Gun Free School Zone

United States Vs. Lopez (1995) HIS 303 March 28, 2010 United States Vs. Lopez (1995) Before I can appropriately discuss the opinion given by the US Supreme Court Justices; I feel that at first I must explain the background of what happened and the question that was brought before the justices of the US Supreme Court and the facts of the case. During this paper I will try to give some background information as well as the various opinions related to this issue. I will attempt to analyze and discuss the overall final outcome as issued by the courts in 1995.On March 10, 1992 Alfonzo Lopez Jr. , who was then a 12th-grade student (senior), arrived at Edison high School in San Antonio, Texas, carrying on his person a concealed . 38 caliber handgun and five bullets. Acting on an anonymous tip, the school authorities confronted Alfonzo, who readily admitted to having the weapon. He was arrested and charged under Texas law with firearm possession on school property. The next day the state cha rges were dropped and federal agents charged Alfonzo with federal charges of violating the Gun-Free School Zones Act of 1990.The question that was brought before the courts: Is the Gun-Free School Zones Act of 1990, forbidding individuals from knowingly carrying a gun in a school zone, unconstitutional because it exceeds the power of Congress to legislate under the Commerce Clause? (The Oyez Project, 2010). One of the most important sections of Article I is section 8. It carefully lists the powers the Framers wished the new Congress to possess. These specified or enumerated powers contain many key provisions that had been denied to the Continental Congress under the Articles of Confederation.For example, one of the major weaknesses of the Articles was Congress’s lack of authority to deal with trade wars. The Constitution remedied this problem by authorizing Congress to â€Å"regulate Commerce with foreign Nations, and among the several States. † Congress was also given the authority to coin money. Enumerated Powers are defined as Seventeen specific powers granted to Congress under Article I, section 8, of the U. S. Constitution; these powers include taxation, coinage of money, regulation of commerce, and the authority to provide for a national defense (O'Connor ; Sabato, 2008).The facts behind the case are: Alfonzo Lopez Jr. , a 12th grade high school student, carried a concealed weapon into his high school in San Antonio, Texas. He was charged under Texas law with firearm possession on school premises. After being charged under state law, the next day, the state charges were dismissed by federal court . Federal agents charged Lopez with violating a federal criminal statute, the Gun-Free School Zones Act of 1990 (from here on out referred to as the act). The act forbids â€Å"any individual knowingly to possess a firearm at a place that [he] knows†¦ s a school zone. † Lopez was found guilty following a bench trial and sentenced to six months' imprisonment and two years' supervised release. â€Å"The District Court denied his motion to dismiss the indictment, concluding that 922(q) is a constitutional exercise of Congress' power to regulate activities in and affecting commerce (FindLaw ®,2010). Later the Court of Appeals held that, taking into account of what is characterized as inadequate congressional conclusions and legislative history, 922(q) is invalid as beyond Congress' power under the Commerce Clause.Alfonso Lopez Jr. (here on out known as the respondent) and his legal team petitioned the Court of Appeals to dismiss the charges bases on the Act exceeds Congress' Commerce Clause authority. In no rational logic can the connection be made between the possession of a gun or any firearm in a school zone and economic activities affecting commerce. Section 922(q) is a criminal statute that by its terms has nothing to do with â€Å"commerce† or any other type of economic enterprise, no matter how broadl y the terms of Section 922(q) are defined by the defense.Secondly, 992(q), contains no jurisdictional component which would ensure that the firearms possession in question has the requisite Page II nexus with the interstate commerce (Cornell University Law School, 2010). In order for the respondent, which was a local student at his school; to get his case dismissed he would have to prove that either he recently moved with interstate commerce or that he had some sort of tie to interstate commerce.In order for the court to uphold the respondents claim that 922(q) is justified because the possession of the firearm in a local school zone does indeed substantially influence interstate commerce, they would have to have the Supreme Court pile conjecture upon conjecture in an approach that would suggest reasonable to convert congressional Commerce Clause authority to a general police authority of the nature possessed only by the States. The Chief Justice that presided over this case was C. J. Rehnquist, the other presiding Justices were J. O'Connor, J. Stevens, J. Souter, J. Breyer, JJ. Thomas, J. Kennedy, J. Scalia, and JJ.Ginsburg. Chief Justice Rehnquist delivered the opinion over the case with Justices O'Connor, Scalia, Kennedy, and Thomas filed concurring opinions. Whereas, Justices Breyer, Stevens, Souter, and Ginsburg filed a dissenting opinion. Before I go into the opinion that Rehnquist delivered I would like to go in to some of the opinions that the other Justices' had stated as to their dissenting opinions. Justice Breyer reasons for his dissenting opinion focuses mainly on the threat that firearm possession in and near schools poses to the educational process and the potential economic consequences flowing from that threat.More specifically, he states (1) gun-related violence is a serious problem: (2) that problem, in turn, has an adverse effect on classroom learning; and (3) that adverse effect on classroom learning, in turn, represents a substantial thre at to trade and commerce (Cornell University Law School, 2010). Justice Souter continues by stating that The Court observed that the Gun-Free School Zones Act operates in two areas traditionally subject to legislation by the States, education and enforcement of criminal law.The suggestion is either that a connection between commerce and these subjects is remote, or that the commerce power is simply weaker when it touches subjects on which the States have historically been the primary legislators. Neither suggestion is tenable. As for the remoteness, it may or may not be wise for the National Government to deal with education, however Justice Breyer has surely demonstrated that the commercial prospects of an illiterate State or Nation are not rosy†¦ (Cornell University Law School, 2010).Justice Stevens stated that the welfare of our future â€Å"Commerce with Foreign Nations, and among the several States,† is vitally dependent on the character of the education of our chil dren. He, therefore, agrees entirely with Justice Breyer's explanation of why Congress has ample power to prohibit the possession of firearms in or near schools – just as it may protect the school environment from harms posed by controlled substances such as asbestos or alcohol (Cornell University Law School, 2010).Chief Justice Rehnquist delivered the opinion of the Court as: In the Gun-Free School Zones Act of 1990, Congress made it a federal offense â€Å"for any individual knowingly to possess a firearm at a place that the individual knows, or has reasonable cause to believe, is a school zone. † The Act neither regulates a commercial activity nor contains a requirement that the possession be connected in any way to interstate commerce. We hold that the Act exceeds the authority of Congress†¦ (Cornell University Law School, 2010).The courts final opinion simply stated is that yes, the possession of a firearm in a local school zone is not an economic activity th at might, through repetition elsewhere, have a substantial effect on interstate commerce. The law is a criminal statute that has nothing to do with â€Å"commerce† or any sort of economic activity (The Oyez Project, 2010). The constitutional significance of this particular opinion can be stated as simply as our national laws have supremacy over the laws on the state level, in this particular case the National laws and the State laws were one in the same.At no time does the possession of firearms on school property have an effect on interstate commerce or any other commerce for that matter. Article I Section 8 gives Congress power under the constitution to regulate commerce along with the authority to provide for a National Defense, however, the Gun-Free School Zones Act of 1990 has nothing to do with either of the entitlements of Congress. The Gun-Free School Zones Act is a federal act strictly pertaining to just that gun control in school zone areas.In my opinion the creatio n of this act simply helps state and local government agencies enforce the Zero Tolerance Policies that most schools have gone to for firearms, alcohol, and controlled substances. The constitutional significance is that it firmly establishes that in this situation and others like it have no bearing on commerce and therefore Congress were well within their rights in creating this Act and the state and federal government were well within their rights to enforce it.Although some good arguments were made on the behalf of the respondent and a valid attempt to connect commerce with the possession of firearms on school property or in school zones, that facts are still the facts and they still remain. The possession of a firearm in a local school zone is not an economic activity that might, through repetition elsewhere, have a substantial effect on interstate commerce.Living in a time of constant turmoil and of society restlessness I am glad that we have the government that we have and that they are the ones making the decisions as to where the lines are drawn and what happens when those lines are crossed. It is unfortunate that on March 10, 1992 that this student felt the need to conceal a gun and bring it to school, however, it is very fortunate for that community that it did not end with the results that other schools have met with.

