Wednesday, November 27, 2019

MODEL UNIT IV TEST EC202 MICROECONOMICS Essays - Labour Economics

MODEL UNIT IV TEST EC202: MICROECONOMICS 1. The term "derived demand" refers to the idea that a change in the A. demand for one good, say, tennis racquets, will affect the demand for related goods, say, tennis balls. B. demand for a good is affected by the supply of that good. C. demand for a good will affect the demand for the factors used to produce that good. D. supply of a factor will affect the demand for that factor. E. price of a factor will affect the price of the good produced with that factor. 2. The price of the product multiplied by the marginal physical product of the factor is the definition of the ______________ of that factor. A. value of marginal product B. marginal factor cost C. marginal physical product D. total factor cost E. marginal revenue product 3. The economist says that in order to maximize profits (minimize costs), any firm should hire a factor of production up until the point where: A. VMP = MRP B. MRP = MFC C. W = MFC D. W = VMP E. VMP = MFC 4. If MRP = VMP, we can conclude that the firm in question is A. maximizing profits B. minimizing costs C. a perfect competitor in the factor market D. a perfect competitor in the product market E. all of the above 5. The effect of an increase in the wage rate that causes the amount of labor supplied by the individual worker to decrease is called the _________ effect. A. complement B. substitution C. income D. normal E. inferior 6. If W = MFC, we can conclude that the firm in question is A. maximizing profits B. minimizing costs C. a perfect competitor in the factor market D. a perfect competitor in the product market E. all of the above 7. Which of the following changes would cause a firms demand for labor to increase (the labor demand curve shift to the right)? A. an increase in the price of the product being produced B. a decrease in the wage rate C. an increase in the marginal physical product of labor D. all the above E. A and C but not B 8. Applying the least-cost rule to two factors, a firm will A. maximize profits at the output at which MRP = MFC. B. minimize costs when the MPP of factor A equals the MPP of factor B. C. minimize costs when the MRP of factor A equals the MRP of factor B. D. minimize costs when the MPP of factor A divided by the price of A equals the MPP of factor B divided by the price of B. E. do none of the above. 9. A firms demand for labor will be less elastic under which of the following conditions? A. the more good substitutes there are for labor B. the larger is the ratio of labor costs to total cost C. the less elastic is the demand for the good being produced D. all the above E. none of the above 10. Accountants can either work at accounting firms or they can teach accounting at a university. The supply of labor in the market for accountants who teach at universities would increase (the supply curve would shift to the right) as a result of which of the following changes? A. a decrease in the fringe benefits for accountants working at accounting firms B. an increase in the fringe benefits for accounting professors C. a decrease in the wage rate for accountants working at accounting firms D. all the above E. none of the above 11. If, at a particular wage rate in a competitive market, the quantity supplied of labor exceeds the quantity demanded of labor, then A. the supply curve will shift to the left, the demand curve will shift to the right, and the surplus of labor will be eliminated. B. since wages are so high, the quantity supplied of workers will increase further, and the quantity demanded will decrease further. C. some workers will begin to accept lower wages and, as a result, employers will begin to hire more workers, and the wage will decrease until equilibrium is reached. D. the supply curve will shift to the right, the demand curve will shift to the left, and the shortage of labor will be eliminated. E. none of the above would happen. 12. The marginal productivity theory states that A. as variable inputs are added to a fixed quantity of other inputs eventually the additional output produced by each additional variable input will decrease. B. inputs will be used most efficiently when the additional output gained from

Saturday, November 23, 2019

Ritalin essays

Ritalin essays Ritalin (Methylphenidate) is a mild CNS stimulant. In medicine, Ritalin's primary use is treatment of Attention DeficitHyperactive Disorder (ADHD). The mode of action in humans is not completely understood, but Ritalin presumably activates the arousal system of the brain stem and the cortex to produce its stimulant effect. Recently, the frequency of diagnosis for ADHD has increased dramatically. More children and an increasing number of adults are being diagnosed with ADHD. According to the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) (Bailey 1995), prescriptions for Ritalin have increased more than 600% in the past five years. Ritalin has a long history of controversy regarding side effects and potential for abuse, however it greatly Ritalin (Methylphenidate) is manufactured by CIBA-Geigy Corporation. It is supplied in 5 mg., 10 mg., and 20 mg. tablets, and in a sustained release form, Ritalin SR, in 20 mg. tablets. It is readily water soluble and is intended for oral use. It is a Schedule II Controlled Substance under both the Federal and Vermont Controlled Substance Acts. Ritalin is primarily used in the treatment of Attention Deficit/Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD) (Bailey 1995). ADHD is a condition most likely based in an inefficiency and inadequacy of Dopamine and Norepinephrine hormone availability, typically occurring when a person with ADHD tries to concentrate. Ritalin improves the efficiency of the hormones Dopamine and Norepinephrine, increasing the resources for memory, focus, concentration and attention (Clark 1996). Ritalin has been used for more than 30 years to treat ADHD. Nervousness and insomnia are the most common adverse reactions reported, but are usually controlled by reducing dosage or omitting the afternoon or evening dose. Decreased appetite is also common but usually transient (Long 1996). According to Clark (1996), children, adolescents and adults diagnosed with A...

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Organizational Promotion Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Organizational Promotion - Assignment Example Selection of staff for promotion is about selecting the right person for a higher job and it's a two-way process of companies to invite knowledgeable and talent applicant to enjoy higher designation within the firm. Before the actual interview process, short-listing is used for filtering for the right candidates to be promoted to higher positions. Then the suitable candidates can be selected through these techniques. Some of the more popular selection techniques are the interviews, tests, and assessment centre. By far interviewing is the most commonly used as a promotional selection tool. There are two structured interview techniques are behavioural and situational interview. During interview, the candidate can demonstrate their ability and present their expertise to the interviewers. The interviewers can make assessment by comparing the performance of each interviewee and promote the suitable candidate for particular position. The selection process at different stages of the enterprise is different; therefore, during the interview, the interviews can setup the assessment criteria to meet their need based on the requirements. Internal promotion process may generate a large number of applicants for vacant higher positions, especially when an open rather than a closed recruitment system is used. Initial assessment methods are used to screen out internal applicants who do not meet the minimum qualifications needed to become a candidate for a position. Types of Initial assessment methods are skills inventory, which uses existing data on employee skills that may be found in organizational files. Peer assessments, which are used to evaluate the promotabilitiy of an internal applicant. Self-assessment is when job incumbents can be asked to evaluate their own skills as the basis for determining promo ability. Managerial sponsorship involves senior management identifying and developing the profiles of those individuals at lower levels in the organization. The last type of initial assessment is informal discussion/recommendations, which is when not all promotion decisions are made on the basis of formal HR policy, and procedures, which can be questioned in terms of their relevance to actual job performance. Substantive Assessments Substantive assessments are used to narrow the internal applicant pool down to finalists. Some types of substantive methods include seniority and experience, which are among the most prevalent methods of internal selection. Job knowledge tests which measure one's mastery of the concepts needed to perform certain work which is usually measured with a paper and pencil test that is based on the job content. Performance appraisals, which capture both ability and motivation, which offers a complete, look at a person's job qualifications. Promotional Rating Promotability Ratings may be done at the same time as performance appraisals are useful for both recruiting and selection activities discussing what is needed to be promoted during performance appraisals can encourage employee development of new skills. Assessment Centres, which is a collection of predictors, used to forecast

