Profile about the life and beliefs of Amanpreet Gill, a young girl who Essay

Profile about the life and beliefs of Amanpreet Gill, a young girl who was Born West Bengel, India - Essay Example Years back, Gill and her family went to visit her uncle in Punjab and her younger brother was viciously attacked by her uncle’s dog. This incident traumatized her and left her with a very bad taste in her mouth about dogs. Each country has got its own culture and traditions. According to the traditions of Gill’s people, when a visitor visits a home, residents of that home are supposed to anoint the door through which the visitor entered the homestead. This is supposed to welcome good spirits that the visitor came with into the home. They do this because according they believe that visitors are forms of good spirits that come to bless a home. Gill’s dad was not an educated man, neither was he academic in nature. However, this did not hither him from encouraging Gill to partake English and other English related courses. Gill took this encouragement seriously and due to her positive attitude, she performed well in her English papers. Interestingly, whenever Gill sat an exam, the teacher would award her 19 ? points out of the total of 20 points. This was very irritating to Gill since she would be forced to write another better composition. One of the most interesting experiences for Gill while in class was when they were having reading sessions. She enjoyed reading and would always express what she was reading on her face. For instance, if the character in the book was angry or scared, she would portray this on her face, creating clear images of the character in the minds of her classmates. Gill also enjoyed reading since her teacher always told her class that the more one reads, the more one became knowledgeable and expounded on the vocabulary prowess. This was a tip Gill took seriously and spent every opportunity she got to read and read out loud, something that contributed to her strong command of English. Besides being good in class, Gill took part in other curricular activities. She took part in card making competitions, and painting sessi ons. Gill also made use of her expertise in essay writing and took part in essay writing competitions. She took part in one particular essay writing competition where she was youngest in the group. The topic of the essays that they were supposed to write was â€Å"An event that happened to a younger sibling.† Gill wrote of an incident where her brother had put peanuts in her food and she had an allergic reaction after eating the food. Gill won the competition for her well written piece and her school was recognized as an award-winning school when it came to essay writing. The school won first prize, thanks to Gills well placed efforts. Gill still works hard because she wants to maintain her high G.P.A. of 4.0. Her dad always told her that getting to the top is very easy. The task is remaining at the top and maintaining the high standard. This has always served as a motivating factor for Gill and she always goes an extra mile to make sure that she maintains her good writing sk ills and her command of English. In addition to that, Gill works hard to ensure that she completes her core requirements so she will always have an advantage over her colleagues. This has helped her confidence in her abilities, another reason for her exemplary excellent performance in all activities that she takes to, besides academic work. Gill’s dream career is to be a Registered Nurse. Her aunt, who is also a nurse, has greatly influenced Gill’s decision to be a nurse. Gill has therefore taken special interest in what her aunt does saying that she wants to know everything that it takes for one to be a successful aunt. Gill, being a very ambitious girl, wants to practice her nursing skills in Dallas, Baylor. One thing that Gill believes in is that attaining personal goals makes a

Linguistics and Language Essay Example for Free

Linguistics and Language Essay While bilingualism has always been an object of interest and thorough research for scientists of various fields, mixing languages had been, until the last few decades, cast aside as its defective by-product. However, recent linguistic studies show that intermingling languages should not be considered an ill-conceived overlapping tendency that implies carelessness and a improper use of language, but a linguistic phenomenon with its own intricate rules and purposes. The addition of objectivity towards this subject has enabled linguists to describe in length the downsides and benefits of intermingling languages. None of the pros and cons can be treated with absolute certainty as language mixing itself is often subject to different interpretations. The term ‘intermingling languages’ is sometimes replaced with ‘code switching’ or ‘code mixing’, and the latter two treated as synonyms, although their meaning differs in multiple aspects. Code switching implies that the alternation between languages takes place after longer periods of time. Since code-switch mostly occurs at a clause or sentence boundary, it is referred to as intersential switching. According to the Sridhar brothers (1980) code mixing comprises of changing languages after shorter utterances within a single sentence, and can therefore be considered intrasential. Unlike code switching, it is not accompanied by a shift in speech situation. Code mixing also differs from borrowing, which is a less comprehensive form of using multiple languages in a short period of time. Code mixing, unlike borrowing, is not necessarily caused by a lexical gap in the host language. Neither are the mixed elements limited to a collection of terms accepted by the speech community. The mixed sequences are longer than single words (as is immanent to borrowing), but they are not always assimilated into the base language according to usual grammatical rules. The greatest difference of the two linguistic devices is probably the fact that code mixing is inevitably the result of bilingualism, however, borrowing can also occur in monolingual speech. (Sridhar Sridhar 1980) Despite the availabilty of aforementioned precise definitions numerous studies use code/language switching, mixing and intermingling synonymously without notable deficiency in the results, since these definitions tend to not hold a high level of importance when it comesto analysing the reasons, benefits and downsides of mixing languages. Contrary to popular belief, code mixing is not necessarily a sign of improperly acquired languages or inability to switch from bilingual to monolingual mode. Instead, the contradicticting mixing occurs when the usage of a single language no longer efficiently conveys meaning that is appropriate to a certain situation. According to Crystal (1987 cited in Rezaei Gheitanchian 2008) the benefits of code-switch become apparent when solving communication problems in three types of situations. The most obvious reason for a switch in languages being the difficulty in expressing oneself due to a deficiency in the base language. This shortage of a lexical item may come about because the expressed concept has no equivalent in the culture of the other language, or simply because of a momentary inability to remember said term in the host language. This type of code switching is especially prone to happen when the speaker is upset, tired or distracted in some manner. Work related mixing also falls into the ‘lexical gap’ category. For example, code switching becomes a useful tool when individuals lack the appropriate jargon while speaking about a particular topic. One may mix languages when talking about work because the technical terms associated with work are only known in one language. The second important cause in switching is the wish to ensure social belonging. An individual my want to express solidarity with a particular social group. In this case rapport is established between the speaker and the listener if the latter responds with a similar switch. Code mixing may also be used to exclude people from a conversation: for example, when travelling companions switch to their native language when mentioning things they do not wish to convey to the surrounding people; or when bilingual parents mix languages to keep their monolingual children from understanding private conversations. Thirdly, the reason for switching may be result of the wishing to convey one’s attitude towards the listener. Whereas monolinguals can express attitudes by means of variation in the level of formality in their speech, bilinguals have an extra device in this situation – code switching. When two bilinguals are accustomed to communicating in a fixed language, switching to the other is thought to create a special effect. This idea suggests that code switching can be used as a socio-linguistic tool, that aids bilinguals to emphasise a particular point in a sentence. While these benefits havebeen pointed out only during the last few decades of language studies, the downsides of code switching have always been an emphasised parallel to bilingualism research. The most common allegations have been the inability to fully comprehend either language; delays in thinking, speaking and understanding; language pollution and deterioration. The notion that intermingling languages is a results of insufficient knowledge of either of the languages, their grammatical structures and syntax, can be dismissed with the aid of the Equivalence Constraint by Poplack: â€Å"Codeswitches will tend to occur at points in discourse where juxtaposition of L1, and L2 elements does not violate a syntactic rule of either language, i. e. , at points around which the surface structures of the two languages map onto each other. † (1979 cited in Sridhar Sridhar 1980). This means that when the two languages have very different syntactical rules, the mixing is done in a way that switches occur in those parts of the sentence that allow the presence of a foreign word without causing grammatical discrepancies. However, when this is not possible the following principle of linguistics minimises the incongruity of the situation: â€Å"Dual Structure Principle: the internal structure of the guest constituent need not conform to the constituent structure rules of the host language, so long as its placement in the host sentence obeys the rules of the host language. † (Sridhar Sridhar 1980) Another problem associated with intermingling is the claimed time delay that occurs in switching. However, Gollan and Ferreira (2009) suggest that bilinguals switch languages only when non-dominant language responses are easily accesible and the switching does not occur with the price of accuracy, or if the switches improve accuracy. Furthermore, if the switches are not forced, bilinguals can actually make up for some of the costs linked with language mixing, including the small costs in time. The uncertainties that bilinguals experience when expressing emotions can also be considered a problematic aspect of language mixing. The common belief that emotions conveyd in the mother tongue have the most strength and sincereness, implies that code switching somehow lessens the truthfulness of one’s emotions. In contrast, Grosjean (2008) points out that the notion of bilinguals always expressing their emotions in their first language is a myth. The opposite can be true when a childhood in one language lacked affection or had an abundance of distressing events – in  that case, the second language may be used more often as it has stronger reaffirming emotional tones. Despite the emergence of the previous pattern, there are instances where a person might benefit more from using an emotionally less-dominating language. For example, code switching is sometimes strategically used in psychological counseling. This can be accounted to the usefulness of speaking in a second language when trying to distance oneself from emotional events. Language switching becomes a defence mechanism because of usaging a language that is not associated with such a broad range of emotions (often L2). (Altarriba Santiago Riviera 1994 as cited in Altarriba, Heredia 2001). Language mixing is an important aspect of bilingualism, and a natural occurence the conversations of bilinguals. Some linguists see it as a polluting factor which indicates the lack of language proficiency. This notion is supported by findings alike the apparent delays that switching has shown to occasionally cause in speech formation and comprehension. The claim of language mixing resulting in improper use of syntax has been counteracted with proving the well-formed and grammatically correct unwritten rules of code switching. Therefore, most of the downsides of code mixing have either not found enough proof or are minimised by counteractive processes. Analysing the reasons for language mixing has enabled us to point out its benefits. Intermingling may be induced by a simple lack of a lexical term, the need to build rapport with a fellow bilingual, a wish to restrict the conversation from surrounding monolinguals or the necessity to convey a different tone or opinion towards what is being expressed. When the problemic conditions that triggered code switching are solved this linguistic devices proves its usefulness. Keeping these notions in mind, it is easy to agree with practitioners, who despite some downsides, see language mixing as an inevitable linguistic occurance that enhances communication rather than decreasing its quality. Intermingling strengthens the content and the essence of the message, thus becoming an important social funtion of communicating. References Altarriba, J. and Santiago-Rivera, A. L. 1994. Current perspectives on using linguistic and cultural factors in counseling the Hispanic client. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 25, 388–397. Altarriba, Jeanette and Heredia, Roberto R. 2001. Bilingual Language Mixing: Why Do Bilinguals Code-Switch? Current Directions in Psychological Science, 10: 15, 164-168. Crystal, D. 1987. The Cambridge Encyclopedia of Language. Cambridge University Press: Cambridge. Gollan, Tamara H. and Ferreira, Victor S. 2008. Should I stay or should I switch? A cost-benefit analysis of voluntary language switshing in young and aging bilinguals. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cognition, 35: 3, 640-665. Grosjean, Francois. 2008. Studying Bilinguals. Oxford and New York: Oxford University Press. Poplack, S. 1979. Sometimes I’ll start a sentence in Spanish y termino en Espanol: Toward a typology of codeswitching. Linguistics, 18: 7-8, 581-618. Rezaei, Seyyed Hassan Seyyed and Gheitanchian, Mehrnaz. 2008. E-proceedings of the International Online Language Conference (IOLC), 61-67. Sridhar, S. N. and Sridhar, Kamal K. 1980. The Syntax and Psycholynguistics of Bilingual Code Mixing. Canadian Journal of Experimental Psychology, 34: 4, 407-416. | | |