Bite Me: A Love Story Chapter 16

16. Being the Chronicles of Abby Normal, Nosferatu Well, that was dramatic. Ronnie is all crying and cowering in the other room because I drank a little of her blood. Fuck's sakes, you mopey emo-toy, cowboy the fuck up, you have quarts! What did she expect, she got to kill me, that's not free? I'm not like some easy death slut who lets you kill her for nothing, I am nosferatu, bee-yotch. That shit has a price. Her blood totally tastes like zit cream, too. I almost hurled. I know, trs cool, non? So, now that I am a dark and beautiful creature of unspeakable evil, I think I'm going to start a pay-subscription blog. Except I can only, like, advertise darkness and unspeakable evil, because I'm totally starting from the beginning on the beauty. First, all my tattoos are totally gone. Gone! Like wiped off. After I succumbed to the dark gift by taking a whole bottle of the Motherbot's sleeping pills, Ronnie hid me under a pile of blankets and stuffed animals in her room, and when I awoke at sundown and crawled from my sepulcher of Carebears and Muppets and whatnot, all my tats totally wiped off. Like the ink was pushed out on top of my skin. Now Ronnie has an Epileptic Elmo with more of my ink on him than I have. And my piercings healed up. My bars and rings are all in the carpet. Boobs? Still pathetic. I had so hoped to swoop down on Foo and totally flash my awesome vampyre cleavage on him. You know, like put on a bustier and really squish the girls out the top, then be all: BAM! â€Å"Check it out, Foo. Cower before killer dcolletage, and beg me to let you rub your handsome ninja face on it.† But no! Now he'll be all, â€Å"Oh, it looks like you dropped a couple of dimes down your shirt, vamp child. Can I help you with those?† So I suffer. And you can't get implants. I saw what happens when the Animals' blue hooker turned vampyre. You wake up and your implants are on the floor and you're all, â€Å"Hey, I blew like a hundred strangers to get those.† I'm only estimating. I'm sure the number of strangers will vary depending on prevailing suck and surgical rates in your area. (You acquire arcane medical knowledge when your mother is a nurse.) You can't have stuff removed either, you know, if that might be needed. Even my makeup is ruined from where Ronnie tried to smother me with a pillow, so that's going to take like an hour to fix. I had heard that sometimes even when you overdose on a whole butt-load of drugs, you don't always die because your heart won't stop, which is why you're supposed to put your head in a plastic bag. But I didn't want to because I had done Cleopatra eye makeup that was trs elegant so I would look hawt for my resurrection. So Ronnie was supposed to put her hand over my mouth and nose, just until I stopped breathing, then like fix my lipstick if it smeared. Because otherwise I'd be all girlfriend in a coma for weeks while the Motherbot whined about how she couldn't unplug me because of her guilt for treating me like an assbag and how she had never appreciated my dark complexity and inner beauty and whatnot, and I have too much shit to do for that. But Ronnie didn't even wait for me to pass out. I had just taken the pills with some Sunny D (because the nosferatu love us some irony), and I laid down on the floor like we had planned, so Ronnie could just roll my body under the bed to hide me from the deadly rays of the sun and Mom. So I'm grieving for the loss of my mortality and whatnot, when Ronnie, like, just throws a pillow on my face and sits on it. And I'm all, â€Å"Wait, wait, mmphff, mmphf.† And then she burned one-right in my face-one of those foul, vegan farts-because she's been a vegan ever since she had head lice and we shaved her head. (I don't know why. Something about garlic and parasites. She's insane.) ‘Kayso, I decided that I could wait to receive the dark gift, and that Ronnie would have to die as soon as I got her off me. So she, like, burns another one! And she's skinnier than me. I don't know how she could even have it in her. And she's laughing so hard that she falls off of me and I make my move. ‘Kayso, I'm chasing her around the house, going, â€Å"I'm going to peel off your skin and make it into boots and step in dog shit with them,† and other basic super-villain threats, and then things got all wiggly and the last thing I remember is I walked into the sliding glass doors to the balcony and kind of bounced off. And so tragically, I died young, and no one was there to grieve for me or shed tears for me or kiss my cold, lifeless lips and whatnot. But now I'm undead awesome. I think with practice, I will make a super, super-villain, and really, I'm okay with that, because there won't be any student loans like there would have been with my other career choice of tragic romantic poet. ‘Kayso, now I must fix my makeup and pick an ensem and then wander the lonely night, searching for the Countess and the vampyre Flood, and maybe drop by the love lair to totally overwhelm Foo with my haunting and eternal but still small-chested beauty. Kthxbye. Being immortal rocks! I can type like demon speed! Fear me! L8z. THE EMPEROR The Emperor and the men shared a submarine sandwich on a bench by Pier Nine in the bright noonday sun as they watched a dark knife of a yacht glide into dock. She was just short of the length of a football field, all black, with stainless-steel trim-what the Emperor imagined a star-ship might look like if it were driven by sails. The sails on her three stainless-steel masts were mechanically furled into black carbon fiber shrouds, and the curved windows of her cockpit and cabin were blacked out. There were no crewmen on the deck. In all his years on and around the sea, the Emperor had never seen anything like it. Bummer flattened his ears and growled. â€Å"Easy, little one, it's only a sailing ship, and a beautiful one at that,† said the Emperor, although he thought it quite strange that there was no crew on deck to secure the mooring lines. A ship of that size, and more important, of that expense, would usually have half a dozen or more tying her up, but once parallel with the dock, attitude jets along the sides opened in the hull and gently pushed her into the dock. Jets on the far side pushed back so she stopped within six inches and hovered there, the jets firing just as needed to keep her from drifting. Three hundred feet of steel and carbon fiber, probably over twelve hundred tons, parked as easily and somewhat more smoothly than a Mini Cooper at a strip mall. Bummer ran to the edge of the breakwater and let loose with machine-gun volley of yapping, which translated, â€Å"Bad boat, bad boat, bad boat, bad boat.† A barking fit from his bug-eyed companion was nothing out of the ordinary, and normally the Emperor would have let it pass with a calming word, but there was still half a submarine sandwich to be eaten, and something had to be very much amiss for Bummer to leave the scene of a sandwich. Now Lazarus sniffed the chill wind coming off the Bay and whimpered, and tossed his head, then looked back at the Emperor, which translated from dog to, â€Å"Smells undead, boss.† The Emperor didn't understand what his companions were saying to him, but he suspected. He just wasn't ready to hear it. It had only been a few hours since the two police inspectors had dropped him off at the St. Francis Yacht Club, where the members allowed him and the men the use of the outer showers, and one of the members had purchased this lovely sandwich and presented it to them in thanks for their service to the City. Only an hour since he'd actually managed to straighten his neck out, after spending the better part of a night upside-down in a barrel. And only now, after a walk along the waterfront and a good meal, was the pain in his knees and shoulders starting to subside. He wasn't ready to go back into battle. â€Å"I am a selfish old man,† he said to the men. â€Å"A coward, worried for my own comfort, when my people are threatened. I am afraid.† But even as he said it, he was rising on his creaky knees, pushing himself up on the walking stick he'd retrieved only this morning from the Yacht Club, where he'd left it for safekeeping. The handle was carved out of ivory into the shape of a polar bear, and it fit the Emperor's hand like it had been made for him, although it had been a gift from a nice young man named Asher, who owned the secondhand store in North Beach, but that's another story. He wished there had been a blade in it, like the cane young Asher carried. Alas, he would have to face the black ship with only a stick, a sandwich, and his intrepid furry companions. He puffed himself blowfish style and headed up the dock, Bummer and Lazarus following along behind him, ears lowered, trailing a two-part growling harmony. A few people had gathered along the fence at the breakwater, and were pointing to the great ship. It wasn't so unusual that one might bring his day to a full halt, but if you were in the middle of a run or a brisk walk and needed a reason for a pause, the black ship would certainly fire the imagination long enough for you to catch your breath. Once at the ship, the Emperor was unsure of what to do. There was really no reason beyond Bummer's behavior to justify boarding her. And this ship was not of his city, therefore he could not claim dominion over it. He could hear the attitude jets firing just under the water, sporadically, to keep the ship in place. It was only a step, albeit a long step, and he'd be standing on the deck at her prow. Perhaps, having made the leap, a further course of action would occur to him. He backed up on the dock to take a run at it, or as much of a run as his advanced age and boiler-tank bulk would allow him, but as he announced â€Å"two† on his count-down to launch, a tanned face surrounded by a tangle of blond dreadlocks popped up over the rail of the cockpit and a young man called, â€Å"Irie, mi crusty uncle, bringing us the jammin' grinds, yeah? I and I tanks ye colossal, but please to be waiting on the dock.† And the Emperor stopped. Bummer and Lazarus even stopped growling and sat and turned their heads in the manner of a doggie listening for a â€Å"food† word amid a recitation of The Iliad. The young man vaulted over the black cowling of the cockpit and landed on the lower deck, his bare feet barely making a thump. He was lean and muscular, tanned a caf au lait color, with a tattoo of a humpback whale on his right pectoral muscle. He wore board shorts, despite the chill Bay air, a gold ring in his nose, and a series of them chasing down the rim of each ear. His dreadlocks fanned out around his head and shoulders as if they might be sun serpents looking for a way to escape. He leapt the gap to the dock, dazzled a blindingly white grin, and snatched the remains of the sandwich out of the Emperor's hand. â€Å"Ah, Jah's love on ye, Uncle, bringing de rippin' grinds to I'n'I after so long at sea.† Bummer barked and growled. The Rasta-blond had their sandwich. â€Å"Ah, me doggie, dreadies,† said the Rasta. â€Å"Jah's blessings on ye.† He knelt and scratched Bummer behind the ears. The stranger smelled of coconut oil, weed, and the undead, and Bummer was going to bite him as soon as he was finished having his ears scratched. â€Å"I'n'I be Pelekekona Keohokalole. Call him Kona, for short. Pirate Captain and lion of the briny science, don't cha know?† â€Å"I am the Emperor of San Francisco, protector of Alcatraz, Sausalito, and Treasure Island,† said the Emperor, who couldn't bring himself to be impolite to the smiling stranger, despite the black ship. â€Å"Welcome to my city.† â€Å"Ah, many tanks, Bruddah. Much respek on you, yeah? But you can't be going on that Raven ship, no. She kill you, brah. Automatic-kine kill. Dead, dead, too. Not walkin' around dead like them below.† â€Å"It goes without saying,† said the Emperor. FOO DOG The rats had been up and moving for about an hour when Foo heard the key in the front door. He put the soldering iron he was using in the wire holder and was turning toward the door when she was on him. He felt his vertebrae crack as her legs wrapped around him and he went over backward. Something caught the back of his head and something wet and coppery was shoved into his mouth: tongue. Panic vibrated through him and he felt he might suffocate, but then the smell: a mix of sandalwood perfume, clove cigarettes, and caff latte. Amid the panic, he'd sprung a first-rate erection, which he thrust against his attacker in defense. She pushed away and twisted up a handful of his shirt-front as he gasped for breath. â€Å"Rawr!† she rawred. â€Å"I missed you,† said Foo. â€Å"Your suffering has only begun,† Abby said. She wore a red tartan miniskirt over a black leotard with a low swooping neckline, a spiked dog collar, and her lime-green Converse Chuck Taylors, which she sometimes referred to as her â€Å"forbidden love Chucks† for no reason that he could ever figure out. â€Å"You're kind of crushing my ribs.† â€Å"That is because I am nosssssss-feratu and my powers are legion and stuff! Trs cool, huh?† Foo realized then that she had actually done it-she had somehow managed to change herself into a vampire. Her nose, eyebrow, and lip rings were gone, the piercings healed. The spider tattoo on her neck was gone as well. â€Å"How?† he asked, immediately trying to calculate her odds of survival. He'd talked to her yesterday on the phone and he was sure she would have mentioned the transition if she'd made it already, so she was in her first twenty-four hours. She might still be one of the ones who went insane and self-destructed, and even though Abby was short neither on insanity or self-destruction, it didn't mean he shouldn't try to save her. She kissed him again, hard, and as nice as it felt, he was hyper aware of whether she had broken the skin on his lips, or hers. So far, so good. She pushed him back, but then caught the back of his head again so it didn't bang the floor. She actually seemed a little more considerate now that she was dead, although not that much quieter. â€Å"Be patient, my love ninja, I will use you like the delicious manga-haired man-whore that you are, but first we have to try out my powers. Let some of the rats out of their cages and I will command them with my vampire psychic thoughts. I'll see if I can get them to clean the kitchen.† Okay, maybe they weren't out of the insanity woods quite yet, Foo thought. He said, â€Å"Yes, and then we'll see if we can get bluebirds to tie a ribbon in your hair.† â€Å"Snark not, Foo! You must obey me! I am the Countess Abigail Von Normal, queen bitch of the night, and you are my groveling sex slave!† â€Å"Are you a countess or a queen? You said both.† â€Å"Shut up, grommet, before I suck you dry!† â€Å"Okay,† said Foo. A wise man picks his battles. â€Å"Not that way, Foo. I mean that I will dominate you and you will do my bidding!† â€Å"Which will be different from any other day, how?† â€Å"Cease your banality and nerdardious questions, Foo. You are totally harshing my heady power over the night.† â€Å"It sounds like you bought a flashlight.† â€Å"That's it. I am going to beat your ninja ass.† She leapt off of him and made the â€Å"crouching tiger, rip your heart out† kung-fu posture that everyone who has seen a martial arts movie knows. â€Å"Wait! Wait! Wait!† â€Å"‘Kay,† said Abby, relaxing to the much less dangerous â€Å"slouching tiger chillin' with a bag of Cheetos† stance, which is known by all who have ever snacked. â€Å"You need to feed, get your strength up first,† said Foo. â€Å"You're a vampire noob. You need to grow into your powers.† â€Å"Ha,† said Abby. â€Å"You speak like a mortal who can't possibly grasp the depth of the dark gift. I jumped over a car on the way here. And I totally ran faster than the F train. My Chucks are still warm with residual speediness. Go ahead, feel them. Lick them, if you must. Even now I can see this aura thing around you, which is like bright pink, and doesn't go with your fly hair and manly bulge.† Foo looked down. Yes, his bulge was betraying him. He said, â€Å"You should take it slow, Abby.† â€Å"Oh yeah, watch this!† In an instant she was across the loft at the kitchen counter, and in another instant she had shot back across the living room and hit the plywood covering the windows. There was nothing Foo could do. She might have lifted the couch, leapt up fifteen feet, and grabbed the open ceiling beams, or even turned to mist, if she'd figured out how to do that, but what she had decided to do to show her powers was blast through the quarter-inch plywood and land catlike on the street below. And that would have been badass, to be sure. What Abby didn't know was that while she'd been gone, the window guy had called, and he wouldn't be able to come out to fix the windows for two weeks, so Foo had replaced the quarter-inch plywood with three-quarter-inch plywood, and instead of it just being tacked at the corners with small nails, he had screwed it down with stainless-steel screws, so as not to leave any vapor gaps for the rats to make an escape. Foo cringed and covered his eyes. She was fast, and preternaturally strong, but ninety pounds of vampire is still only ninety pounds. Did she hit the plywood Wile E. Coyote style, then slide down? Wah-wah-wah. Oh no. She hit the plywood, which bent precipitously, then splintered a bit before springing back and rocketing her all the way across the loft to the back wall, and there, she made a petite Goth girl impression in the sheet rock before falling forward, flat on her face, and saying, â€Å"Fucksocks,† into the rug. â€Å"You okay?† asked Foo. â€Å"Broken,† said Abby into the rug. He knelt over her, afraid to turn her head to see what damage she might have done. â€Å"What's broken?† â€Å"Everything.† â€Å"I'll get you some blood out of the fridge. You should heal pretty fast.† â€Å"‘Kay,† said Abby, still face-down, not having moved since the initial impact. â€Å"Don't look at me, okay?† â€Å"No way,† said Foo, already in the kitchen. He took one of the plastic pouches of blood from the fridge and worked it back and forth. â€Å"Just a second. Don't move, Abs, you might have broken bones.† He quick-stepped into the bedroom, grabbed a capped syringe off the cabinet where he kept the chemicals, flipped off the cap, and injected the sedative into the bag. â€Å"Here you go, baby. Just drink this and you'll be fine.† Ten minutes later he heard someone coming up the stairs and realized that Abby had forgotten to lock the door. Jared bounded into the loft, stopped when he saw Foo kneeling over the prostrate Abby, who had a sizable pool of blood around her head, and began screaming. â€Å"Stop screaming!† barked Foo. â€Å"It's not her blood.† Jared stopped screaming. â€Å"What did you do to her?† â€Å"Nothing, she's fine. Would you move the maze off the bed and help me get her in there?† Sometime during the debacle, Abby's skirt had flipped up and Jared pointed at an oblong lump that ran across her bottom and partly down her leg under the black leotard. â€Å"What's that? Did she poop herself?† â€Å"No,† said Foo, wishing he didn't know what it was, but he had already checked for himself. â€Å"It's a tail.† â€Å"Whoa. Weird.† â€Å"Yeah,† said Foo.

