Thursday, October 31, 2019

Giorgio Armani Brand Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Giorgio Armani Brand - Essay Example According to the paper the brand’s marketing strategy has been effective, as it has been marketed to emerging markets like China, where there is a strong uptake for premium, luxury fashion products. This paper will discuss the brand architecture of Giorgio Armani, and present a brand extension model. Detailed findings SWOT Analysis for Giorgio Armani Strengths The brand’s personality-based and uniquely designed products, which are among the best, globally The brand’s unique design, which helps differentiate it from competitors The characteristic feature of the clothes and apparel, which are hand stitched compared to the ordinary machine-stitched products The brand’s presence among international sports players and teams These areas identify the policies and the formulas employed for the brand which gives it an edge in brand positioning and recognition. Giorgio Armani has a ready-to-wear and a couture line, which increases their presence among average income consumers. From this study it is clear that weaknesses of Brand PETA activists do not support the outlook of the brand, which resulted in the development of a negative image The brand’s limited global market presence, compared to other global apparel brands Opportunity of Brand The brand’s coverage can be extended to cover the bottom of the market pyramid A larger part of the workforce is young, which increases their capacity to explore and design attractive and powerful products The brand’s ability to expand globally and to penetrate through tie-ups and the launch of new brand stores globally Threats The brand’s dominant coverage of a small upper-premium class market segment The brands slow uptake in picking up on life style brand The brand’s duplicity: fake products of the brand are traded at very low prices, in the lower market segments Giorgio Armani’s brand position Unlike the usual branding processes employed by entrepreneurs in the c onsumer products industry, the fashion and luxury branding of Giorgio Armani is highly personality-based and unique. The designs of the brand are founded on the founder’s personality. This is evident from the critical role of design in the fashion and luxury apparel positioning of the brand. The personal style of Giorgio Armani is crucial in the development and the marketing of the brand. The designer’s style is grounded on product differentiation, which is communicated in a tangible and visual manner. Brand’s Target Audience The target audience of the Giorgio Armani brand includes men and women. The products offered within the different lines for men include shoes, clothes, watches, eyewear, fragrances and home furnishings. The products offered to female consumers include shoes, clothing, bags, eyewear, cosmetics and home furnishings.  

Tuesday, October 29, 2019

Goal statement Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Goal statement - Essay Example t change in the educational atmosphere of my country and globally and it is for this purpose that I wish to pursue higher learning in the field of SAHE. I attained my early education in Saudi Arabia and I completed my graduation in physics as I had a keen interest in science. But with greater exposure and knowledge, I assessed that I could actually strive harder and work towards bringing about change in the educational environment to improve better learning of the future students. Educational institutions in Saudi Arabia are still in a phase of development and though education standards have improved, a lot more needs to be done. Females are still underrepresented and they do not come forward. I had an impression that it was difficult to bring about change in the educational atmosphere at these educational institutions. But the curriculum of the MA in Educational Leadership and the teaching standards at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs have served as an inspiration and have motivated me to pursue this degree to bring about improvements and changes for the betterment of the educational sector in Saudi Arabia and also ac ross the globe. Student Affairs are an essential component of the teaching process at an educational institution. A healthy learning environment tends to promote active learning and thus leads to the production of intellectuals who succeed not only academically but also

