Industrial safety Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Industrial safety - Essay Example The findings of the studies conducted indicate that ignorance of the safety rules is not a problem anymore. Most workers are aware of the need of taking safety precautions while the industry and other industries are also aware of this (Reese, 2009). This is noted also in the extensive training sessions that both employees and employers have reported going to, all in a bid to observe the rule and avoid at all costs, any accidents at the workplace (Wilson et al, 2003). The numbers not aware of this are impressively quite low, which is a good thing. Another finding is that workers in industries are exposed to heavy machinery. With heavy machinery comes the risk of hurting oneself, which could probably lead to death. They are also exposed to hazardous chemicals and gases (Wilson et al., 2003). This means that both the workers and the industry owners need to be well prepared for unpredicted occurrences. The unprepared workers also need enlightenment on safety matters. Several of the workers have on occasions refused to perform tasks that they thought were hazardous to them or to their co-workers. Whatever was found out in the studies is crucial and goes a long way in reducing the incidences of accidents and deaths in the workplace (Reese, 2009). The fact that the workers and owners of the industries are aware of the safety precautions helps in this. This means that all will be done to ensure safe working conditions (Wilson et al., 2003). What is impressive is that workers mind each other. They will do everything to make sure that they look out for their co-workers. They join hands in refusing to work in poor risky conditions. This is because they have all come to the realization that their safety comes first. This studies have also gone to show that employees, whether on contract or hired, understand what the safety policies require of them and they are in good behavior maintaining their safety (Reese, 2009). The

Analyzing Pro Forma Statements Essay Example for Free

Analyzing Pro Forma Statements Essay Upper management has propositioned the financial analysis team to develop Pro Forma financial statements covering the next five years for the new product line that increases revenue in a similar but slightly different market. (The make-believe company is a restaurant group, the make-believe new product is pizza). The financial statement helps assess the possible financial impacts of pizza. The Pro Forma statements are based on the current year’s (2014) Balance Sheet and Profit/Loss Statement and are projected for an 18% increase in sales each year for the next five years. Analysis for the Pro Forma statement indicates that sales increases from the 2014 mark of $571,379 to $1,307,177 by the end of 2019. Consequently, the projected additional revenue will have the following financial, reflected on the Profit/Loss Statement: Cost of Goods Sold increases by $25,000 per year (pizza is a low cost product after the equipment and license overhead is paid for). Currently COGS is $182,129, after year five the COGS will be $282,129. Therefore projected gross profit will grow to $1,025,048 from $414,250 Wages increase by 12.5% in the first year because of the new hires. Every year after the wage expense increases 2.5% because of merit based raises and bonuses. In 2014 our wage expense is $172,704, by 2019 it will grow to $214,462. Credit Card Fees and Taxes are expected to grow 20% each year because of the additional sales from $14,852 and $17,800 to $37,325 and $44,292 respectively The budget for Supplies, Water/Sewage, Utilities, Repairs and Maintenance will also increase every year by 20% given the additional sales. The following table organizes this data: Net profit is projected to grow from $109,531 to $332,283 by 2019 The Current Assets accounts of Cash, Accounts Receivables, Inventories, Pre-paid Assets, and Other are also projected to increase. Cash is projected to increase from the current amount of $200,000 to $457,552 by the end of 2019. Accounts Receivables will increase from the current amount of $371,379 to $$849,625. Inventory will increase from the current amount of $9,100 to $20,819 by the end of projected period, and Prepaid Assets will climb from $2,500 to $5,816. Total Fixed Assets are not projected to increase, the property and equipment assets associated with Total Fixed assets will depreciate stagnantly by $15,000 over the 5 year projected period. The Asset category, â€Å"Other† will increase from $988 to $2,107. Along with the increase of these asset accounts, the Liabilities Account of Account Payable will increase from $147,179 to $365,682 by the end of 2019. From the prepared Pro Forma projections, expanding the product line to pizza is good for the bottom line. Net Profit will increase by approximately 322%  and Cash is projected to increase by 228%. The additional retained earnings over the five year period from the pizza line can be used to finance the project. In other words, by applying the retained earnings from the pizza line project back into the company we can finance the project in-house. References: Parrino, R., Kidwell, D. S, Bates, T.W. (2012). Fundamentals of corporate finance (2nd ed). Hoboken NJ: Wiley.

UK Law on Voluntary Manslaughter

UK Law on Voluntary Manslaughter Jocelyn Ayres Diminished responsibility.This is one of the three special defences which exist for the defence of murder. It is contained in the Homicide Act of 1957 and is modified by the Coroners and Justice Act 2009. When the defence of diminished responsibility is pleaded successfully it can reduce a murder conviction to manslaughter. To use diminished responsibility the defendant must be able to demonstrate one of the following: An abnormality of mental functioning caused by a recognised medical condition. The question of whether the defendant is suffering from the abnormality of a mental functioning is decided by the jury after hearing medial evidence.   The jury dont have to follow the medical evidence. Some examples of what counts as an abnormality of the mind include Jealousy, Battered woman syndrome, pre-menstrual tension, Epilepsy and chronic depression. An example of this is R v Byrne. The appellant murdered a young girl staying in a hostel, and mutilated the body. He did so as he was suffering from irresistible impulses which he was unable to control. Abnormality of mind was wide enough to cover the minds activities including the ability to exercise will power. He was allowed the defence to reduce the charge to manslaughter. The abnormality must provide an explanation for defendants act or omission in being party to the killings.   This follows from the old law which required the abnormality to be caused by an arrested or retarded development of the mind or induced by injury or disease. Alcohol and drugs are not considered unless the abnormality is alcoholism or drug addiction. Something like binge drinking doesnt allow the defendant to use diminished responsibility. Case law for this could come from R v Wood. The appellant was an alcoholic who had been sleeping rough. He was friends with a group called the breakfast club and had been drinking heavily with them for the past two days before the attack. He was invited to spend the night at the deceaseds house. During the night, he woke up and found the deceased trying to perform oral sex on him, he attacked him with a meat cleaver and hammer killing him. The judge said that a mans act is involuntary if, and only if, it is it very difficult to do otherwis e. The appellant appealed this and the conviction for murder was quashed. Which substantially impaired his/her mental ability. The defendant must show that the abnormality of the mind must have substantially impaired their mental ability to either understand the nature of their conduct, form a rational judgement or to exercise self-control. This is something for the jury to decide after hearing the medical evidence. A case example for this diminished responsibility is R v Campbell. The appellant killed a female hitch hiker he had picked up when she refused his sexual advances. She wanted to go from Oxford from London. He pulled up at a remote spot and made a pass at her. She hit him in the eye and he punched her in the throat. She began gurgling and blood came from her mouth. Realising the force he must have hit her he panicked and strangled her. He killed her by hitting her with a hockey stick. The appellant had frontal lobe damage and epilepsy. He appealed for diminished responsibility with medical opinion that the effect of his epilepsy and lobe damage affected his judgement, control of emotions and impulses and forward planning. His conviction for murder was ended and he went to retrial. Provocation.Provocation is part of the special defences for murder, like diminished responsibility. The requirements for the defence of provocation are: There must be evidence of provocation. This requires there to be evidence that the person charged was provoked by things done or said. There is no requirement that the provocative act was deliberate or aimed at the victim. Even something like the constant crying of a child can be used as evidence. Without the evidence the judge cannot put the issue of provocation to the jury. The jury can consider actions that happen over a period. The defendant is allowed the defence if they induced the provocation. A case example for this is R v Johnson. The appellant was at a night club. A woman called him a white nigger. The appellant was white but had taken to adopting a west Indian accent. He took exception to the comment and made threats to her. A male friend of the woman intervened and poured a drink over the appellant. A fight happened and the appellant stabbed the man and he died. He argued that he was acting in self-defence. The judge directed the jury on self-defence, which they rejected, but did not direct them on provocation. He was convicted for murder which he appealed, and it was swapped for manslaughter because of the provocation. Loss of control. This requires the accused to be provoked into losing their self-control. The definition of provocation came from R v Duffy, and is some act, or series of acts which would cause in any reasonable person and causes in the accused, and sudden and temporary loss of self-control, rendering the accused so subject to passion as to make him or her for the moment not a master of his or her mind. If there is any evidence of planning this will demonstrate no sudden and temporary loss of control. The loss of control need not be complete to negate murderous intent. Case law relevant to this is R v Richens. At the age of 17 the appellant killed a man who had raped his girlfriend. The deceased had taunted him about the rape saying that his girlfriend wanted to have sex and that she had enjoyed it. At which point the appellant stabbed him. The defendant raised the defence of provocation at the trial and the judge directed the jury on loss of control, saying that it doesnt apply to l osing that kind of control, and that it is a complete loss of control, to the extent that you dont know what youre doing. He appealed against the jurys conviction of murder. The provocation must be such as to make a reasonable man do as the defendant did. This is a question for the jury who must balance the gravity of the provocative act against the actions expected of a reasonable man. This is problematic when courts try to interpret and apply the section and it gets appealed regularly. Originally it was objective and no account could be taken of characteristics of the defendant in assessing this. However, it was accepted that particular characteristics could be taken into account, and this lead to some uncertainty. The characteristics must be sufficiently permanent. Some case law for this part of provocation in R v Ahluwalia. The appellant poured petrol and caustic soda on her sleeping husband and then set him on fire. He died six days later from the injuries. The couple had an arranged marriage and the husband had been violent and abusive throughout the marriage, he was also having an affair. On the night of the killing he had threatened to hit her wi th an iron and told her he would beat her the next day if she didnt give him money. At the trial, she admitted to killing him, but used the defence of provocation. She was however, convicted of murder. She appealed this decision and raised diminished responsibility. Diminished Responsibility Case Mary and Peter Abnormality of the mind For Mary, the abnormality of the mind would be her post traumatic stress disorder, which is recognised as a medical condition. The jury would decide if he is suffering for this by looking at medical evidence. Explanation Marys PTSD would have be part of the explanation of why she acted in the way she did, and killed Peter. PTSD can be triggered by sights, sounds and feelings they experience, for example being shouted at by Peter. This trigger can cause an intense emotion and physical reaction, stabbing Peter with a bayonet. Impaired mental ability Mary would also have to show that her PTSD affected her own mental ability to form a rational judgement or to exercise her self-control. The Jury would then use medical evidence to decide if this is the case. Provocation Case Mary and Peter Evidence She would need to have evidence of Peter insulting her and telling her that he hated her to be able to use it as part of her defence. She would be able to argue that he provoked her into stabbing him. Loss of Control This could also form part of Marys defence. This is because she had been soldier, and was suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. She could say that it affected her judgement her self-control of her emotions, and that is why she acted in the way that she did. Reasonable man defence The jury would need to decide if a reasonable person would act in the same way as Mary did in that situation. This is difficult to use because it is very objective, and based on the juries opinion. Provocation Case Sarah and Michael. Evidence Sarah would have been provoked by Michael smirking because about sexually abusing young boys. This could also be affected because she is a mother. She would need to have evidence of him doing this. Michaels actions would still be considered provocation, even though Sarah had initiated it by confronting him about the sexual abuse. Loss of Control Sarah could say that the fact that he smirked at the accusation of sexual abuse provoked her, and this caused her to lose her self-control. That would explain why she acted in the way she did. Reasonable man defence The jury would need to decide if a reasonable person would act in the same way as Sarah. This is difficult to use because it is very objective, and based on the juries opinion. Diminished Responsibility wouldnt apply to the case of Sarah and her Neighbour as there is no evidence that she had an abnormality of the mind. The fact that she   was drunk would not be able to be used as evidence, because this defence requires it to be a history of alcoholism.

