21.5 69.5 69.5 Govt formed by two political parties in coalition 272 9.5 30.5 100.0 Total 892 31.0 100.0 Missing Not applicable 1907 66.3 Dont know 76 2.6 Refused 3 .1 Total 1986 69.0 Total 2878 100.0 69.5% (valid percent) believe it is better for government to be formed of one party on its own. 3. The following questions are about the number of employees respondents supervise . What is the greatest number of employees a respondent reported supervising? Statistics How many employees do you supervise? dv N Valid 2776 Missing 102 Maximum 3000 The greatest number of employees who responded to the report of supervising was 3000. Recode the variable measuring how many employees respondents supervise into the following categories: 0 employees, 1- 10 employees, 11- 100 employees and more than 100 employees. Display the proportions in each category using appropriate tables and charts. This bar chart shows that over 60% of respondents supervised were 0 employees, over 20% of respondents supervised were 1- 10 employees, near 10% of respondents supervised were 11-100 employees and near 5% of respondents supervised were over 100 employees. What percentage of respondents who supervise 0 employees agree strongly there is one law for the rich and one for the poor? 25.1% respondents who supervise 0 employees agree strongly there is one law for the rich and one for the poor. 4. The following question are about the age respondents were when they left education and their scores on a welfare scale. Report the confidence interval of the mean age respondents were when they left continuous full time education. Please give an interpretation of your results. One-Sample Test Test Value = 0 t df Sig. (2-tailed) Mean Difference 95% Confidence Interval of the Difference Lower Upper How old were you when you completed your continuous full-time education? 90.416 2864 .000 19.053 18.64 19.47 We can be 95% confident that the mean on how old were you when you completed your continuous full-time education is between 18.64 and 19.47. This is significant due to significant value is less than the alpha value of 0.05, which means we can reject the null hypothesis. Is respondents mean score on the scale measuring their attitudes to welfare significantly different from 3? Please give an interpretation of your results.    One-Sample Test Test Value = 3 t df Sig. (2-tailed) Mean Difference 95% Confidence Interval of the Difference Lower Upper Welfarism scale -.479 2338 .632 -.0066929 -.034102 .020716 The mean is insignificant when testing at value of 3 so this means we cannot reject or accept the null hypothesis. 5. The following question is about hypothesis testing and statistical significance. In your own words, define the concept of a sampling distribution. Sampling distribution is where the possibility of obtaining each likely value of a statistic from a random sample of a population. In your own words, describe the difference between a p value and an à ¯Ã‚ Ã‚ ¡Ãƒ ¯Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  (alpha) value. The alpha value is the probability of rejecting the null hypothesis when the null hypothesis is true whereas the p value is the probability of obtaining your sample data if the null hypothesis was true. 6. The following questions are about behavioural and attitudinal differences between members of the sample. For each question you must select the appropriate test of significance, report relevant SPSS output and an interpretation of your results. a) Is respondents trust in the police independent of their race? Which test did you use and was it statistically significant? Do you tend to trust or tend not to trust the police? * To which of these groups do you consider you belong? Crosstabulation Count To which of these groups do you consider you belong? Total Black Asian White Do you tend to trust or tend not to trust the police? Trust it a great deal 6 23 239 268 Tend to trust it 32 48 1124 1204 Tend to distrust it 22 10 246 278 Distrust it greatly 5 1 94 100 Total 65 82 1703 1850 I used the Chi-squared test on the data. You could argue that the data does show that the respondents trust in the police may not be independent of their race, however I do not believe this was statistically significant due to needing a larger sample size to being to prove or disprove this hypothesis. How does the mean rating respondents give to helping people in the rest of the world who are worse off than you differ by religion? Which test did you use and was it statistically significant? Ranks Respondents religion dv N Mean Rank How important to help people in the rest of the world who are worse off than yourself: [S-C]AC Church of England/Anglican 286 305.02 Roman Catholic 154 389.22 Other Christian 247 360.93 Total 687 Ranks How important to help people in the rest of the world who are worse off than yourself: [S-C]AC N Mean Rank Respondents religion dv Not at all important 133 227.30 2 135 236.29 3 178 210.96 Total 446 I used the Kruskal Wallis test. You could argue that the data does show religion has a higher mean rank then to how important to help people in the rest of the world who are worse off than yourself. This is not statistically significant as it does prove or reject the null hypothesis. Describe the association between the numbers of cars and vans people own or have regular use of and the number of trips they can make by plane during the last 12 months? Which test did you use and was it statistically significant? Correlations How many, if any, cars or vans does your household own or have the regular use of? How many trips did you make by plane during the last 12 months? How many, if any, cars or vans does your household own or have the regular use of? Pearson Correlation 1 .502** Sig. (2-tailed) .000 N 2878 2878 How many trips did you make by plane during the last 12 months? Pearson Correlation .502** 1 Sig. (2-tailed) .000 N 2878 2878 **. Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level (2-tailed). I used the Pearsons Correlation Coefficient test. It was statistically significant because there is no correlation between the variables. How does the mean age respondents left full-time education differ across men and women? Which test did you use and was it statistically significant? How old were you when you completed your continuous full-time education? * Person 1 SEX Crosstabulation Person 1 SEX Total Male Female How old were you when you completed your continuous full-time education? 1 1 0 1 4 0 1 1 10 1 0 1 11 2 1 3 12 1 3 4 13 0 4 4 14 67 67 134 15 247 327 574 16 374 438 812 17 86 130 216 18 116 208 324 19 29 48 77 20 31 42 73 21 102 127 229 22 72 87 159 23 36 48 84 24 23 22 45 25 14 8 22 26 13 7 20 27 3 2 5 28 6 1 7 29 2 2 4 30 1 4 5 31 1 1 2 34 1 0 1 35 1 0 1 38 0 1 1 95 0 3 3 96 21 26 47 97 2 4 6 Total 1253 1612 2865 I used the Chi-squared test on the data. There is not much difference males and females in regards to what age they left education so this statistic test was statistically insignificant. 7. The following questions are about modelling the relationship between belief in always voting in elections and respondents age. Please include all relevant SPSS output and interpret your results. a) Model respondents beliefs about the importance of always voting in elections as a function of their age. What is the expected change in the scores measuring respondents beliefs in the importance of voting with a unit change in their age? Person 1 age last birthday * How important to always to vote in elections: [S-C]AC Crosstabulation Count How important to always to vote in elections: [S-C]AC Total Not at all important 2 3 4 5 6 Very important Person 1 age last birthday 18 2 1 2 2 2 1 3 13 19 1 0 0 1 3 2 5 12 20 1 1 2 2 1 3 2 12 21 2 1 2 2 3 1 2 13 22 2 1 0 1 2 1 7 14 23 4 2 0 0 2 4 4 16 24 2 1 3 5 4 2 0 17 25 1 2 5 1 1 2 6 18 26 3 1 1 2 4 1 4 16 27 1 1 0 4 2 6 8 22 28 3 1 0 4 7 1 9 25 29 1 0 2 1 2 1 6 13 30 1 1 4 4 4 2 5 21 31 2 1 3 2 1 5 7 21 32 2 0 2 2 2 3 6 17 33 2 0 1 1 2 1 7 14 34 0 0 1 3 0 3 7 14 35 1 4 1 2 1 5 15 29 36 1 0 6 2 3 5 12 29 37 1 0 1 2 3 5 6 18 38 1 0 3 1 0 3 13 21 39 1 0 3 4 6 0 9 23 40 1 0 2 3 6 1 8 21 41 3 1 4 7 6 3 12 36 42 4 2 4 6 3 3 14 36 43 1 3 1 4 5 4 14 32 44 1 0 0 3 0 1 8 13 45 1 1 6 1 4 3 12 28 46 4 0 1 3 2 2 14 26 47 2 1 1 0 3 2 14 23 48 2 2 0 3 3 4 8 22 49 3 0 0 3 6 7 10 29 50 2 0 4 1 1