Sunday, October 27, 2019

The Pros And Cons Of Each Approach

The Pros And Cons Of Each Approach The project management team at Parallel Services is having a debate about how to define tasks in the work breakdown structure used to construct a Gantt chart. Ann, the project manager, wants to break tasks down into the smallest possible units. For example, she objected to a broad task statement called Develop a training schedule. Instead, she suggested three subtasks: (1) Determine availability of training room, (2) Determine availability of attendees, and (3) Select specific dates and training times. Karen, another project team member, disagrees. She feels that the broader task statement is better, because it allows more flexibility and will produce the same result. Karen says that if you break tasks into pieces that are too small, you risk over-managing the work and spending more time on monitoring than actually performing the tasks. (a) Discuss the pros and cons of each approach. Breaking down tasks into smaller and manageable units, makes the inter relationship between those units clearer, effectively helps the planning process, easier to revise and update plans when needed, assign work packages to appropriate skill groups, which makes it easier for the project manager to macro manage the project. Tracking the progress of work packages is more accurate because the timeline feature of Gantt chart carries over to WBS. Smaller tasks also carry some disadvantages like need for excessive communication, unending status reporting, loss of productivity and more. For example, the below figure shows that a project that is twice as large will be much more than twice as complex. Only one interaction among team members exists in Project A. In Project B, as many as six different interactions can take place. Unless carefully coordinated, multiple interactions can lead to misunderstanding and delays. Large work packages (Broader tasks) can be unclear as team members may not be sure of what they are supposed to do. There are chances that your team members could assure you about meeting the delivery date of the large chunk of work and approach you for schedule extension just when you thought the work would have been done. In addition below are some more disadvantages of large/broader tasks. You receive less feedback to overcome this, smaller tasks are better because people can learn sooner if the tasks are smaller and provide better feedback. Work might expand after the initiation of a project. Large tasks usually have long due times. Hence there might be no sense of urgency which leads to low motivation. Tasks fail if they are big After spending half of the budget, you discover that resources are not enough to finish the task on time. The only solution would be fight with neighbor projects to find more resources which is again expensive because you cannot just cancel the project after spending half of the budget. So, your task would drag on forever, and consume even more resources. (b) Explain which approach you would advocate and justify why. I would like to support smaller tasks. Project manager plans, monitors and tracks the work done by the team members, so tasks should be small and manageable. Trying to manage a project as one large task would be impossible. Instead, i would like to break the project down into many smaller tasks that can be easily managed. People who procrastinate often comment that when they wait to the last minute to complete a project, they often feel overwhelmed, and the task seems insurmountable. Breaking the task into smaller units and setting priorities, the work would be more manageable and less intimidating. Finding the correct size for the work packages is very important when planning on work breakdown, not too big, not too small, but just correct size. If the tasks were smaller we always have option to increase it later if needed. However the opposite is always not possible. Work breakdown structure would help assigning tasks to individuals, monitor the work status on a regular basis and also hold people accountable for the work assigned to them. Preparing the work breakdown structure properly, you can easily maintain your schedule and people will be responsible for their part of work (tasks assigned to them). A project task can be represented by one or several team members. In a workgroup, to complete a task, the workgroup leader should consult with the workers in order to develop the task list. A task should be broken down in to a level where an individual is able to do a task without further breaking it down into smaller units. The project task list does not necessarily describe task sequence, but the task leaders will often think in these terms. It is important for the project manager to keep in mind that these tasks must be broken down into smaller, discreet, independent work units, and that none are left out. Breakdown is satisfactory when individu als are identified who can determine exactly what has to be done, how long it will take, and who will do it. If, on one unit of effort, several groups are each working independently of each other, the unit needs even further breakdown. Each autonomous team should have its own task. Below is a simple example of work breakdown structure. Question 2 Point value: 10 Many companies are undergoing server virtualization. This is the concept of putting multiple virtual servers on to one physical device. The payoffs can be significant: fewer servers, lower electricity and cooling costs, lower infrastructure and administrative costs, increased flexibility, more effective use of space, and lower maintenance costs. The costs of doing so include licensing virtualization software, labor costs in establishing the virtual servers on to a physical device, costs of updating tables, and access. However, determining return on investment can be a challenge. Some companies have lost money, while others claim that they have gained a positive return on investment. (a) Suggest ways in which a company could determine its actual return on investment from server virtualization and how this would be accomplished. Server virtualization increases the rate of investment for an organization. Below are some of the ways in which server virtualization can help the organization to increase their ROI. 1. Reducing server maintenance, storage and networking costs 2. Reducing growing power, cooling and costs pertaining to facilities 3. Increased IT productivity 4. Reduce business risks Server virtualization allows an organization to save money on hardware, floor space and resources. Virtualization uses existing servers to provide better performance without adding additional capacity, which results in savings from hardware. For example, deploy three virtual servers on one physical machine and it saves the need to buy three separate machines, which may be used less frequently that too at full capacity. When the physical number of servers in an organization is decreased, this means less storage space is required. Office rents are a major expense for any business, so less space is definitely a plus. It is necessary to calculate the money to be spent on the licenses for virtualization products. Buying more RAM and software licenses are more feasible than buying new machines. In the long run virtualization can save money because it reduces energy consumption. Server virtualization makes an organization more effective by making use of the existing infrastructure in a better way. Migration is easier in virtualized environment. With virtualization we can just deploy an image of the existing or a new system or solution on the present server without a need for a new server deployment. (b) Discuss whether this is a type of project in which a systems analyst would become involved and why. A systems analyst would be involved in this type of project. Though server virtualization is a great choice there are factors to consider prior to the implementation of product. The analysis and planning phase should be done properly to avoid any type of virtualization failure. A systems analyst should have better understanding of server virtualization concepts before trying to implement it in an organization. The leading virtualization solutions are easy to deploy and user friendly however might require close inspection based on the requirements of the organization. This doesnt mean that you shouldnt consider virtualization, but you should look carefully at the numbers and run a test bed before committing to the idea. Below are some of the notable factors that a systems analyst needs to consider before deciding on server virtualization idea. Single point of failure When failures occur on a server on which all the virtualization solutions are hosted and running, when the virtualization solution itself fails, the system crashes. Need for powerful machines Virtual servers demand powerful hardware. It is still possible to deploy virtualization solutions with less powerful systems; however the performance decreases greatly if there is no sufficient RAM and CPU power on the main system. Lower performance Issues Problems show up after the application has been virtualized. Application performance would differ when it experiences lot of stress from different processes running on the same server. Performance issues cannot be predicted in advance. Not always possible There are applications where virtualization is not possible or not feasible. One practical example is database, since databases require frequent disk read and write operations, virtualization, which takes time to perform is not at all suitable for the database environment. Security Security configurations and concerns must also be considered when analyzing a virtualization solution. It is the job of systems analyst to carefully weigh the pros and cons while considering to go for a virtualization solution. Question 3 Point value: 15 The vice president of accounting says to you, the IT director, This systems development life cycle stuff takes too long. She tells you that her people know what they are doing and that all systems requests coming from her department are necessary and important to the organization. She suggests that the IT department bypass the initial steps for any accounting department request and immediately get to work at the solution. (a) Justify your departments use of the SDLC and the consequences of omitting stages of the lifecycle in systems analysis. The Systems Development Life Cycle (SDLC) is a conceptual model that describes the stages involved in a system development project starting from Identifying problems, opportunities and objectives through maintenance of the application. There are several models developed to guide the process involved. Documentation is crucial regardless of the type of model chosen for any application and is usually done in parallel with the development process. Success of a project depends on how closely the plan was followed and implemented throughout the project development. During the initial phases, systems analyst is concerned with correctly identifying the problems, opportunities and objectives. The success of the rest of the project depends on this because if the problem is not identified correctly at the initial stages or skip this stage then the rest of the team would be addressing the wrong problem. The cost of fixing a defect in the early stages of the project is very less when compared to fixing a defect at later stages of the project development because it would cost a lot to fix the defect when project is in production stage. Below is a simple graph of cost and time graph that can explain the cost of change as we progress in the project. http://www.ambysoft.com/artwork/costOfChangeCurve.jpg (b) Explain to her the alternative design methodologies used in systems analysis, how they are similar to and how they differ from the SDLC, and the appropriateness of each for different types of projects. Agile methodology and object oriented methodology are the other two alternative methodologies used in systems analysis. Agile methodology is an approach based on values, principles and core practices. Agile methodology not only reduces the risk of misunderstanding, it also minimizes the cost of addressing any defect. Object oriented best suits situations where complex systems undergo continuous maintenance, adaptation and redesign. Understanding the organization, budgeting time and resources, developing a project proposal, gathering information and sampling data from existing reports are the activities that are common in all the three methodologies (SDLC, Agile and Object Oriented methodologies). SDLC and object -oriented approaches require extensive planning and diagramming. The Agile and object-oriented approach allow subsystems to be build one at a time until the entire system is complete. The agile and SDLC approaches are concerned about the way data logically moves through the s ystem. SDLC approach can be used when there are adequate resources and time to complete the full SDLC. Agile methodologies can be used when applications need to be developed quickly in response to a dynamic environment. Object-Oriented methodologies can be used when organization supports the UML learning and when systems can be added gradually, one subsystem at a time. Question 4 Point value: 20 points FlexTime is a regional chain of fitness centers that provides workout facilities as well as a variety of fitness classes to its members such as aerobics, martial arts, yoga, Zumba, and kickboxing. The chain has 50 facilities located in the northeastern region of the United States. Each facility employs approximately 80 individuals including managers, personal fitness trainers, fitness instructors, receptionists, on-site physical therapists, and maintenance personnel. The owners of the chain would like to replace their antiquated database system with an integrated system that keeps track of payroll, employee and class scheduling, inventory, and membership dues at each of its facilities. They have asked your systems analysis team to conduct a feasibility analysis and to develop the system for them, assuming that it is feasible. (a) Explain how you would conduct the feasibility analysis for FlexTime. I would start with defining the potential impact of the integrated system which can help decision makers to determine whether or not to replace their antiquated database system with an integrated system. Feasibility study report should be prepared in such a way that FlexTime can decide about cost estimation, funding and important decisions which are very essential for them to be stable and run profitably. Systems analyst should analyze the current system with the proposed integrated system and prepare detailed report that contains information related to technical, economic and operational impact and will also include both pros and cons of both the current system and proposed system. Interviewing managers, personal fitness trainers, fitness instructors, receptionists, on-site physical therapists, and maintenance personnel, developing and managing questionnaires to interested sponsors, such as potential users of the information system, monitoring users of the current system and determi ne their requirements as well as their like and dislike with the current system, gathering, investigating, and analyzing documents, specifications, reports, procedures, user guides, and any other documentation relating to the operations of the current system, modeling, detecting, and simulating the tasks of the current system are some various methods a systems analyst can use to collect data. It pursues to determine the resources required to develop an information systems solution which includes the cost and benefits and the feasibility of the new solution (b) Provide three examples of why this project might lack technical feasibility. This project may lack Technical feasibility because Flextime doesnt have enough information technology staff to execute the project. The existing resources (hardware or software) might not be able to support the business needs. Lacks financial resources to support the proposed system. The organization might lack the expertise, time or personnel required to implement the new project. (c) Provide three examples of why this project might lack operational feasibility. This project is not adequate in terms of operational feasibility because the project might not be easy to operate. The users (managers, personal fitness trainers, fitness instructors, receptionists, on-site physical therapists, and maintenance personnel) of the project lack proper training or knowledge of the system. The project procedures might be too complex for the personnel as the system has integrations with multiple applications. (d) Provide three examples of why this project might lack economic feasibility. This project might lack economic feasibility because they might lack the finances required to wait for return on investment, so the project implementation might halt due to longer payback period. They can use the profits gained with this and reinvest in other technology. In addition, benefits and costs can both be intangible, hidden and/or hard to estimate. Alternative financing arrangements like renting or leasing or purchasing required hardware or software. When compared to existing system the proposed system would be integrated with many other applications, the organization may want to invest more on labor. Costs may have been underestimated (However, we did compare our costs to a comparable services startup costs). Furthermore, although we hoped to exhaust the potential list of project costs, there will likely be items that we must purchase. (e) Explain which of the systems development methodologies discussed in the text would you choose to use to develop the system for FlexTime and why. I would like to use SDLC to develop the system for FlexTime. SDLC model can answer questions like Do we have the hardware or software to handle the system?, Do our computers have enough memory?, Does the new proposed system do what it is supposed to do? and many more. SDLC is used to identify the need for the system initiation, ship out the new system to the user(implementation), and de support when no longer needed(Disposition) because if we dont have a clear plan for doing all these, then it can become an expensive mistake. As each phase of SDLC requires documentation, reporting and approval, it assures that a project does not go out of hand either by changing the direction or becoming a financial black hole. There will not be any surprises when the system is shipped to the user because the management is aware of every step and it is documented. In short because of the planning, approval, testing and documentation activities SDLC can assure that the system can, and will work as exp ected. Question 5 Point value: 45 points City College is considering introducing a new online system through which faculty and students will place textbook orders which will be implemented in fall 2011. As the systems analyst assigned to this project, you have been asked to obtain information from different user groups who will be using the new system. (a) Identify the different user groups that you would want to gather information from, and explain why. Administrators They are responsible for setup and maintaining user accounts, maintaining system, verifying whether all the hardware and software used are working properly, monitor system performance, creating backup and recovery policy to use whenever there is a disaster, setup security policies for users, monitor network communication. Librarians It is always important to collect information from librarians because they create records for library catalogs, process library materials for collection, assist users in locating materials, circulate library materials and handle overdue processes, managing user records, operating customer service points, in fact librarian is the person who would have knowledge of everything in the library. Students They use library more than any other user groups identified in this case so it is very important to gather information from students to build the new online system. Faculty/Reviewers/Evaluators/Teaching Assistants As most of these people use library for traditional printed resources, inter-library loan, electronic journals, and electronic databases/article indexes. Gathering information from them would help developing online system and provide all options they need. (b) Develop an interview protocol that you would use to interview members of the user groups. In doing so, identify the types of questions that you might ask as well as the appropriate structure for conducting the interview. When interviewing administrators and librarians I would like to follow the protocols that include open ended questions and then move on to closed ended questions to be more focused with the interview and finally with some open ended questions and appreciate the interviewee for taking time out of his/her schedule. I might even use general probes in interviews to enable the user being interviewed to be as informative as possible in their responses. I might ask questions like Is there anything else you would like to add?. I would like to use diamond structure for conducting the interview as this structure combines the strengths of the both pyramid and funnel structure. When interviewing students and faculty I would like to start with open ended questions and then narrow the possible responses by using closed ended questions. I might ask questions like How do you use the library resources?. I feel funnel structure best suits to conduct the interview for this users group. (c) Make a case for or against the use of joint application design (JAD) sessions to gather information. Joint application design (JAD) sessions to gather information would not suit because JAD sessions require commitment of a large block of time from all participants, JAD requires minimum of two to four day commitment where participants may not do any other activities concurrently. Inadequate JAD session preparations in any regard or if the follow-up report and documentation of specifications is incomplete. The necessary organizational skills may not be sufficiently developed to enable the concerted effort required to be productive in a JAD session. JAD may not be possible in our case as students may have their classes/exams going on or faculty may be busy teaching in class at the time of JAD schedules. (d) Develop a questionnaire that you would use to elicit information from members of each user group. Students Group Which Department are you in? What courses are you taking? What types of books are required for your course? What authors books do you prefer or are preferred by your instructors? Any specific publications? Is there anything else you would like to add? Faculty Group Which Department are you in? What courses are you teaching? What type of books do you propose to the students? Any specific authors? Any specific publications? Is there anything else you would like to add? Librarians Group Library catalogs? Any library material for collection? Any overdue processes? What books do you see students using/requesting most? Any new journals/magazines required? Any editions of books to be updated? What type of user records? Is there anything else you would like to add? Administrators Group Types of user accounts? What type of tools required to upgrade the search capabilities in the online library system? System performance monitoring options? What type of security policies? Is there anything else you would like to add? (e) Explain how the questionnaire might be distributed to members of each user group. Make sure to describe the benefits and drawbacks of each distribution method that you suggest, and provide a final recommendation with justification. I think we can distribute questionnaire to users in all groups via email and web survey because we can reach the users quickly. Cost of taking opinions from the groups with paper is completely reduced since the surveys are taken electronically and email is free, user privacy is maintained. Responses can be automatically collected and stored electronically at users convenience. Reminders can be sent easily and are inexpensive via email and by using software we can turn email data into data tables for use in spreadsheet. (f) Determine what sampling methodology you would use to distribute the questionnaire. Justify your selection. I would use stratified sampling methodology to distribute the questionnaire. To develop an online system for text book orders the data gathered should be effective and stratified sampling methodology is often essential in such cases. Using this sampling methodology a systems analyst can gather information from different group of users/people say for example you may want to use a survey to gather data from students, faculty but you might prefer to use personal interviews to gather similar data librarians and administrators. (g) Suggest a strategy for analyzing any existing documents that are used in the textbook ordering process. Explain why you would choose this strategy and why you would select certain documents (You can be general in specifying the types of documents.) Systems analysts should consider both quantitative and qualitative documents for analyzing. Quantitative documents include analyzing reports, records and forms to determine where the organization stands currently and what the vision for the proposed system is. Qualitative documents include email messages, memos, web pages, procedure manuals and policies because they contain details of the expectations of behavior, the ways in which users expect to interact with information technologies. Systems analysts can take help of guidelines to systematically approach to this sort of analysis. The focus of the document analysis should be a critical investigation, rather than a mere description, of the documents. The analysis should include questions about the educational purpose of the document; how librarians, faculty and students are using it, and how it is contributing to learning. Records provide periodic updates of what is occurring in the business, it can provide much useful information t o the analyst. Systems analyst should make a note of performance measurement. This measurement can help analyzing the actual and intended performance of the system. Analyzing policies allows the systems analyst to gain an awareness of the values, attitudes and beliefs guiding the organization.