Cultural and Ethical Dilemmas Within the Colourful Corporation Essay

The aim of this business report is to analyse the ethical dilemmas arising from daily business operations, and to determine whether Colourful Corporation was ethical in its decision making, and to provide solutions for the management of future ethical issues. Having an established international base, Colourful Corporation conducts business transactions in both developing and developed countries. In doing so, Colourful Corporation is exposed to a wide range of ethical dilemmas which are the result of differing cultural values and norms. Segon (2011) proposes variable determinants of culture including religion, political and economic philosophy, education, language and social structure. Different cultural values and norms account for opposing perspectives regarding what constitutes ethical behaviour. The complexities in this ever-evolving business environment have brought attention towards corporate business ethics as research has found that business ethics is closely linked to an organisation’s well-being (Svensson & Wood 2011, p.21). This has highlighted the importance of ethics education for employees of the company as education will lead to the development of ethical practices among individuals in the company as well as the corporation as a whole. Furthermore, according to Hill (2011), pressure from senior management to meet unrealistic performance goals can be an incentive for employees to engage in unethical practices. It is concluded that: business operations continue to be conducted in both developed and undeveloped countries, where ethical issues may arise as a result of differing culture views, consideration must be given; the Corporation must act ethically when dealing in its global business operations; the risk of undertaking unethical activities as a result of unrealistic performance expectations increases; a program should be adopted to support local communities where it is conducting business operations in order to fulfil its ethical and moral responsibility in line with Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR); a need to provide education and training to its employees on corporate business ethics in order to promote a strong corporate ethical culture; and the senior executive made the correct decision, by following corporate policy. It is the corporate policy that must be adjusted to include ethical considerations, assisting future business decision making processes. Subsequently, this may potentially prevent sim ilar tragedies occurring as a result of Colourful Corporation’s actions. * It is recommended that Colourful Corporation: adopt the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) framework ,which is the most widely used reporting framework for performance on human rights, labour, environmental, anti-corruption, and other corporate citizenship issues; encourage the needs of ethical behaviour within and by the corporation to the employees; contribute to charity in the form of providing facilities such as, schools and orphanages for the poor and unfortunate children in the developing country ; update the corporate policy to include ethical considerations required for each business making decision; create an ethical culture within the corporation by embracing the commitment to ethical standards; and engage with a reputable company to provide holistic business ethics training program for all levels of employees to increase ethical sensitivity and develop healthy organisational culture. Introduction The Colourful Corporation has established a foreign entity within business operations, one which consists of a foreign subsidiary within a developed nation. Cognisant of good operational management, regular trips are carried out by executives to inspect and ensure that correct protocol and company policies are being adhered to. A few years ago, an executive of the Corporation was visiting and noticed that a subsidiary had employed a 12 year old girl. This was is in strict opposition to the Corporation’s own ethical code, and the 12 year old was replaced. Tragically, the 12 year old and her younger brother both died in their desperation to find food and survive. This tragic story found its way to the CEO of the Colourful Corporation, instigating the development of this business report. This report will evaluate whether the correct initial action was taken, and if a similar action would have been taken should the final story be known to the Corporation. There have b een no limitations presented within this report. Aim of report The aim of this business report is to analyse the ethical dilemmas arising from daily business operations, and to determine whether Colourful Corporation was ethical in its decision making, whilst providing solutions for the future management of ethical issues. Issues Cultural Value and Norms According to Segon (2011), values and norms are core determinants of culture. These norms and value systems are affected by many variables, including religion, political philosophy, economic philosophy, education, language and social structure (Figure 1). Different variables can account for the perspectives and views across diverse cultural communities. Ethical issues and dilemmas may arise from business decisions depending on what the value and norms the organization is operating in, and accustomed to. Whilst different perspectives arise from varying cultural systems and bring diversity in the economic environment, the occurrence of ethical issues arising from business operations must be considered. As proposed by Park & Voigt (2008), it is suggested that ‘values and norms have both a ‘direct and indirect impact on economic development.’ While a certain culture may impose certain working standards and conditions upon its workers in conducting its business operations, it’s important to consider the potential ethical issues surrounding these decisions. It’s vital the Corporation maintains ethical business practices in line with Australian standards. The visiting executive has acted in accordance with appropriate due care by their avoidance to use child labour in the procurement of producing goods and services. Ethics The ethics dilemma presented, personal and business, must be afforded due consideration. ‘Business ethics are not divorced from personal ethics, which are generally accepted principles of right or wrong governing the conduct of individuals’ (Hill, 2011, pp.141). Hill (2011, pp.142) states that ‘several studies of unethical behaviour in a business setting have concluded that businesspeople sometimes do not realise they are behaving unethically, primarily because they simply fail to ask, â€Å"Is this decision or action ethical?†(Messick & Bazerman,1996)’. A process must be developed within the Colourful Corporation’s corporate policies, ensuring that each business decision considers the ethical impact that the decision may have on the community and its people. Figure 2 (Hill, 2011, pp.141) provides a number of generalisations, highlighting the complexity of ethical dilemmas, and that no one answer can truly be considered correct. However, consid eration of each component will help to improve ethical behaviour. As stated within the Californian Management Review (1999), there is differing advice from many academic sources. However, an important fundamental of ethics worth considering comes from the ’10 Guidelines for national corporations’ postulated by DeGeorge (1993), with the 2nd guideline stipulating that ‘every company must â€Å"produce more good than harm for the host country†Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ (DeGeorge, 1993). Unrealistic Performance Expectations The pressure from senior executives of the parent company to meet unrealistic performance goals that can only be attained by acting in an unethical manner (Hill et al 2011) is a factor that will result in unethical behaviour. There is a high probability that the local manager will make a decision that could potentially violate their own personal ethics and engage in unethical behaviour. The Colourful Corporation’s senior executive demanded that the local manager to replace the under-aged girl with an adult. The local manager followed the direction dutifully, replacing the under-aged girl, even though it may have violated his own personal ethics. Such unethical behaviour of the senior manager may affect the culture of the corporation as they set an example that other employees follow. Colourful Corporation can motivate and improve ethical behaviour by reinforcing a corporate policy that includes ethical considerations. Hill (2011) referred to how Hewlett-Packard (HP) reinforced ethical values of their employees through what they call the ‘HP Way’. The ‘HP Way’ stresses the need for confidence in and respect for people, open communication and concern for individual employees. Education In recent years, there has been a paradigm shift towards corporate business ethics. Consequently, ethics education in corporations is of significance because the lack of anticipation and preparations in practical terms as well as philosophically by corporations may result in the company becoming vulnerable to public scrutiny (Morris & Wood 2011, p.275). This is because research has found that ethical issues have asymmetric relationships across an organisation, suggesting a need to define appropriate corporate policy, and measures with emphasis on the ethical perspective of the company’s business operations (Svensson & Wood 2011, p.21). In line with this, employees of the company should therefore be provided information on the company’s corporate policies in order to align individual business ethics with the corporation business ethic. The following may be achieved by engaging with a reputable company-endorsed should be engaged to provide holistic ethical training program for all levels of employees within the corporation (Morris & Wood 2011, p.275). The author further emphasise that ethics training is able to inculcate ethical practices and behaviour within employees of the company by introducing critical awareness for moral dilemmas. The increase sensitivity among employees has developed a platform for a healthy ethical culture in the company. Hence, it is likely that the company can better manage stakeholders’ interest, as well as incorporating the idea of socially responsible behaviour in the company’s strategic actions (Sisaye 2011, p.277). Moral Obligations Moral obligations, also known as corporate social responsibilities, refer to ‘a concept whereby companies integrate social and environmental concerns in their business operations and in their interaction with their stakeholders on a voluntary basis’ (EU Commission 2002, p.5). The economic and political transformations affecting the lives of young people are varied and complex. Researchers have also argued that the issue of child labour is contentious not only because many children work illegally, but also because their work concurrently involves interdependent realities of survival, participation, abuse and exploitation (Abebe & Bessell, 2011). Furthermore, Brekke and Nyborg (2005) stated that corporations with low social responsibility profile could be driven out of business. Therefore, it is important for corporation to consider moral obligations as a part of corporate policy.