Mother Courage :: essays research papers

MOTHER COURAGE The education system has always tried to figure out new ways of teaching certain matters of interest, like history, where there are many points to be discuss that can be left out by authors. Text books do not fill everything that should be filled, and it is impossible to do so because there are too many things to tell and not enough space to write. There is also the fact that every professor wants to give his or her own approach to the topic, and sometimes there is not one source that tells everything the way he or she wants. At that point lectures become more and more important and those are only to be complemented with text of a variety of styles. Those sources were not initially designed to fill that requirement, but with the right approach and background information those new sources can be even better than any textbook any written. These kinds of sources give a different approach to history and can be more enjoyable than boring textbooks. On the other hand, these variety of sour ces can also been incorrectly chosen and may difficult the learning process for students. Sometimes sources are not efficient transmitting the message that wants to be transmitted, and students can simply not understand beyond the history that is been told. For instance Mother Courage and Her Children, by Bertolt Brecht, it’s a story that occurs during the Thirty Years War in Europe, and can be used to help students understand this war. Is this play a good source for understanding the Thirty Years War? Or it only stays in the basic story with minimum helpful information that would help understand this event. The Thirty Years war was caused mainly by the protestant reformation, a process caused by the split of the Catholic Church. It was all because of the lack of tolerance and the extremist ways of thought of people. In this area for example, the play is not as deep an as informative as desired, it stays only in the basics and mentioning Catholics and Protestants as rivals but it does not go deeper. â€Å"The Catholics! Surprise attack!.† â€Å"And the war is a war of religion.† It does mention Religion as a point of disagreement, but it fails to really explain that this entire situation is mainly caused by religious differences. As the world is right now, with all the polemic issues started by Iraq’s invasion by the United States and the terrorist attacks perpetrated by Islam extremists, more described facts would be very useful.

Why Gender Matters in Understanding September 11th :: September 11 Terrorism Essays

Usually when the word gender is used in a political sense often times what is described is the role of women in a certain aspect of politics. This paper is a look at certain social norms that are directly related to women and their rights that seem to allow and harbor terrorist. The idea of the article that I am basing this paper on is by Amy Caiazza Ph.D. who suggests that if we were to change some of our ways in society regarding women we might have been able to foresee the events of the September 11th attacks. Historically women have taken a back seat to men in almost every aspect of life we were always second choice. Fortunately for us as the time moves forward we see a dramatic increase in the role that women play in society today. Though our progress has been great there are still women who are not satisfied with the place in society that women have. Locally here in the U.S. women have it pretty good and most of them tend not to complain but there are those feminist that want women abroad to be able to experience the same freedoms that the women of America enjoy and some times take for granted. Women in our traditional roles or as some may say in our natural state are known as the child bearers, family care takers, household keeper, and nurturer of all. The list that I just stated is only the beginning of what a woman can do. In other countries for example in Afghanistan in 1997 when the now popular Taliban first came into power they put into practice a radical form of Islamic rule known as Sharia. This radical rule that they governed with limited women in so many ways the women of Afghanistan were not allowed to educate themselves. These women were also not allowed to participate in any form of activism and were not able to even have a physical position in their own society. When women have been found in violation of these rules the end results were never too good. In fact many women have been beaten and put to death once they were caught breaking the rules.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  These acts of disrespect and violence against women are no secret to the United States of America. America jokingly is often called the world police and is known for â€Å"sticking their nose in other peoples business† but for some unknown reason they have taken no action against the Taliban for these injustices they are imposing on the women of Afghanistan.

Laziness through Technology Essay

Technology is the branch of knowledge that deals with the creation and use of technical means and their interrelation with life, society and the environment. Modern inventions have made people lazy because they make things easier. In a BBC News article, Dr. Richard Weiler and Dr. Emmanuel Stamakis argue that technology in the form of energy saving devices like remote controls, has led humanity to an inactive lifestyle which poses risks to people’s health. Dr. Stamakis said, â€Å"Sedentary living is the most prevalent disease, silent killer, and greatest health threat facing developed countries.† Technology inventions have also reduced humans’ physical activity, making them lazy. Technology governs the lives of people especially children (Wise, â€Å"Does technology†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ). see more:technology make us lazy Web search engines like Yahoo, Google, and Bing have changed the way youth learn and remember information according to a study by Department of Information Management. Having practically all the information they could ever need has caused students to subconsciously not store away as much data, scientists claim. Researchers have examined the role of the internet in changing the nature of human memory. For instance, students forget things they are confident they can find online, while likely to remember things they think are unavailable online. Due to the excessive usage of online chatting and shortcuts, the writing skills of today’s young generation have declined quite tremendously. These days, children are relying more and more on digital communication that they have totally forgot about improving their writing skills. They don’t know the spelling of different words, how to use grammar properly or how to do cursive writing. (Oliveira, â€Å"is technology†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ) . Today experts call them the M2 Generation—highly technological children whose lives seem to revolve around the media. With the constant exposure that children have to television, computers, mobile devices, and video games, it seems there are no limits to the amount of time children spend with technological devices. According to a survey cited by Brian Wallace, in just five years, media use has increased from six and a half to nearly seven and a half hours a day in children between the ages of eight and eighteen. Even more alarming, children have become masters at multitasking, often using two or more media devices at the same time. Counting each device separately, these kids have found a way to cram in a total of 10 hours and 45 minutes of media content into those seven and a half hours. These findings epitomize the very phase â€Å"media saturation.† Children now spend more time with technology than they do with their family, in school and sleeping. These have adverse effects on children’s performance in school(Wallace, â€Å"The effect of†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ). Furthermore, 16% of children that are between the ages of six-nineteen years old are overweight or obese, a number that has tripled since 1980 mostly due to electronic usage. Being overweight can bring with it great health concerns. Many of these children have a good chance of developing Type II Diabetes, asthma, sleep apnea, social discrimination, high cholesterol and/or blood pressure. Also, according to a Stanford University of Medicine study, elementary students consume 20% of their daily calorie intake while watching television, which usually includes unhealthy snacks, largely due to advertisements for junk food and boredom. Coincidently, kids are not burning off any of these calories while they are plopped in front of the television (Wallace, â€Å"The effect of†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ). Similarly, spending hours in front of screen, whether it is a television or computer, can quickly contribute to a serious decrease in the amount of physical activity a child gets during the day. A child needs at least 60 minutes of physical activity each day to maintain a healthy weight and level of fitness. The more technology time a child engages in, the less the child daily dose of physical activity will be. This can in turn contribute to negative effects such as weight gain. Also, televisions, laptops, tablets, cell phones, iPod and all of the other technological devices that children use, they are constantly inundated with an array of media images these often include negative behaviors such as underage drinking, drug use or risky sexual situations. With the use of technology the media portrays an idealized image of the teenager when it comes to weight and appearance (Loop, â€Å"Exposing the negative†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ). Furthermore, technology has a bad effect in the Environment, old electronics are dumped into landfills and these can lead to toxins such as lead, mercury and lithium into the environment. Electronics account for two percent to five percent of the trash that reaches America landfills every year. According to a Green Citizen, a California based company that works to reduce waste, an average computer screen contains up to eight pounds of lead, which in excessive amount can cause nerve disorders and joint pain in adults and high level of lead in children has been associated with brain damage and anemia (Stanic, â€Å"Bad effect of†¦). Also, modern technology is affecting people’s sleep. The artificial light from television and computer screen affects melatonin productions and throws off circadian rhythms, preventing deep, restorative sleep. A research by Sara Thomas shows that heavy cell phone use showed an increase in sleep disorders in men and an increase in depressive symptoms in both men and women, men who use computers intensively were more likely to develop sleeping problems., regular, late night computer use was associated with sleep disorders and stress in both men and women. The relationship between stress, sleep disorders and depressions has more to do with the overuse of technology in our society, especially among young people (Volpis, â€Å"Heavy techno†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ). Top of Form Today, computers do this job instead of workers, with the rise in technology, many jobs that require little skills have been replaced by computers and machines. This is a type of structural unemployment. An example of this is the supermarket checkout systems. Initially many cashiers were employed by supermarkets, with a majority of these people being aged under 24. With the introduction of the computer checkout systems, these cashiers are now in less demand and has created more unemployment, particularly amongst the youth. The developments of the internet and online shopping have significantly reduced the number of retail workers. In society today literally anything can be bought online. These types of unskilled jobs were again predominantly taken up by under 24 year olds who were using these jobs to fund their education (U.S. Department of Labor 2004). Moreover, the internet has stripped the world of privacy. Long gone are the days of having an unlisted telephone number and staying offline to keep your information safe from prying eyes. A few flicks on a keyboard can help average person to find anyone’s address and contact information. Those with more sinister intentions, the use of phishing, viruses and hacking helps to find any information they wish to obtain. Plus, people have no sense of privacy online. They do not think twice about twitting every move they make, freely giving out their location on Google Map and putting their entire life story on Facebook. The evidence is overwhelming technology has caused isolation, lack of social skills, bad writing skills, poor sleep habits and laziness. Works Cited Loop, Erica. â€Å"Exposing the negative effects of technology on kids.† Global post 15 March 2012. Web. 25 March 2014. Mart, Coollen. â€Å"Technology making us lazy.† Inside Technology 4 October 2010. Web. 25 March 2014. Olivera, Micheal. â€Å"Is technology hurting us by making life easier.† The Canadian Press 27 December 2012. Web. 25 March 2014. Stanic, Claudia. â€Å"Bad effects of modern technology in the environment.† eHOW. 17 November 2013. Web. 2 Wallace, Brian. â€Å"The effect of media and technology on young children.† Social Media Today Wise, Jon. â€Å"Does technology make us lazy.† SIOW. 17 September 2013. Web. 25 March 2014. Volpi, David. â€Å"Heavy technology use linked to fatigue, stress and depression in young adults.† Huffpost 8 February 2012. Web. 25 March 2014.