Friday, October 25, 2019

Pacifism & Conscientious Objection :: essays research papers fc

During the 20th century America has been involved in many conflicts that have led to war or the taking up of arms against other humans and nations. Although the vast majority of Americans have blindly accepted these actions throughout the century, more and more people are seeing war as morally wrong. Reasons for this epiphany are based off of a variety of things and encompass many other aspects related to war and killing examples include: due to moral and ethical principles, objection to war due to strong religious beliefs, the objection to violence due to the same ideals above, objection to the government's use of force, and the objection to the use of weapons of mass destruction. Many of the core beliefs of conscientious objection derive from the teachings or beliefs of pacifism. Pacifism has been a system of thinking and living for hundreds of years, and, in the 20th century many objection and pacifistic movements have sprung up all around the nation, more so than in any other time. Pacifism and conscientious objection in the United States have been moral issues that have fallen under question due to the belief of the participants that killing, war, and the act of violence is wrong and immoral. To begin to understand the workings of conscientious objection, it is important have a clear view of what pacifism is. The roots of pacifism reach back for literally hundreds of years. Practically all of the messiahs of all the chief religions of the world preached for pacifism including: Allah and Muhammad from the Muslim Koran, Jesus and God from the Bible used by Catholics, Christens, and Quakers, and in the Jewish Torah. Other teachers of pacifism include: Plato and Socrates. The moral and ethical principles of pacifism and conscientious objection have been present throughout United States history. There have been known objectors in every single war that America has been somehow involved, Including: The French and Indian War, The Revolutionary War, The War of 1812, The Civil War, The Spanish American War, The Mexican American War, World War One, World War Two, The Korean War, The Vietnam War, The Persian Gulf War, and into the ongoing War Against "Terror". Pacifism is the refusal to participate in any violent actions and or killing. This can be derived from the belief that all life is sacred and that it is morally wrong to take another persons life.

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Engage in personal development in health, social care or children’s a young people’s settings Essay

My role of a Teaching Assistant begins at 7.45 am where my colleague and I begin preparation for the school Breakfast Club. This includes setting out table top activities such as jigsaws, colouring and ipads. Breakfast Club also has a pool table so I write a weekly rota for this to ensure fair play. During breakfast club I encourage the children to sit together and eat a healthy breakfast of cereal, toast and choice of fruit juice. I have time to sit, chat and take part in the activities the children are doing which enables me to form good relationships with the children there. Breakfast Club is new to the school in Sept 2013 so we are currently putting together a display board which shows examples of the breakfasts, posters designed by the children and pictures of the staff that work there. Then I have 10 minutes in the nursery unit to help the teacher do some preparation for the day, for example this maybe hiding arrows around the playing field for the children to take part in a treasure hunt or preparing pots of paint. We then welcome the children into class and help them with hanging up coats and bags, comforting any that maybe distressed as their carer has left. Once they are settled the teacher will begin the register and my role is to help the children take part and sit quietly on the carpet and listen. We then begin our morning activity. I will be asked to take a small group with me for example to draw an apple tree and have to complete a short assessment on them. For example ask them to draw a tree; are they using brown for the trunk? Green for the leaves? Can they follow a simple instructions? Whilst taking part in this activity I bring as much of the welsh language as possible e.g. I will ask them the welsh words for the colours we are using. We then head back to the class for ‘tidy up time’ and snack. Two mornings I prepare the snack of toast and milk. Then 3 mornings I supervise the Reception children on the yard. I ensure the children are playing happily with one another and no one is left on their own. Often I bring out bikes so I have a timer to make sure each child has the same amount of time on a bike. Some children may need the toilet and I assist in any personal care needs required or if they have had an accident then I will put gloves on and change the child. Then it’s back to Nursery class for the second part of the morning which could be songs or story on the carpet where I encourage ‘good sitting and listening’ for the teacher. At 11.30 most of the nursery children are getting collected so I again help with bags and sing our welsh going home song. I then make sure the classroom is tidy and take the Reception children over to the main dinner hall for them to have a cooked lunch. Whilst there I make sure each child has a meal, desert and drink. I encourage them to eat as much as they feel they can. If the leave something, for example carrots and will ask that they eat as many as they can. Once the dinner hall is empty and the tables wiped down I supervise on the main yard with Years 1-6. There the children will ask me if they want to go inside the School for the toilet or a drink. I will discipline any children that are not acting appropriately; I make sure no one is left on their own. Then I take part in encouraging happy play by blowing bubbles for the younger children and help with skipping and taking part in any fun games they want to do. If we have any injuries then I take them to the school secretary and write in accident book and call the parents if I feel it is necessary. Page 2 – Kathryn Di Terlizzi Assignment Unit 332 (1.2) For all Teaching Assistant roles there is a set of National Occupational Standards (NOS) set out by each individual school. These NOS offer guidance on wider aspects for competent performance (Burnham 2010 pg 118). They were set up to realise the potential of all teaching support staff whatever their role. (http://www.napta.org.uk/) The standards are statements about how tasks should be carried out and the minimum acceptable quality of practice that should be delivered. I have looked closely through the standards and looked at the most important ones to me in my role and given an explanation on each one as follows – 301.3 Understand legislation, policies and procedures for confidentiality and sharing information including data protection The Data Protection Act of 1998 is designed to ensure that confidential information cannot be passed to others without the individual consent. In my role I am exposed to a great volume of confidential information and I understand I cannot pass this to anyone. My sons attend the same school so I am often approached by parents at birthday parties asking me how their child is getting on. I understand the schools confidentiality policy so say sorry I can’t discuss this outside of school, please come and see the teacher and discuss on Monday. 302.3 Understand school ethos, mission, aims and values The school ethos –â€Å"St David’s Roman Catholic Primary School is part of the living presence of Christ in the modern world. Part of our purpose is, by the education, care and protection of our children, to present a model of Christian living that is clear to all.† (https://swansea-edunet.gov.uk/en/schools/StDavids/Pages/Mission_Statement.aspx) I am employed in a Catholic primary school but I am not a Catholic. However daily I embrace the catholic ethos and take part in Mass, Prayers and Religious Education activities. For example October is the month of the Rosary Bead. This week we have been learning about the letter ‘b’ so to tie in religion I have asked the children to bring in any Rosary Beads they have to ‘show and tell’ to the class. This builds confidence talking in front of the class and brings in the school ethos. 303.2 Be able to prepare for learning activities Before the children arrive in the morning the teacher will inform me of what activity I will be doing with them. For example when we were learning about the letter ‘a’ Mrs Jones asked me to take the children to the field in small groups and draw the apple tree. Preparation is vital for this to ensure it runs smoothly. As once the children are with me on the field if I have forgotten something for safety reasons I cannot run back to the class leaving the children. Frustratingly they would have to come back with me which would cut down the activity time. First I gather the resources I need for the activity, chairs, clipboards, paper, and pencils. Then once my 5 children are ready I make sure if it has been wet they are wearing Wellington boots and coats and hold on to the handrail as they exit the classroom. I make sure they walk carefully in a straight line down the path, closing the nursery door behind me which has a safety code so no outsider can gain access. Once we have arrived at the field I make sure our immediate environment is safe for example by checking for things the children could trip over. Depending on the children I may need to adapt some of the resources for example some children find it difficult to press hard with a pencil so I make sure I have other things with me like crayons and felt tip pens. Page 3 – Kathryn Di Terlizzi Assignment Unit 332 304.2 Be able to promote positive behaviour It is imperative in any school for children to have guidelines in school so they have a clear understanding of how to behave in school. Children need to be aware of the boundaries within which to manage their behaviour, so that they understand what is expected of them. (Burnham 2010 pg 58) In our nursery unit we encourage positive behaviour with stars on their jumpers to go home and show their parents. If a child has done something positive like sat well and listened to a story we will tell the whole class how happy we are with that child and give them a bigger reward like make them the ‘helpwr y dydd’ – helper of the day. 306.2 Understand the impact of prejudice and discrimination on children and young people Children can experience prejudice and discrimination in several ways, religion, ethnicity, sex, body image, disabilities. It will affect their self esteem and their learning will almost defiantly be affected. They could be come withdrawn and may not want to attend school. You must ensure your own inbuilt ideas do not affect how you treat children. I have not come across it yet but understand I must always challenge discrimination. It can be promoted in a positive way by posters in school and bringing in guest speakers to talk about their own experiences in a positive way. 331.2 Understand the factors that influence children and young people’s development and how these affect practice There are personal factors that could influence a child’s development for example their health. We have a child in Year 4 that has a heart problem and has missed a lot of school for operations. This could also affect his social activities for example on the playground. A child’s emotional development may also be affected depending on their awareness of their needs and the extent to which they are affected. It is important that the adults in school are aware of how pupils may be affected by these kinds of conditions so we can support them by ensuring they are included as far as possible. (Burnham 2010 pg 155) External factors can also have a massive affect. Families can go through significant changes through the school years for example separation, bereavement, new partners, house move or changing country. This can affect their ability to learn. Statistics show that children that suffer from poverty and deprivation are less lightly to thrive and achieve well in school. Some children make personal choices on friendship groups and extra curricular activities, they may need advice and support from adults to make sure the choices were right for them. Some children may come from a very alternative background such as a home schooling environment. These children may need some additional support until they become settled. (Burnham 2010 pg 156) There have been a number of theories of development. Many physiologists have different ideas about how children learn. Some think it is innate and others feel it depends on the opportunities a child has been given, often referred to the nature nurture debate. One of the physiologists Watson believed that we are all born with the same abilities and anyone can be taught anything and that it does not depend on innate ability but on watching others. His idea of ‘classical conditioning’ was born out of Ivan Pavlov’s research using dogs. He noted his subjects would salivate before the delivery of food. In a series of experiments he presented a variety of stimuli before the presentation of food, eventually finding that, after repeated association, a dog would salivate to the presence of a stimulus other than food. He termed this response a conditional reflex. (psychology.about.com) Page 4 – Kathryn Di Terlizzi Assignment Unit 332 Children that come into nursery are treated the same and assumed at first to have the same abilities. As it becomes apparent some children need more support than others then the level is identified. Appropriate bodies are brought in to observe and correct support is implemented. 333.4 Understand how to respond to evidence or concerns that a child or young person has been abused or harmed Possible signs or symptoms that may be cause for concern are – Acting out in an inappropriate sexual way with toys or objects Becoming withdrawn or very clingy Becoming unusually secretive Sudden unexplained personality changes, mood swings and seeming insecure Regressing to younger behaviours, e.g. bedwetting Outburst of anger New adult words for body parts Talk of a new, older friend and unexplained money or gifts Physical signs, such as, unexplained soreness or bruises around genitals or mouth, sexually transmitted diseases, pregnancy Not wanting to be alone with a particular child or young person (http://www.parentsprotect.co.uk/warning_signs.htm#) If a child tells me something I should listen and try as best I can to write down word for word what the child is telling me and not question anything they are saying just let them speak. I will then explain to them that I am not able to keep it a secret and I must tell Mrs Jones the teacher. Mrs Jones will then take the relevant action. The UK Government ratified the Convention on 16 December 1991. This means that the Government must make sure that every child in the UK has the rights that are listed in the Convention. The Government can do this by passing laws or by taking other action, including making sure that the rights in the Convention is widely known in the UK. One of these points is as follows – Protection from violence, exploitation, abuse, neglect and maltreatment: The Government must make sure you are protected from any type of physical or mental violence, injury or abuse, neglect, maltreatment or exploitation, including sexual abuse or exploitation, while you are living with your parents or in the care of anyone else. Special procedures must be set up to help you if you have been the victim of abuse. (http://www.lawstuff.org.uk/the-facts/what-are-childrens-rights) Bibliography www.teaching-assistants.co.uk www.napta.co.uk www.gov.uk/government/publications/nos-for-supporting-teaching-learning Oct 2010 Burnham, L (2010) â€Å"Support Teaching & Learning in Schools†. Published by Heinemann Reference List Burnham, L (2010) â€Å"Support Teaching & Learning in Schools†. Published by Heinemann www.psychology.about.com/od/profilesofmajorthinkers/p/pavlov.htm (accessed on 05/10/2013) http://www.parentsprotect.co.uk/warning_signs.htm# (accessed on 05/10/2013) http://www.lawstuff.org.uk/the-facts/what-are-childrens-rights (accessed on 05/10/13) https://swansea-edunet.gov.uk/en/schools/StDavids/Pages/Mission_Statement.aspx (accessed 05/10/13) http://www.napta.org.uk/ (accessed 05/10/13)