Friday, September 20, 2019

Impact of New Media on Teenagers | Research

Impact of New Media on Teenagers | Research THE IMPACT OF NEW MEDIA ON TEENAGERS CONDUCT Emily Shaba The data was obtained through interviews at two high schools and through the below interview questions. Interview questions The majority of teenagers in schools access new media through their phones and laptops. The main sites that are used or the most used form of new media is Facebook and Whatsapp as well as the internet in general through Google to find out things they are curious about. Most of the youth as well admitted to having used new media frequently some even admit to being addicted to it. According to the research however new media has positively impacted teenagers in a lot of positive ways the first being it helps them with research in school work and finding out about other things that they may be curious about. Social sites help to build a closer relationship between teenagers and their friends plus relatives that may be far away. It provides quick and cheap communication as compared to phone calls and text messages or travelling to meet their friends and relatives. It also helps with making new friends for teenagers that are naturally shy and cannot or find it had to make friends or interact with others physically. They get a chance to find someone to interact with and talk to when need be. Makes them understand new technology that is coming in and how to use it effectively. They are however also some negative ways in which new media impacts teenagers firstly being that despite the ability to make new friends they are not trustworthy. This may be imposter’s people with bad manners that may end up sharing them with the teenagers or worse criminals who end up harming innocent teens or stealing from them. Most teenagers also admitted to the fact that it is too tempting, it gives them the chance to see things that may be inappropriate to them on a silver platter it is like leaving chocolate on the table for a kid and telling them not to eat when its alone with them in the room for days and nobody has the ability to know if they eat it. This also results in teens being exposed to porn and other inappropriate pictures which later trigger things like premarital sex and early pregnancies. Teens are also exposed to a western way of life and tend to think drugs and alcohols are part of life and if you do not drink go clubbing or use media then you feel left out and backwards in time. It is so addictive that teens can not focus on anything else other than it. It also gives wrong information about various things and teens get wrong advice from their new internet found friends about different things which ends up corrupting their character. Most teenagers agreed to there being a change in the way they act or view things since they started using new media. They know more things than they did in the past and they are pickier about things more especially the way they dress or act around friends. New media from an academic point of view has also impacted them positively in that it helps them with homework and research when their given something to work on at school. It also helps them to find notes, books and past papers that their school may not be able to provide which also helps with their performance in class. They also learn a lot of new things online that they may not be able to learn in school. They are able to get inspiration from other people that they are able to look up and find out about their lives online. It helps with their spellings and grammar. New media however also has academic disadvantages which according to the research included: It reduces concentration on school as the time that would be used for studying is rather used on new media or social sites. Instead of concentrating in class teens are busy on their phones using social media or thinking about what to say to who, their next Facebook or WhatsApp profile picture and status. It makes them lazy and increases chances of plagiarism as they might as well take an already written paper and just change it than spend time on writing a paper rather than on the internet. Due to the many abbreviations used on social sites the teens spellings are sometimes affected and their language too. It provides them sometimes with the wrong information on their school work too. It has also impacted the way they relate to their friends in that they have more time to chat and hence it brings them closer. However other friends that do not use new media are isolated. It reduces interaction between teens instead of them meeting up to chat or do another thing they only want to talk using social media. Most teens start to feel that their culture is left behind and start to despise it. They, as a result, they forsake culture and tradition which ends up leading them astray. This also destroys the spreading of our African culture and heritage with other as it is slowly dying. People end up following western culture and values and even dressing which may be inappropriate for the African society. Like not doing house chores or ignoring guests when they come instead of greeting them and making them feel at home. Most admit to their principles being bent to some extent to fit in which may not, however, be an appositive thing, especially If what they are fitting into is inappropriate and destructive. I was also shocked to find out that their other teens that do not use any form of new media or social site and some that only use new media for school in this day of age and time. This was due to parents denying them access to it after witnessing a reduction in their grades. Others were because of their religion not permitting them to do so or simply not wanting to do so after being affected by it negatively in some ways. They said the was an increase in their performance due to this in class as they had more time to study but however lacked some friends and often felt left out. Most teens did say they should be an age restriction on sites as to what they can and cannot view. They should be appropriate pictures on social sites. And finally, parents should mind the time that their children are given internet access. Some teens suggested being given access in the evening, weekends and on holidays. The Victorian Era: Social Classes Of England The Victorian Era: Social Classes Of England The Victorian Era social classes of England are unlike any other social system; every rule could be bent or broken (An Ancestry.com Community, par. 1). A person could be born into the lowest class, and could end up being part of the nobility by marriage (An Ancestry.com Community, par. 1). Some heiresses were married to local families (Thornber par. 10). An example of the odd rules would be how the aristocracy and gentry, in mid-nineteenth century, would become the upper class(Cody par.2). The Victorian Era is viewed as a period of great opportunity for every class.(Loftus par. 1). Each class can be divided by power, authority, wealth, working and living conditions, life-styles, education, and culture(Cody par. 2). At times, the middle class took power, not the upper class(Loftus, par. 1)The lower class was divided mainly by the wealth and working conditions of families(Channe14.com, par. 19). The main groups consist of upper class -aristocracy and gentry-, middle class, and lower cl ass. The gentry were lines of land-owning families from noble men (Thornber, pars. 2 and 4). Their system of inheriting the land from their father helped the gentry, but it eventually destructed them (Thornber par. 4). A main reason was the decline of agriculture after the Napoleonic Wars (Thornber par. 4). Some of the gentry managed to keep their estates (Thornber par. 8). Another reason for the gentrys fall was the male inheritors decline into moral sin (French and Rothery 403). The landed gentry was in control until the younger sons started to put the families financial security in danger; they were soon sent to an outside school (French and Rothery 403-405). This moral decline was soon blamed on the parents teaching of their children (French and Rothery 404). Although the kids did go to school, their circle of activity still revolved around society (French and Rothery 405). Although one might think the gentry to be powerful, the aristocrats retain the power (Channe14.com, pars.8). The sinple definition of aristocracy is rule of the best or superior (Aristocracy, par. 2). It has the least change out of all the social classes (Channe14.com, pars.8). Most people who made up the aristocracy were politicians who came from noble families (Channe14.com, pars.8). The unelected House of Lords is mainly made up of aristocrats (Channe14.com, par. 8). If you were part of the British aristocracy, by birth, you were a gentleman (The Gentleman, par.2). To be an aristocrat one had to have land (An Ancestry.com community, par. 1). Oddly enough, most aristocrats were not of the richest or most powerful families (An Ancestry.com Community, par. 3). The aristocrats were also head of the social life (Channe14.com, par.10). The great families filled the main circles, through their youth, with fashion and culture (Escott par. 2). They lived on grand country estates where they would go hunting and fishing (Channe14.com, par.10). Some aristocrats even had London estates which would opened up during certain seasons (Channe14.com, par. 10). Aristocrats eventually came to a point where they did not do anything but flaunted their wealth, and politics became a game (Escott par. 2). They realized they needed to step up their game when the middle class began to rise (Escott par. 2). The middle class consisted of businessman, entrepreneurs, shopkeepers, merchants, and any other men just above the lower class (Loftus par. 2). To be part of the middle class, one had to take care of ones self, their family, and ones community (Loftus par. 4). It is safe to say that a definition of the middle class is impossible (Loftus par. 1).The dream of the businessmen in the middle class was to become part of the aristocracy (Channe14.com, par. 11). Over time, the middle class changed into a small group mainly made up of professionals, factory owners, merchants, and writers (Channe14.com, par 12). An example of one of these would be the writer, Conan Doyle (Hammer 56 65). The middle class, unlike the aristocracy, made their society on rights not by hereditary gain (Loftus par. 1). The middle class has two main sections, the upper middle class and the lower middle class (Channe14.com, pars. 13 17). The upper middle class was between professionals, and industrialists (Channe14.com, par. 14). Professionals were the doctors, lawyers, clergy, and top civil servants (Channe14.com, par. 14). The lower middle class was made up of mostly women (Channe14.com, par. 16). Many upper middle class men worked in banks or climb up the ladder to rule the empire (Channe14.com, par. 15). These men were usually the ones who used their riches to buy homes and became just as rich as the aristocracy (Loftus par. 3). The middle classs economy and financial variations were made by differences on background, politics, and religion (Loftus par. 3). They mainly came from political coherence (Loftus par. 4). Emphasized by competition, thrift, and self-reliance, the middle class began to rise into power (Loftus par. 4). All their success was due to their principles on individuality (Loftus par. 5). Every middle class person, through hard work and self- reliance, could have had economic and social success (Loftus par. 5). Many critics, like Thomas Carlyle, were fearful that the middle class individualism would be a threat to the community (Loftus par. 5). Much of the middle class success came from the political economy as well as the social economy (Loftus par. 8). They were always ready for improvement; it was key to their culture (Loftus par. 8). The middle class defined themselves by attempting to make the lower class see their potential (Loftus par. 9). The lower class was more commonly known to the Victorians as the working class (Channe14.com, par. 18). The workers of the working class can be divided into six groups: high-paid labor, regular standard earners, small regular earners, intermittent earners, casual earners, and the lowest class (Channe14.com, pars. 18 and 19). The largest group division were the regular standard earners, which had more people than the other five groups put together (Channe14.com, par. 20). The regular standard earners were men who made their wages from the Victorian economy; as it rose, so did their wages (Channe14.com, par. 20). When the economy boomed, people had less children, which meant more time for relaxing (Channe14.com, par. 20). The Victorian Era was the best time for one to spend their days in leisurely activity (Channe14.com, par. 24). As life became better for the higher working classes, who are known as deserving poor, the poor became more desperate (Channe14.com, par. 21). While the deserving poor get charity, if and when they need it, the lowest class gets nothing (Channe14.com, par. 21). This class made up about a quarter of all the outskirt areas (Channe14.com, par. 21). Some of these people may be criminals or unemployed, but each of them live in conditions beyond their control (Channe14.com, pars. 22 23). Times became so bad that one might have seen another selling dog droppings (Channe14.com, par. 22). Country poverty was even more sad (Channe14.com, par. 23). Most people survived on eight pounds a year (Channe14.com, par. 23). Some teenagers were forced to join gangs and mothers had to give their babies opium so they would not cry (Channe14.com, par. 22 23). Though, if one of these men could save enough money to start a small business, he could move up into middle class (Loftus par. 11). The Victorian era was the best time for leisurely activity (Channe14.com, par. 24). The upper class, middle class and lower class began to fade away shortly after this end of this period (French and Rothery 402-422). As stated earlier, the Victorian Era gave opportunity to most everyone (Loftus par. 1). Each class opportunity was shown through power, authority, and wealth (Cody par. 2). At the close of this era, the higher middle class sat with the upper middle class at operas in the royal box, thus showing the opportunity in the classes (Channe14.com, par. 3). Interestingly enough, there are a few noble families still left in England today (An Ancestry.com Community, par. 18). Work Cited An Ancestry.com Community. 31 March 2010. English Social Classes. 08 November 2010 . aristocracy. Encyclopedia Britannica. 2010 ed. Channe14.com. 2010 Time Travelers Guide to Victorian Britain. 2010. . Fordham.edu. 2010. Modern History Sourcebook. 2010. . French, Henry and Mark Rothery. Upon Your Entry into the World: masculine values and the threshold of adulthood among landed elites in England 1680-1800.Social History. 33 (4 Nov. 2008) : 402 422. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO Brandon Public Library. 01 November 2010. . Hammer, Joshua. Sherlock Holmes London. Smithsonian January 2010:56-65 David, Cody. The Victorian Web. 2002. The Victorian Web. 22 July 2002 Social Class. 27 October 2010 . David, Cody. The Victorian Web. 2002. The Victorian Web. 22 July 2002 The Gentlemen. 01 November 2010 . Loftus, Donna. BBC. 15 October 2010 The Rise of the Victorian Middle Class. 08 November 2010 . Thornber, Craig. Cheshire Antiquities. 2010 The East Cheshire Gentry. 08 November 2010 .