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Healthcare Ethics and Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Healthcare Ethics and Law - Essay Example In addition, medical profession has defined its standards of accountability through a formal code of Ethics. Legal challenges and court decisions can seriously affect a medical professional's future. Thus, patient's perceptions of health care, particularly disagreements and researches of various kinds with medical professionals have caught the attention of every one since 1980s in Great Britain. These disagreements have turned often into legal complaints (Ellen Annandale 1998). These disagreements turned legal complaints lead to long medical litigations. In UK, the Court usually award three types of damages for such litigations.1.Compensatory damages - for an injured plaintiff's economic losses, costs of health care and lost wages. 2.Compensatory damages - for non-economic losses including pain, suffering associated to injury and 3.Punitive damages - in cases where a defendant has been found to have acted in a willful fashion, demonstrating negligence with no regard for the patient's well being. Thus, punitive damages aim to punish the defendants and are very damaging to the medical professionals. Medical malpractice law is part of tort, or personal injury law. The standard used to evaluate whether the breach in question rises to the level of negligence is called 'medical custom'. Medical custom is the quality of care expected of a medical professional. This custom is primarily based on the testimony of experts in the medical profession and practice guidelines. There has been a shift in recent years from the custom towards a more independent determination by the court. Unlike health care facilities that are well placed under the risk coverage through insurance, medical professionals are not covered for such litigation risks (Brennan.T 2004). Although, medical malpractice system functions theoretically well, the actual operation of the system is much more complicated. Evolution of Malpractice litigation in UK: Despite a series of medical litigations in the nineteenth century, suing medical professionals was not so easy until the later part of this century. Rights for advance directives, doctrines such as informed consent have created a new approach to medical litigations. The increase in frequency of medical litigations can be attributed to five main factors: 1.Greater public awareness of medical errors; 2.Loss of confidence in health care delivery system: 3.Technological advancement.4.Increased expectations of medical care and 5.Reduced interest of the plaintiff in accepting compensations outside the preview of the jury due to higher compensation chances through jury. (Brennan.T, 2004). The medical practice is liable for six kinds of legal authority, viz, 'The federal or central law', 'The law of the state', The international code of physicians', 'Institutional rules and regulations', 'Standing orders of the chief' and 'Precedent court decisions' (Zwemer, 1995). There are certain areas in medical practice, which have important legal implications called legal hazards. On account of the above-discussed factors, there has been a departure from traditional approach to management of disputes between the medical professionals and patient. The important approaches in medical care today include

Sunday, November 17, 2019

Three Mile Island Essay Example for Free

Three Mile Island Essay INTRODUCTION   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The Three Mile Island incident stands not only as a reminder of the potential hazards of nuclear power, but of the potential hazards of an economically driven society and a government infiltrated by corporate interests. The events behind the most dangerous nuclear accident in American history are as straightforward as they are alarming; On Mar. 28, 1979, failure of the cooling system of the No. 2 nuclear reactor led to overheating and partial melting of its uranium core and production of hydrogen gas, which raised fears of an explosion and dispersal of radioactivity and consequently left the citizens of Harrisburg PA and the surrounding areas in a man-made disaster area of which they remained largely oblivious for some time.    An ensuing federal investigation of the accident would fault human, mechanical, and design errors, and recommend changes in reactor licensing and personnel training, as well as in the structure and function of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission,   (Three Mile Island).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   BODY   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Inarguably, failure to prevent the Three Mile Island nuclear accident rests on human shoulders; the accident resulted from mistakes, oversights, and misjudgments and unlike natural disasters such as floods, hurricanes, earthquakes, or major fires, left no immediate physical alterations in the surrounding environment; however, the possibility to lay blame for the accident on specific actions or non-actions by specific reasons lured many who were impacted by the accident to search for immediate victims and villains.   (Houts, Cleary, and Hu vii)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   One of the primary concerns surrounding the accident was the potential dangers of the radioactive leak which   was especially frightening because it cannot be felt or seen and is not easily understood. It is not possible to tell by ones senses when one is being radiated. Therefore, it was impossible for people living near Three Mile Island to assess the danger directly or to know what protective actions to take though the immediate psychological impact was devastating to nearby residents.   (Houts, Cleary, and Hu xi)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The accident at Three Mile Island grew in its immediate impact on the citizens near the plant due to media-influence. Recent studies of the incident and comprehensive studies of those impacted by the disaster   reveal profound psychological damages as well as physical damages to personal health and well-being. Subsequent lawsuits against the power plant were upheld by federal courts which ruled the accidental release of radioactive gases resulted from a partial meltdown of the reactor core after a combination of mechanical and human failures allowed the core to lose cooling water[] the company is responsible for health problems, such as cancer and birth defects; however, the full impact of the disaster on the population and the environment may not be known for many years to come.  Ã‚   (Murray 3)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   While the media exaggerated threats and claims of possible hazards, the state and federal and corporate spokespeople, at first,   downplayed the event and only later admitted that   findings about the status of the reactor suggested to Met Ed, NRC, and state officials that the accident had caused more damage and presented a greater threat to the citizens of central Pennsylvania than they had previously realized which   ultimately led to a complete dissolution of trust between the impacted citizens and corporate interests. (Walker 102)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The impact on the citizens near the plant took three major forms: psychological, physical, and economic. Detailed studies of those impacted by the disaster showed that Nine months after the crisis, 11% of respondents within five miles of TMI stated that they had visited a physician concerning symptoms they thought were due to the situation at Three Mile Island and that in many cases, these health problems were ultimately found to be of a anxious or psychological origin.   (Houts, Cleary, and Hu 95). Long-term impacts, as mentioned earlier, included cancer, birth-defects, and an undermining of trust in government or in corporate America. Many of the citizens near Three Mile Island relocated and left their homes of many years due to the unknown impacts of the disaster which may still be unmeasured.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   CONCLUSION      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   I feel that the Three Mile Island accident severely damaged the relationship between community and corporation not only for those who suffered in the disaster but for anyone who is familiar with its history.   To me, it is appalling that the company realized the power plant was leaking radiation uncontrollably but failed to inform the public or explain the risk, leaving the media to misinform the public in many cases making the situation worse for those who had to endure it. To me, the accident stands as an almost symbolic occurrence which shows the perils of greed and corporate   proliferations and the reality that American citizens are sometimes not provided for by their companies or government but are often put at risk by their actions.(Goldsteen, and Schorr 129)                  Ã‚  SUMMARY      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Though the accident at Three Mile Island can overtly be traced to: A series of mechanical and judgmental errors it can also be traced to deeper roots in the economically driven private sector of American society and also to the superficiality of media and of the failure of government to adequately inform its citizens about the potential risks of an private industrial power-plant operating near their residences. The accident caused a breach in trust between ordinary citizens and government and corporate hierarchies; the full impact of the disaster is till unknown and will only be determined over time. (Houts, Cleary, and Hu ix)   Works Cited    Three Mile Island. The Columbia Encyclopedia. 6th ed. 2004. Goldsteen, Raymond L., and John K. Schorr. Demanding Democracy after Three Mile Island.    Gainesville, FL: University Presses of Florida, 1991. Houts, Peter S., Paul D. Cleary, and Teh-Wei Hu. Psychological, Social, and Economic Impacts   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   on the Surrounding Population Psychological, Social, and Economic Impacts on the   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Surrounding Population. University Park, PA: Pennsylvania State University Press, 1988.    Questia. 11 Oct. 2007 http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=od=99373973. Murray, Frank J. Supreme Court Lets Stand Three Mile Island Lawsuits. The Washington   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Times 6 June 2000: 3. Questia. 11 Oct. 2007 http://www.questia.com/PM.qst? a=od=5001743165. Walker, J. Samuel. Three Mile Island: A Nuclear Crisis in Historical Perspective. Berkeley, CA:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   University of California Press, 2004. Questia. 11 Oct. 2007 http://www.questia. com/PM.qst?a=od=105355260.