The Nature of Time and Change in William Faulkners A Rose for Emily Es

The Nature of Time and Change in William Faulkner's A Rose for Emily In "A Rose for Emily," William Faulkner's use of language foreshadows and builds up to the climax of the story. His choice of words is descriptive, tying resoundingly into the theme through which Miss Emily Grierson threads, herself emblematic of the effects of time and the nature of the old and the new. Appropriately, the story begins with death, flashes back to the near distant past and leads on to the demise of a woman and the traditions of the past she personifies. Faulkner has carefully crafted a multi-layered masterpiece, and he uses language, characterization, and chronology to move it along, a sober commentary flowing beneath on the nature of time, change, and chance-as well as a psychological narrative on the static nature of memory. Faulker begins his tale at the end: after learning of Miss Emily's death, we catch a glimpse of her dwelling, itself a reflection of its late owner. The house lifts "its stubborn and coquettish decay" above new traditions just as its spinster is seen to do, "an eyesore among eyesores" (Faulkner, 666). The narrative voice suggests the gossipy nature of a Southern town where everyone knows everyone else, and nosy neighbors speculate about the affairs of Miss Emily, noting her often antiquated ways and her early retirement. In fact, it appears as if the town itself is describing the events of Miss Emily's life, the first-person plural "we" a telling indication. The first explicit example of this occurrence takes place during the flashback in the second section, when, in speaking of her sweetheart, the narrator parenthetically adds "the one we believed would marry her" (667). In the opening characterization, many de... ...hich no winter ever quite touches, divided from them now by the narrow bottle-neck of the most recent decade of years" (672). This description would seem to explain the static nature of an unchanging Miss Emily-"the carven torso of the idol in a niche" (671)-the tableau vivant framed by the "back-flung front door" (668) through which the secret might be unlocked-and the unchanging nature of the manservant. It would seem Faulkner has woven a multifaceted tapestry with its warp and woof firmly anchored to universal-and therefore timeless-truth, while his historical particulars form the aesthetic shag bedecking its surface: the changeless world of being beneath, the straining world of becoming above. Works Cited: Faulkner, William. "A Rose for Emily." Literature: The Human Experience. 8th ed. Ed. Richard Abcarian and Marvin Klotz. Boston: Bedford, 2002. 666-672.

Areas of learning and development Essay

1.1 Explain each of the areas of learning and development and how these are interdependent There are seven areas of learning and development set out by the EYFS, each are important and interconnects there are three prime and four specific areas. The prime are the main area of development from birth to 2 years and important for firing children’s curiosity and enthusiasm and helping them to form relationships. The prime areas are: Personal, Social and emotional development Physical development Communication and language The four specific areas compliments and supports the prime areas from 2-5 years, but the prime are the foundation for successful learning. The specific areas are: Literacy Mathematics Understanding the world Expressive arts and design The EYFS learning and development (Page226 in children and young people is workforce). Educational programme must involve activities and experiences for children in the following aspects: Aspects of personal, social and emotional development involves helping children to develop a positive sense of themselves and others; forming positive relationship and develop respect for others; to develop social skills and learn to manage their feelings; to understand appropriate behaviours in groups; and to have confidence in their abilities. Aspects of physical development involves providing opportunities for young children to be active and interactive; and to develop their co-ordination control, and movement. Children must also be help to understand the importance of physical activity and to make healthy choices in relation to food. Aspects of communication and language development involves giving children Opportunities to experience a rich language environment, to develop their confidence and skills in expressing themselves and to speak and listen in a range of situations. Aspects of literacy development involves encouraging children to link sounds and letters and to begin to read and write. Children must be given access to a wide range of reading materials. Aspects of mathematics development involves helping children to solve problems and to thinking logically, use everyday language  to talk about size weight; recognise create and describe patterns; explore characteristics of objects and shapes and measures. Understanding the world development involves helping children to gain an understanding of the world around them ; knowing about similarities and differences between themselves and others, and among facilities communities and tradition, recognise that a range of technology is used in places such as homes and schools. Expressive arts and design development involves increasing their interest in creativity, representing their own ideas, thoughts and feelings through design and technology, art, music, dance, role play and stories. The EYFS describes the seven areas of learning separately but it is important to recognise their interdependence. This means that good quality activities will cover more than one area of development and neglecting one area of development is likely to create difficulties later.(e.g) Personal, social and emotional development is like a treat throughout all area if this area is not well supported, children will find it hard to concentrate, play alongside others or make progress in other areas. 1.2 Describe the documented outcomes for children that form part of the relevant early years framework. To be able to measure that each child has the access to a quality early years education regardless of where they live, circumstances or family background the EYFS designed a series of outcomes to document each area of learning. These are called the Early Learning Goals, this is targets for children to meet throughout their early years and at the end of the reception year. These goals are important as they form the building blocks for children’s later education. It is important that practitioners recognise that may of the Early Learning Goals are also associated with children’s development and so while it is reasonable to expect children to meet them at the end of the reception year, they are not meant to be used as outcomes in nurseries or pre-school. It is also worth nothing that some children will for a variety of reasons not meet all of the Early Learning Goals as they may have specific health or learning difficulties or because they are simply young than their peers. 1.3 Explain how the documented outcomes are assessed and recorded The purpose and aim of the EYFS is to help young children achieve the five every child matters outcomes. There are four themes that underpin all the guidance A unique child Positive relationship Enabling environments Learning and development This guidance support each child’s learning and development and help practitioners to support children’s learning development, by closely matching what they provide to child’s current needs. An on-going formative assessment is at the heart of effective early years practice. In my setting we constantly observe our key children as they act and interact in their play. We then plan activities through these observations and things learnt from parents about what the chid do at home. Using examples of the development columns â€Å"unique child† the observation is assess to see what the child can do and what the next step is to help their development pathway. This recorded through observation sheets (long-incident and planned) also weekly planning, summative assessment and monthly learning journal sheet given to parents to see what the child does at home. This cycle is continually throughout the child’s time in the nursery and makes up their learning journal that goes with them to reception. 2.1 Use different sources to plan work for an individual child or group While playing outside I notice that one of my key children had an interest in collecting cocus and putting them in the back of his car. 2.2 Engage effectively with children to encourage the child’s participation and involvement in planning their own learning and development activities. The ways in which ‘a child engage with other, people and their environment – playing and exploring, active learning and creating and thinking critically –underpin learning and development across all areas and support the child to remain an effective and motivated learner. From observation 2.1 I planned an activity to help child A to learn how to count by doing a nature walle around the nursery to collect cocus. Counting them at the end to see how many each child collected. 2.3 Support the planning cycle for children learning and development. The EYFS is very clear, that observation must form the basis of planning for individual children there are two specific legal requirements in this respect which are found in welfare requirement relating to the organisation of the setting. Providers must carry out sensitive observational assessments in order to plan to meet the children’s individual needs. Providers must plan and provide experierices which are appropriate to each child’s stage of development as they progress towards the early learning goals. It is important that plans reflects children’s interests and needs. Observe and collect information. Record what you know and see about children’s strengths, interest, capabilities and cultures. Question Analyse- Interpret and make meaning of information collected and evidence documented. link evidence to learning development. Outcomes Plan, Act and Do Design learning experiences and learning environments. Discuss learning and next steps with children’s families and other professionals. The planning cycle is used to support assessments for learning which is designed to discover what children know and understood, based on what they make, write draw, say and do. 3.1 Explain how practitioners promote children’s learning within the relevant early years framework. The EYFS emphasise a personal approach to learning, this is because all children develop at their own rate and in different ways. In my setting we observe each child and make observations so that we can see patterns of the child’s interests as well as to see how they are developing. This allows us to analyse whether the child is within their age and stage of development. As such this enables us to plan appropriately for the child, seeing whether they are within the developmental pathway. This allows us to work in partnership with parents giving them the opportunity to be apart of weekly planning, assessments and giving their input. 4.2 Explain the importance of engaging with a child to support sustained shared thinking. The importance of engaging with children is that it  enhances the child’s learning encounter encouraging, helping them to learn new words extended conversations and helps children to extended conversation to develop their own ideas, while chatting to them to promote their development. Sustained share thinking helps children to reach conclusions and explore concepts at a deeper level. During this period, children are also processing information more effectively and often make connections with things that they have already learnt. This â€Å"joining up† of ideas and concepts is extremely valuable. Children have to be extremely interested in an activity or something that has occurred to sustained shared thinking. We also have to be ready to follow up on things that children find fascinating or intergrading. Recognising the potential for sustained shared thinking is therefore essential.