Thursday, September 19, 2019

Communication in business and information technology Essay -- essays r

Communication for Business and Information Technology Case Study. OLYMPIA PRODUCTIONS: Introduction: Olympia Productions is in itself a product of five independent entities, combining their resources to create an efficient and effective partnership. The transition from separate businesses to a singular partnership has been a new experience to every part of the partnership. The matter of using a participative or a hierarchical management style has yet to be determined. Management Approaches: Hierarchical: This management style requires leaders to make decisions without consolidations from fellow employees. According to Dwyer (1997), the leader of the group here is the one who announces the decision while all other members follow his/her orders. Dwyer states that this method is more likely to favour the businesses â€Å"interests† far ahead of that of employees. The employers of the previous five independent businesses had implemented this method and since they have been using its for so long, have become accustomed to it. Participative: The participative management method makes it essential for the leader to have an active role in making decisions. Dwyer (1997) recognises, He/She must ask fellow members opinions and ideas in order to achieve maximum output. An opposite result is identified by Dwyer. It has been suggested that the newly formed ‘Olympia Productions’, should consider this style of management. Implementation: Suggestion: Using a Hierarchical management style may have gotten objectives achieved much more timely, but team members have found the leader to be too dominating and therefore as a result: 1.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Poor team participation† 2.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Low motivation† 3.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  and â€Å"Lack of creativity† are the consequences that have arisen as shown by Dwyer. The Participative method ensures that all member are actively involved in the entities operations. Dwyer displays the results as: 1.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Shared responsibility† 2.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Encourages Self-Esteem† 3.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  and â€Å"Job satisfaction† are the benefits of a teamwork orientated management method which promotes easier communication. Dwyer explains both methods thoroughly but uses more positive incites on the participative method. Therefore all managers should be briefed on ... ...d supporting members† 4.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Giving feedback† 5.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Developing teamwork† 6.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  and â€Å"Counselling members† These simple steps outlined by Dwyer, display the encouraged communication in various ways. Management could ask for contributions into developing goals, and make jobs meaningful with rewards and compliments on successful work. Leaders represent fellow staff at meetings and give recognition. This strategy will impact Olympia Productions in a positive manner, as both management and staff receive cooperation and further develop communication. RERERENCES : Dwyer, J. 1997, The business communication handbook, 4th edition, Prentice Hall, Sydney. Crosling, G., & Ward, I. 1999, Graduates, workplace oral communication and undergraduate curriculum, [online], Monash University, Clayton. Jones, G., George, J.M., & Hill, C.W.L. 2000, Contemporary management, 2nd edition, McGraw- Hill Higher Education, Boston. (Technical advances in communication ) Jones, G., George, J.M., & Hill, C.W.L. 2000, Contemporary management, 2nd edition, McGraw- Hill Higher Education, Boston. ( Social responsibility )