Explain the four major cultural dimensions identified by hofsted Research Paper

Explain the four major cultural dimensions identified by hofsted - Research Paper Example The four dimensions will be focused upon with respect to USA and other three countries from Europe, Asia and Latin America. Determining a culture of any given country is essential for any business. International business depends upon cultures of different countries in designing their policies; barriers within these cultures are worked upon in an effort to formulate a harmonized culture. In profiling countries based on Hofstede’s cultural dimension, the research will focus on data and indexes provide for in the Hofstede Centre website. Each country will be profiled based on given scores. The score will be done on three countries. These countries are the USA, Mexico, Japan and Germany. The scores will be used to identify suitable environments for setting up a business. The barriers from the chosen country will be focused upon thus allowing an analysis of these barriers and identifying models that will overcome the barriers. The four countries where identified due to their uniqueness in terms of geographical location, government policies and cultural differences. Recommendations will be made based on the suitable country to set up a business (The Hofstede Centre, 2010). The United States of America has a higher score in individualism compared to other cultural dimensions. Individualism had a score of 91, power distance had a score of 40, and masculinity scored 62 while Uncertainty avoidance scored 46. In the case of Mexico, uncertainty avoidance scored highly compared to other dimensions. Individualism scored lowly compared to the three dimensions (The Hofstede Centre, 2010). The scores for this country where; individualism at 30, masculinity at 69, uncertainty avoidance at 82 while Power distance at 81. Japan on the other hand had a high score on Masculinity at 95 and a lower score of 46 on individualism. Power Distance scored an average score of 54 while Uncertainty had an averagely high score of 92. In Germany,

PERSONAL STATMENT for BUJASSIM Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

PERSONAL STATMENT for BUJASSIM - Essay Example The overall consequence of self-awareness is improved productivity at work because of the understanding of ability to perform required tasks and to identify areas to improve on then make the improvements From the feedback, I have learnt that I am not as precise as I should. Some of my illustrations are vague and require more elaboration so as to make points in a clear and unequivocal manner. Even though I may be qualified for a job, someone may beat me to it because I do not present my skills well enough and miss the important details. It is my responsibility to ensure that whenever I present my skills, I must include the most relevant and provide sufficient details such that no questions are raised due to ambiguities created by me. Providing better evidence entail the use of better illustrations than I used initial. These examples must be related to the subject matter and explain all its relevant features. One perspective that is useful to assume is the viewpoint of the reader. After completion of the piece of work, I must look at it as the intended audience would have done. If I do so, I will be able to detect unconvincing parts and change them accordingly. In addition, I must go through the work upon completion to ensure that the language used is suitable and captures what is intended. Lastly, I can also focus on what is relevant so that time is not wasted on what is not needed as it will only serve to demonstrate a lack of keenness on my part. I can enhance my employability by stating clearly what my strong points are whenever I present myself for an employment opportunity. Since each job is unique in its requirements, I must align my qualifications and experience to match what the employer is looking to get from a particular job opportunity. Being lucid and cogent about my values, commitment to work and the desire to help achieve job objectives as well as personal goals is bound to paint a picture of an employee

Financial Case Analysis Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Financial Case Analysis - Assignment Example Japan Venture Partners provides the knowledge and relationships needed for foreign companies to establish local (Japan) subsidiaries. JVP manages negotiations and structuring of equity investments. JVP uses its relationships with local Japanese corporate and financial investors to help North American companies establish a foothold in the Japanese markets. JVP leans more toward investments from a small group of Japanese corporate and financial investors. Japan Venture Partners offer several financing options to its clients. This organization shares the financial risk while its clients maintain control of the subsidiary. Japan Venture Partners encourages forming, managing, and financing subsidiaries in Japan through the use of local equity or debt financing2. In certain situations IPO's (initial public offerings) are possible in the Japanese market. Local financing in Japan is important in establishing long-term relationships in markets as well as local financial results. Another important aspect of JVP's management of subsidiaries is its ability to keep foreign companies in compliance with local securities laws and ownership structures that are compliant with local laws. It is worthy to note here that an agreement between JVP and Omnicom would be a joint venture. Financing options would be those best suited to a joint venture agreement. 2.1 Identification Of Different Finance Options and Risk As stated earlier there are two main financing options available to Omnicom if they choose to use JVP's services to enter the Japanese market: issuing new equity and issuing new debt. These financing options are further broken down to internal financing and external financing. Internal financing consists of using funds from the parent company, from sister subsidiaries, and subsidiary borrowing with parent guarantee.3 External Financing consists of borrowing from sources in the parent country, borrowing from sources outside the parent country, and local currency debt. The internal choice should minimize worldwide taxes and political risk. The external choice should minimize the cost of funds (foreign exchange risk)4 2.1.1 Issuing New Equity Issuing new equity would raise funds to support Omnicom's entry into the Japanese market. Omnicom's choices are to issue domestic securities or foreign securities (or both). Both types of security's objectives are to maximize the rate of return and minimize risk. Investors in foreign securities face possible currency and political risk (addressed in section 2.4). The securities must appeal to both domestic and foreign portfolio investors to be successful in funding the joint venture. Equity calculations should be forward looking using historical performance records. By selling equities in the foreign markets the company is able to maintain some liquidity. 2.1.2 Issuing New Debt Omnicom also has the option of issuing debt securities to fund its larger presence in the Japanese market. These loans could come from domestic or international sources. Omnicom would enter into agreements (contracts) with the interest rates, interest payments

Goverment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Goverment - Essay Example How some areas of the US foreign policy are applied and how they affect Iran needs some improvement. The US alleges that Iran is in the process of developing nuclear weapons. The country’s policy has been that Iran armed with nuclear weapons is unacceptable. The US foreign policy is bound by an inappropriate vision which handicaps the sacrifice and efforts of citizens. The policy is based on the historical relationships of the US with other powerful nations hence there is need to focus on the current and the future relations as suggested by (Torbat 87) For a long time past, there has been lack of understanding of the world community and standing by it by the US. This led to the isolation of the US and its distrust by some of the nations in the world. In the world where there are rising powers, many nations are not interested in being pressured or threatened by others like the US seems to be doing to Iran (Sullivan 187). This is indeed a dangerous path for the United States. Propaganda and media exploitation are the main threats to America’s goal of regaining its position in the international arena according to (Sullivan 187). However America is almost achieving this goal. In order to achieve this, the citizens of the United States will have to demand responsible journalism and ensure its leaders are accountable. The reconciliation between Iran and America may take years to achieve unless the leaders of both countries change their foreign policies, the US especially. It is important for the United States to recognize that armed conflict does not solve a problem completely but only postpones it for a period of time - until a new generation comes up (Wise 53). In respect of the above, there is need for America to understand Iran’s perspectives on nuclear power generation in order to improve its international relations hence build its global image as a friendly