How to Use Video to Stand Out as an Author

How to Use Video to Stand Out as an Author I adore trailers, and I was thrilled to have the chance to interview Jerome McLain from BookFrenzyStudios.com about the relevance of book trailers for authors as well as the importance of having a professional one done. My eyes were opened! Hopefully my questions drew out information you, as writers and authors, can use in your marketing. Notebook trailers arent necessarily for novels! Enjoy. 1) Visual is a strong attraction for most people as has been demonstrated on Facebook and other social media. Have you seen video work for books as well? Yes. Larger publishing companies have entire departments devoted to video and book trailer creation because they realize video drives engagement on the web more than any other content. If combined with a video marketing strategy, book trailers are a fantastic book marketing tool. 2) Can a video take a book from obscure to a sales success? No. A books sales success depends on many moving parts such as launch strategy, content and timing in the marketplace. What a video CAN do is get the book noticed among its competitors. According to Invodo.com, 80 percent of consumers are more likely to make a purchase after seeing a prom video. Placing the book trailer on a webpage that contains book purchase links is highly recommended because the trailer can prompt an impulse buy response. 3) How do you cram an entire book into a thirty second, one minute, or ninety-minute segment? What is the art to a great short video trailer? I always begin 4) Are some genres more conducive or appropriate for book trailers? I believe all book genres can benefit from a trailer. It just needs to be appropriate for the tone of the book. For example, trailers dont always need to be fast-paced and dramatic. They can take a subdued approach and be just as powerful. A popular trailer style used currently is to edit together interview clips of the author discussing the book. So, it’s really a matter of creating a trailer in the style that best compliments the book. 5) Do book trailers cost a lot to do well, or are they like most things, you get what you pay for? You definitely get what you pay for. Creating a really good book trailer requires time, creativity and technical expertise. Throwing together a PowerPoint slideshow with some dramatic music does not entice many people to buy. It comes off cheap. You dont need to spend a fortune but you do need to invest enough to look professional. Pricing can range between $500 for a very nice :30 teaser video to $10,000+ which includes live actors, location filming, etc. 6) What makes for a bad trailer? All bad trailers have these elements in common: == no clear or interesting story arc == too many book details (if you tell them everything, why read the book?) == poorly chosen music (audio is 50 percent of the video!) == copyrighted music and or images (this error can prove costly!) == unprofessionally edited (images stay up longer than necessary, bad transitions, etc.) == too long in length (:30 to :60 is a good rule of thumb) 7) Can authors create trailers themselves with little experience? They definitely can create a trailer without experience but it will most likely be perceived as amateurish. Online video editing software or DIY video apps allow you to easily create video. But no software or online app can replace the knowledge, skill and talent required to produce a professional book trailer. Its like an author creating their own book cover: If they are not also experienced in graphic design and typography, it probably wont turn out well. 8) When should an author decide to do a trailer for their upcoming book? When the marketing plan for the book is being developed is a great time to consider how to use a promo video/book trailer to amplify exposure and publicity. The trailer can be used to create buzz and awareness on social media platforms as well as a visual elevator pitch for the book to the media. Also, sending a professional book trailer out to prospective reviewers creates a great first impression of the book. 9) Whats the one brief word of advice you have for authors who are on the fence about investing in a short video for their projects? Youve spent a considerable amount of time writing. Youve invested in professional editing and book cover design. Dont let the first impression of your book be determined Find out more: BookFrenzy Studios provides professional video marketing services for authors including Cinematic Book Trailers, Promotional Videos and Social Media Video Ads. To learn more, visit their website at www.bookfrenzystudios.com

The Real Monster Underneath False Cause Professor Ramos Blog

The Real Monster Underneath False Cause â€Å"Another Radical Muslim Attack Claims American Lives† An example of the news headlines following the Orlando Pulse massacre on June 12, 2016 in which an American-born man, Omar Mateen, went on a mass shooting in a gay nightclub that would end with 49 lives taken. Every Time we have a gruesome crime, or mass murder we go through the same process. We are shocked, we mourn for the victims, we sympathize for the families, and we condemn the monster who did it. There is rarely a moment where we dissect what lead to the person’s transition into a monster. Today we have villainized the Muslim community due to radical religion in the form of extremist terrorist groups like ISIS so that has become our go-to in labeling Mateen a monster. However from just a little research into Mateen’s history and background we can look at the multiple causes that lead to the creation of the monster he became. Instead of highlighting things like mental health, internalized homophobia , and religions that condemn homosexuality, we immediately use the radical islamic terrorist card. Unfortunately I believe that American-born Mateen wasn’t just a radical islamic terrorist. I believe that he is a monster that we as a society created because of various cultural issues.          A cause that many people have come forward and validated is Mateen’s struggles with his sexuality. The radical religion terrorism has overshadowed this part of Omar Mateen’s story. Although Mateen was married there are many reports that say the truth to his sexuality was different than what was portrayed. A former classmate of Mateen’s came forward to the Palm Beach Post and told a story of how Omar tried to pick him up in a gay bar in 2016. â€Å"He said, ‘Well if you were gay, you would be my type.† He then goes on to explain that everyone in their circle at the time had believe Mateen was gay but not open about it. â€Å"He just wanted to fit in and no one liked him,† the friend explained. In addition to these stories from old friends, multiple regulars at Pulse have come forward and mentioned that they had seen Mateen at the club multiple times of the years leading up to the event. Some could argue that Mateen was just plann ing out his attack however there are multiple reports of witnesses who saw him pursuing men. Outside of the nightclub, Mateen had also had a past with a male co-worker in 2007. Mateen was allegedly obsessed with the male coworker, Daniel Gilroy, and pursued him so aggressively that Gilroy ended up leaving the security job that they worked at together(Mower 2016).   Looking beyond in person witnesses, there have been multiple men who have come forward with information regarding Mateen’s use of gay dating apps. Monster thesis four explains that the monster dwells at the gates of difference. A prime example of this is in modern day is homosexuality vs. heterosexuality(Cohen). To put it simply, a huge part of Mateen becoming a monster was simply the fact that he was different. Mateen may have had an idea that these differences were negative and unacceptable as many others do. Research on Internalized Homophobia, or self-hatred due to one’s sexual orientation, show that a person who is not out suffers from higher levels of IHP which can lead to mental health issues such as depression, anxiety, suicidal thoughts, and anger issues(Meyer 1998). Coming from a strong religious and cultural background seeing sexuality as such a negative is enough to drive someone to become a monster to themselves and in this case, to many others.          The easiest reason that the media seems to draw on everytime there is a crime involving a person of Muslim religion is terrorism linked to radical religion. However the facts as it pertains to Omar Mateen’s religious involvement dont quite add up. To examine this we will start from what we know and work our way through Mateen’s past. Between 2:35am and 3:25am on June 6, 2016   Mateen spoke with police through a series of calls while inside Pulse nightclub. What we know is that at some point during these calls Mateen swore allegiance to the Islamic State and expressed he felt the â€Å"pain of the people getting killed in Syria and Iraq.†(Bowen, 2017) Of course this coming directly from Mateen led the media to label this as a terrorist attack due to Radical Muslim teachings. When we look further into Mateen’s religious background or lack there of, it doesnt quite add up.          Statements from Mateen’s ex wife have concluded with Mateen never actually being religious at all. She mentions that he may have had private beliefs that he kept to himself but he was never a practicing Muslim. Mateen was reported to be firm in his faith leading up to the attack. From my analysis it is my belief that Mateen’s struggle with faith and sexuality was perhaps the straw that broke the camels back. He is said to have attended Mosques weekly and pray three to four times throughout the week. Syed Rahman, a man who attended the same church and knew Mateen since he was a child reports that the closer Mateen got to his religion, the more troubled he came to be. Just four months before the Pulse shooting, an Islamic preacher visiting the church gave a speech calling for the death and punishment of all homosexuals. Is it possible that Mateen, struggled with conflicting views of his faith and his sexuality? Could it be that he was tormented by the idea that what he was went completely against the religion he was brought up in? Perhaps he had a similar journey to many gay men of various religions that condemn homosexuality. This has been shown to significantly increase Internalized Homophobia levels(Meyer,1998).   Being raised in a religion that condemns you based on something you can not change can really affect your mental well being. Perhaps Mateen felt denied by his religion and cast out, for this he may have decided that his only shot at â€Å"salvation† was an act of radicalism that eliminated the very thing that he couldnt accept within himself. What is interesting about Mateen’s pledge to the Islamic State is that there has never been any direct links discovered. FBI Director James Comey explains that the inconsistency â€Å"adds a little bit to the confusion about his motives.†(Bowen, 2017) In monster thesis seven, the monster stands at the threshold of becoming, a key factor in defining the monster is explained in which the monster asks us to reevaluate cultural assumptions on race, gender, sexuality, and perception toward differences and tolerance toward its expression(Cohen). Many religions are now attempting to be more inclusive when it comes to perception and acceptance of homosexuality, however many religions still continue to condemn this. Clearly Mateen belonged to a congregation that condemned these differences and it is not until he become the monster and committed his monstrous crime that we can sit back and question the various causes that lead to this for reevaluation of how we view differences. A condemning faith, although distant from the incident is still closely related as a remote cause to the creation of the monster. All of these inaccuracy in Mateen’s faith   lead me to believe that perhaps this was just Mateen’s last effort in ensuring that he was right by his religion amidst the battle he had with his own demons. He saw no light in the cond emnation, so he chose a radical path in hopes of peace and salvation.          In addition to Mateen’s struggles with religion and sexuality it is also believed that he was mentally unstable and possibly even mentally ill which in my opinion, is the most sufficient factor in the creation of this malevolent monster. Sitora Yusifiy who is Mateen’s ex wife spoke to reporters in Boulder, Colorado and explained her volatile marriage with him. She claimed that Mateen was bipolar and had a history of steroid abuse(Alter, 2016).   Research on internalized homophobia has shown us that men who suffer from IHP often struggle with their self-image as it pertains to masculinity(Ian, 2000). Perhaps Mateen had an issue with steroids due to wanting to overcompensate his masculinity. Yusifiy goes on to explain that Mateen beat her regularly and made her cut ties with all of her family and friends. She would later have to be physically ripped from Mateen’s arms when her family decided to rescue her from the situation. There are other people in Mateen’s life such as his second wife who have refused to comment on his mental stability. Mental instability and alleged disorders like bipolar and anger management gone untreated would have lead Mateen to eventually commit some sort of monstrous act be it, harming his wife, himself, or unfortunately something larger like the Pulse incident.          The Pulse incident is a heartbreaking and tragic event that I believe was caused by the creation of a monster rather than the act of Islamic Terrorism. Mateen battled a number of demons from mental illness, to internalized homophobia caused by a condemning religion and societal views. I am in no way a monster sympathizer and I do not belief there is any excuse for the blood shed and lives lost at Mateen’s hands however this monster was created. Just like monster thesis number six, this monster will return. Since Orlando Pulse, we as a society have shown little change in acceptance, condemning religions, and mental health in LGBTQ members. Because we have not changed as a culture we continue to breed these monsters. Mateen’s story and motives have been signed off as radical islamic terrorism when in fact there are multiple causes that lead to him becoming a monster and unfortunately we have refused to acknowledge those factors. Even though Mateen is dead, unfortunately, the monster still lives unaddressed and shadowed in false cause. Annotated Bibliography Cohen, J Jeffrey. â€Å"Monster Culture (Seven Thesis) Monster Theory: Reading Culture, 1996 pp. 3-20 This is the source of the monster thesis which I will be incorporating to analyze and evaluate Omar Mateen. Iain R. Williamson; Internalized homophobia and health issues affecting lesbians and gay men , Health Education Research, Volume 15, Issue 1, 1 February 2000, Pages 97–107. This articles main purpose is to help define and promote discussion around the concept of internalized homophobia and its effect on health. The concept of internalized homophobia, or self hatred, is still a fairly new one that is not recognized as an actual condition yet. In this study the author helps define, validate, and offer new ways of assessing internalized homophobia. This source will be my main resource because of the facts, definitions, and sources that the author cited. I will use this to help describe the IHP levels that Omar Mateen may have suffered from. Meyer, I. H., Dean, L. (1998). Internalized homophobia, intimacy, and sexual behavior among gay and bisexual men. Psychological perspectives on lesbian and gay issues, 4, 160-186. This source explores the various causes of IHP and emphasizes the impact of minority stress as a contributor to IHP. This study concludes in showing that the high levels of stress lead to high levels of distress within gay men due to being a minority because of their sexual orientation. The author breaks down the â€Å"normal† man’s life verses the gay man’s life. I will use this in my paper to explain factors in religion that may have caused IHP in Omar Mateen   Mower, Lawrence. â€Å"Orlando Shooter Omar Mateen Was Gay, Former Classmate Says.† Palmbeachpost, Palmbeachpost.com, 13 Aug. 2016, www.palmbeachpost.com/news/orlando-shooter-omar-mateen-was-gay-former-classmate-says/Trnefc7HQatgNsr3uZenXI/. This is a newspaper article in which former classmates and coworkers of Omar Mateen came out with statements regarding his sexuality. I will be using this in my paper to argue his questionable sexuality and its various effects on IHP. This is a news article with first person responses so I believe it is credible. Alter, Charlotte. â€Å"Sitora Yusufiy: Omar Mateen Was Gay, Hiding from Parents.† Time, Time, 15 June 2016, time.com/4369577/orlando-shooting-sitora-yusufiy-omar-mateen-gay/ This is an article in Time magazine in which more evidence is presented about Mateen’s sexuality. I will be using this in my paper to argue his questionable sexuality and its various effects on IHP. This is a news article with first person responses so I believe it is credible. Bowen, John R. Religions in practice: An approach to the anthropology of religion. Routledge, 2017. This is a journal that explains the relationship and involvement of radical religion and terrorism. They talk directly about Omar Mateen and his involvement in radical religion. This is a scholar journal so I believe it is a credible source.