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Labour Economics

Because the coefficient is less than 1, the price elasticity is said to be inelastic. 3. We know that if the price of a product changes, we will see movement along the emend curve. Name and explain, using an example, three factors that can cause the demand curve for labor to shift. (3 marks) Factors that cause the demand curve for labor to shift can be the income levels of consumers. When there is an increase in one's pay their confidence will rise which will allow them to want to spend more money.The demand of goods and services increase because there is also an increase in their disposable income. Also when there is an increase income some consumers taste and preferences may change Just like if there was huge decline in the income (they would prefer to shop on the sale jack). If they do not make as much money as before the demand for that goods or service will decrease (shift to the left) while they look for substitutes (goods or services for a cheaper price).For example, if Kather ine gets laid off from work, instead of buying cleaning agents for their washroom at Shoppers Drug Mart where she normally shops, she would probably rather pick up two bottles of Pine sol for a dollar each at Dollar. Also firms may decrease the hours for their employees or even lay employees off when there is a decline in demand for their goods or services. They would not hire additional workers because their revenue may not cover their additional cost. 4.Briefly explain the difference between pay equity and employment equity. (2 marks) Pay Equity focuses on paying an employee for the value of their work without discriminating against the employees' sexual orientation. Whereas employment equity lies under the Human Rights legislation, where one should not be discriminated by their sexual orientation, religion, age, race, and disability. This allows a firm's workplace environment to be more diverse and allowing everyone an equal opportunity when applying to work for one's company. Labour economics Trade unions are also known as Labour unions. It is the association of labourers in a particular trade, industry, or company, created for the purpose ot securing Improvements In pay, benefits, working conditions, or social and political status through collective bargaining. It's an organization whose membership consists of workers and union leaders who are united to protect and promote their common interests. What do you mean by Collective Bargaining?It is a formalized process by which employers and independent trade unions egotiate terms and conditions of employment and the ways in which certain employment † related Issues are to be regulated at national, organizational and workplace levels. It is a collective and a continuous process. The principle of ‘give and take' has been infused in the principle of Collective Bargaining. It is a technique that has been adopted by the unions and the managements to reconcile their conflicting Interests.It is called ‘collective' because the employees as a group select representatives to meet and discuss differenced with the employer. It is known as argaining' because the method of reaching an agreement involves proposals and counter proposals, offers and counter offers and other negotiations. Definition of collective Bargaining by Byar & Rue (1991 It Is a process that Involves the negotiation, drafting, administrative and interpretation of a written agreement between an employer and a union for a specific period of time.Collective Bargaining:- To Employees:- Importance of 1 . CB helps to develop a sense of responsibility and accountability among the employees. 2. CB increases the morale and productivity of employees. 3. It helps In securing a prompt and fair settlement of grievances. 4. Effective collective Bargaining machinery strengthens and gives value to the trade union movement. 5. The discrimination and exploitation of workers, If any, Is constantly monitored and addressed. To Management:- 1 .It help s in reducing labour problems to the minimum and in maintaining cordial relations labour and management 2. It opens up the channel of communication between the workers and management thus increasing worker participation In decision making. 3. CB helps to create a sense of Job security among employees. . It makes simpler for the management to resolve issues at the bargaining level rather than taking up complaints of individual workers. MINIMUM WAGES AND FAIR WAGES It Is the lowest wage permitted by the law or by a special government.The minimum wage attempts to protect employees from the exploitation, allowing them to afford the basic necessities of life such as clothing, water, food and shelter. The minimum wage rate fluctuates between countries, and sometimes between states or provinces. tOf3 It must prov10e not only Tor tne Dare suoslstence 0T IITe out Tor tne preservatlon 0T he efficiency of the workers by providing some measures of education, medical care, etc Criteria: It must be calculated for a family of 4 units.It must be able to provide 2700 calories per adult per day. It should be sufficient for 18 yards of cloth per unit per annum. There should be a provision for reasonable house rent, light, fuel and miscellaneous items. The Minimum Wages Act, 1948 is an Indian legislation enacted by the Parliament of India for statutory fixing of minimum wages paid to skilled unskilled labourers. Under the act, a tripartite committee â€Å"the Tripartite Committee of Fair Wage† was appointed that et definitions and guidelines for formulating a wage structure in India.The objectives of this act were :- To provide minimum wages to the workers working in the organized sector. To stop exploitation of the workers by paying them lower wages and making them work for longer hours. To empower the government to take steps for fixing the minimum wages and to revise it in a timely manner. A Living wage is a wage that is high enough to maintain a normal standard of livi ng. It is not only for the bare essentials for the worker and his family, but also for comfort, protection against ll-health, social needs, etc.Fair Wages refers to wage levels or company practices regarding wages that provide a living wage for workers while still complying with all national regulations (such as minimum wage, overtime payments, provision of paid holidays, etc. ) It is in between minimum wages and living wages, but below the living wage. With a fair wage, employees should be able to maintain a decent standard of living for themselves and their families. CHARACTERISTICS OF INDIAN LABOUR MARKET The Indian labour market can be categorized into three sectors: Rural workersOrganized of the formal sector Urban unorganized or informal structure Two-third of India's workforce is employed in agriculture and rural industries. One- third of the rural households are agricultural labour households, subsisting on wage employment. The unorganized sector has low productivity and off ers lower wages even though 94% of India's working population is engaged in this sector. Wage determination for organized sector:- The ‘day, Week' and ‘month' are the basic units for wage calculation. Normal working week is 5 days (for government) or five half days/ six days.Hour' is generally not a unit for wage calculation in the organized secotr. Wage determination for unorganized sector:- ‘Day is the common unit of calculation for unorganized sector. In certain cases, piece rate wages (it is the pay for each item produced) is in vogue, as well as hourly wages. MODERN THEORY OF WAGES The modern economists are of the view that Just as the price of a commodity is determined by the interaction of forces of demand and supply, the wage rate of specific types of workers can also be determined in the same way with the help of sual demand and supply analysis.This is why modern theory is also known as demand and supply theory of Wages. Now the demand for labour is a deri ved aemana. t I Is aerlvea Trom tne aemana 0T goods wnlcn It produces, along wltn otner factors of production. The marginal revenue product of labour (MRP) means the addition to the firm's revenue which it obtains by hiring one additional worker. The entrepreneur will continue hiring workers up to the point at which the cost of employing a worker is Just equal to the marginal revenue product of the labour.Now ue to the law of diminishing returns, the marginal revenue productivity of labour decreases as more and more workers are employed and hence the demand cure for labour is downward sloping. If we add up the demand curves for the labour of all the individual firms, we get the demand curve of the industry which determines the wage rate for labour. Now the supply of labour means the number of workers ready to work at the existing wage rate. Unlike the supply of other goods, the supply of labour cannot be increased with the increase in demand.Under perfect competition, the upply curv e of a firm is perfectly elastic and the firm cannot influence the price/ wage. The supply curve of an industry is upward rising from left to right, this means that an industry can get more labourers at higher wages. Determination of the equilibrium wage level: Wage rate is determined by the supply of and demand for labour. Equilibrium wage state is said to be determined at the point where supply and demand are equal. In the fgure below, at point N, the supply curve and demand curve cut eachother. WN is the equilibrium wage rate.