Wednesday, September 18, 2019

Measure for Measure Essay: Angelo -- Measure for Measure

Angelo in Measure for Measure   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Within Measure for Measure, the character of Angelo can be seen as a case study of will over moral nature. Angelo, a deputy, is given the Dukes authority to act in his behalf while the Duke is away. The story unfolds as Angelo uses the agency he's been given in ways that many men in authoritative positions have done. It is interesting to follow his line of thought and to realize that this is a man who is not unlike many others. The main conflict between Isabella and Angelo is a contemporary problem. Measure for Measure is a unique opportunity to investigate the personality types of the characters involved in the conflict, and the study of these complex characters can give meaningful insights into the nature of human emotion and action. Angelo's job is to take over in government while the Duke investigates his own character and those of others disguised as a friar. Whilst Angelo is in power, his will, ironically is in direct conflict with the law he is trying to uphold. He propositions chaste Isabella to engage in sexual activity in exchange for the life of her brother who is to be executed because of his sexual indiscretions. It can be perhaps seen that Angelo is not an inherently evil character, that he feel from ... ...with temptation." These are lessons that can apply to everyone.    Works Cited and Consulted: Black, James. "The Unfolding of Measure for Measure." Shakespeare Survey 26 (1973): 119-28. Leech, Clifford. "The 'Meaning' of Measure for Measure." Shakespeare Survey 3 (1950): 69-71. Shakespeare, William. Measure for Measure. The Arden Shakespeare. Ed. J.W. Lever. London: Routledge, 1995. Thomas, Vivian.   Understandning Angelo in Measure for Measure.   London: Croom Helm, 1987. Wilders, John.   "The Problem Comedies."   In Wells, Stanley, ed.   Shakespeare: Select Bibliographical Guides.   London: Oxford UP, 1973.