Friday, November 15, 2019

Contrastive Analysis And Error Analysis

Contrastive Analysis And Error Analysis Contrastive analysis is a method to distinguish between what are needed and not needed to learn by the second language learner by evaluating languages (M.Gass Selinker, 2008). In addition, contrastive analysis is a technique to identify whether two languages have something in common which assess both similarities and differences in languages, conforming to the belief in language universals. (Johnson, 1999). Both statements indicate that contrastive analysis holds a principle which is important in order to identify what are required by the second learner and what are not. If there is no familiar characteristic in the languages, then it is not necessary to compare the languages. While much could be said about comparing languages, a more important aspect is about influence from L2 in L1. Contrastive analysis stresses the influence of the mother tongue in learning a second language in phonological, morphological, lexical and syntactic levels. It holds that second language would be affec ted by first language (Jie, 2008, p. 36). On the same score, Wardhaugh asserts that first language of second language learners can clarify all errors that are constantly made them. These arguments prove that the common mistakes make by the second language learner are explainable in the first language if there is a relation in both languages. Indeed, this idea is conform to the rule of contrastive analysis which believes in language universal. On the other hand, contrastive analysis is used to identify one language origin and connection between the languages with other languages if it does. In Robert Lados words (1957:p.2): The fundamental assumption is transfer; individuals tend to transfer the forms and meanings, and the distribution of forms and meanings of their native language and culture to the foreign language and culture. I agree with Robert Lado since the second language learner tends to use direct translation to make a complete sentence. However, this might become a problem when the placement of the part of speech is not the same. For example, Malaysian who use Malay language as their first language and English as their second language might have a problem in placing the adjective. This is because in Malay language, adjective is put after the noun, such as; Rumah yang cantik but in English, adjective is placed before noun, for instance A beautiful house (adj) (Noun) This may cause confusion for the second learner but if they make a sentence, it is still understandable. The degree of clarity of the sentence can be a positive transfer of negative transfer. This example is supported by Jie (2008): In the course of language learning, L1 learning habits will be transferred into L2 learning habits. Therefore, in the case of L1 transfer into L2, if structures in the MT have their corresponding structures in the TL and L1 habits can be successfully used in the L2, learners would transfer similar properties successfully and that would result in positive transfer. Contrastingly, in the case of negative transfer or interference, certain elements of the MT have no corresponding counterparts in the TL, L1 habits would cause errors in the L2, and learners would transfer inappropriate properties of L1 It is important to know that L2 learners be likely to apply their L1 grammatical system in L2 grammar (Smith, 1994). They would opt for L2 words those they familiar, blending them using L2 grammar to formulate a sentence. For example; a Malay speaker would say; Saya makan epal semalam (Pronoun) (Verb) (Noun) (Adverb) Or in English; Yesterday, I ate the apple (Adverb) (Pronoun) (Verb) (Determiner) (Noun) If the L2 learners apply Smith argument, they would say; I ate apple yesterday As mentioned earlier, this statement is logical at one point but in other point, it shows that errors and transferred inappropriate properties those made by L2 learners are noticeable and this should apply the rule of contrastive analysis. However, this analysis has disadvantages. In Susan M. Gass and Larry Selinker words, they believe that this analysis is questioned because of the concept of difficulty as the basic theory of the contrastive analysis is concerning the difficultness. If an error is made by a person, this shows that the person has problem in some area, not because of the native language. Thus, we cannot presume that fluency of a L2 learner in L2 is depending on the nature of L1. There are more aspects that related to this matter. There are other factors that may influence the process of acquisition such as innate principle of language, attitude, motivation, aptitude, age, other language knownà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ (M.Gass Selinker, 2008). Next, contrastive analysis cannot d etect some difficulties experienced by the L2 learners. For example, Je vois les/elle/la/le . I see them/her/her/him(this phrase is not possible in French) (Choi, 2009). Error analysis is a type of linguistic analysis that focuses on the errors learners make (M.Gass Selinker, 2008). This analysis is almost the same with the weak version of contrastive analysis which is comparing the errors which made by L2 learners. However, error analysis is not evaluating the errors with L2 native language, but it compares with the target language. Error analysis provides a broader range of possible explanations than contrastive analysis for researchers/teachers to use account for errors, as the latter only attributed errors to the native language (M.Gass Selinker, 2008). I do agree with Gass and Selinker because as Corder (1967) says that by producing errors, it shows that the learners are progressing and participating.

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

Animation Reaction Paper

ANI 206 / P. Trecka Reaction Paper #1 -Submit online (COL) before midnight. Max Points: 5 Screen: Gertie the Dinosaur, Winsor McCay, 1914 (U. S. A. ) The Tantalizing Fly, Max and Dave Fleischer, 1919 (U. S. A. ) Dizzy Dishes, Dir. Dave Fleischer, 1930 (USA) Write: Respond to one of the above films. Focus your analysis on specific examples from the film in question. Use the film terminology you are learning in class and in the assigned readings. Organize your analysis in an informed and spirited way.Literacy: You are responsible for reading, taking notes and writing clear, intelligent essays that reflect an understanding of the themes, terminology and art of animated films. Basic criteria but not limited to: †¢ Thesis, focus, content, ideas, analysis, interpretation †¢ Structure, organization, logic, integration of sources †¢ Use of Evidence, inclusion of relevant, specific historical evidence †¢ Logic, writing clarity and correctness Written in the first person, s ubjective point of view – I †¢ Do not retell the story †¢ Save as yourname_reaction_1. doc (WORD DOC PLEASE) †¢ Spell/grammar check †¢ Approximately 400 words, 5 organized paragraphs. To consider: Framing and composition Themes and motifs Character design Setting Cel animation: Sometimes called traditional animation is hand drawn, frame-by- frame on paper and or celluloid/acetate sheets.Iris-in: A shot that opens from darkness in an expanding circle of light. Iris-out: The opposite of an iris-in. Morph: Short for metamorphosis. The action is continuous and one object or action transforms into another. Reflexivity: reflexivity sometimes referred to as ‘self-reflexivity', describes the process by which an animator or film draws attention to itself, reminding the viewer of the medium.