Narrative and research Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Narrative and research - Essay Example Abdullah was a bright student. Every time after stepping out of the exam hall, he used to say with a smile, â€Å"I’ll rank this time also, the paper was so good†. The teachers used to praise him so much. He was good at sports even and represented our school for the interschool competitions within the region. He used to take tuitions from the best teachers and he always outshined at every occasion. I could remember that the only thing that was not perfect in his life was the differences between his parents. Abdullah used to live beside my house and I could hear his parents fighting most of the time. A huge car used to come at the school’s gate for picking him from school and my friend used to offer me a ride every day. The way to home was a memorable journey; we used to switch on the music player and then used to talk about our teachers, friends and mocked them. We giggled throughout the way but as soon as the car used to get closer to our home, Abdullah’s smile used to disappear. He never felt comfortable about his parent’s fights which were audible from a distance. I could read the expression on his face which was nervous and ashamed at the same time. Sometimes when his parents fought, he came running to my house asking for a pencil or an eraser, and I could understand that pencil or eraser was just an excuse to stay away from the circumstance in his home. During weekends, when I and my family used to go for an outing and my father used to drive out the car from the garage I noticed Abdullah standing in his balcony and staring at us with a sad face. I felt bad for him but then I was too young to do anything to help him out. He had no sibling and he was the only child of his parents. Often Abdullah used to tell me about his worries and he used to feel upset about those fights. Then gradually Abdullah started performing poorly in the exams. He even started missing the regular classes. When asked, he often replied, â€Å"Iâ₠¬â„¢m not well†. One thing must be mentioned in this context. The parents of the new generation focus a lot on the material comfort of their child. As a result the demands of the child grow at a greater pace. Moreover working parents feel guilty that they are not spending sufficient time with their kids. Thus the parents keep expecting that their child will be satisfied if they are offered with the latest gadgets and it would compensate their absence. Thus, the emotional attachment among the new generation kids with their parents can be found to drop at an increasing rate as the kids consider their parents as someone who will meet their demands. The same thing happened with Abdullah. He never had to request his parents for anything. He had all the luxuries and comforts a person can think of except a peaceful and happy life. He rarely talked with his them. Things turned worst when his parents decided to get separated. We were just 13 then and I found Abdullah sitting at a corne r of the bench during lunch hours weeping silently. I asked him why he was upset. He said he was unable to decide with whom he should stay for the rest of his life, as he have to choose either his mother or his father, â€Å"But I love them both†, said Abdullah. For the first time I myself felt like crying seeing someone else’s tears. Then Abdullah moved to a different place with his mother and his father stayed beside my house alone. I started missing my friend a lot but time is the best

The sixties Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

The sixties - Essay Example Reflecting on the 1960’s, one’s thoughts are immediately diverted to the large-scale war and civil rights protests. All this was occurring while men first landed on the moon. It was a time of a great awakening among the collected consciousness of the world. This discussion will review some of the major events of the ‘60’s era demonstrating why this period was a distinctly profound society altering era. The focus is on the civil rights movement and the counterculture including the popular art and new religious incursions into the existing culture which were challenging conventional thought. Following the ‘60’s, the idea of what was ‘normal’ or ‘acceptable’ in society was greatly altered in a relatively short period of time and like no other time in at least 100 years. The Civil Rights Movement was an important chapter in American history which led to the establishment of human rights around the world and The Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VII) which â€Å"prohibits employment discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex and national origin† (US Equal Employment Opportunity, 1997). Subsequently an Executive Order (11246) originating from the Lyndon Johnson administration in 1965 mandated affirmative action for all federally funded programs. These governmental efforts to effectively outlaw institutionalized racism was a reaction necessitated by the enormous outpouring of public pressure of all races and gender during the 1950’s and 60’s. Society as a whole as well as many groups and individuals have benefited from these programs including women, those who suffer disabilities and the working class, but the principal emphasis of the movement and legislation was focused on racial discrimination. Civil Rights legislation gav e credence to the great imbalance of social equality that blacks were experiencing and to the rights and the respect that they were seeking through the movement. The spotlight on the civil rights movement

An analysis and commentary Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

An analysis and commentary - Essay Example The main cause for Scotland splitting ways with Britain is the unfair treatment they have regularly received from the queen, bankruptcy of the nation, and isolation. The number of Scottish people wanting independence in the last 40 years has sharply increased. 40 years ago, the number who proposed was only 25%. This number has risen lately according to recent polls conducted around Scotland to nearly half the electorate. These numbers can only predict that the Scottish people are craving to regain their identity, at least politically. If Scotland votes â€Å"yes,† this would affirm the need and the power of political identities. Scots will have a country of their own. In my opinion, Scotland separating from England will help to realize the identity of Scotland as a nation and seclude itself from the unfair treatment from England. This article is particularly relevant to political identity since the concerns of Scotland are primarily based on political identity. Macintyre, James. â€Å"From Devolution to Independence.† The New York Times, 2012. Web 9 March 2012.

Untouchables Essay Example for Free

Untouchables Essay In the article Untouchable, Tom O’Neil tells us what being an untouchable is all about. By interviewing those labeled as untouchable, O’Neil finds a way to truly express to us what it’s like to be an untouchable and the true underlying complications that the seeming unbreakable caste system has projected on its cultural members. What are untouchables? Untouchables, or achutta, are the lowest ranking members in the caste system – or pecking order. O’Neil states that â€Å"untouchables are outcasts – people considered too impure, too polluted, to rank as worthy beings,† (ONeil, p. ). Interestingly, untouchables are not deformed or distinctively different from other Indians in any way. â€Å"Their skin is the same color. They don’t wear rags; they are not covered with sores. They walk the same streets and attend the same schools. † (ONeil, p. 2). Yet, O’Neil goes on to tell us that â€Å"[they] are shunned, insulted, banned from temples and higher caste homes, made to eat and drink from separate utensils in public places, and, in extreme but not uncommon cases, are raped, burned, lynched, and gunned down. † (ONeil, p. 1). Untouchables cannot hide from their status if they were born an untouchable – they will forever be an untouchable. â€Å"Untouchables may as well wear a scarlet tattoo on their foreheads to advertise their status. † (ONeil, p. 2). O’Neil goes on to quote Sukhadeo Thorat, a faculty member at Jawaharlal Nehru University and among the few Untouchables in India with a Ph. D. â€Å"You cannot hide your caste,† he says. â€Å"You can try to disguise it, but there are so many ways to slip up. A Hindu will not feel confident developing a relationship without knowing your background. Within a couple of months, your caste will be revealed. † (ONeil, p. 2). O’Neil tells us that Family name, village address, body language all deliver clues, but none so much as occupation. Untouchables perform society’s unclean work – work that involves physical contact with blood, excrement, and other bodily defilements as defined by Hindu law. Untouchables cremate the dead, clean latrines, cut umbilical cords, remove dead animals from the roads, tan hides, sweep gutters. These jobs, and the status of Untouchability, are passed down for generations. Untouchables are trapped at the bottom of a system that can’t function without discrimination. † (ONeil, p. 2). Stuck in a never-ending world of reject, untouchables are mistreated, disregarded, and held at an unremovable status throughout their life. What’s stopping this? Well, untouchability was abolished in India’s constitution in 1950 however, it is still a factor today. â€Å"Many people would point out that the crudest, most overt forms of discrimination have largely disappeared, the result of sporadic reform movements before and after India’s independence in 1947. It’s true that at least in the public sphere, Untouchables have made progress since the days – within living memory – when they were beaten if their shadow touched a higher caste person, wore bells to warn of their approach, and carried buckets so their spit wouldn’t contaminate the ground. Untouchables couldn’t enter schools or sit on a bench near a higher caste person. † (ONeil, p. 2). Yes, things have changed however, it isn’t quite changing drastically enough. Why? Because Hinduism, a religion held by many of these Indians, supports the idea of untouchability and provokes more societal authority than that of their constitution. O’Neil puts it best when he states The ancient belief system that created the Untouchables overpowers modern law. While India’s constitution forbids caste discrimination and specifically abolishes Untouchability, Hinduism, the religion of 80 percent of India’s population, governs daily life with its hierarchies and rigid social codes. Under its strictures, and Untouchable parent gives birth to an Untouchable child, condemned as unclean from the first breath. (ONeil, p. 1). With such a large percentage of India dedicated to these Hindu beliefs, it’s easy to see why breaking down this caste system is such a struggle. Although, the 1950 constitution has made some progress. â€Å"The 1950 constitution mandates a quota system that reserves seats in the federal legislature equal to the Untouchable share of the population: 15 percent. Reserved spots extend to positions in state legislatures, village councils, civil service, and university classrooms. † (ONeil, p. 2). Still, after 60 years since the constitution, only a small amount of progress has been made. Unfortunately, much of India’s caste system is still undoubtedly present. â€Å"†¦for all the laws and regulations on the books, the hard heart of caste remains unmoved. There are 160 million Untouchables in India – a country that trumpets itself as a model for developing nations. During the winter I spend in India, hardly a day passed that I didn’t hear or read of acid thrown in a boy’s face, or a wife raped in front of her husband, or some other act whose provocation was simply that an Untouchable didn’t know his or her place. (ONeil, p. 2). With such little urge to break apart Hinduism and the foundation many Indians built their daily lives on, it’s difficult to imagine any drastic changes when considering the rights of Untouchables, not just legally, but also socially. The acceptance of all castes and the abolishment of the caste system as a whole seems quite sadly far from the future horizon. Those with kinder hearts have tried to speak up and voiced their concern for Untouchables. One many of us are familiar with was Mahatma Gandhi. Even though Gandhi urged Indians to cease discriminating against untouchables, many feel that he failed. Historians say that Gandhi deserves great credit for pushing the issue of Untouchability onto the national stage and for lending his moral stature to the campaign to abolish it. Yet he never actually renounced the Hindu caste system, and the concrete results of his actions were few. Many Untouchables, particularly the educated ones, would love to knock him off his pedestal. Even the Harijan label (given to those in place of Untouchable) invokes pity rather than respect. (ONeil, p. 5). Not only did Gandhi’s lack of abandoning the Hindu caste system all together lead to few, if any, results his actions also lead many Untouchables to believe his efforts failed even farther. India’s â€Å"one true Untouchable hero† is a man name Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar and he came into play during Gandhi’s â€Å"greatest perceived sin†. (ONeil, p. 5). Gandhi’s greatest perceived sin, however, was to undermine a man named Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar. Ambedkar pushed for a separate electorate. He feared that an assertive Untouchable could never win an election open to voters of all castes. He wanted Untouchable office-holders elected exclusively by Untouchables. Gandhi resisted Ambedkar’s position on religious principles, fearing that secular solutions to caste problems would destroy Hinduism. And in September 1932, when it appeared that the British would side with Ambedkar, Gandhi protested by entering a fast unto death. Ambedkar had little choice but to surrender after a few days as Gandhi weakened. Ambedkar won a guarantee of seats for Untoughables in the legislation, but Gandhi’s actions broke the momentum for radical change. (ONeil, p. 5). Since Ambedkar’s death there has been no Untouchable leader of the same comparison. There is only a small group of grassroots organizers spread throughout India. These organizers are helping the cause with every effort, however small it may be. Not only is this helping, medical training is also changing the lives of some Untouchables. Having health care for all members of the society is a huge help but what’s really shattering the grounds of the caste system are those health workers who are Untouchables themselves and are being accepted, opportunely or not, by those in a higher caste who need medical attention from whoever may be offering it. Salve and Sathe, two health workers, were members of the Untouchable caste. Building not only their confidence but also changing perceptions of those their helping is causing changes one step at a time. â€Å"[There was] much prejudice against Untouchable women like her. Discrimination was the hardest for me, and the hardest to fight,† states Salve. â€Å"I gave people love and affection. Slowly casteism goes away. † (Necessary Angels, p. 86). In her later year Sathe has also experience change. She had become the sarpanch, or leader of Jawalke – the city she had spent years caring for. There has also been changes in villages that Sathe, Salve, and their group does not reach. â€Å"More women are postponing marriage until 18, the use of contraception has reduced family size, and more girls are attending school. † (Necessary Angels, p. 77). Every change, however relatively minor or moderately large, is a change in the right direction. The suppression of those labeled Untouchable O’Neil compares to as slaves. A societal horror one familiar with our U. S. class systems can better fathom. With our racism and prejudices are we any better at all? Babulal Bairwa, an Untouchable landowner in the village of Chakwara says â€Å"I am clean. I don’t smoke or drink or eat meat. I work hard. I do everything right. Why am I Untouchable? † (ONeil, p. 7). O’Neil responds â€Å"Because he was born one. One hundred sixty million Indians serve this life sentence. † (ONeil, p. 7). Yes, we have grown much since the abolishment of slavery but is racism not still here? Will the discrimination ever be lifted of those people scared with the label of Untouchable?