Tuesday, September 17, 2019

Employee Relations HND 2013 Assignment 1 Essay

Unitarism is considered to be as a family-type system where the association is alleged to be an incorporated and pleasant atmosphere like a happy family. A principal theory of the unitary approach is all employees and the employers as well in the entire organization share the same goals, interests and dedications therefore working hand-in-hand and towards their mutual objectives. Somewhat like an Ant Colony, all of the ants work together for the same goals, and for the colony. Which brings me to another point where in Unitarism has a sort of a paternalistic approach where loyalty of all members is a must, just like ants where the queen is considered the father figure. Trade Unions are not referred to as much and are deemed unnecessary and conflict is alleged to be disorderly. From an Employee’s point of view, The Unitary approach should encompass; Waged work ought to be flexible; Individuals ought to be oriented, multi-talented, effective and efficient in business procedural improvement. If any Trade Union is recognized its purpose is that to improve communications between the employees and the employer. Good relationship is stressed on and the terms and conditions of employment are complete and comprehensive. Employee brainstorming sessions are encouraged therefore bringing out the best solutions to any problems. Also helping employees bring out their innovation, creativity, qualities and it leaves room for improvement. Workers should have a sense of belonging and security at the workplace through the skills and expertise of the managers who are informed regarding their endeavors, therefore allowing them to maximize their efficiency at the workplace. From an Employers point of view, The Unitary Approach should incorporate; The company policies must maximize the unification of employee efforts, inspiration and motivation. The company’s extensive goals must be communicated in an organized and proper manner to all staff. Systems should be established to ensure employee loyalty and commitment such as reward-systems. Line Managers should ensure ownership responsibilities of their team/staff. Staff-management conflicts – from the perspective of the unitary framework – are seen as arising from lack of information, inadequate presentation of management’s policies. Personal objectives of each employee in the entire organization must be discussed with them and then incorporated with the organizations requirements. Pluralist Perspective; Pluralism consists of powerful, divergent sub-groups, managements and trade unions within an organization. This approach responds to conflicts of interest and misunderstandings between managers and workers in regard to distribution of profits as a normal and inescapable problem. In regard to this, Managements would opt less towards administrating and monitoring, and opt more towards convincing and synchronization. Trade Unions are supported a lot here and considered to be legitimate legislatures of employees. Conflict is solved by cooperative negotiations and is regarded not necessarily as a negative entity and if accomplished can in fact be channeled into development and positive energy. Realistic managers cannot deny the fact that conflict occurs and have no choice other than to accept it. There is greater susceptibility for conflict than harmony. They must have procedures in advance for settling any disputes that may arise which may include; Industrial Relations and Personnel Specialists who guide managers and offer specialist services in respect of staffing and matters relating to union consultation and negotiation. Autonomous external negotiators should be incorporated to help in regard to settlement of disputes. Union recognition should be encouraged and union representatives given scope to carry out their representative duties All-Inclusive mutual agreements must be negotiated with unions. The Differences between Unitarism and Pluralism; Unitarism and pluralism are concepts that differ vastly in their definition as well as their procedures. These terms are mainly heard of in employee relations. Unitarism believes that the management or employees of the organization have to be interconnected and work hand in hand with each other to achieve their goals and for the welfare of the company. While Pluralism on the other hand believes that various groups of employees have different needs and necessities therefore making it sort a selected procedure and acknowledging this fact can help the company achieve its goals. Something one must know is that unitarism believes that the employees and company shares the same agenda, the experts call it a â€Å"Unitary Outlook† Pluralism does not believe in the control implemented by the management. . This is one of the main differences between pluralism and Unitarism. Pluralists encourage that a particular system be followed in the interest of the organization. It opines that power is nicely dispersed rather than concentrated in the hands of a few individuals. Pluralism gives ample opportunity for employees to voice out their opinions. On the other hand, unitarism believes in the perception of the entire organization as one big family. The management and the staff share common objectives, interests and purposes according to unitarists. It has a paternalistic approach, and it expects the loyalty of the employees. Pluralism on the other hand, is not paternalistic in its approach and hence, it does not expect the loyalty of the employees. These are the important differences between unitarism and pluralism in the arena of human resources development. Question 2: The past 25-30 years have seen massive overall changes in the regard to employee relations in the United Kingdom’s Organizational sector. The main factors that influenced this change are political, economic, social and technological factors, The influence of the Conservative government played a major role in the political aspect of employee relation change which was performed during 1979-1997. –The Wilderness Years- These years had drastic changes and were very unstable for the Conservative government, they included declines in trade unions, new laws and acts sorted out and the importance of the Labour government from 1997 to the present day which has also brought different changes to employee relations. In regard to legal perspectives the Conservative government has played a significant role in labour law which involved changing the relationship between the employer and employee, the employer and the union and the membership therefore establishing effective communication and understanding. The other changes inaccordance to legal reference were; Removing constitutional supports for collective bargaining. Advertising and Promoting Non-Unionism. Abolition of the obligatory union membership. Restraining industrial action and increasing fines for unlawful action. Regulation of internal Union government. Flagging labour law and social security measures which delivered a level to wages. Removing protection afforded by individual employment rights. Technological Impacts; All organisations function within specific technological limitations which have an impact on its size and structure, whereas the size and structure have an influence on the culture of an organization. As culture affects the relationship between people it can be seen that technology and technological development play an important role in employee relations. It is important for employee relations professionals to understand the meaning of the word ‘technology’ If it simply suggests some form of process or engineering, then does it have any role outside of manufacturing? It is more than an engineering process, in the perspective of an organization it is the application of skills and knowledge. New technology can be viewed in three ways in regard to employee relations; 1.) Its impact on traditional skills acts as a de-skilling agent as well as a creator of un employment. 2.) In a more positive way it creates a chance for old employees to learn new skills. 3.) This perspective views technology as a way to remove previously unpleasant or repetitive tasks from the equation. Question 3: Workers (Employees); The role of the employee is classified over the things he should yearn for in an organization. A good employee will try to develop oneself and seek a variety of assignments, tackle tough problems and ask for feedback. Coaching is also a very helpful activity it can be both ways as one looking for others to coach and another looking for a coach to learn from. Asking for feedback can be very helpful especially when working with different varieties of people in different situations. One should look for developmental relationships that can help provide a lot of learning and understanding. They should identify goals for new skills and abilities and organize how to achieve those goals. Attending classes and workshops would be a great source of filling in conceptual needs. The responsibility of an employee given to him/her by the organization should be recognized by the employee, Things that the employee must ensure and study when starting work towards development; Precise Goals; identifying goals for new abilities and organizing methods to reach those goals. Vigor to make his/her development successful. Diversity of work assignments. Requesting for feedback. Chances to coach other employees and finding good coaches for oneself. Developmental relationships that give a chance for an assortment of learning Managers; Managers are the head of Employee relations and are responsible for creating a rational, respectful, varied and high performance culture allowing employees to give their best effort. The post holder will improve, provide and uphold a business engrossed employee relation strategy that is to the point and ensures that the E.R team achieve their goals and work plan. The main responsibilities of a manager are; Head of discussions with any official union and staff relations with a purpose to successfully achieve positive outcome and comprehensive understandings to proposals which meet organisation objectives. Lead on the employee relations phases of projected variations to organization structure, employment levels and agreements to support the delivery of business goals. Donate to the considered development of the Human Resource function by introducing a progressive, business focused employee relations strategy that validates the current and future needs of an organization. Contribute to the sustained enhancement of the health of the organization by observing performance indicators, like sick leave, levels of grievances and disciplinaries , work/life balance, increasing initiatives and solutions to establish positive trends. Recognize and implement positive employee relations programmes, in discussion with the applicable stakeholder groups, that will increase effeciencey and motivation in the workforce. Deliver approachable and high quality support, training and advice to all parts of the business including senior managers to guarantee the to ensure appropriate management of all employee relations issues, including poor performance, grievances and disciplinary action. Manage and organize the people aspects of any streamlines within the organization, including redeployment and redundancy that must be completed within timescales and using the budgets. Ensure that the appropriate Human Resource support mechanisms are in place for staff. Give advice and direction regarding all the employee relations aspect of pay and reward projects, deviations to pay, terms and conditions of employment, pay reviews and their application. Improve and implement discussing mechanisms with trade unions which support the yearly pay and benefits with any organizational changes. Effectively manage all legal proceedings and Employment tribunal cases for the organization and act as the ‘Intelligent Client’ for retained lawyers, protecting the reputation and finances of the organization. Preserve relationships with internal diversity networks to enable the organizations targets to be met and contribute to the development and implementation of diversity action plans that fulfill the overall goals of employee relations. Lead a team and use good people management practices. Particularly with regard to performance management and career development. Organizations; One of the main functions of an organization in employee relations is to act as the employer’s spokesperson in pursuit to influence the broad policy environment in a manner conducive to their constituents’ interests (in this respect, it might be noted that the IR function was originally, and in many cases has remained, the cornerstone of the operations of many employers’ organizations). This representation role will remain significant. But â€Å"the ultimate credibility of employers’ organizations will depend on the provision of quality services to enterprises and their capacity and skill in negotiating on behalf of employers† (de Silva 1996:3). In this regard, considerable emphasis is now being given within the region to developing employers’ organizations as strong professional organizations. Priority is being given to strategic planning; developing direct services to members across a range of issues (eg, labour law, IR/HRM, labour market information, human resource development, etc); and providing the necessary internal capacities to deliver these services (which requires knowledgeable, well-trained technical staff, supported by sophisticated research and information bases). References: http://books.google.ae/books?id=FuUmIixUldwC&pg=PA96&lpg=PA96&dq=technological+changes+to+employee+relations+in+uk+from+1979&source=bl&ots=Ha2NfkrfnW&sig=DS13XkOYCpc8RFROwW1O2t_2kXY&hl=en&sa=X&ei=-0HlUdDjC4KJrQf4ooCgDw&ved=0CCgQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=technological%20changes%20to%20employee%20relations%20in%20uk%20from%201979&f=false http://industrialrelations.naukrihub.com/pluralistic-perspective.html http://industrialrelations.naukrihub.com/unitary-perspective.html http://www.differencebetween.com/difference-between-unitarism-and-vs-pluralism/ http://www.earlhamsociologypages.co.uk/conthatnewright.html