History of Dead Mans Penny and British Regiment

History of Dead Mans Penny and British Regiment History of Dead Mans Penny The World War 1 has gone down books of history as one of the fiercest battles ever fought on the face of the earth. Many factors have contributed to the much attention and interest the war has received. One of the factors is the number of casualties reported in the war. Several studies and statistics taken then reveal that the war involved more than thirty million people, ten million of them being soldiers from Europe.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on History of Dead Mans Penny and British Regiment specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Nevertheless, the exact number of casualties of the war and the severity of the whole battle is not clear. As such, there are reports and records of people who still search for their loved ones whom they believe were victims of the war. A good example is with the families of British soldiers (Martel, 2003). Through out the war several state governments inc luding Britain sent large numbers of soldiers and army official to the battle fields. A good number of these soldiers fell victims of the war in one way or the other. Most of them gave in to the effects and later on succumbed to war related injuries. Having died in the line of duty, the British Government saw it wise to give an official token as a form of appreciation for the supreme sacrifices made by its soldiers and army personnel and this marked the birth of the Dead Man’s Penny (Baker, n.d.). The Dead Man’s Penny (officially referred to as the Memorial Death Plaque), has a vast history dating back to mid 1916i. As stated earlier, the main reason for the launch of the plaque was to show gratitude to the family of the soldiers who died while in the line of duty. Giving an official token for the fallen services of these soldiers was believed to show the King’s greatest remorse to the next of kin of the deceased for his/her supreme sacrifices at the expense of his/her country. The honor came in the form of a bronze plaque designed with the shape of the penny coin. In the book; The Origins of the First World War, Martel (2003) states, â€Å"The enormous casualty figures not anticipated at the start of WWI back in 1914 were the ones that prompted this gesture of recognition† (p. 34)ii. By mid 1930s close to 1,355,000 memorial death plaques had been issued.Advertising Looking for research paper on history? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Design of the Penny The designing of the plaque started with the government advertising the idea in the media and putting it up as a competition. Several artists showed great interest and sent their applications. It is believed that close to 800 applicants from all over the Empire showed up for the competition. One factor that made it attract more attention is that the contest also came with a prize of 250 pounds for the designer who w ould emerge with the most suitable plaque. After a series of interviews and evaluations of the entries, the selected designers got down to business and it was Mr. Carter Preston who emerged the winner with his design being adopted for the first Memorial Plaque. Mr. Carter resided in Liverpool and was a renowned artist internationally. The first design (officially referred to as the Pyramus), had a diameter of about 5 inches or 120 mm and was made from bronze as directed by the state government. It had an image of Britannia carrying a trident. Next to the image was the picture of a lion as a symbol of bravery depicted by the fallen soldiers through their dedicated efforts in fighting for their king and empire. The government also allowed Mr. Carter to include his initials (E.Cr.P) on the front paw as a sign of acknowledgement for pioneering of the design. The image of the Britannia had its left hand outstretched and held an oak wreath. Under the wreath was a rectangular frame in whic h the identity of the person being honored was written. Following an argument within the government’s department in charge of the Plaque, the officials decided not to include the respective ranks of the deceased. It was argued that all war causalities died under common circumstance and were all in the line of duty. As such, there were no differences in terms of sacrifices made by each of them. There were also two dolphins on the front face of the plaque. The dolphins swam around the Britannia as a sign of the much coveted Britain’s sea power. There was also an image of another lion at the bottom of the plaque. The image showed the lion tearing the German eagle. All these features clearly showed how remorseful the government was for her fallen men and women.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on History of Dead Mans Penny and British Regiment specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This is evident as  "around the picture the legend reads (in capitals) He died for freedom and honor, or for the six hundred plaques issued to commemorate women, She died for freedom and honor† (p. 1)iii. Appendix A shows the first design of the plaque. The first plaques were manufactured at the Memorial Plaque Factory, 54/56 Church Road, Acton, W3, London. In efforts of keeping records of the exact number of war casualties whose fate had been known, the government ordered that all plaques be stamped with numbers of manufacture. However, this took effect later on as the first plaques did not have the stamps. The station at Memorial Plaque Factory in London served from the day of its launch to late 1920 and in December 1920, it was moved to a new site (Royal Arsenal, Woolwich). The new station manufactured plaques with the initials ‘WA’ stamped at the back of the plaque to show their place of manufacture. It also changed the place where the number of manufacture was initially to the s pace between the tail and the hind legs of the lion. Later on when the government started appreciating women who also died in the war, the original design lacked sufficient space to include all details required for their plaque. Carter Preston was once again called upon to make a few changes to the original design. With the space between letter H in initials ‘HE’ and the lion’s back paw being insufficient for the initials ‘SHE’ (for the women’s plaque), Carter narrowed letters H and E to create space for the letter S to be inserted. However, after several plaques for the women were manufactured (around 1500) the master moulds were redesigned again to produce the male version. The main alteration was removing the letter S. The family of Private Bruce was among the first families to be honored with the plaque. Private Bruce, son to John and Mary Bruce was among the soldiers who survived the fierce August 4th 1916 battle at Pozieres. However, he escaped with serious injuries that made him pull out of the war. Having nursed his wounds for over 8 months, Bruce returned to war and was among the soldiers in the frontline during the fight at Bullecourt. However, he was not lucky and was seriously wounded. On 21st November 1918, Bruce succumbed to injuries and died at the age of 33.Advertising Looking for research paper on history? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More During the time of his burial, John and Mary Bruce received Memorial Plaque from the British Government. Together with the plaque was a scroll headed by the Royal Coat of Arms and a paragraph that read: of some of the most outspoken regiment during the war included the Cheshire regiment, The Queens (Royal West Surrey Regiment), The Royal Scots (Lothian Regiment), The Loyal North Lancashire Regiment and the Northumberland Fusiliers regiment among othersviii. The Northumberland Fusilier regiment also referred to as the Fighting Fifth was the second largest regiments after the London Regiment. By the end of the war, it had raised the most number of battalions after the London Regiment. Its history dates back to the 1880s. Its size characteristics made it one of the most significant regiments that offered services in the World War 1. The battalions of the Fighting Fifth were numbered consecutively from 1 to 34. However, it is believed that the regiment raised up to 51 battalions. The ba ttalions comprised of long service, professional and territorial soldiers. There were also volunteers who worked under part time programs, the same programs as those of the U.S. Army National Guard units. Most of the long service and professional soldiers were in the battalions numbered 1st through 3rd. These battalions were permanent with the regiment. Battalions 4th to 7th were general battalions and most of the territorial soldiers and part time volunteers belonged to this group. The battalions numbered 8th and beyond mostly comprised of volunteer, war-raised units and citizen-soldiers that existed for the duration of the war. However, all these groups of soldiers were disbanded after the war. Despite the large size, soldiers’ wellbeing was closely monitored. For instance, Mosier (2001) states, â€Å"Typically, every battalion and every regiment in the British Army was below its authorized â€Å"on-paper† strength due to men being killed or wounded or being transfe rred in or out of the unit, or being absent on home or sick leave†(p 56)ix. Most of the battalions were service oriented. However, battalions 28th to 34th were reserve battalions. The battalion in question [25th (Service) Battalion (2nd Tyneside Irish)] has a vast history. It was established on 9th November 1914 in Newcastle. The Lord Mayor and City was the one behind the formation of the battalion. With its formation, the battalion offered a range of services under the Lord Mayor and the City. In mid 1915, it moved on and attached to the 103rd Brigade of the 34th Division. It is still not clear what motivated the attachment. However, the influence of the brigade has vastly been used to explain the attraction. Six months later (in January 1916) the battalion landed in France where it made impact almost immediately. On 3rd February 1918, the battalion transferred from 103th Brigade to the 102nd one of the 34th Division. This had adverse effects on the battalion as it was decrea sed to cadre strength by 16th May of the same yearx. This was then followed by a series of transfers with one on 17th June 1918 where it transferred to the 116th Brigade, 39th Division. 29th July of the same year it is reported that it farther transferred 197th Brigade but this time round it also changed division to the 66th, also known as the 2nd East Lancashire. The final transfer came on 20th September 1918 when it transferred to Line of Communication (with 197th Brigade). The regiment used sophisticated machine guns. This was one of the main reasons for its success. Both territorial and professional soldiers were trained on how to transport, fire and maintain the heavy machinery. Just like other regiment, Fighting Fifth had one of the biggest detachments at its Base depot. The detachment was under the watch of one subaltern, two sergeants and around 45 Privatesxi. There were also three store men who physically took care of the detachment and received instructions from the Sergea nt Master Tailor. The battalion also had a group of soldiers who formed up the regiment band. These were ones were responsible for the health being of the other soldiers. Most of them were medically trained and thus offered first aid services to all soldiers injured. They also acted as stretcher bearers while in the battle field. Junior military personnel such as drivers and signalers were only entitled to carry a sword as they were believed to have minimal risks. All those personnel above the sergeant rank carried a pistol as NCO’s together with the other ranks carried rifles. Use of horses was the main means of transport used during the era of the regiment. Statistics reveal that there regiment and 25th battalion had close to 600 riding horses (Chickering, 2004). Some of the big names associated with the 25th Battalion of the Northumberland Fusiliers regiment include Lance Corporal Thomas Bryan. The corporal is much remembered for his efforts in silencing a machine-gun of w hich he found to be inflicting a lot of damage. He was so vocal with the idea despite the fact that he had been wounded a number of times. His technique included â€Å"approaching the gun from behind, disabling it and killed two of the team as they were abandoning the gun† (p. 76)xii. His efforts gained momentum because of the fact that the gun machine gun was a major hindrance to advancement to the second objective (Chickering, 2004). In conclusion, all the above facts about the Great War of 1914-1918 are proof enough to show how complex the war was. The large number of military personnel involved also shows how big the war was. In other words, the magnitude and the complexity of the war made it attract a lot of attention all over the world. There are these factors that made most strong power nations to invest heavily in the war. Nevertheless, the aftermath effects were felt all over the world with some nations such as German, Ottoman, Russia and Austro-Hungarian collapsing. References Baker, C. (n.d.). The Northumberland Fusiliers. Web. Chickering, R. (2004). Imperial Germany and the Great War, 1914–1918. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Lyons, M. (1999). World War I: A Short History. New York: Prentice Hall. Martel, G. (2003). The Origins of the First World War. Harlow: Pearson Longman. Mosier, J. (2001). Germany and the Development of Combined Arms Tactics: Myth of the Great War; How the Germans Won the Battles and How the Americans Saved the Allies. New York: Harper Collins. Wright, K. (2006). Dead Mans Penny. Retrieved from militaryhistoryonline.com/ Appendix: Memorial Death plaque Footnotes i Wright, K, Dead Mans Penny (2006). ii Martel, G, The Origins of the First World War (Pearson Longman 2003). iii Wright, K, Dead Mans Penny (2006). iv Wright, K, Dead Mans Penny (2006). v Wright, K, Dead Mans Penny (2006). vi Lyons, M, World War I: A Short History (Prentice Hall 1999). vii Mosier, J, Germany and the Development of Combined Arms Tactics: Myth of the Great War; How the Germans Won the Battles and How the Americans Saved the Allies (Harper Collins 2001). viii Mosier, J, Germany and the Development of Combined Arms Tactics: Myth of the Great War; How the Germans Won the Battles and How the Americans Saved the Allies (Harper Collins 2001). ix Mosier, J, Germany and the Development of Combined Arms Tactics: Myth of the Great War; How the Germans Won the Battles and How the Americans Saved the Allies (Harper Collins 2001). x Baker, C, The Northumberland Fusiliers (n.d.). xi Baker, C, The Northumberland Fusiliers (n.d.). xii Lyons, M, World War I: A Short History (Prentice Hall 1999).