Coral Gables essays

Coral Gables essays George Merrick, a son of a Congregational minister, Solomon Merrick, was not even thirty years old when he embarked on the construction of Coral Gables. His family first came here when he was only a child, escaping the raging blizzard happening in New England at the time. They were actually headed for Miami, but, because of a yellow fever quarantine, they decided to settle west in an area known then as "pine land. George had a vision, a vision of a city inspired by the fury and tumult of the Old Testament. But instead of constructing a confining biblical fortress, as described by Ezekiel, Merrick proceeded to convert the plantation into a modern residential city with open inviting gates, wide avenues, trickling fountains and lush greenery, stretched into an immense garden commensurate with southern Florida. A visit to the city would begin with a passage through one of eight elaborately designed entrances intended to evoke the feeling of passing through the gates of an exotic walled city of antiquity. He also traveled extensively. He traveled to Mexico ,and also almost all of Europe. This, and also his loved for Walt Whitman's poems, for Washington Irving's Alhambra, his knowledge of the English and American city-gardens, the City Beautiful movement, was certainly intended to seek clarity and practical technical solutions needed to create Coral Gable's grandeur. But the seeds of these ideas might have sprouted from his Bible readings. Merrick wanted to begin the creation of this city right after his fathers death. Unfortunately, no bankers would give him a loan to begin his city. They did not believe he had the potential to construct such a city. The considered him a sort of dreamer, because he readpoetryy and wrote some himself. He finally got the money by selling lots to people living in Miami. Florida was one of the things that Merrick loved. In 1920, while he was already working on the shape of Coral Gables, he wrote a po...

Abc costing v traditional costing The WritePass Journal

Abc costing v traditional costing Introduction Abc costing v traditional costing IntroductionBibliographyRelated Introduction There are different stages that a firm must go through to implement ABC into their business, these are defined in appendix one. Under Traditional Cost Accounting (TCA) there is a simple method by which   to implement allocation of overhead for the purpose of arbitrarily assigning indirect costs (overhead) to cost objects (products or services).   When using TCA, the sum of a company’s overhead is allocated among products based on some sort of volume measure (Proctor, 2006). In TCA it is assumed that there is a direct relationship between overhead and the volume of output based on the volume measure. The different stages of implementing a TCA method are demonstrated in appendix two. TCA is now outsourced in most organizations. This is due to the effect that product costing serves an important function in an organization and also helps in achieving goals and to implement some principles like setting targets for competitors, growth and improvement, coordination between units and processes and measurement and control.   ABC has become an increasingly popular process for which many organizations are replacing traditional methods that no longer meet their demands.   As Reinstein and Bayou (1997), argue the switch from the traditional system to an activity-based costing (ABC) system opens new avenues for eliminating waste and reducing costs. Implementation of ABC provides management with a different point of view on the profitability of products and services, providing insight into pricing. Middle management and technical performing organizations are involved in the line item reporting provided within the ABC system, enabling management to achieve more responsibility of reported information throughout all levels of the organization. By understanding how resources are transformed into products or services, and by focusing on the cost of activities, ABC helps an organization and its managers to obtain a greater understanding of how costs behave and which activities create significant amounts of cost. Firms can then begin to control their costs based on tangible activities rather than relatively uninformative general ledger or cost centre reports. Stevenson Barnes (1996) stated that ABC can more realistically model the cost structure facing businesses today. As agreed by many other authors, ABC is highly accredited to business’ in society today than the TCA due to competitive environment and advances in technology (Proctor, 2006). The improved accuracy within ABC is accomplished by tracing costs to products through activities. Essentially, an attempt is made to treat all costs as variable, recognizing that all costs vary with something, whether it is production volume or some non-production volume related factor. Both manufacturing costs and selling are traced to products in an ABC system. In traditional full absorption costing indirect manufacturing costs are allocated to products on the basis of a production volume related measurement such as direct labour hours. Furthermore the significant differences between traditional systems and activity based systems are: How the indirect costs are assigned and which costs are assigned to products. The main differences are also demonstrated in the diagram in appendix three. Most traditional costing systems utilize a single basis, (e.g. direct labour) to distribute the indirect costs to all products and services. This method of allocating indirect costs commonly results in erroneous cost data. Often products which have high volume are over costed. Likewise, the cost of lower volume products are often understated, and many of the indirect costs of these products are overlooked. Rather than relying on a single basis to distribute costs, ABC assigns costs to activities and products based on how the costs (resources) are actually consumed by the process or product. By moving away from traditional cost allocation methods and using improved ABC methods of tracing and a ssignment, ABC provides managers with a clearer picture of cost of processes and the profitability of customers and products. As Helberg et al. (1994) states ABC provides answers that can be crucial to the survival of the company, so it is imperative to make sure the right decisions are made. ABC differs from TCA and is advantageous as overhead costs are broken down into activities that cause the costs. The determined results can help management implement a more thorough understanding of product costs and they should be able to see the relationship between product complexity, product volume and product cost. This would be vital information for pricing decisions and profitability strategies. Traditional methods would not be able to give a firm this data which could give a sustainable competitive advantage. Activity Based Costing accurately predicts costs, profits, and resource requirements associated with changes in production volumes, organizational structure, and resource costs for the present and the future. Where in Traditional Cost Accounting, although future costs are somewhat predicted based on the current allocation of costs, the accuracy of those predictions is dependent upon the strength of the correlation between the selected cost driver as it relates to the actual usage of overhead. If a company is to rely on such predictions for future product costing it could hinder business performance rapidly.   This is also stated by Glynn et al. (2003) as he denotes the total cost figures can understate the ‘real’ cost and these costs will not be sufficiently accurate or reliable for use in forward decision making.   Activity-based costing requires a much more detailed breakdown of costs into activities that cause costs. Under TCA the drawback of assigning costs based on a predetermined overhead rate is the assumption that the selected cost driver is what drives a large percentage of the costs in an organization.   In most organizations, the re is no one single cost driver, rather a multitude of cost drivers.   A company should implement ABC only if it thinks the benefit from improved management decisions will outweigh the cost of establishing and maintaining the new cost system. Furthermore, Activity Based Costing is not appropriate for every company. Activity Based Costing is an alternative to the traditional way of accounting. ABC is a costing model that assigns costs to products and services (cost drivers), based on the number of events or transactions that are taking place in the process of providing a product or service. As a result, Activity Based Management (ABM) can support managers to see how shareholder value can be maximized and how corporate performance can be improved. Proctor (2006) defines ABM as a collection of actions performed by managers based on the information produced by an ABC system. In order to manage costs, a manager should focus on the activities that give rise to such costs. Accordingly, given the activity focus of ABC, managers should implement ABC systems in order to facilitate financial management. The goal of ABM is to improve the value received by customers and, in doing so, to improve profits which will be advantageous for the organization in the long run.   The key to ABM success is distinguish ing between value-added costs and non-value-added costs. A value-added cost is the cost of an activity that cannot be eliminated without affecting a product’s value to the customer. In contrast, a non-value-added cost is the cost of an activity that can be eliminated without diminishing value. Some value-added costs are always necessary, as long as the activity that drives such costs is performed efficiently. However, non-value-added costs should always be minimized because they are assumed to be unnecessary. Oftentimes, such non-value activities can be reduced or eliminated by careful redesign of the plant layout and the production process. This will help benefit the organization for the future as costs can be reduced in one area of the firm and placed into another area with the general objective to help boost sales levels. Using a cost management system has helped enterprises in answering the market need for better quality products at competitive prices. Analyzing the custo mer and product profitability, the ABC method has continued effectively for the top management’s decision making process. With ABM firms are able to improve their efficiency and reduce the cost without sacrificing the value for the customer. This has also enabled firms to model the impact of cost reduction and subsequently confirm the savings achieved.   Beheshti (2004) denotes that ABM should not be viewed as the exclusive property of any particular department but should be integrated into the corporate strategy and culture. This will help any particular department operate fully with the rest of the business to help achieve goals and objectives set. ABM is a dynamic method for continuous improvement and firms can have a built in competitive cost advantage so it can continuously add value to both its stakeholders and customers. Major (2007) states that changes within the last couple of decades have led to a new competitive business environment.   It is these different cha nges that have led to many firms implementing the use of ABM to acquire and maintain a competitive advantage within the market. The successful implementation of a cost management system will allow a firm to identify its most profitable customers, products and channels. In turn, this will allow them to acquire the necessary measures to attain and secure a competitive advantage from its most productive lines of the business. It will also enable a firm to identify the least profitable in which the managers will be able to direct their decisions towards reversing the outcome to a profitable one. Activity Based management can be superior in how a business performs within the competitive environment as it can have a predominant effect on how a business facilitates their marketing mix. With a successful mix containing Place, Promotion, Product and Price the executives of any business can expedite the different elements in accordance with how the business is performing. By offering the prod uct with the right combination of the four Ps marketers can improve their results and marketing effectiveness. Allocation of overhead costs to a product or job is an important part of the accounting process in an organization.   It also plays into multiple decisions outside of the accounting department, including work flow design, allocation of resources, and product and marketing mixes.   It is important to take into consideration the benefits offered by Activity Based Costing as well as the potential drawbacks.   Although Activity Based Costing is not meant for every organization, the overall benefit of the system should be considered. The implementation of activity based management within any organization is generally perceived to be advantageous but care must be placed to notice any potential limitations. The managers of any business must be effective with applying an activity based costing system as it can be timely and costing so it is imperative to ensure applying ABC will be beneficial for the firm in the future. Bibliography Atrill, P., McLaney, E. (2002) â€Å"Management Accounting for Non-specialists† Pearson Education Beheshti, H. (2004) â€Å"Gaining and sustaining competitive advantage with activity based cost management system† Industrial Management and Data Systems, Vol: 104 No: 5, Pg: 377 – 383, MCB UP – Emerald Publishing Group CIMA Insider – Technical: Absorption Costing (2002) Retrieved from: cimaglobal.com/cps/rde/xbcr/SID-0AAAC544-88FBDBAA/live/MgmtAccFundamentals.pdf Glynn, J., Murphy, M., Perrin, J., Abraham, A. (2003) â€Å"Accounting for Managers (Third Edition)† Thomson Learning Helberg, C., Galletly, J., Bicheno J. (1994) â€Å"Simulating Activity-Based Costing† Industrial Management and Data System, Vol: 94 No: 9, Pg: 3 8 , MCB Press – Emerald Publishing Group Johnson, H., Kaplan, R. (1991) â€Å"The Rise and fall of Management Accounting† Harvard Business School Press http://books.google.com/books?id=bpcpVLTl4boCprintsec=frontcover Major, M. (2007) â€Å"Activity-based Costing and Management: A critical review.† In T. Hopper, D. Northcott R. Scapens (Eds.), Issues in Management Accounting, Pg: 155 – 174, 3rd Edition, Harlow – FT Prentice Hall, Retrieved from University of Chester faculty of Education Website: http://ganymede.chester.ac.uk.voyager.chester.ac.uk/view.php?title_id=315545 Proctor, R. (2006) â€Å"Management Accounting for Business Decisions (Second Edition)† Pearson Education Reinstein, A., Bayou, E. (1997) â€Å"Product Costing Continuum for Managerial Decisions† Managing Auditing Journal, Vol: 12 No: 9, Pg: 490 – 497, MCB UP – Emerald Publishing Group Stevenson, T., Barnes, F. (1996) â€Å"Activitybased costing: Beyond the smoke and mirrors† Business Source Elite, Vol: 18 No: 1, Pg: 25, Harvard Business Review