Monday, September 16, 2019

Learner Guide for a Level Economics

Learner Guide for Cambridge AS and A Level Economics Learner Guide for Cambridge AS and A Level Economics How to use this guide The guide describes what you need to know about your Economics examination. It will help you to plan your revision programme and will explain what Cambridge International Examinations is looking for. The guide contains the following sections: Section 1: How will you be tested? This section will give you information about the different examination papers you will take. Section 2: Examination tips This section gives you advice to help you do as well as you can.Some of the tips are general advice and some are based on the common mistakes that learners make in exams. Section 3: What will be tested? This section describes the five assessment objectives in Economics Section 4: What you need to know This shows the syllabus content so that you can check: †¢ which topics you need to know about †¢ details about each topic area in the syllabus †¢ how muc h of the syllabus you have covered Section 5: Useful Websites  © Cambridge International Examinations 2012 Learner Guide for Cambridge AS and A Level Economics Section 1: How will you be tested?The table below gives you information about the examination papers you will take. Paper Type Duration Number of Questions Maximum Mark 1 Multiple Choice (Core) (a) Data Response (Core) (b) Structured Essay (Core) 1 hour 30 30 Weight (% of total marks for syllabus) 40 45 minutes (recommended) 1 20 30 45 minutes (recommended) 1 from a choice of 3 20 30 2 2  © Cambridge International Examinations 2012 Learner Guide for Cambridge AS and A Level Economics Section 2: Examination tips General Advice †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ It is very important that you look very closely at the ‘command’ or ‘directive’ words used in a question.These tell you what we are looking for. If a question asks you to ‘identify’, ‘ state’ or ‘calculate’ something, you should not write a very long answer. If, however, the question asks you to ‘explain’ or ‘discuss’ something, this will require you to go into much more detail and your answer should be longer. Very often, with a ‘discuss’ question, you will be expected to look at something from two contrasting points of view and then come to a reasoned and well supported conclusion. It is also important that you look closely at the number of marks that are awarded for each part of a question.This will give you guidance as to how long you should spend on each particular part. Some parts of a question will only gain you two or four marks while other questions will have sections worth eight and twelve marks. Remember to look very closely at the precise wording of each part of a question. You need to make absolutely certain that your answer clearly relates to what is specifically required. For example, you ma y answer a question about inflation and write all you know about how it is measured, but the actual question asked required you to write about the difference between two causes of inflation, cost-push and demand-pull.Time management is crucial. Don’t spend too long on one question, or parts of one question, and then leave yourself towards the end of the examination with very little time to read through your answer and correct any mistakes and/or add anything that you feel is missing. W herever possible, use diagrams to aid your explanations, but make sure that they are accurately and clearly drawn and correctly labelled. You should also make sure that you refer to them in your answer. You should also try and bring in appropriate and relevant examples, wherever possible, of current economic issues and problems to support the points you are making.Look back at the question every so often, just to make sure that you are answering the question correctly and staying ‘on trac k’. You do not need to write out the question; this is a waste of your time. Just make sure that you write the number of the question, and the sub-part, so that we know which question you have answered and there is no possibility of confusion as to which question has been answered. Do not answer more questions than you have to. For example in Paper 2, you are required to answer question 1 in Section A and then only one of the three questions in Section B. Cambridge International Examinations 2012 Learner Guide for Cambridge AS and A Level Economics An Example Paper 2 Section A: Question 1 This is the data response question which has to be answered. There are 20 marks available for this question. †¢ †¢ You need to spend time carefully reading through the information provided in Section A. In the example above the data response was concerned with the market for onions in Bangladesh. You need to be confident in what you have read so that you are able to identify, inter pret and manipulate aspects of the data, depending on the particular questions asked.You need to look at the title of the case study; this may well give you some clues as to what you will be required to do in answering the questions.  © Cambridge International Examinations 2012 Learner Guide for Cambridge AS and A Level Economics †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ You need to look at the data provided and appreciate its context. In the example above, this was concerned with the prices of essential foodstuffs in Bangladesh and the implications of this for traders, consumers and the government.If the data is in the form of a table, a chart or a diagram, look for the important features and see if you can identify any patterns, relationships or trends as some of the questions are likely to be drawn from these. Look for the economic theories or concepts around which the case study has been written; think about how and where these theories and concepts are embedded in the data as questions are likely to be drawn from these. In the example above, this was in relation to prices, demand and supply and government intervention in markets). See if there is a stated source for the case study; as this may help you to understand its context.See if you can identify any limitations of the data; for example, there may be other information that you would have found useful, but which has been omitted. The instruction on the examination paper states: â€Å"Brief answers only are required. † You need to be able to quote selectively and answer concisely. You need to look closely at and follow the mark allocation in terms of the time to be taken to answer each part of a question. In the example above, all three parts of (a) were allocated two marks each, both parts of (b) were allocated four marks each, and part (c) was allocated six marks.Half of the time allocated to the whole paper, 1 hour 30 minutes, sh ould be spent on answering Question 1, i. e. 45 minutes. This means that between 13 and 14 minutes should be allocated to each of (a) and (c) and 18 minutes to (b). W here the ‘command’ or ‘directive’ word is calculate, you do not need to go into a great deal of detail. In Question 1 (a) (i), in the example above, you simply needed to calculate the approximate price per kilo of onions in September 2003. W here the ‘command’ or ‘directive’ word is identify, you again do not need to go into a great deal of detail.In Question 1 (a) (ii), in the example above, you simply needed to identify two reasons why prices might normally be expected to rise before the Holy Month of Ramadan; you were not required to explain, analyse or discuss these two reasons. A question will sometimes explicitly require you to include a diagram. This was the case in (b) (i) and (ii), in the example above, when candidates were required to include a demand and su pply diagram. In the case of (i), this was to help explain how traders may benefit from reducing the supply of essential products.In the case of (ii), this was to help analyse the effect on the market for onions of the introduction of an effective maximum price. Your diagrams would need to be neatly and accurately drawn and correctly labelled. You would also need to refer to the diagrams in your answers; that is why it says ‘with the aid of a demand and supply diagram’ in the question. The maximum mark that could have been awarded in each of these sections, if no diagram had been included, was three out of the available four. In some parts of questions, the ‘command’ or ‘directive’ word is explain or analyse.In part (b), (i), in the example above, you were required candidates to ‘explain how traders may benefit from reducing the supply of essential foodstuffs’, while in (ii) candidates were required to ‘analyse the effect on the market for onions of the introduction of an effective maximum price’. It is very important that you fully understand what is meant by these words. Explain means to make clear how or why; analyse means to examine in technical detail. In some parts of questions, the ‘command’ or ‘directive’ word used is discuss.In Question 1 (c), in the example above, the question required candidates to ‘discuss the  © Cambridge International Examinations 2012 Learner Guide for Cambridge AS and A Level Economics †¢ desirability of the Government’s intervention in the market for onions’. You would need to look at this from both points of view, i. e. firstly saying that it would be advantageous and then going on to consider some of the possible disadvantages. You would then be expected to reach a conclusion as to whether it would be particularly desirable for the government to intervene in such a market.The maximum mark for only one side of the argument