Watch video, answer question Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Watch video, answer question - Essay Example The video uses Ranjeet to explain the issue of social mobility and all the relevant concerns. Social mobility has both benefits and drawbacks, as it is visible from the case study. Firstly, social mobility results in immense rural to urban migration. For example, New Delhi has a population of 10,000 people per every square kilometer. Such a population can be explained by the 300 million people that have migrated from the rural areas to India’s major cities to reap the benefits of the current economic boom. Problems may arise. Social mobility is the cause of unemployment, insecurity, low wages, and shortages in housing. However, Ranjeet Kumar is an example of the benefits of rural to urban migration. As the video approaches the end, he goes back to the village and tries to convince his peers to move to the village. He also relocates his family to the city where they can access the much-needed medical cover, and his children may access quality education. If more people become ad vocates of such migration, the traditional social hierarchies would gradually change for a better India. Geert Hofstede characterizes the culture of India in terms of power distance (77%), individualism (48%), masculinity (56%), uncertainty avoidance (40%), pragmatism (51%), and indulgence (26%) ("THE HOFSTEDE CENTRE."). His classification draws a significant rift between the rich and the poor in the society. For example, power distance stands at 77% meaning that the less powerful population in the rural areas have accepted that there is unequal distribution of power within the country. Power in this case might be measured by wealth, health, and literacy levels. Such elements of power are only accessible in the urban regions. Urban migration might do little to change the characterization. Most of the population in India is individualistic. Ranjeet’s case study is a clear indication of

Comparative Analysis of Keys to Successful Revenue Synergy Programmes Essay - 1

Comparative Analysis of Keys to Successful Revenue Synergy Programmes - Essay Example According to the paper  there is no ambiguity relatively in the difference of drivers and expectations of M&A functions changing with time and as per the ongoing economic environment. It is interesting to observe the market behaviour after the recuperation from the recession worldwide on whether companies are currently acquiring for achieving revenue synergies or cost synergies.From this study it is clear that the Kraft acquisition of Cadbury was projected to offer $1 Billion in Synergies, as declared by the Kraft Foods. The incremental revenue synergies of $1billion were excluded of $750 million to be achieved in cost synergies by 2013. These revenue synergies, according to the Kraft, would be derived from the business increase in developing regions from one/fourth of the total revenue to approximately touching one/third after the merger.  The confidence of the Company management is getting reflected from the acquisition, as it expects to become a long-run high-bracket performer in the food industry world wide. Presently, the Company is earning more than 50% of its revenue from outside North America, from countries like Brazil, China, India and Mexico, where GDP and demand growth are the most firm.  Kraft CEO, Irene Rosenfeld, also holds the same opinion from the â€Å"unique and complimentary combination† of Kraft and Cadbury, stating that, â€Å"together with our significant presence in high-growth developing markets, will deliver consistent growth in the top tier of our peer group†.

Undecided Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 4

Undecided - Essay Example ysis will consider the core components that defined the way in which the system evolved and held on to power only to eventually decline as all systems are bound to do in one form or another. As a further function of such an analysis, it is the hope of this author that the reader will be able to gain some very clear insights as to the reasons why and ultimately how this power evolved and eventually declined as a means of providing key insights into the nature, growth, and decay that all forms of governance will ultimately experience over the course of time. With respect to the creation of Gaddafi’s modern Libya, this was fundamentally centered upon the fact that a highly tribalized Libya was not effectively governed by the monarchy that loosely held sway over the various and far flung groups that defined the Libyan state. Longing for a sense of purpose and sensing the fundamental shifts that decolonization had effected on neighboring regions within the Arab world, there was a strong sense of unease and dissatisfaction that pervaded the society of the time; making it ripe for systemic change. Sensing the weakness, Gaddafi and others were able to organize a coup with a core cabal of willing individuals that had formed key and strategic alliances with many of the tribes that constituted Libya (Hauslohner 39). A further human need that was seemingly sought to be recognized within the context of the revolution was the ability of the individual citizen to have a say with regards to the way in which government undertook the process of governance. This right to self-determination has long been a central and key role in undermining existing systems of government; however, as was seen in the case of Libya, the extent to which this self-determination was ultimately realized was quite limited. As a means of creating the power that could seek to congeal this non-uniform and highly tribalized representation of a nation into a single unit, a unique coalescence of Islamic

Antitrust Laws Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Antitrust Laws - Coursework Example The price based competition results in exploitation of the customers whereas; they will not have cheaper products on their disposal. The process of research and development will become hindered as the monopolist does not need to develop new products because of the dying competition. Additionally, the term merger is used to define a contract in which two or more companies decide to construct a new one while, all of them become as one after the due process is complete. The acquisition on the other side involves a deal in which only one company loses its identity in order to become the part of another. In summary, one company buys another to become more prominent in the competition zone (Weber, Shenkar, & Raveh, 1996). Following section runs an analysis about effects of external environment on management’s decision making: - 1. Political Environment: - The political environment of the country encompasses the nature of government and stability of political atmosphere is also necessary for businesses to flourish (Boddewyn & Brewer, 1994). The national systems that are unstable do not offer good business environment. Additionally, the governmental policies radically change as well. In this kind of mechanism business management must resort on use of intensive risk management techniques. 2. Social Systems: - The social and cultural systems of the country govern the ways in which people relate to each other. The organizations need to blend in the system so that the customers and other stakeholders should consider them as their own (Dowling & Pfeffer, 1975). 3. Ethical Climate: - The organizations while operating in a specific national system require adapting to the cultural sense of right and wrong in order to avoid the possibility of committing a wrong just to repel all of the society (Payne & Raiborn, 1997). There is a significant difference in collective and individual cultures. The organizations have to