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

FAMOUS ALL OVER TOWN essays

FAMOUS ALL OVER TOWN essays Immigrant experience in the United States has not been very positive. Assimilation was a major issue with the minorities when they moved to the US in search of better economic conditions. The whites normally did not accept or embrace the newcomers who were mostly colored and spoke a different language. To the immigrants, this was indeed a very harsh situation since on the one hand they needed to assimilate with the locals and on the other; they were shunned by Americans for various reasons. Immigrants have thus faced more than their fair share of troubles upon coming to the land of opportunities yet some managed to overcome them and gave us those enviable rags to riches stories but there were still a large majority that remained stuck in its poverty ridden neighborhoods and turned to the world of crime and drugs to gain some sort of control in the strange Besides the general public, immigrants found the entire political, economic, social and judicial system oppressive. They were not treated with respect anywhere and mostly people used them for their own purposes. For example, politicians spoke for the rights of minorities only to win more voters and the moment they came to power, they abandoned the poor souls. Similarly the judiciary was usually biased, favoring white and American over colored and foreigner. For immigrants, it was a lose-lose situation and their skin colors; lack of skills and education, language barriers all played an important role in giving rise to such circumstances. On top of that, immigrants did not have the economic means to attain quality education that could at least open the doors of opportunities for younger generation. In their extreme desperation and frustration, the youth turned to the world of crime and drugs. This was the gist of immigrant experience in the United States and this is what Famous All over Town (1983) is all The book by Danny Santiago, Fa...

Monday, October 21, 2019

20 Ways To Be Creative When You Dont Feel Inspired

20 Ways To Be Creative When You Dont Feel Inspired Let’s be honest. We all want to know how to be creative on days that seem completely dreadful and leave  us feeling totally uninspired and stuck. Either the words just aren’t coming or the visual concepts are unreachable. It just seems like any or all of the ideas are at a stand still. But dont worry, it’s normal, it happens- so let’s move on. The real question is, How to  be creative, even on my off days? Let’s look at 20  different ways to bring continual creativity into your life, blogs, and marketing. How To Be Creative When You're  Feeling Drained  And  Uninspired 1. Change Your Environment The very first thing I do when I feel  uninspired  is to change my physical environment. While routine can be a great thing for personal productivity, sometimes it can kill your creative spirit. You  get too used to the way things are and need a change to spark new thoughts and ideas. If that doesn’t work, maybe it's your office space itself. Even the noise levels can influence your creativity. A study from Juliet Zhu found that a moderate noise level provides just enough distraction to encourage creative thought.  Find a  few different spaces that work for you, and change your environment when  needed. 2. Take A Walk Stanford researchers have found that walking improves creativity. On average, creative thinking increases by 60% when there is walking involved. Not only does inspiration form while walking, but then it continues to come even after you return to your desk. 3. Make Something For Play Think back to some of your most creative years in life. Most of us think back to our early elementary years. At the age of five, you're at 80% of our creative potential  as you're inventing all the time. Remember the finger painting, drawing, snowmen building, tree forts, and everything else? The only difference between then and now is that back then you  allowed  yourself  to just play. There was no plan, no set goals, just an idea and the freedom to make whatever you  wanted. Give yourself room to play. Just do it. I promise you won't regret it. 4. Try Something New Lately when I hit a creative road block, I find a new hobby to pursue in order to give my creative thinking a new perspective. For me as a graphic designer, that means playing with watercolors, hand lettering, woodworking, video, and other forms of creative mediums that I wouldn’t consider myself to be a pro at. For you, it might mean writing a short story, cooking a new recipe, or going to a new class on the weekends. Do something new to not only grow your creative background but to give a refreshing break to your usual practice. 5. Take A Trip Maybe it’s not enough to change rooms or even change buildings for that matter. Maybe you just need a trip out of town to be around a new culture. Take a trip with some friends and enjoy your time together. "New sounds, smells, language, tastes, sensations, and sights spark different synapses in the brain," according to a study done by Adam Galinsky. Even new experiences that are totally unrelated to creativity can bring new ideas and perspectives when you return to the office. Designer Stefan Sagmeister closes his studio once every seven years to do just that. 6. Have A Mentor Creative mentors are some of the best mentors. Mentors can range from a friend,  a hero in the industry, or  to  someone else at your workplace. Mentors  are there to listen to the problem at hand and lend their expertise to help you move forward. They can also introduce you to others that might be able to help you, making for awesome new connections and further  expert advice. After all, networking is critical to finding a job you love- and one you could possibly be even more creative in. 7. Read A Book At , we have several team building activities, but one of my favorites is our book club.  Once a week, we get together and go over a chapter in the book that we’re reading through as a team. We discuss anything and everything that we've found interesting. That leads to a great conversation with a variety of topics that often influences our work through actionable steps. Start with this awesome list of creative books. Find a book that’s interesting to you and learn through another’s story. You may even find blog ideas from reading. Find a book that’s interesting learn through another’s story. #Iamreading8. Listen To  A Podcast There’s a podcast for almost anything. Podcasts are great for car rides, but also for a music replacement while you work. Instead of listening to your favorite music stream, check out a podcast that will bring new insight as you work. Recommended Reading from Neil Patel: The 6 Types Of Social Media Content That Will Give You The Greatest Value My current favorite podcast is Design Observer  as Debbie Millman interviews a variety of creatives from all different industries. Look to your professional heroes, and find a podcast or TedTalk that they’ve spoken for. 9. Collect Creative Sites While Pinterest is arguably the world’s largest inspiration site, there are several other places  that may suite your industry best. For designers like me, that’s Dribble or Behance. For you, that might mean TechCrunch, Mashable, or Convince and Convert. Whatever you enjoy, find those key sites that you can bookmark and refer to for creative reminders when you hit your creative road block. 10. Collaborate With Other Awesome People When we  hit a problem, most of us try to solve it ourselves. But sometimes the solution will only be found when you  talk it out with someone else. The answer might be at the tip of your tongue or in the back of your mind, but without speaking through the problem, the solution will be left buried in our internal thoughts. 99u found some awesome facts about collaborating together that can seriously boost your creativity. Find someone nearby, talk it out, and collaborate on finding a solution. 11. Look To History There’s a reason that history is remembered. What once was important or imaginative, might very well be the key to what you need to move forward. Ask yourself: Has someone else created something similar? Have there been similar stories written? Look back at what those before us have accomplished to see if their process can help you with yours. You don't need to reinvent the wheel, you just need to make it better. You don't need to reinvent the wheel, you just need to make it better. #creativity12. Borrow Ideas Let me  repeat, borrow ideas, not copy. As French author Franà §ois-Renà © de Chateaubriand wrote, â€Å"The original writer is not he who refrains from imitating others, but he who can be imitated by none.† Sometimes you just need to start somewhere, look to what you know, and then see how you can make it better. Even Steve Jobs started with the idea of the personal computer from a Xerox prototype and then ran with it. 13. Start An Inspiration File â€Å"Your job is to collect good ideas. The more good ideas you collect, the more you can choose from to be influenced by.† That's what Austin Kleon said in his awesome book, Steal Like an Artist: 10 Things Nobody Told You About Being Creative. And it’s true! Collect as many ideas as you possibly can so that you can use them  as a reference later on. This might take shape in a Pinterest Board, Evernote folder, or physical collection of clips and snippets.  But any way you do this,  it's incredibly important to start collecting now. Start now, and watch it grow. Bonus: Use the  Evernote Web Clipper directly with to collect ideas! 14. Sleep On It Salvador Dalà ­ once said, â€Å"All of my best ideas come through my dreams.† Whether to get inspiration from your dreams or to simply take a break and clear you mind, having a good night’s rest can be key to creativity. Believe it or not, we need to have a balanced life outside of work so that when it comes time to think, we’re fully prepared both mentally and physically. Eat well, exercise, and get some sleep. 15. Embrace Constraints Theodor Seuss Geisel, a.k.a. Dr. Seuss, was challenged by his publisher to write a book using only 50 words. Green Eggs and Ham was the result. Today, we can fall into creative fatigue not because there’s not enough choices out there, but because there’s just too many! Try to limit yourself in some shape, way, or form to challenge the way in which you’re thinking. 50 words was quite a limitation for Dr. Seuss, but that very limitation made a masterpiece! New connections will be formed when the clutter of choices is eliminated. New connections will be formed when the clutter of choices is eliminated. #newideas #blogging16. Make Mistakes Not only can you make mistakes, but I’m giving you permission! Please, by all means, make mistakes. If you aren’t taking risks, then you aren’t making mistakes, which means you’ll never reach that new awesome idea that you’ve been waiting for. Do I need to remind you of  all our heroes who  failed before they found their success? Make mistakes, fail, fail fast, and then keep going. 17. Combine Opposites "Creativity is just connecting things,† Steve Jobs said. If connecting familiar ideas isn’t working, try connecting opposite or unrelated ones. This is often the equation comedians use for humor, and if it works for them, why not you? Some of the most successful ad campaigns I’ve ever seen have been made possible by connecting an unrelated emotion or story to the one they’re trying to convey. Opposites can be very powerful, so try them out. 18. Keep An Ideas Notebook Take a notebook with you on your morning commute and start sketching. Fill it with quotes, doodles, a record of what you did that day. Write a story! Let this notebook be your place to play and relax while on your trip to and from work. Athletes use this similar 'warm up and cool down' approach in their daily workouts. To heighten your creativity, treat this notebook like your personal workout. Warm up with sketches on your way to work, and cool down with doodles on your way home. And remember, don't overthink it. Just let your mind wander and play. An idea notebook will really show you how to be creative throughout daily life. 19. Ask New Questions Sometimes, we can hit a creative road block simply because we’re asking the wrong question or not asking any questions at all. When we assume we know how to solve the problem, we ignore the several other possibilities that could be the idea we’re looking for.  Instead of taking the assumed, common approach, start by asking questions and let that direct you to your creative inspiration. Ask new questions to direct your creative inspiration. #creativity20. Do Nothing Austin Kleon believes, â€Å"Creative people need time to just sit around and do nothing.† Yep, that’s right. Take some time to do nothing, nothing at all. Every task at hand needs a break, no matter how great it might be. Relax, enjoy yourself, and come back to it later. Time away might be exactly what you need in order to come back completely restored and inspired. Now You Know  How To Be Creative When The Inspiration Just Isn't Coming There you have it! 20 different ways on how to be creative when you feel absolutely stuck. As Austin Kleon says, â€Å"It takes a lot of energy to be creative.† We need to not only protect our energy, but use it well. Whether it's sketching on your commute, taking a trip with friends, giving yourself permission to play, or doing absolutely nothing- try out different ways to find inspiration and see what works best for you. What works today might not work tomorrow, so keep your creative mind alive and open to new possibilities.