Computer network Essay Example for Free

Computer network Essay The Internet is network of networks, linking computers to computers sharing the TCP/IP protocols. Each runs software to provide or â€Å"serve† information and access and view information. The internet is the transport vehicle for the information stored in files or documents on other computers. It is sometimes compared to a giant international plumbing system. The internet itself does not contain information. What it was found in is one of the computers linked to the internet. The Internet, A global computer network providing a variety of information and communication facilities, consisting of interconnected networks using standardized communication protocols. It is a network of networks that consists of millions of academic, government, private, business, public networks and, of local to global scope, that are linked by a broad array of electronic, wireless and optical networking technologies. The internet can have many services, like Electronic mail(e-mail) that permits you to send and receive mail, Telnet(remote login) that permits your computer to onto another computer and use it as if you were there, FTP(File Transfer Protocol) allows your computer to rapidly retrieve complex files intact from a remote computer and view or save them on your computer, etc. To access the internet by computer, you need a computer, a modem or other telecommunications link, and software to connect to an Internet Service Provider. The internet is indeed a wonderful, amazing and brilliant gift that has been given by science to humans. Presently in this modern era, the Internet plays a significant role in our daily human life. Whereas, we are seriously addicted to using the Internet in this century. Moreover, people like to spend plenty of our human lives. Ten years ago, the Internet was practically unheard of by most people. Today, the Internet is one of the most powerful tools throughout the world. The Internet is a collection of various services and resources. According to Russ Brock, a director and consultant at the Center for Innovation and Inquiry, the Internet is main components are E-mail and the World Wide Web. There’s a lot more to the Internet than E-mail, search engines, celerity web sites, up-to-the-second sports scores, and chat rooms full of risk discussions. The Net also ranks as one of today’s best business tools if it’s used adroitly. Almost all households contain the Internet; however, before people connect to the Internet, they need to be aware of its disadvantages and advantages. Many fear the Internet because of its disadvantages. They claim to not use the Internet because they are afraid of the possible consequences or are simply not interested. People who have yet connected to the Internet claim they are not missing anything. Today s technological society must realize, it is up to them to protect themselves on the Internet. Half of U. S. adults, or 94 million Americans, aren’t online. Children using the Internet have become a big concern. Most parents do not realize the dangers involved when their children log onto the Internet (Children and the Internet). When children are online, they can easily be lured into something dangerous. When children talk to others online, they do not realize they could actually be talking to a harmful person. As a result, there have been many cases where children have been convinced to meet people they have talked with online. In fact, stories seem to come out every week: a child or teenager lured into something foolish, dangerous, or even deadly on line. Cathy Cleaver of the Family Research Council claims that it is against the law for a molester to even attempt to find children online In addition, children may also receive pornography online by mistake; therefore, causing concern among parents everywhere. Whether surfing the Web, reading newsgroups, or using email, children can be exposed to extremely inappropriate material. Pornographic sites tend to make sure they are the first sites to be listed in any search area; thus, children come across such sites easily. A man from Pearl, Mississippi was arrested in 1996 for downloading pornographic images of children from the Internet. He was charged with 290 counts of child pornography). Some critics say that parents are responsible for their own children on the Internet because there are available services to protect children. To keep children safe, parents and teachers must be aware of the dangers.

International business cross cultural skills

International business cross cultural skills International Business Skills Our aim is to provide a critical assessment, reflecting on the materials which we learned and covered during the module of â€Å"International Business Skills†. This module is based on two basics skills which are essential and very useful in business operations namely, numerical and soft skills. Numerical skills referred to exchange rate calculation while Soft skills are related to cross-cultural teamwork, networking, cross-cultural leadership, win-win negotiating, cultural exchanges and resolving conflicts. Through these different topics, which easily you can assume that are different levels in a scale, you can develop and obtain individual knowledge and understanding. Therefore joined the knowledge that you get from each level, you acquire an integrated sense of what skills required for an international manager. In order to be more specific, we intent to discuss with more details each topic separately and have a deep analysis of what we have learn and how these may be related to any previous knowledge. Also we will examine in what extend are relevant to international business and ways which we can apply our learning. There are eight topics which are: Numerical Skills Generally the organizations and companies are come and face up a range of mathematical functions in order to calculate vital information for the organization. In this topic we mention on the issues of financial mathematics which encounter by a company/organization in a daily routine. Refereeing to the financial mathematics we mean the Interest Rate and Compound Interest, the Present Value, Net Present Value (NPV) and Future Value, Annuities, Guilds and Corporate Bonds and finally the Exchange Rate. Consequently during this lecture we learnt and understand the meaning of these notions and I link them with my previous experience and knowledge, which some of them I acquire from daily life and transaction with banks, in order to have an integrated view. Having done the theory behind the Interest Rate and Compound Interest, we learned how to calculate these, how banks think and operate each of these in different circumstances i.e. for people, for business and organizations and finally how organizations treat each interest in order to find which is more profitable for the company. Another basic theory in this part is the Net Present Value (NPV), in which we learned how to appraise long-terms projects using the time value of money. The NPV is related with the Annuities (for instance how the insurance companies work) and the Internal Rate of Return (IRR) Discount Rate. The calculation of NPV is very important in financial calculations because can help you to decide whether you should accept a cash rebate. Generally speaking NPV and IRR help us decide whether to accept or reject investment proposals. It is major to mention that as the discount rate increases the NPV falls down. Bonds have the same ideas based on the same ideas with PV and FV and therefore have the same results. A part of this topic was the Exchange Rate which we learnt how to calculate and understand the background behind them. This is very crucial and relevant with international business because all the companies/organization interchange money Cross-Cultural Teamwork Nowadays team working is given and very popular, so many companies tend to adopt this trend. It comprises one of the major factors in business organisation. Teamwork is crucial for the success in the business as when you utilize a team effectively, it helps to cultivate/foster a percept/sense of belonging for team members, assists in the completion of duties and tasks and therefore these contributes positively to the overall success of the company. Consequently managers, administrators and general people who work in companies they need to learn and acquire the relevant outfits/accoutrements for a good teamwork. So, one of the things that we covered through this course was the Cross-Cultural Teamwork. During this section we realized vital points for team building, like how to gain dynamic rapport among team members, how to stimulate creativity and discover new ways of strategizing and solving challenges. Also we have learned to trust, appreciate individual differences and strengths and how to strengthen teamwork and motivation. Is incredible the fact that by carried out some activities in this session, but also in previous group assignments, we went through the four basic stages that Tuckmans refer in his theory, without to notice it. First the group come together and tries to know each other but they keep a position of guardedness. Then members discussed and tell their opinion about the solution approach. In this stage they begin to argue but at the end they come up with the best solution for the problem and therefore they have got a clear view for the rules, norms and roles that each individual will has. Finally the team starts to work on the project to attain their target. In other words, these are the four stages of Forming, Storming, Norming and Performing according to Tuckmans theory. Have in mind all the stuff that we learned and combine them with Belbins Team Roles we can find the people who fit best with us, in order to built a good team and get the best performance and results. Team work has many advantages as it increases the performance of the organization, reduces the cost and gives many avails to the employees. Thus is relevant to business and particularly to International Business, where the organisation expects to expand abroad and therefore is necessary to collaborate and coordinate to achieve the â€Å"successful† team. Networking Networking is very important for people and business in order to develop relationships. Through the networking you get the ability to seek, identify, create effective contacts with others and maintain those contacts for mutual benefit. Networking simply builds when you meet people, you start to get the know them and build trust when there is honesty in the relationship. In this topic we have learned significant tips which can help you get started and build your confidence to know more easily other people. All these tips are interrelated with the way you talk, body posture and a positive body language. This lecture improves and develops skills that already have and actuate me to realize that eye contact, active listening and a small talk, in order to find background details about the person in front of you are substantial points to build a network. Networking is always easier when you feel relax and comfortable and be yourself. Network with confidence helps you create more connections. In business, networking skills is meaningful to success and growth of the company. By honing your ability to network effectively, you create a pool of contacts such customers, suppliers, peers and mentors that you can call upon you make your business run more smoothly. Networking is the key for accomplishment. Sum all up networking is high of importance and can be applied in the daily life routine to help you with the communication with other people, find new contacts and use them not only for future job opportunities but also to help each other. That is the very heart of networking. Presenting with Presence Presenting with presence concern with the challenges and enjoyable methods adapted for presentation and focus on each persons unique presenting style. Main purpose of a presentation is to transfer a set of ideas by the presenter to the audience. In order to be successful the transfer of the message requires good knowledge of the subject and to take into account the characteristics of the audience. This topic has a lot of interesting things to give you. The most important is that we detect the secret of effective presentation, is the good preparation, which gives additional confidence and helps in the elimination of stress in front of the audience. Also we discover how to command and be able to keep the attention of the audience, to overcome any fear of public speaking, use our unique individual style appropriately and inspire and influence the audience. Once again this topic is relevant to International Business because everybody who works in a company at any time is†¦kaloumai.. to present to shareholder on behalf of the organisation, the board of management or fellow staff members. Therefore we are responsible for the way we communicate and the impression we leave with our personal targets audiences. Having presence means how to utilize your personal presence and power. Finally the materials we have learned can be useful and applied everywhere, as everyone presents important information to others. For this is required basic knowledge of the presenting presence skills. Cross-Cultural Leadership Emotional Intelligence Win-Win Negotiations Art and Business