was four; the maximum mark for both points of view, but without a clear conclusion, was five. You should always try to leave time at the end of answering the question to read through what you have written so that you can check and correct any mistakes and add anything important that you have omitted. Section B: Questions 2, 3 or 4 This is the essay question and you have to answer just one question from this section. There are 20 marks available for this question. †¢ †¢ Each question will be made up of two parts with eight marks for (a) and twelve marks for (b).Part (a) will always require you to explain something. This means that you are required to give clear reasons for something or to make something clear in terms of how and/or why something is happening. For example, in Question 2 (a) you were required to explain how production possibility curves might be used in assessing a country’s economic performance. You would need to demonstrate knowledge of what is meant by a production possibility curve and then go on to explain both the static position of the curve and a movement of it.In Question 3 (a) you were required to explain the difference between absolute and comparative advantage. You would need to define the two terms and then go on to explain the terms and the assumptions which underpin the two concepts. In Question 4 (a) you were required to explain the difference between costpush and demand-pull inflation. You would need to demonstrate knowledge of what is meant by inflation and then go on to explain the two terms and, most importantly, the difference between them.  © Cambridge International Examinations 2012Learner Guide for Cambridge AS and A Level Economics †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ As has been said, there are eight marks available for part (a), 40% of the total for the question. You should, therefore, aim to spend about 40% of the time available for answering this part of the question. The time allocated to answering this question is 45 minutes, so you need to aim to spend about 40% of that time on part (a), i. e. about 18 minutes. Part (b) will always require you to discuss something. This means that you are required to give the important arguments, for and against, in relation to whatever is being asked.For example, in Question 2 (b) you were required to discuss whether a mixed economy is the best way for a country to deal with the basic economic problem. You would need to demonstrate an understanding of both a mixed economy and the basic economic problem and then go on to discuss both the benefits and the drawbacks of a mixed economy. In Question 3 (b) you were required to discuss whether the principle of comparative advantage is a satisfactory explanation of the trade pattern of an economy with which you are familiar.You would need to apply the principle of comparative advantage to a pattern of trade and discuss the limitations of comparative advantage theory. You would then need t o go on to discuss other explanations of trade. This is a particularly interesting question because instead of requiring you to discuss a particular trade pattern between two economies, you are asked to discuss the trade pattern of an economy with which you are familiar, i. e. you are given the choice of deciding which economy to write about. In Question 4 (b) you were required to discuss whether a country experiencing inflation will always have a balance of payments problem.You would need to explain the link between inflation and the balance of payments and then go on to discuss the conditions when inflation would be likely to bring about a balance of payments problem and the conditions when inflation would not be likely to cause such a problem. As has been said, there are twelve marks available for part (b), 60% of the total for the question. You should, therefore, aim to spend about 60% of the time available for answering this part of the question. The time allocated to answering this question is 45 minutes, so you need to aim to spend about 60% of that time on part (b), i. . about 27 minutes. You should always try to leave time at the end of answering the question to read through what you have written so that you can check and correct any mistakes and add anything important that you have omitted.  © Cambridge International Examinations 2012 Learner Guide for Cambridge AS and A Level Economics Section 3: What will be tested? The syllabus sets out the five assessment objectives in Economics. Number of Assessment Objective 1 Skill Demonstration of Skill Demonstrate Knowledge and Understanding 2 Interpret 3 Explain and Analyse 4 Evaluate 5 Organise, Present and CommunicateYou should be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the specified content. You should be able to interpret economic information presented in: †¢ verbal †¢ numerical or †¢ graphical forms. You should be able to explain and analyse economic issues and arguments, us ing relevant economic: †¢ concepts †¢ theories and †¢ information. You should be able to evaluate economic: †¢ information †¢ arguments †¢ proposals and †¢ policies. You should be able to take into consideration relevant information and theory. You should be able to distinguish facts from: †¢ hypothetical statements and †¢ value judgements.You should be able to organise, present and communicate economic ideas and informed judgements in a: †¢ clear †¢ logical and †¢ appropriate form. The Multiple Choice component (Paper 1) will seek to test particularly Assessment Objectives 1, 2 and 3. The Data Response part of Paper 2 will seek to test particularly Assessment Objectives 2 and 3 and, to a lesser extent, Assessment objectives 1, 4 and 5. The Structured Essay part of Paper 2 will seek to test particularly Assessment Objectives 1, 3, 4 and 5 and, to a lesser extent, Assessment Objective 2.  © Cambridge International Examinat ions 2012Learner Guide for Cambridge AS and A Level Economics Section 4: What you need to know A table is provided below which describes the topics which will be tested in your examination papers. You can use the table throughout the course to check the topics you have covered. You can also use it as a revision aid. The column headed ‘comments’ can be used: †¢ to add further information about the details of each bullet point, or to give appropriate examples †¢ to highlight areas of difficulty which you might need to ask your teacher about.  © Cambridge International Examinations 2012 Learner Guide for Cambridge AS and A Level EconomicsTheme 1 Basic Economic Ideas Topic Scarcity, choice and resource allocation Different allocative mechanisms Production possibility curve The margin Positive and normative statements Ceteris paribus Factors of production Division of Labour Money  © Cambridge International Examinations 2012 You should be able to: †¢ Define the meaning of scarcity †¢ Explain the inevitability of choices at all levels: o individual o firm o government †¢ Define and explain the concept of opportunity cost †¢ Consider basic questions of: o what will be produced o how it will be produced o for whom it will be produced Distinguish between: market economies †¢ planned economies †¢ mixed economies †¢ and problems of transition Explain: †¢ the shape of the production possibility curve †¢ shifts of the production possibility curve Explain decision making at the margin Distinguish between: †¢ positive and †¢ normative statements Explain the meaning of ceteris paribus Define the four factors of production: †¢ Land †¢ Labour †¢ Capital †¢ Enterprise Explain the meaning of division of labour Describe and explain: †¢ the functions of money †¢ the characteristics of money Comments Learner Guide for Cambridge AS and A Level Economics Theme 2 The Price Sys temTopic Individual Demand curves You should be able to: Explain the construction of individual demand curves Aggregation of individual demand curves to give market demand Factors influencing demand Explain how individual demand curves are aggregated to give market demand Movements along and shifts of a demand curve Price, income and cross elasticities of demand Firms’ supply curves Factors influencing market supply Movements along and shifts of a supply curve Price elasticity of supply  © Cambridge International Examinations 2012 Identify and explain the various factors that can influence market demandExplain and distinguish between: †¢ movements along a demand curve †¢ shifts of a demand curve †¢ Explain the meaning of †¢ Calculate †¢ Analyse the factors affecting †¢ Assess the implications for revenue and business decisions of o price elasticity of o demand o income elasticity of o demand o cross elasticity of o demand Explain how individual firms’ supply curves are aggregated to give market supply Identify and explain the various factors that can influence market supply, including: †¢ indirect taxes and †¢ subsidies Explain and distinguish between: †¢ movements along a supply curve †¢ shifts of a supply curveExplain: †¢ the determinants of the price elasticity of supply †¢ the implications of price elasticity of supply for speed/ease with which businesses react to changed market conditions Comments Learner Guide for Cambridge AS and A Level Economics Theme Topic Interaction of demand and supply Equilibrium price and quantity Consumer and producer surplus Prices as rationing and allocative mechanisms 3 Government Intervention in the Price System Externalities Social costs and social benefits Decision-making using costbenefit analysis Private goods and public goods Merit goods and demerit goodsGovernment intervention  © Cambridge International