Bio-Ethics essays

Bio-Ethics essays Bioethics is the study of the ethical problems arising from scientific advances. This usually is dealt with in the field of biology and medicine, (Webster 1). Bioethical research is beneficial to the prosperity and growth of humans. With advances in the biology field, humans can open doors to the unknown world. Stem cells present a new way to explore fundamental questions of biology (Sharples and Pellmar 55). This will prove to be extremely beneficial to the success of the biology field. Advancement in genetics will create more opportunities for cures of harmful diseases. Bioethics produces many benefits and even more opportunities. Stem cell research offers unprecedented opportunities for developing new treatments for debilitating diseases for which there are few or no cures (Sharples and Pellmar 55). By using stem cell research, humankind can help increase the longevity and prosperity of our lives. If humans can live longer healthier lives, in turn they will be able to find new medicines. This will lead to happier and more productive lives. With advances in the field of biology, there wouldnt be any boundaries to what scientists cant improve. Scientists have already begun to research and make new and improved foods. Some people say that these adjustments to cells are harmful. Yet, Scientists know of no generic harms associated with genetically engineered organisms (www.ucsusa.org). Why wouldnt humans want to take the most productive way of getting food? By genetically engineering plants, food quantities would be greatly increased. Along with increasing quantity comes increased quality. Genetically engineering foods helps bring out the best of the best. It would rid the agricultural industry of rotten corn, half developed tomatoes, and small corn husks. Destruction done to crops because of insects and weeds are a major reason why ...

MBA Marketing - Report 3 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

MBA Marketing - Report 3 - Essay Example Starbucks is known as the largest purchaser of the real coffee beans (Coffee.org). Starbucks has conceived its logo from Greek mythology. A woman like creature that dwells in deep seas or a mermaid with twin tail represents the logo of the company. Starbucks follows strong ethical standards for delivering the best coffee experience to its customers around the globe. The coffee beans are selected using the best of the selection techniques followed by high quality roasting techniques. The perfect blend of flavor and quality is what every cup of beverage at Starbucks deliver. The ambience of Starbucks is suitable for groups of friends and family who want to enjoy a casual drink with light snack. Those who want to spend some quiet time with themselves or a good book also choose their nook at Starbucks. Starbucks wants to establish itself as the top suppliers of coffee while ensuring that its aims and goals are not compromised. At Starbucks, the employees are treated with dignity and regarded as the heart of the company. The customers of Starbucks are treated in the best possible way so as to win their loyalty and satisfaction. Halevy (2011) suggested that for maintaining premium quality standards, the coffee is purchased from the finest of the farms and delivered to the customers after passing through the modern roasting and grounding methods. The company has global presence which it cherishes. Starbucks knows that its sole aim is to make profits while ensuring a satisfactory market share and customer response. Starbucks wishes to be known as an environmentally responsible company so it offers recyclable cups and active participation in community and social events, majority of which are targeted at environment safety. According to Bowhill (2008), PESTEL analysis gives the company a very clear idea of the external environment where it wishes to carry its operations so that it could clearly

Ethical case Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Ethical case - Essay Example This paper thus discusses the issues facing Lisa when challenging current policies and procedures of the acquired company from both ethical and professional perspectives. One ethical issue Lisa applied was ensuring that the corporate assets were secure. In her one year in charge as the financial manager, she faced a significant acquisition with a total cost of $10 billion. Her company acquired a prestige fragrance company. Lisa’s challenge in this case was to ensure that the acquired company came together with the parent organization in an ethical, appropriate manner. She also had to ensure that there were no unethical practices on the part of the project. Also, the management team responsible for the acquisition and integration of the company. Additionally, she had to ensure that the acquired companies were not practicing inappropriate accounting practices in order to inflate their sales or earnings. One of the stakeholders involved in ethical issue is Lisa, but he faced opposition from the controller Mr. Anderson. Lisa prepared a meeting with the parent company with a focus on accounting manual and a plan for valuation of the company’s assets. It was apparent that these documents were of little interest to Mr. Anderson. He was polite and professional, but his management style was clearly dictatorial. Anderson had worked for twelve years in the Prestige Fragrance Company and attained some several promotions. He was a CPA, who had a background in major accounting firm and had contributed a lot in the growth of the company. All this earned him respect from the Board of Directors, but it was evident that he was not happy to be in part of a smaller division in a much larger company. Lisa was very concerned about the acquired assets and the unusually high proportion of â€Å"other assets† on the balance sheet. This made her to review her preliminary observation with Anderson. She was of the view that often items in this category

What political consequences would have occurred if Quebec had voted Term Paper

What political consequences would have occurred if Quebec had voted Yes in the 1995 referendum - Term Paper Example not have an implication on Canada alone, but high potential implications on France, Britain and the USA, since a Yes Vote would have influenced the relationship amongst these countries (). The Quebec referendum that was held in 1995 was a second round of vote that was meant to give the residents of the Quebec province in Canada the chance to determine whether they wanted to secede from Canada and thus establish Quebec as a sovereign state (). Quebec has had a long history of wanting to secede from Canada, considering that it is the Canadian providence that is predominantly inhabited by the French-speaking people, whose political relationship with the rest of the Canadian provinces, mostly inhabited by the English-speaking people. Thus, the 1995 referendum was not the first political attempt to have Quebec gain its own independence. Therefore, this discussion seeks to analyze the political consequences that would have followed a yes vote in the 1995 Quebec referendum, with a view to e stablishing both the argument for a positive and those for a negative political consequence. The discussion holds that the Quebec 1995 referendum would have had both positive and negative implications. The political consequences would have occurred if Quebec had voted "Yes" in the 1995 referendum would have granted the aboriginal people the right to self-determination (). This group of people living in the Quebec has had a long history of wanting to be recognized as a core group of the province, who had the right to a sovereign state as did the other groups of the Canadian population, who had gained a sovereign state through the immigration from Britain, France and other parts of Europe, to form an independent and sovereign state in Canada (). Thus, considering that such groups were feeling left out in matters of sovereignty by feeling dominated by the other ethnic groups in Canada, the passing of a yes vote in the 1995 Quebec referendum will have afforded the aboriginal people the