Sunday, November 10, 2019

Effects of Armed Conflicts on Women

Armed conflict has always been an inherent characteristic of the world we live in. The causes of conflict can be multifarious ranging from attempts to gain economic, political or territorial advantage to social factors such as religion and ethnicity. Armed conflicts can also be varied in nature with inter, intra and even non state combatants fighting against each other. The complexity and scale of armed conflicts have increased to a great extent with the emergence of non-state terrorist and mercenary groups that lacks the distinctiveness of traditional state armies fighting against each other. The consequences have been devastating for an increasing number of the population of the world who are affected by such armed conflicts. These include not only the combatants but also civilians who get caught up in the fighting in one way or the other. In fact civilian casualties have been on the rise and climbing â€Å"dramatically from 5 per cent at the turn of the century, to 15 per cent during World War I, to 65 per cent by the end of World War II, to more than 75 per cent in the wars of the 1990s. † (UN Report, 2001) A very stereotypical view regarding armed conflicts is that it is the men who fight the battles while the women support them by taking care of the home front. Men are perceived as the fighters who suffer causalities while women have to play out the traditional roles of wives, mothers and care givers and are therefore comparatively unaffected by war. Byrne (1996) however holds that even though it is largely men who directly fight and die in battles, it is women who constitute an overwhelming majority of the civilian casualties of war. Byrne goes on to add that the concept of women staying safely at home while the men fight the war at the front, and the differentiation between ‘conflict’ and ‘safe’ zones in armed conflict are essentially myths that do not take stock of the practical situation. Moreover, the fact that a growing number of women are also participating in armed conflicts around the world as active combatants and not merely as passive support providers adds a new dimension to the effects of armed conflicts on women. The Independent Experts’ Assessment on the Impact of Armed Conflict on Women and the role of Women in Peace-Building (2001) commissioned by the United Nations Development Funds for Women chose ‘During Armed Conflict Women’s Bodies Become a Battleground’ as the title of the introductory chapter of its report. This exemplifies the extent of violence against women as a result of armed conflicts. Civilians have become the primary targets in new terror tactics that have evolved in armed conflicts. But it is women who suffer most. Men and boys as well as women and girls are the victims of this targeting, but women, much more than men, suffer gender-based violence. Their bodies become a battleground over which opposing forces struggle. † (Rehn & Sirleaf, 2001) The United Nations defines violence against women as â€Å"any act of gender-based violence that results in, or is likely to result in physical, sexual or psychological harm or suffering to women, inc luding threats of such acts, coercion or arbitrary deprivation of liberty, whether occurring in public or in private. † (Machel, 2000) It is a matter of grave concern that women are actually subjected to every conceivable act of violence and more, that can fall under the purview of the definition. Not only do women face generic violence such as torture, killing, imprisonment and forced labour under conditions of war, but they also suffer gender-specific violence that strike at the very core of their existence. They are abducted and raped, used as sexual slaves, forced to cook, clean, carry water and loads and do other domestic chores; and even used as human shields or put to risky undertakings such clearing minefields. There are numerous examples. Rehn & Sirleaf (2001) reports that â€Å"94% per cent of displaced households surveyed in Sierra Leone had experienced sexual assaults, including rape, torture and sexual slavery†¦ at least 250,000 – perhaps as many as 500,000 – women were raped during the 1994 genocide in Rwanda. † This however is only the tip of the iceberg. The sufferings of women in armed conflicts never seem to end. They are forced by the circumstances to sell sex to survive, they are taken advantage of sexually even by people who are supposed to help them, and finally, they have to face censure at the hands of those very near and dear ones for whom they make all the sacrifices. Such is their plight. The Reason Why The roots of the violence that women suffer during the course of armed conflicts are however opined to lie elsewhere. Violence is said to be perpetuated on women not solely because of the conditions of war but because of a direct relation with violence in the life of women even during peace time (Rehn & Sirleaf 2001). The relationship between the genders is determined by the extent of access to or distribution of power. Men are in more control of resources and power than women. Since women do not have control over power and resources they as a gender are usually not the cause behind wars. In spite of that they suffer because of their inherent power and control position vis-a-vis men. Again, the greater emphasis by nations on increasing their military strength results in a deterioration of the rights of women exacerbating the inequalities in gender relations. In a display of unadulterated hypocrisy however, many armed conflicts are justified on the grounds of restoring or maintaining gender equality. This was clearly the case in the American invasion of Afghanistan ion 2001 when liberation of women from the fanatical regime of the Talibans was cited as a reason even though there was hardly any concern for the plight of the same women during the five years prior to the invasion even when local and international NGOs constantly strived to draw attention to their sufferings (Jack, 2003). It is very true that â€Å"although entire communities suffer the consequences of armed conflict and terrorism, women and girls are particularly affected because of their status in society and their sex. † (Beijing Declaration, 1996). The effect of war on women depends to a great extent on their gendered role that defines their constraints and opportunities in society. Women become more vulnerable war atrocities when they are perceived as symbolic bearers of the pride and honour of a community. In such cases women are specifically targeted as a way of denting the very essence of he rival community. In regions where women are deemed to represent the cultural and ethnic identity of communities as the producer of future generations, any assault on their honour becomes an assault on the morale and honour of the entire community. Under such circumstances public rape and torture of women is considered to have serious demoralizing effects on enemy communities. The victors or occupation forces resort to sexual exploitation of women because of such underlying war strategies coupled with inherent sexual urges. Yet the same symbolic role of women can be a cause of threat or attack even from their own community for not conforming to the role in some way or the other in adverse conditions, such as not wearing a veil or venturing into forbidden areas as has been the case in the Islamic world. Armed conflict is therefore like a double edged sword for women. Societal norms also force women to bear atrocities. The comments of a doctor working with Save the Children Fund, in an ICRC/TVE film (2000) illustrate the point: In certain villages bordering conflict young girls have admitted that armed men come in at night – these girls are used as sex workers – they are not allowed to protest – they are not allowed to lock their doors and the whole community tolerates this because these armed men protect the community – so it is a trade off. †¦Ã¢â‚¬  When sexual violence is used as a means of warfare or when women are pressurized to bear children as a means of supply of future soldiers, women become a very vulnerable gender to the violence of armed conflict. In conflict zones such as Bosnia-Herzegovina and Kosovo, sexual violence was used as a means of ‘ethnic cleansing’. The Serbian police and paramilitary forces used rape to punish women belonging to the Kosovo Liberation Army (Human Rights Watch, 2000). Different Wars, Different Stages, Different Roles The different kinds of armed warfare, their different stages and the different roles that women play in these conflicts all have different effects on women. Modern armed conflicts are fought between adversaries that are very different from the conventional state armies. Terrorist groups and non-state players give armed conflicts a new dimension in the modern world. The problem with such combatants is that they do not adhere to international laws governing warfare and have no scruples in indulging in violence and atrocities that would fall in the category of war crimes. The Geneva Conventions and its protocols find no takers in them. They are not regulated by any authority and are guided either by their own perverted consciences or by fanatical ideologies. As a result women become more susceptible all kinds of violence from such elements in armed conflict. Armed conflicts usually pass through different stages viz. the pre-conflict stage or run up to the conflict, the conflict itself, the stage of conflict resolution or the peace process and the post conflict stage of reconstruction and reintegration. Each of these stages hold different horrors for women depending on the different roles that women play in such conflicts. Women act as agents of change when they participate in the prevention, resolution or management of armed conflicts. Their participation is very important because without them the views, needs and interests of half of the population go unrepresented. Conversely, women also act as agents of change when they indirectly support the men to take up arms for any cause which they may believe in. In the case of Rwanda, women were found to have been accomplices to and participants in gross acts of genocide (Lindsey, 2001). This indirect participation of women takes on added significance in their role as the primary influence on children. Women as mothers can influence children in many ways and mould them to serve as soldiers in armed conflicts. The simple act of women telling stories centered on sensitive issues of ethnic or clan conflicts could sensitize the children. Encouraging future generations to fight, may be considered as subtle participation of women in the armed conflicts as agents of change. Acting as agents of change is fraught with dangers because women often have to consciously take sides in their efforts to better the situation or to protect themselves and their families. They put themselves at risk in doing so. In the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) women of the South Kivu region were buried alive by people of their own villages because they were said to be witches. It was however found that they suffered their fate because the villagers suspected them of providing food and medicines to armed groups which the villagers did not support (Rehn & Sirleaf 2001). Women participate as active