Thousand Cranes Essay -- essays research papers

Trace Motif in Thousand Cranes In the book Thousand Cranes there are plenty of motifs. One motif is Chikako’s poison. She is a person who loves to meddle in people’s lives. Chikako had an affair with Kikuji’s father and now that he is dead she starts to interfere with Kikuji’s life. Chikako uses manipulation to get what she wants even if it destroys people’s lives. This meddling that she does is her poison. Chikako has a huge ugly birthmark on her breast and this is the source of all of her bitterness and poison. â€Å"Chikako unmarried because of the birthmark.†(Page 5). She believes that she can not get married because of the ugly birthmark and no one will ever love her. The only the man that ever gave her any attention was Kikuji’s father, which at that time he had a wife and another mistress. This adds to Chikako’s bitterness, which in result sets her to destroy the lives of the people involved in her life. She believes that if she couldn’t love then no one else would. Chikako begins by going after Mrs. Ota, the other mistress of Kikuji’s father, because she was jealous of the relationship that she was having with Kikuji’s father. Chikako would start rumors about Mrs. Ota and tell them to Kikuji because she knew of his affair with Mrs. Ota. â€Å"You must be careful with her. So meek and gentle-she always manages to make it look as if she could do no one the least harm. But you can never tell what she’s thinking† (Page 22-23). Chikako is trying to destroy Mrs. Ota and Kikuji’s...

The Pilgrims and the Pilgrim Mystique :: American History Research Papers

The Pilgrims and the Pilgrim Mystique - A Blend of Myth, Fiction, and History [1] At the conclusion of the film Plymouth Adventure, the Pilgrims, physically and mentally, have withstood the rigors of persecution in their homeland, of the long and difficult voyage, and of their first year in the wild, desolate New World. Ultimately, this paradigm becomes the emblem of the founding of our nation and the beginning of a whole panorama of different versions each time the story is retold--some of them factual and some of them mythical. The purpose of this essay is to: 1) survey the scope of the Pilgrim mystique; 2) sort myth from fact in the story; 3) pinpoint the sources of the information we have about these settlers; 4) establish why this group was chosen rather than any of a myriad of settlers who came to the New World, both before and after the Pilgrims; and 5) finally, and most importantly, determine whether the facts about the Pilgrims have been misrepresented, distorted, or simply omitted in the film based on Gebler's book, The Plymouth Adventure: A Ch ronicle Novel of the Voyage of the Mayflower, and the two most reliable accounts we have of the Pilgrims' story, William Bradford's Of Plimoth Plantation and Mourt's Relation: A Journal of the Pilgrims at Plymouth. Scope of the Pilgrim Mystique [2] If one were to ask the man on the street to recite the story of the Pilgrims, it would go something like this: These religious people wanted to worship as they pleased, so they left England and came to America; the voyage was hard and many of them died, but with the help of Squanto they were able to raise crops the next Spring and Summer. They had a bountiful harvest, and in the Fall they invited the Indians to join them in a thanksgiving feast where they served roasted wild turkey. Their strong religious faith and trust in God's providence were the main reasons they prospered in the New World. Quite likely these two facts would not be mentioned: the Pilgrims were a separate group from the Puritans, and the Plymouth Colony failed to obtain a charter and ultimately became a part of the Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1692. Also absent from the recital would be the fact that Plymouth, the poor but proud capital of the Pilgrim Colony, sank to the status of a not-very-important cou nty seat, its interests shrinking to a radius of a few miles and the scale of its affairs lessening accordingly (Willison 408).

The American Dream in Lorraine Hansberrys A Raisin in the Sun and Arth

Centuries ago, Americans were fighting for their freedom from Britain. Then, the American dream was to have freedom. To American then, being free and having their own individual country was enough. Up until a few decades ago, African Americans were fighting to have equal rights. They thought this was all they needed and they would be truly happy. Somewhere over the course of time; happiness had a new meaning for all Americans. Now material possessions are what it takes to be happy. The American dream is to be rich. A Raisin in the Sun, written by Lorraine Hansberry, and Death of a Salesman, written by Arthur Miller, both address the American Dream. Both plays discuss the desire for wealth and how the desire may lead to one’s downfall. However, each play is very different in addressing issues such as race and feminism. A Raisin in the Sun and Death of a Salesman have the same major theme of the American Dream, but address other issues differently along the way. A Raisin in the Sun is about an African American family in Chicago. Living in the same old broken down house is Lena Younger, who is the mother to both Beneatha and Walter, who also live in the house. Walter is married to Ruth and is the father of Travis. As the play begins, the family is about to inherit an insurance check for 10,000 dollars. This money comes from the death of Lena’s husband. Each member of the family wants to do something different with that money. Lena wants to buy a bigger house in a nicer area, and Ruth agrees with her. Beneatha wants the money to go to tuition for medical school. Walter wants to invest the money in a liquor store, so he can own the store, and become successful and rich. He is tired of just being a cab driver. However, Lena inten... ...e almost called Mr. Linder and made that deal with him when he found out that he lost the money, but his family was there to help him figure out that that would not be the right thing to do. On the other hand, Willy’s relationship with his family is what led him to suicide. The role of woman is also handled differently in the two plays, along with the role of age and race. The two plays had similar points, but were also quite different. Works Cited Cleage, Pearl. â€Å" Black Issues Book Review†. Playright’s Choice 3 (1995): 20- 23. Evans, Everett. â€Å"What’s Hot on Stage†. Houston Chronicle. 28 Oct 1994: Pgs 10- 12. Laban, Linda. â€Å"Raisin in the Sun Raisin’s in the Rounder†. Boston Globe. 5 Apr 2001: pgs 8-11. Hansberry, Lorraine. A Raisin in the Sun. New York: Penguin Books, 1992. Miller, Arthur. Death of a Salesman. New York: Penguin Books, 1949.

Grass Fed Based Farms

I'm sure that some still exist on these kinds of farms in many place . In grass fed farms there is a better quality of life for the animals and they get the chain CE to roam unlike the others where they might be consumed in a small little space and w loud have to sit there day after day. Why should a farmer go grass fed ? What are the benefits? When the animals are properly pastured, raising grass fed beef cattle on grass based farms are able to yield you more meat up to 200 pounds more, which could have less fat and c loud be provided at less cost than the commercial grain fed beef.If the persons land p reduces ay or if they are able to keep cattle in the pasture for a good part of the year, they will be able to save money by growing their own feed and raising grass fed beef o n their farm which is a good benefit to not just there self. Think that grass fed farms sound like something I would do if I were trying to decide which farm to do. Pastures and organic parts of grass based fa rms are good things for farmers.In the pastures part of livestock it has benefits for the people who buy the prod cuts and for the ones who eat them, the farmers, and the animals along with the envier moment, I'm o grass based farmers provide their animals with as much pasture as they ca n because it helps everyone out. A long time ago originally all of the livestock were raised on pasture grass bas deed fed farms. But not all grass based farming is the same.A new method I found online was a method known as (managed intensive rotational grazing) (MIR) which is something that offers great benefits over both of the confinement and oldster e animal grass based grazing methods. In MIR, animals are moved from a field to anon there field based on the stage of the grass in the field. This is something that allows the rammer to avoid over growing the grass land, while making it able for livestock to go into the pasture. The cows and other farm animals known as cattle are used and born to ea t grass, so that the grass fed pasture is used for them.The cattle are much heal their than the cattle fed in the industrialized grains that are kept in small fenced in areas inside mostly. There are environmental benefits of grass fed pasture based farming also. T lets the animals do the work and not the machines like in industrialized farms They harvest and feed themselves and fertilize their pastures, overseen by the far err In a closely monitored system that would be developed by the farmer. Overall the re is less fossil fuel consumption, less erosion, less air and water pollution and a much greater soil fertility percentage.When I did some research online, saw that compare d to plowed cropland, pasture can add up to a whole lot more tons of carbon dioxide De in the organic matter of soils. This is an something in the reduction of greenhouse g asses, which means that there would be increased amounts Of land for farmers. There are many different benefits to the farmer. The grass fed pasture based arming can let farmers free from the expensive tractors and machines used t o grow and harvest feed crops, and they don't have the waste disposal and disease is sues that come with confinement feeding.Their farms become safer places for children to be around the animals and help with farm work. Pasture expert Bill Murphy obsess revs, â€Å"When they come to pasture farming, it is such a relief for farmers. They get RI d of all these problems: crop failure, pesticide failure, huge debt. Pasture manage NT is, in some ways, about old knowledge taken to a new level. At Organic farm lands, they want this to continue to grow.