Human Rights Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Human Rights Law - Essay Example United Nations Human Rights refer to the rights that are natural for all human beings irrespective of the individual’s status, race, color, sex, language, origin, or any other status. These rights are entitled to all individuals without any discrimination. These rights are guaranteed and taken care of by the law. By the International Human Rights Law, there are obligations for different Governments such that have to take actions and measure in particular ways or in certain cases they are restricted to act in certain manners, as well as to promote the rights of humans and allow individuals with their fundamental freedom and liberty (What are human rights?). The present study focuses on the United Nations Human Rights Treaty Body System, with a critical overview on their achievements for the international protection of human rights and the challenges that still remain. United Nations Human Rights Treaty Body System: The human rights treaty bodies comprise of certain autonomous e xperts who are in charge of monitoring the accomplishment of the core international human rights treaties. It is their responsibility to supervise whether every State is following the rules and policies in regard to the human rights obligated for the individuals. The independent experts constitute ten treaty bodies that are nominated by parties of the States and are in charge for the implementation of the human rights. The treaties that are monitored include the Human Rights Committee; Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights; Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination; Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women; Committee against Torture; Committee on the Rights of the Child; Committee on Migrant Workers; Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities; Committee on Enforced Disappearances; and The Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (Monitoring the core international human ri ghts treaties

Comfort Theory in PACU Settings Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Comfort Theory in PACU Settings - Essay Example This paper illustrates that Ms.Donald writes that in her practical settings, she identifies the individual needs of each patient and implements appropriate nursing interventions which add to the holistic approach of Kolcaba’s theory. Patients have implicit and explicit comfort needs that, when met, strengthen them and motivate them to perform better in therapy, rehabilitation, and learning/adhering to new health regimens. A post-anesthesia patient has certain un-met needs which may hinder his/her recovery. These needs are not met by either the family or the health center but are imperative for the patient’s recovery. This is where Kolcaba’s nursing theory establishes itself. The nursing staff is required to identify the needs and the wants of the patients and comfort the patient in every way possible. Comfort has a different meaning to each being, thus the nursing intervention should also be implemented accordingly. In Ms.Donald’s PACU settings, she interv enes by listening to her patient and reassuring them, in this way she meets the psychospiritual need of her patients. PACU patients have several problems. These patients who have been through complex surgical procedures or other treatments may suffer from physical, pain, nausea, environmental discomfort, homeostatic imbalance on the physical and environmental level while the detractors of their psycho-spirituality maybe feelings of fear, anxiety and other negative attitudes. While environmental and physical ones are relatively easier to trace and address the other comfort forms have to understand properly. Ms.Donald applies the â€Å"coaching† intervention described in the Comfort theory. The Comfort theory suggests that the patient’s wants and needs can be met by anyone and not necessarily the healthcare staff.

Human Rights Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Human Rights Law - Essay Example United Nations Human Rights refer to the rights that are natural for all human beings irrespective of the individual’s status, race, color, sex, language, origin, or any other status. These rights are entitled to all individuals without any discrimination. These rights are guaranteed and taken care of by the law. By the International Human Rights Law, there are obligations for different Governments such that have to take actions and measure in particular ways or in certain cases they are restricted to act in certain manners, as well as to promote the rights of humans and allow individuals with their fundamental freedom and liberty (What are human rights?). The present study focuses on the United Nations Human Rights Treaty Body System, with a critical overview on their achievements for the international protection of human rights and the challenges that still remain. United Nations Human Rights Treaty Body System: The human rights treaty bodies comprise of certain autonomous e xperts who are in charge of monitoring the accomplishment of the core international human rights treaties. It is their responsibility to supervise whether every State is following the rules and policies in regard to the human rights obligated for the individuals. The independent experts constitute ten treaty bodies that are nominated by parties of the States and are in charge for the implementation of the human rights. The treaties that are monitored include the Human Rights Committee; Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights; Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination; Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women; Committee against Torture; Committee on the Rights of the Child; Committee on Migrant Workers; Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities; Committee on Enforced Disappearances; and The Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (Monitoring the core international human ri ghts treaties

The effects of ergonomics, health and safety on productivity in hotels Dissertation

The effects of ergonomics, health and safety on productivity in hotels - Dissertation Example The current economic climate in Ireland poses many challenges for businesses entities in the country. Many have had to reduce costs drastically. One of the highest costs for any employer is staffing and a reduction in staff numbers has become the main criteria for cutting costs. With a reduced number of employees and a larger work-load, a high level of labour productivity is essential. Some may argue that the level of productivity from an employee depends on their attitude towards the job, the job rewards, and the way in which a manager motivates the employee, all of which have been proven to be true. But today, employers are under more pressure to ensure that maximum level of productivity is achieved which necessitates finding new ways to achieve this. Fraser, 1994, makes a point that the level of work productivity depends on basic human abilities, enhanced by education, training, selection, and direction. Education and training transform an individual’s basic abilities into skills. Selection and direction ensure that these skills are matched to the most appropriate tasks. But if the tasks, the working environment and job factors are not suited to the worker, the resulting mismatch can lead to poor work quality, worker fatigue, and reduced productivity. Traditionally, projects focusing on the improvement of working environment were based on energy-saving. ... Productivity can be defined as â€Å"output to the labour hours used in the production of that output† (Bureau of Labour Statistics). In more simplified terms, it is a measurement of work produced within a given time. Attention to productivity levels is particularly important in Ireland as the cost of labour is very high in comparison to other countries. Hotel managers must ensure that the high rate of pay is justified. An emphasis on productivity in hotels over the past few years with the economic decline has meant that employees have had to work harder and some employees have lost their jobs. An article by James R. Brown of Cornell University suggests that a hotel's size, its service orientation, its ownership arrangement, and its management arrangement affect productivity. His research also found that large hotels use their labour more productively and generate the most income from their capital investments. Upscale hotels are inclined to be more productive than mid-market hotels, while hotels operated by branded management companies use their capital and labour resources more efficiently than do hotels operated independently or by independent management companies. Finally, company owned properties tend to employ their labour more productively than do franchised hotels. (Brown, 1999). Currently hotels in Ireland are focusing on reducing labour costs while maintaining sales. Concentrating on the reduction of labour costs as a percentage of sales may achieve short term productivity targets but can also jeopardise long term viability due to the erosion of service standards. Poor service affects customer satisfaction, which in turn influences sales and