combatants in armed conflicts. â€Å"†¦the number of women who participate in fighting forces is increasing in nearly all conflicts. Women have constituted significant proportions of combatants and combat support operations in conflicts in Eritrea, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Vietnam, Cambodia, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Uganda, and Rwanda † (USAID, 2007). As active combatants women face the same ravages of war as fighting men do. However, in many cases, women are abducted and forced to participate as combatants. The Revolutionary United Front in Sierra Leone made it a practice to raid villages and abduct children of both sexes to force them to join in the fighting. The abducted children were often raped, starved and drugged and then forced to kill. It has been the same in Uganda, Mozambique, Liberia and other war torn places. Women also get involved in the fighting as ‘followers’ of fighters. In such a role the woman does not carry arms but provide full and active support to the fighters. She acts as cook, domestic servant, sexual partner, guard or porter or all of these together. She may even be used as human shield in the fighting. It is not very difficult to imagine the trauma that she goes through in such roles. Women become victims and spoils of war. It is a very common practice of conquering forces to claim women of the defeated party as spoils of war. In an occupied land, women are also forced to curry sexual favors to the victorious forces for the sake of their own survival and the survival of their families. The fate of women is closely linked to the fate of their men. When men leave their homes to fight or die in the fighting, the women often becomes the primary bread winner of the family and has to take on additional role and responsibilities. This puts the woman in an entirely new social position, one that could even turn out to be advantageous but is more often than not a position that entails untold hardships on her. Left to fend alone for her family and herself, a woman could be driven to any extent and exploited easily under such circumstances. A woman usually finds herself in such a role in the post conflict stage of reconstruction and reintegration. Scars that do not heal Armed conflicts affect women physically, psychologically, economically, socially and even spiritually. They are more susceptible to violence than men because they are women. â€Å"Women are victims of unbelievably horrific atrocities and injustices in conflict situations; this is indisputable. As refugees, internally displaced persons, combatants, heads of household and community leaders, as activists and peace-builders, women and men experience conflict differently. Women rarely have the same resources, political rights, authority or control over their environment and needs that men do. In addition, their caretaking responsibilities limit their mobility and ability to protect themselves. † (Rehn & Sirleaf 2001). Gender Based Violence (GBV) can take many forms. Sexual violence in the form of rape, sexual slavery, forced pregnancy, trafficking, genital mutilation and soliciting of sexual favors, as horrifying as they are, is only one aspect of the affect of war on women. Steep increase in domestic violence due to armed conflicts; the travails of displacement, forced or otherwise; the resultant adverse affects on health and increased exposure to infections and life-threatening diseases such as AIDS/HIV; the burden of additional social and economic responsibilities; and the lingering psychological, physical and social effects even after the end of hostilities are the multidimensional impacts of armed conflicts that are not quite as obvious, but devastating enough to merit closer scrutiny to understand their mechanism of operation. Sexual Violence and Physical Torture The continent of Africa is rife with armed conflicts. Many factors such as bad governance, illiteracy, deplorable economic conditions, political unrest and breakdown of social structures have contributed in fomenting armed struggles on unprecedented scales. Africa is a classic example of a society where the status of women as a subordinate and deprived class has added to their miseries during time so war. The majority of women in Africa is uneducated and live in abject isolation cut off even from all that is happening around them in politics and power play. They are therefore caught completely unawares when armed conflicts erupt. The subordination of women in Africa is accentuated in conflict situations. They are not only used as sexual objects who are to be humiliated and demeaned, but are also tortured and mutilated to deter them from carrying out stereotyped roles that are perceived to go against the interests of the perpetrators. During the documentation that has been carried out in Uganda, Liberia and Sierra Leone, women have testified that rebels cut off their lips, ears and nose giving various reasons for such acts (Ochieng, 2004). The same study also documents an instance in which a father was shot dead by enemy combatants when he refuse do have sexual intercourse with his daughter. The intention in this case was to inflict severe psychological torture on both the father and the daughter as incest is considered a blasphemy in Africa as in the rest of the world at large, and would leave permanent scars on the psyche of individuals and the society. Even when women participate as combatants on their own will, they are expected to submit to the sexual exploitations of their superiors. A United Nations document on the situation in Columbia states that â€Å"the situation of women and girls making part of illegal armed groups continues concerning the Council. Women and girl-combatants were objects of sexual abuse by their superiors in the hierarchy. † (Franco et. al. 2006). Abduction of women during armed conflicts is a practice that has its roots in deep in history. A well-known example is the large group of women who were labeled the ‘comfort women’ in the Far East during the Second World War. Things have not changed much. Only the scale, range and scope have. The sexual violence is not restricted to a particular stage of armed conflict but is widely prevalent in all the stages. If it is exploitation by the same side during the initial stage, the victorious lay their own claim on the womenfolk of the vanquished during the stage of active combat; this is followed by sexual exploitation of displaced women who go from place to place as refugees and are hounded sexually by a host of anti-social elements as well as those who are meant to protect and shelter them. This extends into the peace process and the reconstruction and reintegration stage when women ravaged and left helpless by the experience of war easily succumb to the lure of currying favors in exchange of sex. â€Å"Women are physically and economically forced or left with little choice but to become sex workers or to exchange sex for food, shelter, safe passage or other needs; their bodies become part of a barter system, a form of exchange that buys the necessities of life. † (Rehn & Sirleaf 2001). There have been reports of the situation being attenuated by the arrival of peacekeeping forces when personnel from these forces also indulge in sexually exploiting women in return for food, security, shelter, employment and other favors. The independent study commissioned by the United Nations Development Fund for Women were told by members of the local community in the Kisangani and Goma regions of the Democratic Republic of Congo that peace keepers having sex with local girls and that condoms were lying visibly scattered just outside the UN compounds. It was however the desperate women who took the initiative for such sexual liaisons. Trafficking is another adverse affect that is closely associated with armed conflict. Countries with armed conflict are ideal breeding grounds for trafficking because breakdown in law and order and reduced border controls and policing. Criminal networks of arms and drug dealers that operate in war torn countries easily double up as traffickers in women. The women are taken out to work in illegal factories, as slaves or as prostitutes in brothels in red light areas. Rise in armed conflicts have triggered a simultaneous rise in trafficking throughout the world. Trafficking worldwide grew almost 50 per cent from 1995 to 2000 (Financial Times, March 19, 2001), and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) estimates that as many as 2 million women are trafficked across borders annually. A survey conducted in Cambodia in 1995 revealed that about 31 per cent of the prostitutes in Phnom Penh and 11 other provinces were between the ages of 12 and 17, and had been trafficked out of the conflict-stricken countryside (Human Rights Task Force on Cambodia, 1996). Trafficking in women has assumed alarming proportions in Columbia due to the civil war which has dragged on for decades in the country. It is estimated that around 50,000 women are trafficked out of Columbia every year. Bosnia and Herzegovina in south-east Europe also experience very high trafficking in women due to the same basic reason. Traffickers lure women out of these areas on the pretext of giving them jobs. They are then forced into sexual slavery. The traffickers take away the travel documents of the women so that they are not able to escape. Once they are in the trap it is very difficult for these women to return home to their societies even if they are rescued. Though many family in the war torn countries are desperate enough not to question where the money their daughters send home comes from, they will also not accept the women back if they come to know that they had been working as prostitutes or sex slaves. As a result, the girls go through multiple traumas: first they are separated from home, thereafter they are sexually exploited and brutalized and finally they face rejection from their own families. Trafficking is a vicious trap that leads the women who fall prey to it to ultimate destruction unless there is institutional intervention. Since armed conflict and trafficking go hand in hand, women in trouble-torn regions are always vulnerable to trafficking. Forced Displacement Forced Displacement is actually not an inevitable outcome of all armed conflicts, but it is frequently adopted as a strategy of war to destabilize enemy families and communities, to uproot the enemy so that it is scattered and weakened. Forced displacement is however a â€Å"the clearest violation of human, economic, political and social rights and of the failure to comply with international humanitarian laws† (Moser & Clark, 2001). Though displacement during armed conflict is viewed as a temporary process, examples in countries such as Sudan, Sri Lanka and Somalia show that it could extend into a prolonged affair, with succeeding generations having to stay away from the place of origin. Displacements can have multiple effects on women. For women displacement implies increased difficulties in managing household responsibilities as access to resources is cut off or becomes unavailable. Displacement has also been found to lead to a reversal in roles with women assuming the position of the head of the household. This is very evident in Sudan. Ethnic groups such as the