What Is Mohandas Mahatma Gandhi's Relevance On Foreign Policies In Dissertation

What Is Mohandas Mahatma Gandhi's Relevance On Foreign Policies In Modern Day India - Dissertation Example However, his exploits are not just restricted to bringing freedom to his motherland but has also extended to the basic philosophy that an average individual leads his or her life with. Thus, there is hardly any doubt about the fact that Gandhi ji’s beliefs and philosophy also underlies the foreign policies of the nation to a great extent. However, policies do change over the years, and even if we consider Gandhi’s towering personality as well as influence at the time of the independence of India, it can hardly be said without taking a relook at the contemporary scenario whether the legacy of consulting Gandhian policies for embarking upon any policy of substantial importance for India stills holds value or not. If the existing foreign policy of India were to be evaluated in the light of Gandhiji’s outlook or for that philosophy, then an obvious approach would be to start with the freedom struggle of India, a time that was overtly dominated by the strategies formu lated by Gandhiji as well as his thousands of ardent followers.Bandyopadhyaya notes that the Gandhian ideals were more of a set of policies that governed the strategies of freedom struggle movement of the Indian National Congress, the biggest political organization spearheading the freedom movement in India. The author further reports that this typically successful strategy has been utilized by the government of independent India under its ‘Directive Principles of State Policy’ in the pretext of â€Å"peaceful settlement of international disputes†. This is significant to our understanding of how important Gandhi ji and his preaching have been for the formulation of what India presently is. In terms of the relevance of Gandhi ji in today’s political context, we must acknowledge the fact that some of the most crucial policies pertaining to the domain of foreign relations have been deeply influenced by the legacy that the Mahatma has left behind. In the light of what he professed, preached as well as practiced it is on us to give due recognition to the enormity of his foresight, the magnitude of his philosophy as well as the vastness of his acute perception of the scheme of things in the political arena. Thousands of books, articles, research papers have been published on this â€Å"great soul† (Adams, 2010; Wolpert, 2001) and a formidable bulk of literature has been published on various topics related to Gandhi ji and of course not without reason. Among the salient tenets of Gandhian philosophy, one of the foremost pillars was his affinity for as well as staunch belief in the practice of non violence. As various authors quote Godse in his book, who calls Gandhi ji a â€Å"violent pacifist†, though whether the Mahatma actually brought â€Å"untold calamities to the nation† is seriously questionable (Elst, 2001; Nussbaum, 2007; Karawan, 2008; Godse & Godse, 1989). Obviously Godse accuses Gandhi ji of being responsibl e for many a debacle that has shaken India by its roots at the time of independence and thus the term â€Å"violent pacifist† is basically used in the pejorative. Now we may also take a relook at what the term may mean apart from the pejorative connotations that Godse attached to it and therefore we may indulge in deconstructing the meaning of the term in the light of Gandhi ji’s contribution to the freedom struggle as well as his philosophy being tantamount to become instrumental in shaping the future of the nation not in within the country but also externally as well. Coming back to the moot point of that of Gandhi ji’s relevance in modern day India’s foreign policies, we should obviously start from the very beginning and trace the

Middle east and international relation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Middle east and international relation - Essay Example that substantially ‘oils’ the world since large volumes of crude oil, a key source of energy for human global use, are mined in this region (Ismael p.183). As a result of its strategic position and numerous reserves for petroleum resources, Middle East has evolved as one of the most critical regions of contemporary world. In terms of political stability, Middle East has not been lucky as most nations of the region experience unstable political environment, an opportunity that has been exploited by superpower nations as they fight it out to gain advantage in the region (Ismael p.183). Economically, this is a region characterized by poor economic record for almost the previous two centuries. Compared to other western countries, the region’s per capita income is seen to be less than a third of per capita income in most of the advanced nations and life expectancy is almost eight years lesser (Kuran p.1). On overall, major nations of the region are characterized as poor performers economically (Kuran p.1). One theory that still remains disputed for providing reasons for underdevelopment of the region postulate that Islam ‘inhibits’ economic development of the region through its ‘culturally insensitive’ aspects such as â€Å"fatalism, personalism, laziness, lack of curiosity, mistrust of science, superstition, conservatism and traditionalism† (Timur p.2). Therefore, the essence of this paper is to look at issues of Middle East as it influences international relations. Israel-Palestine conflict is an issue that cannot be resolved today, tomorrow or the day after. It is a hot issue that both sides backed by their various international allies have approached with particular definite positions hardening every day. The problem originates from events of 29th November 1947 when the United Nations’ General Assembly passed a resolution to partition Palestine into two countries one occupied by Jewish and another occupied by Arab (Karsh p.8). Jerusalem was to

Antitrust Laws Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Antitrust Laws - Coursework Example The price based competition results in exploitation of the customers whereas; they will not have cheaper products on their disposal. The process of research and development will become hindered as the monopolist does not need to develop new products because of the dying competition. Additionally, the term merger is used to define a contract in which two or more companies decide to construct a new one while, all of them become as one after the due process is complete. The acquisition on the other side involves a deal in which only one company loses its identity in order to become the part of another. In summary, one company buys another to become more prominent in the competition zone (Weber, Shenkar, & Raveh, 1996). Following section runs an analysis about effects of external environment on management’s decision making: - 1. Political Environment: - The political environment of the country encompasses the nature of government and stability of political atmosphere is also necessary for businesses to flourish (Boddewyn & Brewer, 1994). The national systems that are unstable do not offer good business environment. Additionally, the governmental policies radically change as well. In this kind of mechanism business management must resort on use of intensive risk management techniques. 2. Social Systems: - The social and cultural systems of the country govern the ways in which people relate to each other. The organizations need to blend in the system so that the customers and other stakeholders should consider them as their own (Dowling & Pfeffer, 1975). 3. Ethical Climate: - The organizations while operating in a specific national system require adapting to the cultural sense of right and wrong in order to avoid the possibility of committing a wrong just to repel all of the society (Payne & Raiborn, 1997). There is a significant difference in collective and individual cultures. The organizations have to

Middle east and international relation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Middle east and international relation - Essay Example that substantially ‘oils’ the world since large volumes of crude oil, a key source of energy for human global use, are mined in this region (Ismael p.183). As a result of its strategic position and numerous reserves for petroleum resources, Middle East has evolved as one of the most critical regions of contemporary world. In terms of political stability, Middle East has not been lucky as most nations of the region experience unstable political environment, an opportunity that has been exploited by superpower nations as they fight it out to gain advantage in the region (Ismael p.183). Economically, this is a region characterized by poor economic record for almost the previous two centuries. Compared to other western countries, the region’s per capita income is seen to be less than a third of per capita income in most of the advanced nations and life expectancy is almost eight years lesser (Kuran p.1). On overall, major nations of the region are characterized as poor performers economically (Kuran p.1). One theory that still remains disputed for providing reasons for underdevelopment of the region postulate that Islam ‘inhibits’ economic development of the region through its ‘culturally insensitive’ aspects such as â€Å"fatalism, personalism, laziness, lack of curiosity, mistrust of science, superstition, conservatism and traditionalism† (Timur p.2). Therefore, the essence of this paper is to look at issues of Middle East as it influences international relations. Israel-Palestine conflict is an issue that cannot be resolved today, tomorrow or the day after. It is a hot issue that both sides backed by their various international allies have approached with particular definite positions hardening every day. The problem originates from events of 29th November 1947 when the United Nations’ General Assembly passed a resolution to partition Palestine into two countries one occupied by Jewish and another occupied by Arab (Karsh p.8). Jerusalem was to