Women on Death Row Essay Example for Free

Women on Death Row Essay History of Death Row Capital punishment is punishment by death for a crime, also known as the death penalty (Encyclopedia, Britannica, online). A sentence of death may be carried out by one of five lawful means: electrocution, hanging, lethal injection, gas chamber, and firing squad. Capital punishment is viewed very differently by many people. Some think it violates our Eight Amendment of the United States Constitution, cruel and unusual punishment, while others think it is justice to those who have had their voices taken away. The first established death penalty laws date as far back as the 18th Century B.  C. in the Code of King Hammaurabi of Babylon, which codified the death penalty for twenty-five different crimes. The death penalty was also part of the 14th Century B. C. ’s Draconian Code of Athens, which made death the only punishment for all crimes; and in the 5th Century B. C. ’s Roman law of the Twelve Tablets. Death sentences were carried out by such as crucifixion, drowning, beating to death, burning alive, and impalement. In the 10th Century A. D. , hanging became the usual method for executions for any crime, except in times of the war. This trend would not last very long, in the 16th Century, under the reign of Henry VIII, as many as seventy-two thousand people were estimated to have been executed. Boiling, burning at the stake, hanging, beheading, and drawing and quartering were some of the common methods of executions. The number of capital crimes rose in Britain throughout the next two centuries, and by the 1700’s, two hundred twenty-two crimes were punishable by death in Britain; including stealing, cutting down trees, counterfeiting tax stamps, stealing from a house or shop, and robbing a rabbit warren. Because of the severity of the death penalty, many of the jurors would not convict the defendants if it was not a serious offense. This helped lead to the reform of Britain’s death penalty, and it helped influence America’s use of the death penalty also. The first attempted reform in the United States of the death penalty occurred when Thomas Jefferson introduced a bill to revise Virginia’s death penalty laws. It proposed that capital punishment be used only for the crimes of murder and treason, and the bill was defeated by only one vote. Although some states abolished the death penalty in the mid-19th Century, it was actually the first half of the 20th Century that marked the beginning of the â€Å"Progressive Period† of reform for the Unites States. Women’s First Executions There are very little details of many of the earlier hangings because of the lack of media in those times. Newspapers only began to be routine in the mid 1800’s and even then they were usually only published on a weekly basis. But as a result, the earliest recorded female hanging in the colonies was that of Jane Chapman in James City, Virginia, in 1632 (http:www. apitalpunishmentuk. org/amfemhang. html). Jane Champion’s crime was lost in history, and no one seems to know the offense she committed. The second woman known to be executed in the United States that was recorded was that of Margaret Hatch on June 24th 1633, for murder, also in Virginia. Hanging was the normal method of execution for both males and females until the electric chair was introduced in 1888 in New York (http://www. capitalpunishmentuk. org/chair. html). It was also stated that the female prisoners usually liked to look their best before their executions and if they could afford it, they would buy or make themselves a new outfit for the event. If they were too poor to make or buy an outfit, it was not out of the ordinary for their friends, the townsfolk, or even the sheriff to provide them with new clothes to wear for the execution. Women Currently on Death Row It is very rare for a woman to be given the sentence of death in the United States. There are approximately fifty thousand women in prison in the United States, and only 0. % of them are on death row. Very few women enter the capital murder system, and fewer still are ever actually executed, according to the (Death Penalty Info Center): †¢ Women account for only one in ten murder arrest. †¢ Women account for one in fifty death sentences imposed at a trial level. †¢ Women account for only one in seventy-one persons presently on death row. †¢ Women account for only one in ninety-two persons actually executed in the modern era since 1976. As of January 1st, 2011, there were 60 women on death row (â€Å"Death Penalty for Female Offenders†). This constitutes for 1. 5% of the death row population of around 3,251 people on death row in the United States. Both the death sentencing rate and the death row population remain very minute for females in comparison to that of males. The execution of female offenders is quite uncommon with only 571 documented cases as of December 31, 2011, and beginning with the first execution in 1632, that of Jane Champion. These executions constitute 2. 9% of the total confirmed executions in the United States since 1608. As of December 31, 2011, there were only twelve females that had been executed since 1976 in the United States. Women on Death Row in Tennessee Tennessee Prison for Women in Tennessee is located in Davidson County in Nashville, and was opened in 1966. It is a maximum security facility with an operating capacity for seven hundred eighty-nine female felons in the state of Tennessee, and it is also accredited by the American Correctional Association. The TPFW houses inmates on all levels, including pre-release participants, work release inmates, and those women who are sentenced to the death penalty. The TPFW also offers academic courses that help the inmates get their GED and also Adult Basic Education, along with Special Education programs. Vocational classes such as computer literacy and application, construction, greenhouse management, culinary arts, and cosmetology skills are also offered to the female inmates. This is offered to help the inmates when and if they are released back into society to help them better survive outside the walls of prison. Inmates also have full right of entry to a range of treatment and psychological programs that include substance abuse, sex offender treatment and aftercare, anger management, pre-release and career management success programs. The prison also offers a drug and alcohol treatment program called the Correctional Recovery Academy. They also have a training program called PPAWS, Prison Puppies Achieving Worthy Service, which is designed to help in the rehabilitating of the female inmates, while also teaching them a marketable job skill. TPFW has also received national acknowledgment for their weekend child visitation program. In the state of Tennessee, there have only been two women sentenced to death row since record taking began, Gaile K. Owens, and Christa G. Pike. Gaile Kirksey Owens, inmate# 109737, was born September 22nd, 1952, in Memphis, Tennessee (http:tn. ov/correction/media/womendeathrow. html). Later, Gaile married Ronald Owens, who was an associate director of nursing. Mr. Owens was 37 years old when Gaile Owens in a murder-for-hire scheme, paid $17,000 to Sidney Porterfield to murder her philandering husband on February 17, 1985. Owens was sentenced to death on January 14th, 1986, for accessory before fact-murder. Owens served twenty-six years on death row and after twenty-six years of appeals, her defense attorney asked the court to either commute her sentence or issue a recommendation to the governor to do so. Owens fate rested in the hands of Governor Phil Bredesen. Within two months of Owens execution, on July 14, 2010, Governor Bredesen commuted her death sentence to life and she could be eligible for parole in 2012. Governor Bredesen said he decided to commute her sentence to life in prison because she had a plea deal with the prosecutors but then was put on trial when her co-defendant refused to accept the bargain. This was the second time that Governor Bredesen commuted the death sentence to a convicted murderer. Christa Gail Pike inmate#261368, born March 10th, 1976, in West Virginia, became the youngest woman ever condemned to die in the U. S. , and the youngest woman on death row (The Straits Times, April 22, 2001). In 1994, Pike left her home in Durham, North Carolina, headed to Knoxville, Tennessee to work for the formal Job Corps Program. Pike was a high-school drop out and her mother had encouraged her to go join the Job Corps to at least get her some training. While there, Pike fell in love with a guy named Tadaryl Shipp, one year her junior. Together, Pike, and Shipp dabbled in devil worship together, along with their other friend, Shadolla Peterson. Pike became jealous of a fellow Job Corps worker, Colleen Slemmer, thinking that she was in love with Shipp and was trying to steal her boyfriend. Even though Slemmer kept trying to reassure Pike that she had no interest in her boyfriend, Pike did not believe her. Colleen Slemmer told her mother that she would wake up in the middle of the night and Christa Pike would be standing over her, she was very scared of Pike. Pike set out on a vengeance, she didn’t believe that Slemmer wasn’t in love with Shipp. Christa Pike, along with Tadaryl Shipp and Shadolla Peterson, lured Slemmer to Tyson Park, offering her marijuana as a peace offering. All four of them signed out of the dorm on the night of January 12, 1995, and that is when the horror began. Pike and her boyfriend, Shipp, tortured Colleen Slemmer for 30 to forty-five minutes with a box cutter and a small meat cleaver, and they even carved a swastika symbol on her chest while she was still alive. They got bored with cutting her, so pike picked up a chunk of asphalt and smashed Slemmers head again and again. Finally, after about an hour of torture, she was dead. Pike picked up a piece of Slemmers skull, placed it in her jacket pocket, and the three returned back to the dorm. The three was arrested within thirty-six hours of committing the crime. It took only two and one-half hours to convict Christa Pike guilty on both counts of murder and conspiracy. Pike was sentenced to death by electrocution for the murder charge and was given twenty-five years for the conspiracy charge. Pike was also charged with attempted 1st degree murder on August 12, 2004, when she strangled inmate Patricia Jones with a shoe string, nearly choking her to death. In her final round of state court appeals, Pike’s defense team tried to persuade the appellate court to create a new class of killers who should be exempt from the death penalty-18-year-olds with a history of mental illness. In April 2011, a state appeals court rejected her effort to escape death row. The state Supreme Court will next review Pike’s latest appeal efforts. If Pike fails to win a reprieve from the high court, she then will be allowed to a federal appeal. But until the, Christa Pike will remain in her 810 cell at the end of the maximum security wing in Nashville, Tennessee, at the Tennessee Prison for Women. After doing research on Christa Pike, I contacted the Tennessee Women for Prison and sent my request to get an interview with her, but as of today, I have not received any response. In reading up on Pike, I have found that she does not do many interviews, and she does not write many people back that have written to her. In the interviews I have watched about her, I personally believe that she does not have any remorse for the crimes she committed and therefore, she deserves to sit in her 810 cell and think about how lucky she is to be alive.