Dinka, Nuer and Nuba have been displaced from their place of origin and face severe marginalization. The women of these communities take on added responsibilities of the missing men. Much of this added responsibility is transferred to younger members of the family, especially young girls. Young girls have to not only do domestic chores, but also look after the children, sick and the elderly. They lose out on valuable study and play time which affects their futures negatively. All displaced people face social exclusion, so do women. Staying in an alien environment without the usual support and protection from the male members of the family can be a very terrifying and psychologically scarring experience. In strife-torn Columbia, displacement has become a perennial problem. An estimated 40 million people have been forced to flee from their homes and seek sanctuary elsewhere. A whooping 80% of these displaced people are women and children (Security Council Report, 1999). This brings into sharp focus the high impact of displacement particularly on women. â€Å"The circumstances are unique in each country, but the stories are similar. In places such as Afghanistan, Angola, Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Republic of Chechnya, Colombia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), East Timor, Guinea, Haiti, Indonesia, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Somalia and in the occupied Palestinian territories – whose people constitute the longest-standing and largest refugee population – women have been forced from their homes and exposed to indiscriminate violence while searching for a safe haven. † (Rehn & Sirleaf 2001). Displaced people face violence and hardship as they search for a safe haven. Women are especially vulnerable in such a situation. While on the run, and even after they have found refuge, women have to suffer the humiliation of rape and other forms of physical violence. In their constant struggle to provide for their families and themselves, they are forced to sell their bodies in exchange of provisions and favours. Again, displacement can be of two types: the refugee who has left the country of origin and crossed international borders, and the Internally Displaced Person or the IDP who has been forced to leave the place of original residence and has moved to a different part or region within the country. While international laws do provide some amount of protection and security to the refugee, such laws are not applicable in case of the IDP. The IDP therefore faces a plight worse than the refugee and is practically left all alone in the fight for survival. Even in the case of the refugee, a lot depends on the willingness of those in power in the host country to allow international agencies to aid or help the refugees. In many cases, armed opposition groups may refuse to provide access to international agencies fearing that their own human rights violations will be exposed. Forced displacement however has some positive effects too for women. When the displaced women takes over the reins of the household, many of the traditional shackles lose their hold on them and they find new avenues for self development and progress. They gain a sense of liberty that they did not have in their conventional male-dominated societies. Displacement also becomes a boon for women when they find refuse in well-established and properly run care centers which provide them adequate training and education to enable them to stand on their own feet. When this happens, the suppressed woman can break free and find her own moorings. Domestic Violence during Conflict That domestic violence increases proportionately with increase in armed conflict is a fact that had not been known until very recently. Conflict attenuates domestic violence in two ways: by breaking down communities and the natural regulatory functions of communities, and by escalating violence in the context of masculine and militarized conflict situations. Conflict leads to imbalances in power relations which in turn escalates domestic violence. Many things contribute to the increase in domestic violence – the availability of weapons, the violence male family members have experienced or meted out, the lack of jobs, shelter, and basic services (Lindsey, 2002). In a conflict situation, men get used to violence either by suffering violence or meting violence to others. This sort of acclimatizes them and makes them more prone to the use of violence. The experience of war changes some man from within so that they do not hesitate to apply violence in the domestic context. Combatants who return home after spending long years in fighting have been found to find it difficult to adjust to peace time. There have been instances when men returning form war have killed their own wives. Studies in Cambodia in the mid-1990s indicated that many women – as many as 75 per cent in one study – were victims of domestic violence, often at the hands of men who have kept the small arms and light weapons they used during the war (Lutz & Elliston, 2002). In the Middle East too, there have been reports of men returning from fighting and using the same tactics of torture used in war on their wives in glaring cases of domestic violence. Israel responded to the second Intifada by imposing restrictions on the movement of Palestinians. This led to unemployment, frustration and overcrowded living conditions. The release has been noticed in the form of increased domestic violence within families, crimes against women within the family. Women were being raped and tortured by the frustrated men. The problem in the case of domestic violence is that there are very few laws to protect women from domestic. Even where such laws have been framed, they are not imposed, especially during periods of conflict. The United Nations itself has only recently woken up to the situation. War and Women’s health War has a profound negative effect on health. The direct impact is the casualties of war. Men and women die in large number in any armed conflict. In the event of continued armed struggles medical systems and facilities tend to break down. The expert’s independent report by Rehn & Sirleaf (2001) had this to report of the casualties of war: â€Å"In 2000 alone, conflict is estimated to have directly resulted in 310,000 deaths, with more than half taking place in sub-Saharan Africa. If the commonly held ratio is accurate – nine indirect deaths for every direct death caused by conflict – then approximately 2. 8 million people died in 2000 of some conflict-related cause. Arguably the figure is much higher. When the direct fatalities are estimated by age and sex, children and adolescents account for a significant proportion of the deaths. The highest mortality rates are among men aged 15 to 44, but a quarter of direct mortality is among women. The greatest number of deaths of women is among those aged 15 to 29; some 25,000 women in this age group died directly of conflict in 2000. The International Rescue Committee has estimated that between August 1998 and April 2001, there were 2. 5 million excess deaths (i. e. , above the number normally expected) in the five eastern provinces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), where armed groups have been fighting each other as well as attacking civilians. Only 350,000 of these deaths were directly caused by violence; the majority stemmed from disease and malnutrition. One in eight households had experienced at least one violent death; 40 per cent of these deaths were of women and children. There were more deaths than births in many of the areas studied and, in one area, 75 per cent of the children died before they reached the age of two. † The report speaks volume about the direct casualties that women suffer in armed conflicts. The indirect effects of armed conflicts on the health of women are perhaps more horrendous. The large scale rape and other sexual atrocities on women leaves them exposed to all forms of sexual diseases and infections including AIDS and HIV. Many women who manage to overcome the other travails of war have to finally accept defeat when they learn that they have contacted AIDS at the end of it. There have been instances, especially in the Rwandan armed conflicts when one ethnic community has deliberately tried to infect another ethnic community with AIDS. Epidemics break out in refugee camps claiming thousands of lives. Since the refugee camps house a larger number of women, they are affected the most. Women who have been raped or tortured suffer from mental problems. Unwanted pregnancies and adolescence pregnancies pose considerable threats to the health of women. In places such as Bosnia, Kosovar and Sierra Leone, women faced terrible dilemmas. Would they abort their unwanted babies or would they keep them? A majority of these women chose abortion because they feared rejection if they dared to keep the babies. In Sierra Lone, the matter becomes more complicated because abortions are declared illegal and it costs a lot of hard-earned money to have an abortion. All these have to be seen in the context of the conflict scenario when medical and health systems break down and there are acute shortages of medicines and trained medical personnel. Many women die at child birth due to lack of adequate care. Many babies die at birth leaving their mothers heartbroken. Provisions for Protection The Geneva Conventions of 1949 and its protocols remain the best applicable laws for the protection of women. The customary of international humanitarian laws can also be applied for the protection of women in conditions of armed conflicts. In 1993 and 1994 the Security Council established two ad hoc international criminal tribunals; the first to prosecute serious violations of international humanitarian law committed in the former Yugoslavia, and the second to prosecute similar violations as well as genocide in Rwanda. The statute of the International Criminal Code was adopted in July 1998. All laws include many common clauses that can be effectively used for the protection of women in armed conflicts. These include the clause of non discrimination by which the same protection is to be given both to men and women. The law lays down that both men and women are to be â€Å"treated humanely (†¦) without adverse distinction founded on sex †¦Ã¢â‚¬  Moreover specific protection for women are accorded by Article 14 of the Third Geneva Convention which makes it mandatory that â€Å"women †¦ be treated with all the regard due to their sex. † Considerations for the privacy of women are also taken into account by the laws, so are provisions for expectant mothers. The Human Rights and the Refugee Laws too cover other aspects of protection for women in situations of armed conflict. The crux of the matter however is that the laws are as good as the intentions of those who are responsible for implementing them. The international community has to join hands in taking up the cudgel for women caught up in horrifying situations such as armed conflicts, and they have to take enough women with them to provide the healing touch as representatives of those who have suffered the insufferable. Throughout the ages, women have shown remarkable resilience to the vagaries of armed conflict. It is one war they have to win at any cost.