Blinds to Go Company Essay Example for Free

Blinds to Go Company Essay Executive Summary: The case, based on the company Blinds to Go, emphasizes the importance of staffing in stores as they expand to meet their growth objectives. Being a manufacturer and retailer, with a unique sales model 100% commission based and focus on customer service gave the company an advantage over its competitors. According to the senior management Quality of staff was paramount and hence their original compensation system motivated best performance and fostered a high energy, sales hungry culture at BTG. To attract more recruits for its expansion phase, the management changed the compensation system from full commission to salary on the recommendation of a newly hired vice president. Sales declined and the overall staff turnover increased. Seeing this the company brought back the old culture and experienced a sales turnaround. This shift also caused another huge turnover in stores. A large percentage of voluntary turnover occurred in the first four months. The higher turnover after eight months was partly due to termination because of sales performance. The biggest challenge the company now faced was understaffing. The need for additional staff was further aggravated due to its continued push for growth and the tight US and Canadian labour markets. Another concern to be addressed was that the company had planned for 80 per cent of its expansion in US where the employees preferred the fixed pay than the company’s commission based pay structure. During this period BTG had tried several recruiting methods with varying degrees of success. With an IPO in the pipeline and plans to add on average 50 stores per year for the next five years, it was critical for the company to come up with a staffing strategy with focus on Quality of the staff and low employee turnover. The Company: Blinds To Go (BTG) was a retail fabricator of window dressings. It was started by David Shiller in 1954 in the Cote-des-Neiges district in Montreal, Canada. From the mid 1970s, BTG focussed on the sale of blinds. It was able to create a production system that reduced the delivery time frame of custom blinds from six to eight weeks to 48 hours. The reduced delivery time led to overwhelming customer response and the business flourished. The firm, realising their unique advantage of being a manufacturer and retailer simultaneously, began expansion by opening stores throughout Canada and US. By June 2000, BTG operated 120 corporate owned stores in North America. BTG expected to add 50 stores per year for the next 5 years, 80 percent of which targeted to US expansion stores. BTG’s business philosophy was that quality of staff was cardinal than the store location, customer demographics or advertising. The firm established this by experimenting with a store that was locationally disadvantaged and had declining sales. BTG was able to triple the sales of the said store in one month by deploying their ‘A’ management team and trained staff there. The four staff roles in BTG stores were 1. Sales associate 2. Selling Supervisor 3. Assistant Store manager 4. Store Manager. Sales associates were the junior most employees and their job was to follow a set plan to help walk in customers to make a purchase. Consistent sales performers among them were promoted to selling supervisors, who were assistant store managers in training, or assistant store managers. Assistant store Blinds to Go: Staffing a Retail Expansion Case Analysis SECTION E: Group #5 managers were in charge of the stores in the absence of store managers. The store manager was responsible for overall store operations. The BTG selling process involved a high level of customer interaction, which set a very high level of service expectation. Their emphasis on customer satisfaction and sale closure led to higher volume of orders relative to their retail competition Original Compensation of Retail Staff: The compensation structure at Blinds To Go incentives performance based on number of sales deal closed. The commission based structure fosters the high energy, sales hungry culture at BTG. This structure was believed to be a motivating factor to boost performance. High performers at BTG actually made more money than comparable retail outlet salesman. For Sales Associate the salary structure was a mix of fixed pay and variable pay with $3 $5 comprising of fixed and 3% of sales as variable component. For Managers/Assistants the salary structure was $10,000 $15,000/yr as fixed pay with 1.5% to 3% of overall sales as variable pay. Changes in Compensation Structure – 1996: As per the recommendations from a newly hired Vice President of store operations the compensation structure for the store staff was changed from being fully commission based to salaried. Under the new structure, the sales associated were paid Cdn $8 per hour as a fixed component. For the store managers a higher base salary component as compared to the commissions was set. The main focus of the move was to make the compensation more attractive to the prospective hires. Another change being brought was to limit the involvement of store managers in the sale process. All these changes had an adverse effect on the sales figures which showed a decrease of 10 to 30% from 1996 to 1997. The staff turnover increased to 40% from the earlier 15%. Even thought the new pay structure helped in recruiting more hires, it led to the hiring of lower calibre people. The existing good performers did not appreciate the changes, thus affecting their morale and hence their commitment to sales. To counter this adverse effect, the management introduced a variation of the commission based compensation plan in May 1998. The effect of the change could be seen in the 10 to 30% increase in store sales from the previous year. Still the BTG stores experienced a high employee turnover that year. It was probably because of the employees accustomed to fixed pay were leaving the organisation, being dissatisfied from the commission based structure. Analysis of the employee turnover reflected that the highest no of employees left the firm in the first 4 months from their hiring. Most of the new expansion plans were in US. But the people of US were uncomfortable with the 100% commission based pay structure. Thus there was a requirement in the change to the structure to adapt to the US market. Blinds to Go: Staffing a Retail Expansion Case Analysis SECTION E: Group #5 Channels of Recruitment To be able to attract and recruit people who had certain sales driven qualities, several channels of recruitment were harnessed to fill in the job positions. Since BTG was already understaffed and with massive growth plans (50 stores per year ) lined up, we need to analyse the various pros and cons of the channels of recruitment. Employee Referral: Current staffs refer friends and family to BTG which helped company attract candidates already briefed on the company’s ideology. This channel was very effective which is evident by its highest ratio of leads to hire. The success of the ER scheme was partially due to the fact that referrals generally continued employment excited by the opportunity that the friend or family member who is a BTG employee recounted. Though maximum hiring was effected through this channel yet this alone did not currently satisfy BTG’s hiring needs. Internet Sourcing: This is one of the non-store recruitment channels which BTG used in two ways. First, BTG solicited resumes at its blindstogo.com site. Second, DSM’s and recruiters actively searched online jobs sites like Monster.com to contact potential candidates. Currently 12 out of 143 recruits were through this channel. DSM Compensation Readjustment: DSM’s were mainly responsible for store source of recruitment mainly walk-ins and employee referrals. They had to hire 10 new sales associate every month. Their importance in recruitment process is highlighted by the fact that their salary was based on number of new staff selected rather than on sales targets. Currently 16 out of 143 sales associate were recruited through this channel in past two months. BTG Retail Recruiters: They were professional recruiters who were paid @20000/year with a bonus of $150 -$500 for each successful hire. They generate leads through cold calls, networking referrals, colleges, job fairs, Internet and employment centres. Though they had performed sub- optimally in terms of number of number of new recruits, their training had increased to enable to get in at least 4 new recruits per week. Newspaper Advertising: Newspaper channel generated the maximum number of leads but the senior management believed that this medium did not generate the quality of candidates that BTG needed. This channel attracted more of the people who did not meet the desired skills standard and core values expected by BTG in potential candidates. To be able to meet our desired staff requirements, we believe this channel needs to be harnessed to its full potential and complemented by necessary training to new recruits to enable them to meet company’s performance standards. Store Generated Leads: BTG believed in direct store walk-in mode of recruitment as well. It had put â€Å"help wanted† signs on its windows to attract potential candidates to meet its recruitment needs. But this policy was successful only in densely populated areas with high footfall. HR Strategy: Udofia, Vice Chairman BTG, is looking for a strategy that solves all the major issues currently faced by the company, which would include unstaffed stores, staffing for future expansion and high employee turnover. Following are the steps that could be taken by him to achieve its growth objectives: ï‚ · A Robust Training Module: As mentioned, the quality of staff is extremely important in the retailing business. The crunch in the labor market doesn’t give the company a flexibility to choose Blinds to Go: Staffing a Retail Expansion employees on a strict criterion. A training module would help BTG to relax the criterion and increase the number of selected employees by recruiting people who are trainable. In order to keep a check on the quality of the employees, the company can recruit the employees at a trainee level with a fixed pay. The training would be mostly on the Job led by experienced Store Managers. A review system would help these selected candidates to get promoted as Sales Associate. The initial pay as a trainee would be low. But the incentive to get promoted as Sales Associate would drive them to work and learn quickly. Currently we can see that there are large numbers of people who are attracted by the Newspaper Channel and Internet. But the problem is with this medium is that it didn’t generate quality employee. By a robust training module the company would be able to hire trainable people and give them opportunities on the basis of their performance. The Promotion Structure: A scheduled review and internal promotion structure could be followed which attracts the current employees and increases the retention rate. The review can be conducted on at 2 levels, Sales Performance and Soft skills. A feedback mechanism would help the employees to work on the areas they lag. The review can be scheduled every 8 months and every employee can be given an opportunity to get promoted. The internal promotion structure could be leveraged as a tool to advertise. This would attract people who currently don’t want to join at Sales Associate Level. The promotion structure would also help in filling up the vacancies of Supervisors and Managers. Pay Structure: The pay structure for Sales Associate could be revised in a manner as explained below: According to the current pay structure, a Sales Associate is paid $6-$8 per hour or 6% of sales, whichever higher. Clearly it can be seen that the Marginal and the Poor performers are the once who are enjoying the fixed compensation system. In order to motivate them, fixed + variable compensation could be followed for these below par performers. This structure would demotivate the top performers as there will be a reduction in their salaries. So it would not be the best idea to implement this structure for top performers. A benchmark of $10000/sale/week could be set. This would not only motivate them to perform but the company also would overcome the problem of social loafing. The structure is explained below: Marginal-Poor Performers ($10000-/sales/ week) $3 per hour + 3 % of sales Leadership Program: The highly experiences set of Store Managers could be given an option to join the leadership program. Under this program the Senior Employees would take up the responsibility of the training module and help the company attain the level of quality it requires in its workforce. Their compensation could be based on the rate of conversion of trainees to Sales Associate instead of Sales. Increased Stock Options to senior and experienced Store Managers would give them a feel of ownership in the firm which is what an employee needs after serving an organisation for years.