Anonymity in Theories of Crowd Behaviour

Anonymity in Theories of Crowd Behaviour Darrin Paul Explain the place of anonymity in theories of crowd behaviour. Is it always associated with a ‘loss of self’ (Dixon and Manhendran, 2012) Social psychology provides much information with regards to collective behaviour and the interaction of individuals within a crowd. It has been observed that an individual’s behaviour can be influenced and therefore altered when they become part of a large group or crowd. Dixon and Manhendran (2012, p.3) ‘state that anonymity shapes crowd behaviour’; to evaluate the effect of anonymity on collective behaviour, psychological and social processes need to be examined. Dose anonymity render individuals powerless to control their actions, resulting in primitive regressive behaviour as proposed by Le Bon (1895). Or is a loss of self, were crowd participants cease to identify themselves as individuals a factor of anonymity. Other theories such as social identity theory address the issue of identity and how people perceive themselves and others in a crowd, what they conform to and how they express their identity. Does anonymity within crowds inevitably lead to aggressive or antisocial behaviour or does it influence identity salience and group norms as well as strategic factors and power relations (Dixon and Mahendran, 2012)? Early research regarding collective behaviour of groups was proposed by Le Bon, he developed his theory of crowds in the latter years of the nineteenth century. Le Bon was of the opinion, that when people joined large relatively unstructured social groups, they engaged in spontaneous and atypical regressive behaviour. Le Bon proposed that crowds are ruled by a collective mind or ‘group mind’ were individual rationality is lost to a hypnotic state in which group members experience unconscious primitive instincts devoid of reason and culture. Due to an unconscious process known as contagion individuals become influenced by ideas, feelings and emotions generated within the crowd, which spreads rapidly throughout creating a collective mass, leading to a ‘loss of self’. The physical presence of others creates a sense of anonymity were the individual can feel masked, diminishing their sense of responsibility from social and moral norms, thus generating a sense of unaccountable power form their presence within the crowd. Freedman and Perlick (1979) studied the effects of laughter on crowds; they showed that mood and behaviour are likely to spread through the group via contagion (Dixon and Manhendran, 2012). Deindividuation theory proposed by Festinger, Pepitone and Newcomb (1952) is a translation of Le Bon’s theory. They defined clear antecedent variables such as anonymity and group immersion that lead to subjective changes in the individual. Deindividuation is defined as a loss of personal identity or loss of self were crowd members merge and become anonymous, rather than separate distinct individuals. This leads to weak constraints against impulsive behaviour and hence an inability to monitor or regulate the immediate demands of the group. Deindividuation theory differs from Le Bon, in that it challenges the concept of a group mind, it dose not propose that group members lose their mind to the collective mind, instead it’s the loss of self that effects the social context leading to a loss of control. The effect of anonymity releases the individual from internal moral restraints, generating behaviour that is impulsive, irrational and regressive (Dixon and Mahendran, 2012, p.6). Festinger et al found that males in a group, who remembered the least amount of information that was individuating, were more likely to show hostile, aggressive behaviour towards their parents (Dixon and Manhendran, 2012). Zimbardo (1969) further developed deinviduation theory, especially in relation to the association between anonymity and aggression. He believed that crowds provide a cloak of anonymity which diffuses personal responsibility for the consequences of an individuals actions. A loss of individual identity produces a reduced concern for social evaluation. Zimbardo carried out a study to support his theory; he dressed up some of his subjects in overalls and hoods and left the others in their own clothes with large name tags so they could be identified. The results appeared to support his theory, when asked to administer electric shocks in a, learning experiment, participants who had been deindividuated in hoods and overalls, gave shocks for longer periods, suggesting that anonymity had intensified aggression.Recent studies would also support Zimbardo’s findings; Silke (2003) found that statistics of paramilitary attacks in Northern Ireland showed that the severity of attacks increase d with high levels of anonymity when the perpetrators were disguised (Dixon and Mahendran, 2012). However other studies have shown that anonymity does not necessarily lead to acts of aggression or anti-social behaviour. Gergen, Gergen and Barton (1973) observed strangers in mixed gender groups in well or dimly lit rooms. Their observations revealed that participants engaged in acts of physical and emotional intimacy which created feelings of sexual arousal. It would indicate that the social context of a group can produce cues that influence whether anonymity produces negative behaviour. In relation to Gergen et al’s results, Johnson and Downing (1979) replicated Zimbardos 1969 experiment giving half the subjects Ku-Klux-Klan outfits and half a nurses outfit, were each group was either anonymous or not. Results showed that participants in the anonymous nurse condition reduced the amount of shocks given compared to those in the other conditions. Zimbardo also replicated his experiment with Belgian soldiers and found that the anonymous group shocked less, the exact opposite to his previous results. These results would suggest that aggressive, anti-normative behaviour, is not always the outcome and that deindividuation may involve a desire to conform to situational group norms rather than a disregard for social regulation (Dixon and Mahendran, 2012). Diener (1980) observed there was a problem in expressing the relationship between deindividuation and anonymity. He proposed that anonymity does not directly lead to deindividuation and a loss of self, but a loss of self awareness. The ability to remain self focused increases the ability for self regulation and individuation, he believed that the above studies made participants become more self-aware and therefore less likely to engage in aggressive behaviour. As with most theories deindividuation has been open to criticism regarding it’s mostly lab based studies that don’t allow more naturalistic studies to increase ecological validity, taking into consideration the insider viewpoint of participant meaning and purpose. The over emphasis of aggressive anti-normative behaviour ignores the positive normative outcomes of crowds and that social norms from the immediate environment, can be the basis of controlled, meaningful behaviour (Dixon and Mahendran, 2012). Social identity theory adopts the concept of social identification, individuals identify with the social identity of the crowd and conform to normative group behaviour through conformity of shared group norms. The theory states that during crowd membership and other deindividuating settings, ‘the individual does not simply experience a loss of self, but makes the transition from an individual identity to a more collective sense of self’ (Dixon and Mahendran, p. 13). This shift in the sense of self is a key difference when compared to deindividuation theory. Unlike Le Bon’s concept of contagion, individuals through inductive categorisation respond to cues from group representatives that define the beliefs, attitudes and objectives of the group, resulting in behaviour that is regulated by social standards. Individual identification of intergroup relations, also effects to what extent an individual will conform to the emergent, spontaneous and normative cues of the g roup (Dixon and Mahendran, 2012). Reicher (1984) adopted an internal crowd perspective by examining testimonies of the St. Pauls riots which occurred in Bristol in1980 and found that black and white youths identified with one another due to police and social injustices, creating a collective social identity which created an intergroup struggle against authority. In Reicher and Stott’s (2011) study of the 2011 London anti police riots, observed that participants were not seen as anonymous, but part of a community that knew one another. They argue that ‘rioters did not experience a loss of identity or self but rather a shift to a collective shared identity which gave their actions purpose and meaning’ (as cited in Dixon and Mahendran, 2012, p.19). They also point out that violence was not indiscriminate but targeted at police and symbols of authority (Dixon and Mahendran, 2012). Stott (2012) points out in his audio interview that the ability of crowds to express their identity is very important, especially when that ability is suppressed by police. He points out that dialogue and engagement are vital aspects of communication that are essential in creating perceptions of legitimacy in policing. This brings into consideration the influence of power relations on crowd behaviour, Holloway (1012) states that ‘it is a two way dynamic rather than something exercised by the powerful on the powerless’ (p. 47). Social identity theory outlines that manipulation of anonymity affects the power that the in-group has in expressing aspects of group norms that are deemed anti-normative by the out group, in this case the police (Dixon and Mahendran, 2012). There has been a significant amount of research and studies carried out into collective crowd behaviour; resulting in evidence that membership of a crowd alters human behaviour and the psychological state of an individual. Although Le Bon’s work lacks empirical evidence it was hugely influential on crowd behaviour and the role of anonymity in understanding the psychological dynamics of crowds. But as Reicher points out he exaggerates the violent and irrational nature of crowds. Deindividuation theorists can show evidence for loss of self and the relationship between anonymity and increased intensity of aggression, however as Deiner (1980) and Prentice-Dunne and Rogers show, deindividuation does not necessarily lead to a loss of self and anti-normative behaviour. Social identity theory provides evidence of the role of social identity in collective crowd actions that express group norms, but does not see the role of anonymity as a negative aspect of crowd relations. It would app ear that further research is required to develop a more comprehensive theoretical model than can explain the relation between anonymity, and identity in group relations. Word count: 1625 References: Dixon, J., Mahendran, k. (2012). Crowds In Hollway, W., Lucey, H., Phoenix, A., and Lewis, G. (eds). Social Psychology Matters (p.1-22). Milton Keynes: The Open University. Stott, C. (2012). Assessment of the 2011 riots. Milton Keynes: The Open University.

Nikes Plan for China Essay -- Nike Sales Retail Business Marketing Es

Nike's Plan for China Nike is already a global power house, however the potential to increase sales in China was the topic of the most recent annual investor meeting. One may question Nike’s preoccupation with China. After all, Nike China is dominant. They are currently the number one brand with the number one market share while competitors Reebok and Adidas are in 4th and 5th places respectively. They have tripled revenue in the last two years. With 2000 points of sale, 400 stores in the top three cities (Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou) and 50 cities with 3 or more stores, Nike is primed to begin pushing into the second tier cities. Let’s examine â€Å"why China? â€Å" Socially, China presents a portrait of change. The attitudes and preferences of today's generation of "twenty-something" consumers diverges markedly from those of their parents' generation. In fact, in the economically churning coastal cities, this gap is as wide as ever and growing, leading to comparisons between China toda y and the 1960s in Europe and the United States. Nike sees a large and growing market for its products in China. China has: †¢ 20% of the world’s population. †¢ 50 million middle class households. †¢ 430 million youth under the age of 20 (5X the number of youth in the US). †¢ 50 million middle class households –- which will grow to 150 million in next 10 years. †¢ 65% of its youth involved in sports. †¢ A consumer market that embraces brands -- particularly Western brands. †¢ 300 million people expected to move from rural areas to the cities in the next 10 years. With this information in mind, Nike has created a strategic marketing plan to strengthen their position in the China market. The Global supply chain is in place, now they just need a strategy. But, before Nike can execute their well laid plans, they must first do a little damage control. In 2004, Nike advertisements featuring basketball star LeBron James slaying a Chinese dragon and a kung fu master were banned in China and met with a flurry of criticism. The TV commercial offended government regulators because it showed an American sports icon defeating the dragon, a symbol of Chinese culture, and the martial arts master, a symbol of national pride. Nike clearly disrespected the Chinese culture, and was forced to pull the ads and apologize. Nike spokeswoman Shelley Peng said th... ...arket. However, Nike's estimates suggest it will maintain its lead in China after the merger. Nike said it has 30 percent of the Chinese athletic market, trailed by Adidas's 19 percent. The inclusion of Reebok will catapult Adidas's share to 27 percent. How is Nike’s strategy working? A survey asked Chinese which brands were the coolest. The results came in: Nike 52%; Adidas 38%; Reebok 15%; Li-Ning 13%; and New Balance 10%. Bibliography Nike China (NKE) growing fast (4Q05 conf call) The China Stock Blog Brands in Transition: Making it Work in China 2005/04/12 by Christopher Millward, Beijing This Month Nike China (NKE) growing fast (4Q05 conf call) The China Stock Blog 2005 Business Report & Independent Online, www.busrep.co.za/index.php?fArticleId=2337753 2005 Business Report & Independent Online, www.busrep.co.za/index.php?fArticleId=2337753 Nike China (NKE) growing fast (4Q05 conf call) The China Stock Blog CSRwire, http://www.csrwire.com/article.cgi/2411.html Beijing This Month, featured in Business Beijing, July 2005 China Daily Online. Adidas, Reebok vie against Nike for China market(Bloomberg) 2005-08-09 10:31 JUNE 29, 2005 -- Nike Investor Day Recap