Sunday, October 20, 2019

Nothing Like the Sun (1964) by Anthony Burgess

Nothing Like the Sun (1964) by Anthony Burgess Anthony Burgess’s Nothing Like the Sun (1964) is a highly fascinating, albeit fictional, re-telling of Shakespeare’s love life. In 234 pages, Burgess manages to introduce his reader to a young Shakespeare developing into manhood and clumsily fumbling his way through his first sexual escapade with a woman, through Shakespeare’s long, famed (and contested) romance with Henry Wriothesley, 3rd Earl of Southampton and, ultimately, to Shakespeare’s final days, the establishment of The Globe theater, and Shakespeare’s romance with â€Å"The Dark Lady.†    Burgess has a command for language.  It is difficult not to be impressed and a little awed by his skill as a story-teller and an imagist.  While, in typical fashion, he does tend to break-off at points of leisurely prose into something more Gertrude Steine-like (stream of consciousness, for example), for the most part he keeps this novel in finely tuned form. This will be nothing new for readers of his best known work, A Clockwork Orange (1962). There is an exceptional arc to this story, which carries the reader from Shakespeare’s boyhood, to his death, with common characters interacting regularly and to an end result.  Even the minor characters, such as Wriothesley’s secretary, are well-established and easily identifiable, once they have been described.   Readers might also appreciate the references to other historical figures of the time and how they affected Shakespeare’s life and works. Christopher Marlowe, Lord Burghley, Sir Walter Raleigh, Queen Elizabeth I, and â€Å"The University Wits† (Robert Greene, John Lyly, Thomas Nashe and George Peele) all appear in or are referenced throughout the novel. Their works (as well as works of the Classicists – Ovid, Virgil; and the early dramatists – Seneca, etc) are clearly defined in relation to their impact on Shakespeare’s own designs and interpretations.  This is highly informative and simultaneously entertaining. Many will enjoy being reminded of how these playwrights competed and worked together, of how Shakespeare was inspired, and by whom, and of how politics and the time period played an important role in the successes and failures of the players (Greene, for instance, died sickly and shamed; Marlowe hunted down as an atheist; Ben Jonson’s imprisoned for treasonous writing, and Nashe having escaped from England for the same).   That being said, Burgess takes much creative, though well-researched, license with Shakespeare’s life and the details of his relationship with various people.  For instance, while many scholars believe â€Å"The Rival Poet† of â€Å"The Fair Youth† sonnets to be either Chapman or Marlowe due to circumstances of fame, stature, and wealth (ego, essentially), Burgess breaks from the traditional interpretation of â€Å"The Rival Poet† to explore the possibility that Chapman was, in fact, a rival for Henry Wriothesley’s attention and affection and,  for this reason, Shakespeare became jealous and critical of Chapman.   Similarly, the ultimately under-established relationships between Shakespeare and Wriothesley, Shakespeare and â€Å"The Dark Lady† (or Lucy, in this novel), and Shakespeare and his wife, are all largely fictional.  While the novel’s general details, including historical happenings, political and religious tensions, and rivalries between the poets and the players are all well envisioned, readers must be careful not to mistake these details for fact.   The story is well written and enjoyable. It is also a fascinating glimpse at history of this particularly time period.   Burgess reminds the reader of many of the fears and prejudices of the time, and seems to be more critical of Elizabeth I than Shakespeare himself was.  It is easy to appreciate Burgess’s cleverness and subtlety, but also his openness and candor in terms of sexuality and taboo relationships.   Ultimately, Burgess wants to open the reader’s mind to the possibilities of what could have happened but is not often explored. We might compare Nothing Like the Sun to others in the â€Å"creative nonfiction† genre, such as Irving Stone’s Lust for Life (1934). When we do, we must concede the latter to be more honest to the facts as we know them, whereas the former is a bit more adventurous in scope.  Overall, Nothing Like the Sun is a highly informative, enjoyable read offering an interesting and valid perspective on Shakespeare’s life and times.

Saturday, October 19, 2019

Outline The Aims Of The United Irishmen, 1791-1794 Essay

Outline The Aims Of The United Irishmen, 1791-1794 - Essay Example The first organizations were begun in Dublin and Belfast in 1791. The reasons behind the formation of the United Irish Society included frustration with the Whig Clubs lack of interest in parliamentary reform, and inspiration from events in France (Dickson 182). Complete and radical reform of parliament was one early United Irish goal. Although the original militant republican aims that the United Irishmen held accepted monarchy, the United Irishmen would later become anti-English as well as an anti-monarchical republican movement. The original republican aims also included to: "curb powers of central government; to preserve fundamental liberties; and to secure religious toleration" (Elliott xiii). It was only after their original aims were frustrated that the United Irishmen became anti-monarchical and began to consider armed insurrection, with the aid of the French, as a means of liberating Ireland. The United Irishmen were political reformers, but not social reformers (Elliott xvii). Their aim was not to return land back to the Catholics that the English protestants had confiscated. The United Irishmen sought national self-determination for all religions within Ireland. Their main aim later in the 1790s was an Irish revolution. The United Irishmen movement consisted of roughly equal numbers of Catholics and Protestants; however, the leaders of the movement were mainly Protestants (Elliott xiii). It is through this later aim for revolution that the United Irishmen formed an alliance with the Defenders, a Catholic lower class secret society. Unlike the United Irishmen, the Defenders did support land being returned to the original Catholic owners. But the Protestant leaders within the United Irishmen were not interested in this type of social reform. In fact, the leaders of the United Irishmen feared that the lower class Catholics would retaliate against the Protestants and attempt land reversal

Friday, October 18, 2019

Pros and Cons of Various HRIS Systems Research Paper

Pros and Cons of Various HRIS Systems - Research Paper Example Traditionally, HRIS is considered as an automated record keeping of employees and computerization of the payroll. However, it is now well established that HR managers with information system can greater role beyond the administrative jobs. Today the organizations are besieged with the cost burden. With increased cost competition, the companies have no option but to transfer the cost burden to the customers. Therefore, to maintain stability in the price of the products, the only option is to look within, i.e. cost minimization. Cost minimization without technology support is difficult (Walker, 2001, p. 135). Background of the report Big Boss Security Limited is a company that provides personal security for business executives and high ranking officials. The company has 150 employees. The human resource department has two HR staffs; one HR manager and one part-time employee. The company is facing some problems due to the small number of staffs in the HR department. However, the company does not have any plans to recruit HR personnel at this point in time. Therefore the company has decided to go for IT enablement of the Hr department by introducing HRIS. The system needs to be installed keeping the company objective and budget constraints in mind.   Therefore there is an existence of budget constraint. However, the company has got plans for future expansion. Therefore it is very important for the company to retain the talent and increase efficiency. HRIS Concepts HRIS is the systems to acquire, store, manipulate, analyze and interpret relevant information on human resources. It is not mere computer hardware or some customized standard HR software. It broadly includes people, policies and procedures and of course data. It does not limit the focus on automation of manual HR jobs like record keeping or payroll preparation. It is a service in the form of information. The nature of the information depends upon the user's needs. Users may not be limited to the HR depa rtment; it may even be an MD/President of an organization. For example, the finance manager of a company has to prepare an annual budget. Hence data on the aggregate compensation cost may be required. However, merely depending upon the headcounts may give an inaccurate result. But simulating this with factors like attrition rate, likely DA increase or decrease, absenteeism, man-days lost due to the IT related problems, increments, incentive, promotion, redundancy, etc. will most certainly ensure better projection. Similarly, even HR people may need that information for different purposes. There are different HRIS modules that are in the product profile of all HRIS vendors. There are products on recruitment and management, training and development, attendance, etc. Different HRIS Modules In this section several HRIS modules would be analyzed. Even though all major HRIS vendors provide manpower planning solutions, there are vendors providing exclusive solutions for the overall human r esource management functions. Based on the key organizational issues and objective some modules have been analyzed.