Friday, November 8, 2019

Free Essays on Piaget

Outline and critically evaluate piagets theory of cognitive development children. Jean Piaget’s (1896 - 1980) theory of cognitive development was One of the most important contributions that Piaget made, it established the fact that the cognitive development in children are not simply immature versions of that of an adult, but that they have their very own rules. Having a great influence on the studies of young children and also upon education. Cognitive is referred to as â€Å"the mental function of retaining information about a stimuli, events, images ideas etc after the original stimuli is no longer present† (Reber, 1995 p446) this is exactly what Piaget set to find out in his study in infants. In this essay I am going to describe Piagets theory in each of the four stages giving evidence for his research and also critically evaluate it. Piaget states (Gross P642) that children development is caused through biological â€Å"mental functions† development through interaction with the environment and events which occur during stages in childhood. The Childs develops schemas in order to organise experiences and to cope with new ones. This is because according to Piaget(Gross P642) we all have a biological drive to obtain balance and reasoning(equilibration) Schemas are mental organisations which represent our view of the world each unique to the specific person. An infant is born firstly with a set of schemas which then develop into ‘reflexes’. These schemas are then adapted and replaced with contracted schemas which change to adapt to there environment. For example a young infant is born with the innate biological drive off sucking a bottle to survive this is then adapted to sucking a thumb or a dummy. The infant adapts continuously in to different ways, through Assimilation (change environment to a dapt to schema) or through accommodation(change schema to adapt to environment). Piagets theory consist of four stages, an infant ... Free Essays on Piaget Free Essays on Piaget Comparison and Contrasts of Jean Piaget and Lev Vygotsky This essay will seek to compare and contrast Jean Piaget’s and Lev Vygotsky’s theories on cognitive development of children. Information for this essay has been derived from the classroom text and also various internet resources that will be cited at the conclusion of the essay. Jean Piaget’s and Lev Vygotsky’s are two theorist who studied childhood development in the early 1900’s Although the two never met, their theories have many commonalities, but yet also have several differences. Piaget’s and Vygotsky’s theories are widely-known and still practiced today. There are three themes that Piaget’s and Vygotsky’s theories share: challenge, readiness, and in the importance of social interaction. The best example of challenge is exemplified in Vygotsky’s concept of the zone of proximal development. ZPD can be defined as the range of tasks one cannot yet perform independently, but can perform with assistance and guidance of others. Challenge appears more discretely in Piaget’s theory, but is still present. Piaget’s theory states that children develop more sophisticated knowledge and thought processes only when they encountered phenomena they cannot completely understand. This creates what Piaget refers to as disequilibrium, a sort of mental discomfort. This prompts the child to attempt to make sense of what they have observed by replacing, reorganizing, and better integrating their schemes. This is called accommodation. Readiness is another theme that appears in both theories. Growing children are not cognitively ready for all experiences. According to Piaget, children can accommodate to new objects and events only when they can also assimilate them into their existing schemes. Thus meaning there must be an overlap of "new" and "old". Piaget also argued that children cannot learn from an experience until they have begun the trans... Free Essays on Piaget Outline and critically evaluate piagets theory of cognitive development children. Jean Piaget’s (1896 - 1980) theory of cognitive development was One of the most important contributions that Piaget made, it established the fact that the cognitive development in children are not simply immature versions of that of an adult, but that they have their very own rules. Having a great influence on the studies of young children and also upon education. Cognitive is referred to as â€Å"the mental function of retaining information about a stimuli, events, images ideas etc after the original stimuli is no longer present† (Reber, 1995 p446) this is exactly what Piaget set to find out in his study in infants. In this essay I am going to describe Piagets theory in each of the four stages giving evidence for his research and also critically evaluate it. Piaget states (Gross P642) that children development is caused through biological â€Å"mental functions† development through interaction with the environment and events which occur during stages in childhood. The Childs develops schemas in order to organise experiences and to cope with new ones. This is because according to Piaget(Gross P642) we all have a biological drive to obtain balance and reasoning(equilibration) Schemas are mental organisations which represent our view of the world each unique to the specific person. An infant is born firstly with a set of schemas which then develop into ‘reflexes’. These schemas are then adapted and replaced with contracted schemas which change to adapt to there environment. For example a young infant is born with the innate biological drive off sucking a bottle to survive this is then adapted to sucking a thumb or a dummy. The infant adapts continuously in to different ways, through Assimilation (change environment to a dapt to schema) or through accommodation(change schema to adapt to environment). Piagets theory consist of four stages, an infant ...