International Business Machines (IBM) :: essays papers

IBM International Business Machines Corporation The Big Blue is often a name use by many to describe the world’s largest provider of computer of hardware, software, and service. Years ago many said International Business Corporation (IBM) wouldn’t as prosperous, but who would have said they were wrong. Know one would of forecast the success of IBM. It was obvious that they would be successfully because computers are extremely important in todays world. Without computers society wouldn’t be advance in technology and other areas. Many of IBM customers consist of such companies as insurance companies, airlines, some banks, and many other large corporation. IBM sales consist of programs for large companies with enormous computer system which needs software. IBM is also trying to get involve in the on-line service. The history of the International Business Machine Corporation began with a 40 year-old salesman name Thomas Watson. In 1914 Thomas Watson was a National Cash Register, he was trying to save a company known as the Computing-Tabulating-Record Company(C-T-R).At this time he was trying to sell or marketed C-T-R’S Hollerith machine and other tabulators to the US government during WW1. He wanted to sell punch cards tabulator. Once he had supplied the US government, with these tabulators, he had triple (C-T-R) revenues to nearly $15 million by 1920. In 1924 Computing-Tabulating-Record was change to International Business Machines.IBM then began to take over the worlds market for tabulators, clocks, and electric type writers. By 1940 it was the us largest office firms that deals with machines. There sales had reach $50 million. In the year of 1944, IBM had perfected the the calculator it was known as Harvard Mark I. It was actually a electromechanical calculation. It is said that this was the first potentially computers. In 1951 Remington Rand’s came out with the UNIVAC it began to replace the IBM machine. In the 1960s and the 1970s IBM came out quickly and built a market share near 80%. IBM used its superior marketing. In 1952 Thomas Watson Jr became president and presented its first computer, 701. While Jr was president he introduce the Stretch system, which get rid of vacuum tubes. Also during this time the first family computes, which were called the 360. In 1957 the first programming language came, it was called FORTRAN. and also the first floppy it was introduce in 1971. IBM then came out with more advance computers such as System/38 in 1978 and the AS / 400 in 1988.

Ethical Egosim and Sentiment: Examing Decision-Making in the Grey Area Essay

If there were one particular ethical theory that would universally fit all situations, ethics would be an open/shut case. However, that simply isn’t how ethical theories work. While, some may have significantly more merit than others on a scale of universal application, there are some situations where relativism comes into play when deciphering which theory best suits a given situation. The relativism referred to here is of a personal nature. A person is the sum of their experiences and actions. Additionally, even if a person has a straight-pointing moral compass, these past life experiences, combined with their current situation, can weigh heavily in deciding the morality of a decision when approaching issues that lay in a gray area. Take, for example, the story of an uneducated person from an underprivileged background, who’s only foreseeable chance at bettering their life is exceling in a specific sport they have a natural talent for. They have dedicate themselves to this sport and have trained tirelessly. Though they have the ability to place at a high rank, they have never been able to win a race that enabled them to make a name for them self and launch their career. They keep coming close to winning, but ultimately, always end up falling short by an inch. Suppose this person was going to be competing in a major event, which if won, would yield a large cash prize, and would launch them into the spotlight via an endorsement deal with a major sportswear company. Now, imagine that a sports trainer approaches the athlete with a tempting proposition. The trainer informs the athlete that he has a new performance supplement that will dramatically improve the athlete’s performance. The trainer tells the athlete that the supplement has been tested on animals and has, thus far, been proven safe. The trainer informs the athlete that the substance is not on the list of banned performance enhancing substances that competitions test for before an athlete partakes in an event. The trainer then tells the athlete, that all he wants is $5,000 of the winnings. If the athlete wins, he’ll owe the trainer $5,000; if he loses, he’ll owe nothing. While both James Rachael’s ‘Theory of Egoism and Moral Skepticism’, and David Hume’s ‘Theory of Moral Sentiment’ are applicable to this scenario, Hume’s theory is, decisively, the most ethical theory of choice in application to this particular situation. There are a couple of issues that come into play when making moral judgments about this situation. First, the athlete knows that performance enhancing substances are banned in competitions. The fact that this particular substance is not yet banned, is not proof of it’s acceptability for use. Instead, it merely shows that the substance is so new, it has yet to be recognized and put on the list of banned substances. Given time, it will assuredly be on that list. Thus, the athlete knows that taking the substance to give him an advantage in winning would be looked down upon, and is questionable, in principal. Second is the issue of personal circumstance. This particular athlete’s ability to thrive is contingent on his success at making a name for himself in his sport. If he fails to do so, he will never foreseeably get a leg up and achieve financial stability. The future of his life, as far as all foreseeable circumstances are concerned, depend on him winning this cash prize and endorsement contract. To him, these two things may make the difference between him having a financial springboard with which to better his situation, versus being stuck in a multi-generational financial cycle of poverty. The application of James Rachel’s’ Theory of Egoism and Moral Skepticism to the aforementioned scenario, specifically focuses on the ‘ethical egoist’ portion of Rachel’s argument. The ethical egoist argues that people ought to act merely out of self-interest; that while humans have the ‘capacity’ to make decisions altruistically, there is no reason that we ‘should’ do so. This reasoning simplifies the decision-making for the athlete. Clearly, winning is in his best interest. Thus, taking the substance is the best decision. However, in order for this theory to succeed, the person must conceal their actions while encouraging others to act differently. Essentially, he must be a disingenuous, hypocritical, and manipulative liar. If the world were full of people like this, we would back-stab each other into extinction. This is where the theory of the ethical egoism falls apart in regard to being a universal theory. If everyone acted solely with self-interest, society wouldn’t be sustainable. There has to be some sort of rule in place in regard to looking out for each-other’s best interests in order for society to function properly. David Hume’s Theory of â€Å"Moral Sentiment† achieves the balance of being able to make ethical judgments that are as altruistic as possible, while still looking at each decision on a case by case basis before deeming it ethical or unethical. Hume poses the question of why one action can be right in some circumstances, yet wrong in others; while the act itself is the same in both cases. It comes down to sentiment, or one’s personal feelings about the circumstances surrounding an act. Once again, take into consideration, the originally stated scenario concerning the athlete. Under Hume’s theory, the ethical decision would be whatever the person felt was right, if, but only if, those circumstances made it morally acceptable. Take for instance, this same story, but with an athlete who is from a well-to-do family. If he doesn’t become an athlete, he still has the viable option of attending college and pursuing another stable career that will provide him with a good life. The athlete from the well-to-do family has options, and his future stability is not hinged on being a successful athlete. Thus, if he chose to take the supplement in this scenario, it would be an unethical decision. However, when the scenario is applied to the impoverished athlete whose future stability is hinged on his success as an athlete, the decision to take the supplement is no longer unethical. It is, after all, technically legal to take for competitions. Thus, he’s not technically doing anything â€Å"wrong†. Neither the well-to-do athlete, nor the impoverished athlete would, technically, be doing anything â€Å"wrong† by taking the substance. This is where the grey area comes into play. We have an action, that if committed by a financially well-to-do athlete would be considered selfish and unsportsman-like. Yet, if the same act were committed by an impoverished athlete, few people could hold back empathy and not be able to cut him slack for his choice. This same act is now one that’s deemed acceptable, based merely on a distinct set of circumstances. It doesn’t mean that this an ultimate right, in the discussion of â€Å"rights† and â€Å"wrongs†; simply, that when discussing gray area issues, the moral of sentiment applies heavily in deciphering the â€Å"right† or â€Å"wrongful† nature of an action. In conclusion, we can see that while James Rachel’s theory of â€Å"ethical egoism† makes deciphering a verdict on â€Å"right† and â€Å"wrong† simple, the act of making choices based solely on self-interest is not sustainable for society. All in all, deciphering the morality of a choice comes down to the particular circumstances that elicit an emotional response. When looking at issues critically, there is no fact-based evidence that clearly defines right from wrong in the action. However, because of our sentimental side, we are able to justify certain actions that would otherwise be considered wrong. Thus, David Hume’s â€Å"Theory of Moral Sentiment† has far better results when applied to this particular case

A. P. J. Abdul Kalam

Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam (born 15 October 1931) usually referred to as Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam, is an Indianscientist and administrator who served as the 11th President of India from 2002 to 2007. Kalam was born and raised in Rameswaram, Tamil Nadu, studied physics at the St. Joseph's College, Tiruchirappalli, and aerospace engineering at the Madras Institute of Technology (MIT), Chennai. Before his term as President, he worked as an aerospace engineer with Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). [1] Kalam is popularly known as the Missile Man of India for his work on the development of ballistic missile and launch vehicle technology. [2] He played a pivotal organizational, technical and political role in India's Pokhran-II nuclear tests in 1998, the first since theoriginal nuclear test by India in 1974. Some scientific experts have however called Kalam a man with no authority over nuclear physics but who just carried on the works of Homi J. Bhabha and Vikram Sarabhai. [3] Kalam was elected the President of India in 2002, defeating Lakshmi Sahgal and was supported by both the Indian National Congress and theBharatiya Janata Party, the major political parties of India. He is currently a visiting professor at Indian Institute of Management Shillong, Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad and Indian Institute of Management Indore, honorary fellow of Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore,[4] Chancellorof the Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology Thiruvananthapuram, a professor of Aerospace Engineering at Anna University (Chennai), JSS University (Mysore) and an adjunct/visiting faculty at many other academic and research institutions across India. Kalam advocated plans to develop India into a developed nation by 2020 in his book India 2020. Books authored by him have received considerable demands in South Korea for the translated versions. [5] He has received several prestigious awards, including the Bharat Ratna, India's highest civilian honour. Kalam is known for his motivational speeches and interaction with the student community in India. [6] He launched his mission for the youth of the nation in 2011 called the What Can I Give Movement with a central theme to defeat corruption in India.