Research about The Thanksgiving Day Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

About The Thanksgiving Day - Research Paper Example Thanks giving actually aim to gather all the family members so that they know the value of being together; thanks giving also pay special thanks to God for all his blessings. Just because of the importance of the tradition I have decided to explore it more from the past. In this research essay we will focus on the history and analysis if this tradition of thanks giving day. If we talk about the US culture than every fourth Thursday of November, every year, is celebrated as the thanks giving day. The main purpose of celebration is to share your emotions with the family, friends and any other people to whom we want to say thank you. A very special tradition of this day is the arrangement of special meal for the family which is to be served to the entire family in a gathering. The purpose of this meal is to gather family members at one meal because in daily routine life they do not have much time to sit together and enjoy a meal (Wallendrof & Arnold, 1991). It is compulsory for every family member to be at that particular meal and sit with the whole family. In United States of America, the tradition of Thanks giving day was started nearly four hundred years ago. There is long story behind this decision of celebrating the official thanks giving day. Every year the day is fixed but the date is changed therefore the President of the country announces a local holiday on this day at the start of the year (Wallendrof & Arnold, 1991). If we research about the history of thanks giving celebration then we may come to know the fact that it started in 1692 in America. At that time, the Governor of the state announced to gather at a meeting hall. He said that people and their wives and the children or we can say every single [person of the family should come and then they will say thank you to the God who is the creator of everything. According to their thoughts, they must thank God for the crops, which they

Learning Styles Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Learning Styles - Essay Example The score of 3b means that I am a fairly well-balanced individual on the two dimensions of the scale. According to this result, I can learn best as either a visual or a verbal learner. Visual learners are good at remembering best what they see as opposed to verbal learners who work best with words. Visual learners prefer the use of diagrams, timelines, pictures, films, flow charts and demonstrations in order to grasp what is being taught. On the other hand, verbal learners make the best of their learning when written and spoken explanations are made (LeFever, 1995). Being a fairly well-balanced type of learner, I have the qualities of both a visual and a verbal learner. I can, therefore, fit in well in any of the above two teaching environments.I believe these results are quite accurate since I have experienced a positive result while learning in the above two kinds of environments. I also believe that I have an upper hand compared to most students who fall on either side of the scal e since I can be able to adapt to any teaching environment I fall under. ConclusionAfter taking the test and scoring a 3b, I am more confident on the type of learner I am due to the double advantage I possess of being able to learn in both a verbal and a visual environment. College education being mostly in form of lectures, I will capitalize on my verbal learning strength by working in groups and trying to better my understanding by explaining teachings and concepts to other students.

Thursday, October 17, 2019

CIPD Diploma (Human Resource Practice Course ) Assignment - 1

CIPD Diploma (Human Resource Practice Course ) - Assignment Example For example, if an organization collects data about worker satisfaction and stores the data without acting on it, it is meaningless. However, is the data collected is accurate and well analysed, it can be of great help to the organization. There are numerous reasons as to why the organization needs to collect HR data. The major reason for collecting data is managerial decision making and action. The management needs to decide on various issues that affects workers and organization success and cannot do so without accurate information. It needs to know what competitors are doing in respect of employees in order to gain competitive advantage; whether workers are satisfied and what can be done to improve their morale in order to increase productivity and other aspects such as absenteeism, labor turnover, and performance levels. Another reason is for legal compliance. The law requires organizations to comply with labor laws such as laws against discrimination, termination and redundancy. To avoid legal litigations for claims of unfair dismissal or termination, the organization needs to collect and record all information regarding workers such as pay, performance levels and disciplinary actions taken to act as evidence in such cases. To avoid discrimination cases, it needs to record information about age of workers, sex, race, religion, disability, pay levels and also recruitment procedures. This data informs the organization whether it is complying with the law and can also be used as evidence in discrimination cases. The health and safety legislation also requires records of accidents, exposure to harzadous substances and training provided to be kept. There are various types of data collected within the organization to support HR practices. Quantitative data such as employee turn over, absenteeism, vacancy forecasts and sales targets are crucial for HR in manpower planning, performance management and

The True Place of Confucianism in Everyday Life Essay

The True Place of Confucianism in Everyday Life - Essay Example Even so, Confucianism was gradually growing, and various communities accepted it so quickly in what would later turn out as an almost complete takeover from Legalism. Prior to this though, Confucianism was temporarily faced out by Buddhism and Taoism, which turned out to be more dominant at the time. This temporal shake was so violent that, when Confucianism returned later, it had to develop using the models of the two doctrines. The Confucianism then was baptised ‘neo-Confucianism’ which comprised of Buddhism and Taoism. It is neo-Confucianism that came to later take over the society and become the foundation for imperial exams, as well as the central philosophy of the scholar-official class. So succinct yet so intensive, Confucianism acted as some constitution to the Chinese at that time. Following closely and abiding strictly by the doctrines contained within, Ruism was a major determinant in pre-1949 Chinese’s life. The first role of this system was to define the relationship between men and women. Right from creation according to Christians, the relationship between men and women was lucid; women were to revere and worked under the supervision of men. Conversely world over, women are regarded as subjects to men. Similarly, Confucianism contained the guidelines with women viewed as a lesser sex. Precisely, Confucianism contained strong dictation of women’s subordination to men, worse yet; the doctrines indicated that women are not allowed to work. For instance, women were considered as ‘yin’ and men were seen as ‘yang’. By nature, ‘yin’ was soft, tranquil and passive while ‘yang’ was by every dimension, an opposite of the latter; being regarded hard and dominating. Unfortunately, this was the basis of the present-day level of gender-related discrimination witnessed in China. Secondly, it is in Confucianism that the Chinese found their religious consolations. Apparently a range of temples were built throughout China, Beijing

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

CIPD Diploma (Human Resource Practice Course ) Assignment - 1

CIPD Diploma (Human Resource Practice Course ) - Assignment Example For example, if an organization collects data about worker satisfaction and stores the data without acting on it, it is meaningless. However, is the data collected is accurate and well analysed, it can be of great help to the organization. There are numerous reasons as to why the organization needs to collect HR data. The major reason for collecting data is managerial decision making and action. The management needs to decide on various issues that affects workers and organization success and cannot do so without accurate information. It needs to know what competitors are doing in respect of employees in order to gain competitive advantage; whether workers are satisfied and what can be done to improve their morale in order to increase productivity and other aspects such as absenteeism, labor turnover, and performance levels. Another reason is for legal compliance. The law requires organizations to comply with labor laws such as laws against discrimination, termination and redundancy. To avoid legal litigations for claims of unfair dismissal or termination, the organization needs to collect and record all information regarding workers such as pay, performance levels and disciplinary actions taken to act as evidence in such cases. To avoid discrimination cases, it needs to record information about age of workers, sex, race, religion, disability, pay levels and also recruitment procedures. This data informs the organization whether it is complying with the law and can also be used as evidence in discrimination cases. The health and safety legislation also requires records of accidents, exposure to harzadous substances and training provided to be kept. There are various types of data collected within the organization to support HR practices. Quantitative data such as employee turn over, absenteeism, vacancy forecasts and sales targets are crucial for HR in manpower planning, performance management and