George Orwell 1984 Essay

George Orwell – 1984 Response Paper In George Orwell’s 1984 it can be seem that it does not matter how hard a government tries to formulate strict laws and rules and maintain them, there will always be one or two person who is brave enough to break them. There are two main characters that fit this definition. Winston Smith and his lover Julia. However their rebels do not have the similar purpose. Winston has opposite thoughts against the totalitarian control and enforced repression that are characteristic of the Party. This kind of ideas motivates him to rebel.On the other hand Julia’s rebellion against the party has more personal concerns, in contrast to Winston’s ideological motivation. Winston is thirty-nine years old so that he knows the time before the Party took over control. He remembers how he lost his mother and sister and what kind of staff happened during the war. His rebellious nature basically depends on his past. At his job he changes the his tory as it is ordered. However he keeps a diary which he writes about the true history and his personal feelings about the order. His rebel against the Party started after the note he received from Julia.In the note Julia wrote â€Å"I love you† to him. Afterwards they started to see each other which was restricted by the government because he was still married. He was interested in old staff this is how he found the room which he spent time with Julia. He always had questions about existing of rebellion and the big brother. Basically he did not have the love for his government inside him. Because he was willing to become free. Freedom in his definition was simple as saying â€Å"two plus two is equal to four†. But what he was doing by keeping this diary and have an idea about freedom was thought crime and he had to keep low profile.After he met with O’Brien and received the book â€Å"The Theory and Practice of Oligarchical Collectivism† which is written by Emanuel Goldstein from O’Brien his started to believe that the rebellion is really exists. He read the book with Julia and tried make her believe what he believes. However Julia was not that interested in the book. She looked like interested because of her love for Winston. Winston also had feeling for Julia but the was even more interesting than his love for Julia. Julia was born and grew up in the era of the Party. She does not know what was there before it.She is not rebellious because of the order her rebellious nature is caused by her adolescent desire to cause trouble for authority. She likes to act against the Party and yet gets an excitement from not to caught. She believes that although the precautions which the Party has these are not enough to stop her, since she is very careful and quick on hiding her actions. She thinks that because of her physical appearance her role as a pretty woman with dark hair is to not worry about the outcomes of her life style. She d oes anything she wishes if it is possible because that makes her feel like doing the right and good thing.The main example of Julia acting against the Party rules is her affair with Winston. While Julia started having an affair with Winston, she could manage to maintain this relationship for a couple of months and they did not get caught within this period. They have succeeded not to get caught because they used some simple yet useful ways. At their first meeting they were in the woods where nobody can see them. Afterwards they started to see each other at the rom which Winston rented. The room was safe for them to meet because there was no telescreens and microphones.The other way which keeps them safe was the routes they used while going to the room. They always used different routes and never get in or out from the room at the same time. These ways make Julia think like she has a freedom and the idea that she can do whatever she wants to. The government of 1984 has almost perfect control over the illegal actions of its citizens. Reaching that kind of accomplishment against the party encouraged her. Eighty-five percent of the population of Oceania was proletarian and Julia’s actions might awaken them against the government.In conclusion both of Julia’s and Winston’s rebel was failure. The room which Winston rented has telescreen and microphone. Their entire act against the government was seen by the authorities. At their final meeting at the room they get caught by the thought police. During the time when Winston was being kept as a prisoner at the Ministry of Love he found out that O’Brien was working for the government. They have torched Winston for months to erase his memories about the rebellion. Afterwards they had accomplished their goal and changed Winston’s attitude against the government.However his love against Julia was not that easy to erase. At the last part of the torches they had finally succeeded to break hi s love. At this event O’Brien put a mast on Winston’s face which has rats in it and Winston could not fight against them anymore. He bagged for them to give Julia to the rats not him. However at this part I remembered the part when Julia told Winston that they can torcher him and make him say anything but they cannot change his ideas. Deep down he still has those rebellious thoughts but it does not seem like he can speak about his rebellious thoughts at loud anymore.

Methods And Preferences Of Learning Styles Education Essay

Learning manner can be defined as the different methods and penchants used by scholars in the procedure of larning. Individual acquisition manner and techniques abound in such a manner that learners discover that they have a peculiar acquisition manner with small or no usage of the other manners. It is besides possible for a scholar to develop ability in less dominant acquisition manners with regard to an activity with small or no usage of his/her predominant larning manner. Hence, we can once and for all state that the best manner to larn depends on the individual ‘s ability to detect his/her ain larning manner with regard to the activity involved. The VAK theoretical account is the brief signifier of the Visual-Auditory-Kinaesthetic acquisition manners theoretical account. Harmonizing to this theoretical account, most people possess a dominant learning manner ; nevertheless some people may hold an equally balanced blend and mixed of the three acquisition manners. The VAK theoretical account is every bit depicted below: Ocular: Visual perception and Reading Ocular scholars learn best by watching a presentation, looking at artworks, or reading. These scholars will instead prefer largely images and spacial apprehension than listening to an account. An illustration of learning activity that suits this learning manner is presentation. Auditory: Listening and Speaking Auditory scholars would instead prefer listening to things being explained than reading about them. Declaiming information out loud and holding music in the background may be a common survey method, as other noises may go a distraction ensuing in a demand for a comparatively quiet topographic point. An illustration of learning activity that suits this learning manner is talking. Kinesthetic: Touch and Doing. This learning manner is besides referred to as ‘Physical ‘ , or ‘Tactile ‘ , or ‘Touchy-Feely ‘ . These scholars process information best through â€Å" hands-on † experience. They prefer â€Å" action-doing † activities instead than the â€Å" sit still † activities. An illustration of learning activity that suits this learning manner is experiential. It is worthwhile to observe that if there is a mismatch between the pupil ‘s learning manner and the instructor ‘s instruction manner the pupil will decidedly non understand what he/she is being taught ; which can finally take to hapless classs and low ego regard on the portion of the pupil. Based on the aforesaid grounds, the instructor is expected to integrate a assortment of different learning acquisition manners into his/her lesson program in order to do the lesson all inclusive and enable them to larn more efficaciously. Differentiation is defined as the act by which teachers/trainers utilizing a scope of different attacks and resources to suit the different persons in the schoolrooms. The best manner to run into student ‘s different acquisition demands is to present the course of study in a figure of different ways ; to distinguish the vehicle by which the accomplishments, cognition and constructs arrive, every bit good as showing a scope of undertakings. The ground for making this is because it ensures the maximal sum of pupil engagement, i.e. student planning, pupil appraisal and pupil determination devising. Examples of activities that are appropriate to the three identified acquisition manners are as follows: Ocular: Using highlighter pens to footnote work. Auditory: Introducing new words through linguistic communication games. Kinesthetic: By supplying chances for scholars to make things. Functional accomplishments are practical accomplishments in English, Mathematics and Information and Communication Technology ( ICT ) . These practical accomplishments which include employability, personal and developmental accomplishments are expected to be completed by Learners set abouting the 14-19 Diplomas as portion of their chief acquisition because they would shortly be used as replacing for the current accomplishments demand in apprenticeships. The makings with regard to these accomplishments have been developed up to level 2. The importance of these practical accomplishments can non be overemphasized as they are designed to let persons to work independently, efficaciously and confidently. Implanting functional accomplishments involves adding the three functional accomplishments to a specific country to be taught so that scholars can larn the particular topic in inquiry and besides at the same time develop their reading, spelling, composing, arithmetic, basic math, ICT etc. Implanting functional accomplishments need merely be at the degree of the scholars and the topic. Below are a few ways of by and large implanting functional accomplishments: Not accepting written work with hapless spelling or grammar. Offer support if necessary. Give scholars worksheets to rehearse any slippery maths Promote them to utilize your class as a ground to upgrade their IT skills It is expected that any lesson program by the teacher/trainer should hold these three different elements of functional accomplishments embedded in them. I will utilize a faculty in my specialist country ( ICT ) called Customer support proviso for IT Professionals as an illustration. The help desk client support faculty is a Flat 3 City & A ; Guilds class that teaches learners how to manage client complain and support questions in a professional mode. It is an ICT class and the scenario involves scholars working for a Support company. It consists of three chief undertakings and two bomber undertakings. Undertaking A: Learners are to react to 10 different electronic mails from clients either kicking about the support services or bespeaking for aid from the help desk. They besides have to utilize database package to log all the calls they deal with on the help desk. Embedded functional Skills in Task A: Literacy and ICT. The scholars have to write/compose a professional electronic mail response to ailments or petition which MUST be grammatically right. They besides use Microsoft entree to log the calls in a database. Undertaking B: Learners will work with a dataset on Microsoft Excel. They are to analyze the informations and so compose a study on their analysis. Their study MUST incorporate mathematical diagrams such as Pie charts, saloon charts and graphs. Embedded functional accomplishments in Task B: MATHS ( NUMERACY ) making pie charts, saloon charts, graphs AND LITERACY composing a study. Task C: Learners MUST make a press release that illustrates how to decide common support jobs. The instructions in the press release MUST be grammatically right and easy to understand and so distributed to clients. Learners besides do a short talk presentation for clients. The presentation must be based on a common support mistake. Embedded functional accomplishments in Task C: LITERACY i.e. developing a press release and carry oning a one on one presentation session. There are many other faculties similar to the one discussed above in my specialist country. These faculties are embedded with all the functional accomplishments and are designed non merely to measure the scholar ‘s degree of functional accomplishments but besides to assist them develop the needful accomplishments in employment and life. COMPLETED WORKSHEET IDENTIFYING EMBEDDED FUNCTIONAL SKILLS IN A PTLLS SESSION Keys/Basic Skills development Communication / Literacy Information Communication Technology Application of Number / Numeracy Wider Key Skills