Examinations 2012 You should be able t o: Explain: †¢ the meaning of equilibrium and disequilibrium †¢ the effects of changes in supply and demand on equilibrium price and quantity †¢ the applications of demand and supply analysis Explain the meaning of consumer and producer surplus Analyse how prices can be used as: †¢ rationing and †¢ allocative mechanisms Explain and distinguish between: †¢ positive and †¢ negative externalities Explain social costs as the sum of: †¢ private costs and †¢ external costs Explain social benefits as the sum of: †¢ private benefits and external benefits Explain decision-making using cost-benefit analysis Explain and distinguish between: †¢ private goods and †¢ public goods Explain and distinguish between: †¢ merit goods and †¢ demerit goods Explain government intervention through: †¢ maximum price controls †¢ price stabilisation †¢ taxes †¢ subsidies †¢ direct provision of goods and services Comm ents Learner Guide for Cambridge AS and A Level Economics Theme 4 International Trade Topic Principles of absolute and comparative advantage Other explanations and determinants of trade flows Arguments for free trade and motives for protectionTypes of protection and their effects Economic integration 5 Measurement in the Macroeconomy Terms of Trade Balance of Payments Different forms of measurement in the macroeconomy General price level Price indices  © Cambridge International Examinations 2012 You should be able to: Explain the principles of: †¢ absolute advantage †¢ comparative advantage and †¢ their real-world limitations Explain the opportunity cost concept allied to trade Account for other explanations and determinants of trade flows Explain: †¢ arguments for free trade and †¢ motives for protection Explain: †¢ types of protection and †¢ their effectsExplain the features of, and the differences between, a: †¢ free trade area †¢ cu stoms union †¢ economic union †¢ monetary union Explain the meaning of the terms of trade Explain the components of the balance of payments Explain different types of measurement: †¢ Employment statistics †¢ Size and components of labour force †¢ Labour productivity †¢ Definition of unemployment †¢ Unemployment rate; patterns and trends in employment and unemployment †¢ Difficulties involved in measuring unemployment Explain: †¢ the general price level †¢ price indices, such as the consumer price index and the retail price index money and real data Comments Learner Guide for Cambridge AS and A Level Economics Theme Topic Shape and determinants of AD and AS You should be able to: Interaction of AD and AS: determination of level of output, prices and employment 6 Macroeconomic Problems Inflation Define inflation Explain the: †¢ degrees of inflation †¢ types of inflation †¢ causes of inflation †¢ consequences of infl ation Explain the: †¢ meaning of balance of payments equilibrium and disequilibrium †¢ causes of balance of payments disequilibrium †¢ consequences of balance of payments disequilibrium on the domestic and external economyDefine exchange rates and explain: †¢ the measurement of exchange rates – nominal, real, tradeweighted exchange rates †¢ the determination of exchange rates – fixed, floating, managed and ‘dirty’ float †¢ the factors underlying fluctuations in exchange rates †¢ the effects of changing exchange rates on the economy Analyse policies designed to: †¢ correct balance of payments disequilibrium or †¢ influence the exchange rate Comment on the possible conflicts between these three policy objectives Balance of Payments Problems Fluctuations in Foreign Exchange Rates 7 Macroeconomic PoliciesMacroeconomic policies Conflicts between policy objectives on inflation, balance of payments exchange rate  © C ambridge International Examinations 2012 Comments Learner Guide for Cambridge AS and A Level Economics Section 5: Useful Websites General Economics sites http://www. tutor2u. net This is probably one of the best of the various internet sites that are currently available for students of Economics. It provides a great deal of information on a wide range of topics and one section that is particularly useful is a range of revision notes on different areas of the syllabus.There are also a number of essay plans on different topics and there is an active forum and advice section, as well as regular news updates. There are interactive quizzes and a VLE (virtual learning environment) site. There are also PowerPoint presentations on many topics and a very useful Economics blog. http://brynsaseconomicsblog. blogspot. com This site is updated regularly and shows the list of topics covered down the left hand side with the number of entries for each topic in brackets. There are useful links to a wide range of resources including not only articles but also video clips. ttp://www. bized. co. uk/ This is a particularly useful site if you are looking for up-to-date facts about various companies, prepared by the companies themselves but with learners in mind. It also includes a range of learning materials that will be useful across all areas of the syllabus. It has a number of virtual reality exercises in the Virtual Worlds section of the site, including Virtual Economy, Virtual Factory and Virtual Developing Country. http://www. s-cool. co. uk This is one of the better websites, providing a lot of useful information for Economics students.It covers eighteen topic areas and in each of these there is a checklist of the main principles, a QuickLearn section that explains the main elements of that part of the syllabus, with some very helpful diagrams, and revision summaries that go over the main terms and concepts in that particular topic area. http://www. jusbiz. org This site is somewhat distinctive in that it aims to focus on the global and ethical dimensions in Economics. There is a lot of useful material and a very good glossary of key terms and concepts. There are also useful links to other sites. http://www. revisionguru. co. uk/economicsThis site provides an Economics textbook which has definitions and explanations of the key terms and concepts across all parts of the syllabus. It also contains some very useful diagrams.  © Cambridge International Examinations 2012 Learner Guide for Cambridge AS and A Level Economics http://economix. blogs. nytimes. com This site, linked to the New York Times, uses Economics as a framework for thinking about many events taking place all over the world. http://en. wikipedia. org This internet encyclopaedia has some very good entries on many economic concepts and is helped by the links in blue to many other sections.Television, Newspaper and Magazine sites http://www. bbc. co. uk This is the website of the BBC and is updated regularly. You need to go to the bottom of the home page and click on ‘Business & Money’. There is then a menu on the left hand side of the home page; you just need to go to ‘Business’ and click on ‘Economics’. It provides convenient links to a wide range of related sites including video and audio links as well as articles. There are useful ‘Country Profiles’ providing economic information about countries all over the world and a number of ‘Special Reports’, many of which are of interest to the Economics learner. ttp://www. cnn. com This website has a range of articles and video clips on many aspects of economics. You can click on your geographical area of the world or on world business. http://www. economist. com There are many magazines and newspapers with websites which will be particularly helpful in gaining up-to-date information about Economics. This is one of the better sites and contains some very good articles, covering all parts of the world, which will help you to consider the application of economic theories to particular events and issues.Some access is limited to subscribers only. http://businesscasestudies. co. uk/ This site provides a wide range of case studies featuring a number of internationally known companies. The information is wide ranging and applies many economic theories to particular business situations. http://www. businessweek. com http://www. ft. com http://www. guardian. co. uk/ http://independent. co. uk  © Cambridge International Examinations 2012 Learner Guide for Cambridge AS and A Level Economics http://www. telegraph. co. uk http://www. the-times. co. uk http://www. thesundaytimes. co. uk/sto/All of these newspapers and magazines will have a great deal of economic information that is regularly updated. You should also get into the habit of looking at the websites of the most important newspapers and magazines in your own country and geographical regi on. Some access is limited to subscribers only. UK focussed sites http://www. statistics. gov. uk This site is particularly useful if up-to-date economic information is required on such topics as taxation, balance of payments, employment, productivity and inflation. It is primarily concerned with statistics that relate to the UK economy. http://www. bankofengland. o. uk This site is very useful for information concerning monetary policy and how it works, such as decisions about interest rates. It is also useful in relation to the role and function of a central bank. The Bank of England will focus on UK matters, but each central bank in the world is likely to have its own site. You will need to find out what is the website for the central bank of your country. http://www. ifs. org. uk/ This is the website of the Institute for Fiscal Studies. It covers a range of issues related to fiscal policy, but tends to be focused mainly on the UK.  © Cambridge International Examinations 2012