Tuesday, October 15, 2019

The Face of American Poverty Essay Example for Free

The Face of American Poverty Essay Poverty is a social ill that is affecting most developing countries in the world, if not all. This is evidenced by the peoples lack of access to basic commodities such as food, clothing and shelter due to insufficiency of foods to purchase these needs. More often than not, this kind of situation is associated to third world countries like the Philippines and Vietnam and less identified with industrialized countries because people in the latter have more access to a better life and an abundance of job opportunities. United States is a country that could be least likely identified with poverty, however, statistics revealed there are millions of people in America who are living a poor life. This hidden problem of America was magnified to the whole world when hurricane Katrina destroyed properties in southern United States, specially New Orleans. A BusinessWeek article (Farell 2005) reported that the disaster reminded every American of the big class divide in the country. The whites who had more means were able to find a safer place to stay as the disaster hit their homes while the blakcs who have just enough or not even, were left on their rooftops crying for help. They barely had enough to save themselves from the brutal effects of the hurricane. Based on the latest statistics that the bureau released (Current Population Report 20), America, an industrialized country and one of the most powerful countries in the world houses 36. 5 million people, 24. 3 percent of which are Blacks, 10. 3 percent are Asians and 8. percent are non-Hispanic whites. Poverty in the United States is measured by the Bureau of Census using the money income earned by the family members. If the total income of the family is below the familys threshold, every individual in the family is considered as among those people suffering in poverty. There are 48 possible poverty thresholds that may be assigned to each family. These thresholds vary according to family size and ages of th e members of the family. The thresholds are annually updated in consideration of the inflation and other factors. These thresholds in a way reflect the family needs and serve as statistical yardsticks; however, these statistics alone do not provide a comprehensive description of what a family needs to live decently. The measurement, which the bureau uses, was derived from the Office of Management and Budgets Statistical Policy Directive 14. The thresholds that are being utilized to measure poverty were formulated in 1963 by the U. S. Department of Agriculture food budgets initially for families who are under economic stress (U. S. Bureau of Census 20) According to the Current Population Report of the U. S.  Bureau of Census (20), Table 3, People and Families in Poverty by Selected Characteristics: 2005 and 2006, South America has the highest number of people who are living in poverty, it reaches about 14 million and constitutes almost 14 percent of poor Americans. The other regions only registered an average of 11 percent each of the table listing the American people who are living in poverty. Aside from this, the statistics also show that majority of the Americans who are poor are native born. Those who are foreign born and naturalized citizens only comprised a small percentage of Americans living poverty. The bulk of these poor people range from the age bracket of 18 to 64 years oldthe working age. However, the poverty that America defines is a lot different from the definition of poverty in developing countries. As indicated in the research, Understanding Poverty in America, by Robert Rector and Johnson Johnson (n. pag. ), the poor in America are better off compared to those who are considered poor in developing countries. The research revealed that a poor American has a car, a house in good repair and has air-conditioning, clothes washer and cable television among others. According to Results. org (n. pag. ), the face of a poor person in America is a single parent working full time but still has no sufficient funds to pay for their food needs, rent, medical bills and car costs for travel. Results. org (n. pag. ) also revealed that an American who experiences hunger is in a better state than those who are in really poor countries because unlike the latter who really have nothing, Americans still have food to eat the only problem is that the food that they eat is not sufficient to meet a nutritious diet. According to the organization report (n. pag. ), the face of hunger in America is a malnourished child whose parents are not earning enough to purchase healthy and nutritious food and sometimes has to skip meals. The research conducted by Rector and Johnson (n. pag. ) showed that one of the problems of poor Americans is malnutrition, however, this malnourishment that poor Americans face is not under nutrition but obesity. Their findings show that most of the adult Americans are obese because their diets compose mostly of foods that are high in fat. They consume this kind of food more often due to lack of money to purchase food that could provide a better diet. Based on the findings of Rector and Johnson (n. pag. ), poverty is caused by two main factors: the absence of the father in the house and the fact that parents only spend less time at work. The research show that poor families are only supported by 800 work hours per year or 16 hours per week on the average. If the parents spend longer hours at work, then they could earn more and there is a greater possibility that the family would not fall among the list of poor families. In addition to this, the researchers also found out that the absence of a father in the house is also a great factor in the rise of poverty in the United States. Out-of-wedlock pregnancies are becoming more prevalent in the American society and this causes a surge in the number of single parents that are supporting their children. More often than not, the income that these single parents are generating is not enough to sustain their family’s needs thus; they fall within the poverty line. If there were two parents that are earning for the family then there would be more funds to buy the family the needs. Aside from these factors, Isabel Sawhill (n. pag. ) also cited other reasons for the emergence of poverty in the United States. One the reasons that she gave is the lack of employment opportunities among the poor people. This unemployment is actually caused by several reasons such as the mismatch between the required skills of employers and those that are offered by employees. Another reason is the fact that American workers need to compete with cheaper foreign labor. Their competition forces the need for Americans to accept lower wages in order to earn a living and supply the needs of their family. If they do not lower their salary expectations then it is more likely that foreign labor will prevail and complete the job. Another factor that affects unemployment in the United States is racial discrimination. There are employers who prefer to accept white Americans for better paying jobs as compared to the Blacks, Hispanics or Asians. Some American corporations continue to underestimate the capabilities of colored Americans and perceive that the whites are still superior and perform better than any other race. This type of discrimination is one of the reasons why America remains to be a divided nation. Moreover, the geographical location also plays as a factor because there are states that offer more job opportunities compared to other states which only offer a few. More often than not, those states which have more resources geographically and industrially offer more job opportunities as compared to those states which only have a few resources to develop and few corporations to run. Based on the data released by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (n. pag. ), the region which has the highest unemployment rate are Midwest and West regions registering 5. percent each while the region which has the lowest unemployment rate is Southern United States at 4. 7 percent. Among the states, Texas has the highest employment rate followed by Nevada and Minnesota. In addition to the causes of poverty, researchers (Sawhill n. pag. ) are also blaming the income policy transfers of the government such as the food stamps, Medicaid, Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children and the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families for the prevalence of poverty in the United States. The food stamp program aims to alleviate hunger and malnutrition in the country by providing qualified low-income families with food stamps that can be utilized to purchase food items to complete a nutritious diet. According to the U. S. Department of Agriculture, the average benefit that can be derived from the program per individual is $1 per meal. In order to qualify, a household should have a gross income that falls below 130 percent of the poverty line and do not own assets that are more than $2,000 in value (results. org n. pag. ). The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children aims to provide pregnant women who have low incomes, new mothers, infants and children that are facing nutritional risks with healthy food, education on nutrition and health care access. Unlike the food stamp program, which provides monetary assistance to families, this government program gives food packages to the concerned individuals to meet their dietary needs (results. org n. pag. ). The Temporary Assistance to Needy Families is the welfare program replacement of the Aid to Families with Dependent Children. This program was created to fight the dependency of the recipient families to the welfare programs of the government. Unlike the other welfare programs which only require that the family’s income fall within the poverty line, this type of government program requires the recipients to work before receiving any assistance and limits the period wherein they can receive assistance from the welfare program. This policy of the government somehow lessens the sense of dependency to welfare programs by the recipients and gives them motivation to work and lift their families out of the poverty line. It has been observed by researchers (Sawhill n. pag. ) that recipients of welfare assistance from the government become so dependent that they no longer have the drive to work harder or worse, no dot exert any effort to support their needs. This kind of dependency was staged in the movie, Million Dollar Baby. In this movie, the mother of Maggie Fitzgerald, the female boxer played by Hillary Swank, got mad when Maggie bought her a house because this would drive them out of the welfare system. Owning the property will force them to find a job that will support their daily needs and take them out of their comfort zone. The family does not want this to happen because they have become so dependent with the welfare system that they cannot seem to live without it anymore. This is the kind of dependency that the government is trying to avoid because not only does this foster indolence it also takes away from the government funds that could be used for other projects that would better benefit the community. It would be better to teach a person how to fish and find provision for his personal needs rather than simply providing the fish to a person who never dare to exert an effort. Having too many children is also a factor in the surge of poverty in the United States because the more children there are, the more dependents the parents have and the more mouths to feed. If a family has fewer children then it would be easier for the family to get by because there are only a few needs to provide for and compete over the family income. There are various ways wherein sociologists try to explain poverty and one of them is using the structural approach which is influenced by Marxists and Functionalists perspectives (School-Portal n. pag. ). In the Marxist perspective, it can be gleaned that poverty is the direct result of the capitalist system. Through capitalism, people are forced to enter into a competition to survive and this competition is affected primarily by education and skills that an individual possesses. People try to attain higher education and learn new skills to have a better standing in a capitalistic world and a better fare at the competition. Employers prefer to hire an applicant who attained a higher level of learning and who has better skills compared to ordinary individuals, as this will foster better company performance and more earnings. Employees work hard to receive higher and more promising salaries. The discrepancy in earnings, ownership of properties and the creation of the social strata causes poverty exist. If people are not driven by competition and the dire to strive for more as compared to the others, there would be no discrepancy and all will just be equal—no rich and no poor. However, this will also advocate laziness among the people and lack of improvement in ones way of living. With regard to the functionalist perspective, everything is seen to be working for the whole and everything has a purpose. In consideration of this ideology, poverty is seen both in the positive and negative light. In its negative aspect, poverty is seen as a warning, something that people should avoid due to its adverse effects such as lack of sufficient food to eat, absence of enough funds to purchase basic needs and wants. On the contrary, poverty is also seen in the positive side, a feel good factor. When one sees he is faring better than the others, it creates a sense of thinking that all the efforts that he has exerted are all worth it. It somehow creates an appreciation of the hardships that he had to go through to achieve the position he is occupying. Another approach that sociologists utilize to explain poverty is the cultural approach. This type of explanation was elaborated by sociologist, Oscar Lewis. According to Lewis, poverty is transferred from generation to generation because the values of the parents toward poverty are passed on to their children. Lewis explained that people experience poverty because of the different cultural values that they have developed through time. These values include resignation and fatalism. People who are resigned feel that there is nothing much that they can do about their situation so they no longer bother to change it or even exert the slightest effort to lift their families out of the impoverished state their they are in. People, who adhere to fatalism, perceive that they are meant to be poor so there is no reason of fighting it. They believe that suffering an impecunious life is their purpose in this world and no matter what they do they will not be able to escape it. Trying to pull ones self out of the hole of poverty will only be a futile undertaking. These kinds of ideologies of the parents foster somehow affects how their children see poverty. Without even realizing it, these principles that they adhere to, is already burying their children to the pit of poverty even at a tender age. Once the minds of their children are shaped with these principles, they will carry this one as they age and like their parents, will be left suffering an impoverished life. The cultural explanation of poverty explains why there are many who continue to depend on the welfare system even if they have the capacity to get out of it. They have been so used to thinking that they are poor and cannot do anything about it that is why they no longer strive to make their lives more bearable. What these people fail to realize are the benefits that can be gained from getting out of the cage of the government welfare system. They has lost their sense of achievement and being able to contribute something fruitful to the country rather than just waiting for the assistance that the government will provide.