Wednesday, November 6, 2019

Free Essays on Dryer

II. Problem Statement We have been using a high cost desiccant in our facility to remove water from an air stream. Someone has suggested that we test â€Å"kitty litter† and a different desiccant as potential replacements. However, these materials, although cheaper than the current mole sieve material, are not so inexpensive that we can simply discard them when they become saturated. Your job is to: Determine the H2O uptake for each of the materials. Determine the optimum drying conditions for each material. Do not exceed 80 deg C in the batch dryer. Scale up the process to 12 T/day on a continuous belt dryer that is 4 ft wide and 50 ft. long for the best candidate. Report your findings to management with your recommendations. Temperature control should be included. Include PFD in both reports. III. Introduction A desiccant is a material that readily soaks up water vapor from surrounding air. The desiccant will continue to adsorb moisture until it becomes saturated. These desiccants or adsorbents are generally classified as amorphous or structured, and hydrophobic or hydrophilic. Many different substances exist which are capable of adsorbing, but few are of industrial significance. Commonly used industrial desiccants include silica gel, molecular sieves, activated carbon, and activated alumina. These desiccants are used to eliminate moisture or other impurities from gas streams. Once the desiccant is saturated with moisture, it can be recycled through a process of regeneration. The regeneration process is a form of drying, in which water or some other liquid is evaporated from a solid material to reduce the content of liquid to some acceptable value. During regeneration, hot air or inert gas is used to dry the adsorbent. This is a form of thermal vaporization which is a highly energy intensive process. Various different types of drying equipment are available depending on the ... Free Essays on Dryer Free Essays on Dryer II. Problem Statement We have been using a high cost desiccant in our facility to remove water from an air stream. Someone has suggested that we test â€Å"kitty litter† and a different desiccant as potential replacements. However, these materials, although cheaper than the current mole sieve material, are not so inexpensive that we can simply discard them when they become saturated. Your job is to: Determine the H2O uptake for each of the materials. Determine the optimum drying conditions for each material. Do not exceed 80 deg C in the batch dryer. Scale up the process to 12 T/day on a continuous belt dryer that is 4 ft wide and 50 ft. long for the best candidate. Report your findings to management with your recommendations. Temperature control should be included. Include PFD in both reports. III. Introduction A desiccant is a material that readily soaks up water vapor from surrounding air. The desiccant will continue to adsorb moisture until it becomes saturated. These desiccants or adsorbents are generally classified as amorphous or structured, and hydrophobic or hydrophilic. Many different substances exist which are capable of adsorbing, but few are of industrial significance. Commonly used industrial desiccants include silica gel, molecular sieves, activated carbon, and activated alumina. These desiccants are used to eliminate moisture or other impurities from gas streams. Once the desiccant is saturated with moisture, it can be recycled through a process of regeneration. The regeneration process is a form of drying, in which water or some other liquid is evaporated from a solid material to reduce the content of liquid to some acceptable value. During regeneration, hot air or inert gas is used to dry the adsorbent. This is a form of thermal vaporization which is a highly energy intensive process. Various different types of drying equipment are available depending on the ...

Sunday, November 3, 2019

Employee's Perception of Managment of Workplace Stress Essay

Employee's Perception of Managment of Workplace Stress - Essay Example There have been recent researches across the globe to address the causes of stress in work places. Notably, the research on employee perceptions of management of stress in workplaces identifies that the source of stressors and individual behavior need to be viewed to diminish this condition (Buys et al, 2010, p. 25). The research on employee perceptions of management of stress in workplaces notes that it is ineffective to return workers to the same surrounding that conduced their stress. It is thus significant to have intercessions at the organizational level since some of the stress contributors can be regulated by the employer; such as unreasonable performance demands, excessive working hours, poor communication, bullying, and job insecurity. These factors are embedded in the organization’s culture which can be changed through helpful leadership and common indulgent organizational goals. Legislative and policy systems devised to assist injured employees also contribute to st ress related disorders in work places and hinder rehabilitation efforts (Buys et al, 2010, p. 26). The research on employee perceptions of management of stress in workplaces employed qualitative data collection method. It employed the use of questionnaires on 600 respondents, who had attended an international conference on disability management in Berlin, Germany (Buys et al, 2010, p. 27). The questionnaire had two sections; section one required a respondent to fill information on the location of their organization, the number of employees, organization type and the respondents role in the organization. Section two engrossed 30 statements and open-minded questions that touched on the approaches that the organization uses to manage stress. The statements called for the respondent to specify the level of agreement on a 6-point Likert scale having ranges from â€Å"strongly agree† to â€Å"strongly

Friday, November 1, 2019

Business Strategy Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Business Strategy - Research Paper Example The paper assesses the company strategy employed at Techno Electronics Ltd during its ten year tenure in business as well as providing recommendations for realizing further success in the international market. Techno Electronics Ltd’s strategies of product innovation and product development are employed via the R&D team which has been spearheading the series production of quality products produced over the past years. At Techno Electronics Ltd, large sums are invested into the manufacturing and R&D team in order to enhance the company’s manufacturing set up, economic sourcing and prototyping of components, product design and development, lean production as well as its total quality management in order to timely deliver quality products as per the customers specifications and or needs (Singer, 2008). The company’s long existence in the market is an indicator of the success of the employed strategies. Techno Electronics Ltd has been able to survive the tough and speedy growing world of technology. According to Kaplan and Norton (2008), the use of advanced technology in the production phase can increase the company’s productivity as well as reduce the cost of production. In addition, Porter (2008) suggests that the human resource strategies the company should take into consideration should involve training of employees in order to increase productivity and gain global competitive advantage as well as cut on the high cost of hiring labor. Other strategies include international marketing communication to market the products as well as build the company’s brand image in the international market (Kà ¶ksal and Ãâ€"zgà ¼l, 2007). Pricing strategies involving high product pricing should be employed to tone down the high production cost. With the continued growth in the use of social networks, the company should use these services as marketing tools for expanding into fre sh markets. Furthermore, online marketing helps build the