American Sign Language As A Language Education Essay

American Sign Language As A Language Education Essay In this chapter, a review of the literature that serves as a foundation for this study is presented. The literature review addresses the theoretical basis of considering American Sign Language as a language, issues in the administration of modern/foreign language programs that parallel the concerns of sign language program administrators, national language program standards, the history of the teaching and administration of post-secondary sign language programs including information on the academic acceptance of sign language in higher education. Concluding this chapter will be a discussion on the state of the literature. American Sign Language as a Language The discussion of ASL and its membership as a language did not occur before William Stokoe, of Gallaudet University in Washington D.C., breached the topic in 1955. Many educators believed sign language was a system of pantomime or broken English. This belief was also held by the deaf individuals themselves (Miller, 2008). Stokoe believed that ASL was indeed a naturally occurring and distinct language ustilized by deaf people and could be studied as a language (Stokoe, 1960 ). Stokoes research spanned from 1955 to 1965 and covered signing as a linguistic system and signs as a part of the system. The first American Sign Language Dictionary was published in 1965 at the conclusion of the first part of Stokoes research. The focus part of Stokeoes continued research focused on the syntax of the language and its importance to teaching English to deaf children. Dr Stokoe asserts he was in constant contact with the Center for Applied Linguistics, the Georgetown University School of Language a nd Linguistics, and the Washington Linguistics Club, laying the foundation and belief that parts of sign language grammar paralleled parts of the languages they were studying (Stokoe, 1990). Stokoe believed signs could be taken apart and analyzed into parts allowing researchers and linguists to study how the language works, how they evolved, and how they could be taught. The work of William Stokoe was not widely accepted among all professionals. Since the 1970s many have argued against the language classification for ASL and especially that of foreign language (Stokoe, 1960; Wilcox, 1990). ASL was studied and analyzed without further evidence that it was a full blown language. Questions have been raised regarding ASLs legitimacy as a foreign language. The following are a set of questions that are common among critics of ASL. (a) Isnt ASL indigenous to the United States and therefore not foreign? (b) Isnt ASL a derivative of English which would disqualify it as a separate language? (c) Is ASL naturally occurring and evolving? (d) If ASL is not written, how can it have a culture? (e) Is there a body of literature to support ASL and its culture? All of these questions have been asked over the decades and have been the major road blocks to ASL being recognized as a language. William Stokoe effectively answered these questions over several years which have been supported by several other scholars in linguistics and culture. In response to the questions regarding whether or not ASL is a language, Stokoe explains in detail with books and dictionaries the morphology, phonology, syntax, as well as semantics and pragmatics and how it differs from that of English or other spoken languages (Stokoe, 1960). Wilcox Peyton (1999) state, ASL is a fully developed language, one of hundreds of naturally occurring sign languages in the world. Conover (1997) states that one is not likely to find much opposition to ASL as a language form linguists, however the most resistance comes from colleges and universities who do not believe ASL should be taught as a foreign language (Miller, 2008). There is a great deal of research, according to Wilcox Peyton (1999), which demonstrates that ASL grammar is radically different from English grammar; it contains structures and process es which English lacks (Wilcox, 1999; Vigoda, 1993). When comparing American Sign Language to other accepted foreign languages one must take in to account that Navajo and several other Native American languages are widely accepted as foreign languages, being even more indigenous to America than ASL. A language need not be foreign to be considered a foreign language (Wilcox, S. Wilcox, P., 1991). In response to the literature question, researchers have found a vast body of literature among deaf people (Cooper et al, 2008; Armstrong, 1988). The literature is not in a written traditional form but, like Native American languages, through story telling passed from generation to generation. With modern technology these very old stories can now be viewed on the internet and on DVDs. The widespread use of storytelling in deaf culture has become more and more available to the general population. ASL continues to be a topic of research at numerous universities and has evolved to be the lead topic in language acquisition, eurolinguistics, psycholinguistics, sociolinguistics, anthropology, cognitive studies, teaching methods, and assessment of sign language skills (Jacobowitz, 2005; Miller, 2008). Empirical research on language in the human brain has provided support for Stokoes initial findings. Studies focused on neural processing of signed language found the same areas of the brain are used to process spoken language (Hickok et al., 2001). The New York Times in 1992 argues ASL is a language because it uses the same elements of spoken language and is organized like any other spoken language (Hickok et al., 2001; Stokoe, 2005). Two linguists from the Salk Institute, Klima and Bellugi (1979) began studying sign language in the 1960s, they wondered whether ASL was an language as other linguists understand that concept. The findings of Klima and Bellugi (1979) supported the linguistic components of ASL, which they called a complexly structured language with a highly articulated grammar, a language that exhibits many of the fundamental properties linguists have posited for all languages (p. 4). Definitions of ASL continued in 1980 with Baker and Cokely indicating ASL is a visual-gestural language created by deaf people (p. 47). They defined the language as a system of relatively arbitrary symbols and grammatical signals that change across time and that members of a community share and use for several purposes: to interact with each other, to communicate their ideas, emotions, intentions, and to transmit their culture from generation to generation (p. 31). Issues of Administration Administrators of LOTE programs often face issues that are not unique to their program. Instructors of American Sign Language often rely on the philosophies, policies, theories, and strategies used in other programs that teach LOTE. Concerns faced by ASL administrators often face similar concerns of LOTE Administrators. A study conducted by the MLA in 1989 showed that language requirements varied depending on the type of language program, and type of institution. More than half of the institutions surveyed (58.5% public, 41.5% private) viewed language study as essential to a well-rounded education (Cooper, 1997, p.29; Huber, 1989). Additionally the MLA study indicated that 87% of the institutions housed all languages within one divisional unit. Of those institutions the languages were housed with other non-language courses and in departments outside of the language emphasis such as philosophy and Humanities. Essentially, the study finds that administrative decisions regarding language instruction was made by departments and administrators with no experience in LOTE. Huber (1989) suggests foreign language instruction may take a secondary role to English when both are offered in the same department. Over half (56%) that offered a degree in English did not offer a degree in LOTE, and those that offered a MA in English only offered a BA in some of the other languages. Huber (1989) also suggests that language programs may be housed in non-language departments because of resource restraints or low student interest. A study of 1000 foreign language department chairs done by Cardenas (1988) indicated over seventy percent (73.7%) of the respondents found one of the most frustrating pieces of administration of the language departments was the lack of momentum with their own research and teaching. Much of the frustration was motivating unproductive faculty (60.2%), faculty evaluations (54.3%), managing the budget (51.7%), and recruiting part-time faculty (48.3%). National Language Program Standards The American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) states as part of their philosophy that Language and communication are at the heart of the human experience (ACTFL).   The organization goes on to say they envision a future in which ALL students will develop and maintain proficiency in English and at least one other language, modern or classical (ACTFL). In essence these statements open the door for all forms of communication that meet the standards of language learning. The Standards for Foreign Language Learning; Preparing for the 21st Century has been a mainstay for guidance of foreign language instruction. These standards, according to the ACTFL, are called the 5 Cs (Communicate, Culture, Connect, Compare, and Community). According to Lear and Abbott (2008) To comply with these standards, the successful student will use language to communicate for real purposes, understand multicultural and global issues, connect with other disciplines and acquire new knowledge, make comparisons with their own language and culture, and participate in multilingual communities(Lear Abbott, 2008, p. 77) (Table 1). A language program should attempt as much of the 5 Cs as possible, however little discussion is found to what extent each must be accomplished (Lear Abbott, 2008). It is widely accepted that goal 5 is difficult to accomplish in a closed classroom setting. In a position paper by the ACTFL in 2011 ASL was recognized as a LOTE when it stated, Communication for a classical language refers to an emphasis on reading ability and for American Sign Language (ASL) to signed communicative ability (ACTFL Position Statements, 2011). The publication of Standards became known as the à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¢genericà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬- version of standards in that it addressed issues and delineated standards common to all second-language learning yet contained examples in many languages (Phillips, J. Abbott, M. 2011, p.1). From 2005 to 2010, the American Sign Language Teachers Association (ASLTA) and the National Consortium of Interpreter Education Centers (NCIEC) collaborated on Table 1. A complete listing of ACTFLs Standards for Foreign Language Learning. Communication Communicate in Language Other Than English Standard 1.1: Students engage in conversations, provide and obtain information, express feelings and emotions, and exchange opinions. Standard 1.2: Students understand and interpret written and spoken language on a variety of topics. Standard 1.3: Students present information, concepts, and ideas to an audience of listeners or readers on a variety of topics. Cultures Gain Knowledge and Understanding of Other Cultures Standard 2.1: Students demonstrate an understanding of the relationship between the practices and perspectives of the culture studied. Standard 2.2: Students demonstrate an understanding of the relationship between the products and perspectives of the culture studied. Connections Connect with Other Disciplines and Acquire Information Standard 3.1: Students reinforce and further their knowledge of other disciplines through the foreign language. Standard 3.2: Students acquire information and recognize the distinctive viewpoints that are only available through the foreign language and its cultures. Comparisons Develop Insight in the Nature of Language and Culture Standard 4.1: Students demonstrate understanding of the nature of language through comparisons of the language studied and their own. Standard 4.2: Students demonstrate understanding of the concept of culture through comparisons of the cultures studied and their own. Communities Participate in Multilingual Communities at Home and Around the World Standard 5.1: Students use the language both within and beyond the school setting. Standard 5.2: Students show evidence of becoming life-long learners by using the language for personal enjoyment and enrichment. the development of standards for ASL instruction as a guide to teachers and administrators of sign language programs. These standards utilized the ACTFLs Standards for Foreign Language Learning framework. The standards use the same 5 Cs of language instruction and are printed as part of the 2012 ACTFL Standards for Foreign Language Learning (Phillips, J. Abbott, M. 2011). Originally the standards were written with nine languages being considered: Chinese, Classical Languages, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish the Standards have expanded to include languages other than the original nine. Standards for learning Arabic are now in the printed version; they have also been developed for Hindi, Swahili, Korean and American Sign Language (Phillips, J. Abbott, M. 2011). History of Academic Acceptance of Sign Language Sign Language appeared as a language for the first time beginning in the mid-1960s when Stoke, Casterline, and Croneberg published the Dictionary of American Sign Language on Linguistic Principles. This event gave linguistic recognition to ASL for the first time in its history, although very few people recognized the event as significant (Wilcox, S. Wilcox, P, 1991). Depaul University has been recognized as the first university in the United States to offer sign language classes in 1965 (Shroyer Holmes, 1980). The National Association of the Deaf (NAD) built a Communication Skills Program in 1967 in an attempt to spur language acquisition in schools, universities and programs who serve deaf people by offering sign language classes (Newel, 1995a). During the same period of time several sign systems were invented to assist in teaching deaf children English. The most popular systems used were Seeing Essential English (SEE I), Linguistics of Visual English (LOVE), and Signing Exact English (SEE II) (Cooper, 1997). The purpose of these sign systems was to simplify the process of teaching English to deaf children; however, over time they became recognized as sign systems and were taught as varying sign language classed in colleges and universities (Cooper 1997). Other events in the 1960s and 1970s contributed to the increased availability of sign language classes in schools and higher education. Research and publications by Stoke (1966 1990), Klimba and Bellugi (1979), Wilbur (1979, 1987), and Cokely and Baker (1980) added support for the general acceptance of ASL as a language (Cooper, 1997). Legislation also played an important role for sign language in the schools as the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and PL94-142 of 1975 expanded the requirement to provide Sign Language Interpreters in the classroom as a service for deaf students. The caused an increased need for skilled hearing individuals to learn sign language so that interpreters may be available in the schools when required. Interpreter training programs gained federal funding in an effort to relieve the pressure for skilled interpreters (Newell, 1995b). Implications for Future Research Additional and ongoing research regarding individual views regarding sign language is needed including tracking the growth of programs nationally would be beneficial. Future research in development of ASL programs regionally is essential particularly as it partners with LOTE programs. Current data on institutions that recognize ASL as a LOTE and houses it with other languages is important. Particular interest regarding institutions that discontinue their programs and the reasons behind it would be valued. This study did not address certifications of teachers currently working as ASL instructors however data regarding the fact is needed to assess future needs in training instructors in the language. The correlation of signing and non-signing administrators was not examined. Neither was the ethnicity or gender discussed although this would be interesting to research for further influence among minorities and genders. Evaluation of the State of the Literature Regarding current research the surveys administered should be shorter in length to increase the participation rate of responders. Additional information regarding majors, minors, and other university requirements would be helpful including where the sign language program is housed. For example, knowing if the program is a stand-alone program, part of another language department, or listed for credit as an elective would assist institutions in making decisions on language administration. The research to this point in history has focused mainly on which schools accept ASL for credit and the overarching reasons why some may not accept it. Not a lot of research has been done to discuss the programs reasons for acceptance or the process of approval if they were able to secure approval. This research attempts to answer the question many researchers failed to answer, which is a more detailed understanding of personal views of ASL by administrators of languages other than English. Past research has been able to list categories of rejection or acceptance and attempted to list which institutions have been able to recognize sign language for credit on par with other languages at the institutions. The question left unanswered are at what level does ASL receive the most support or resistance in the process of gaining recognition as a language at the institutions. This is important for future organizations who seek approval at various colleges and universities. Additionally, the overall acceptance of sign language in various countries would also be valued to find the international point of view of sign language as it is compared to the United States.