The South-African Socio-Economic and Political Context free essay sample

In this assignment the student will be analyzing the broader national context and the impact and challenges for social welfare services and social work in South Africa. This assignment will include an analysis of 5 media clips, State of Nation Address by the President, Mr Jacob G. Zuma and the Budget Speech by the Minister of Finance, Mr Pravin J. Gordhan. This is the individual’s analysis of the articles, which will further guide and add towards the group work assignment. 2. State of Nation Address (RSA, State of Nation Address, 2012) The State of Nation Address of South Africa 2012 was presented by President Jacob Zuma on the 8th of February 2012. President Jacob Zuma identified the progress made as well as ways to further improve various areas in South Africa that needs to be addressed. He identified areas such as health, energy, human settlement, education, and fight against crime, water provision and rural development. We will write a custom essay sample on The South-African Socio-Economic and Political Context or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page In 2011 job creation was mainstreamed, cooperation between government was strengthened; only by working together the challenges in South Africa can be addressed. There has been progressed made, but poverty, unemployment and inequality is still a big challenge in South Africa. The national Cabinet identified that the economy of the country needs to grow in order to eliminate poverty, problems of unemployment and inequality. In 2012 there will be greatly focus on infrastructure development. This can help with the improvement of education, health, job creation, rural development and other areas of challenges in South Africa. 3. Budget Speech (RSA, Budget Speech, 2012) The National Budget Speech for South Africa 2012 was delivered by the Minister of Finance Pravin Gordhan on the 22nd of February 2012. Pravin Gordhan (RSA, Budget Speech, 2012) stated that â€Å"We remain steadfast in addressing the challenges of creating jobs, reducing poverty, building infrastructure, and expanding our economy. † Social grants for people receive the most money, where over 16 million South Africans receive a grant. South Africa is a developmental state, but by increasing the amount of the grants and the people who receive the grants, it is not developmental at all. South Africa should look at other aspects and find ways to enhance people without being dependable on the social grants. Is giving over 16 million citizen’s social grant really alleviating poverty or is it worsening the problem of poverty in the country? Education and infrastructure receives a high amount of finances to address the current need in South Africa. There is money set out for different areas and to help address the challenges that South Africa faces. The finances are there to address the challenges, but the government should utilize these finances as effective as possible. Without these finances, services and problems can’t be addressed thus giving the government and other key participants in this country a responsibility towards South Africa and the challenges faced every day. 4. Article 1: â€Å"Study shows grants end up in right place† (2012) There has been a new study found that the social grant money is being given to the right people (Study shows grants end up in right place, 2012). The article further states that the money that is given to the women for the child support grant uses it for the house hold expenses, food and the children. The money given is very low, in the Budget Speech it states that the social grants will increase from R105 billion to R122 billion in the next 3 years (RSA, Budget Speech, 2012). The study concludes that the women who receive these grants are making key financial decisions in their households. Further on the article state that the women don’t just receive the grants, but participate in projects and the community to enhance their quality of life. Thus the women not only just receive money, but they do develop and grow in taking part and making use of their financial skills. In this way the grants are not only just given, but is forming part of social development. This study was conducted for three years in Soweto, thus only focussed on the area Doornkop. Meanings that this developing of people does not necessary go all over South-Africa. South Africa is a developmental country, even though grants are not developmental, there is an opportunity to enhance the people involved in the social system. This enhancement can be achieved by giving people responsibility and giving them the opportunity to develop new skills and knowledge. In order for them to improve their quality of life and growth happening for people to become independent and taking charge of their own lives. In this study Patel stated that giving poor women grants has given them the opportunity to have access to resources and enabling them to take control of their finances and to make decisions. The implication of the grants can be a starting point for women to have opportunity to rise above poverty, taking it one step at a time where resources and skills can enhance poverty alleviation. The challenges that lie within the social welfare and the services are to give and develop women in learning them skills that comes with the grants. 5. Article 2: â€Å"Jongmense sonder werk bedreig SA, se Nzimande†(Prince, 2012:10) Prince (2012:10) states in his article that the 3 million unemployed youth between the ages of 18 and 24 years are threatening the stability of South Africa. Dr. Blade Nzimande stated that the government will expand on education and educational colleges and that the VOO-colleges will play a leading role. President Jacob Zuma further stated that the government will give R 2,5 billion in the next three years to expand and improve colleges. He further stated that it will form part of the infrastructure project, also stated in the State of Nations Address. There will be more schools, universities and hospitals build. Dr. Nzimande said that there is a negative impression of colleges and that is because of the lack of finances, infrastructure and relevant courses. The implications of the youth finishing their studies and gain more skills can benefit South Africa in different work sectors and there will be skilled people to be able to do certain work. If implemented as stated the challenge will be to create the opportunity for the youth to enter the work sector. Without the availability of jobs, it is difficult to address the high unemployment rate currently. The youth needs to be challenged and motivated by social workers and social welfare, to further their education and to complete their studies, for them to have the opportunity to enter different work sectors. â€Å"Politiek kaap gedeelde optog oor swak skool†(Jansen amp; Claasen, 2012:20) In the Budget Speech (2012) Pravin Gordhan stated that education receives a large share of the government spending. The money is allocated towards infrastructure of schools, to student bursaries and to expand further education, training colleges and skill development. Jansen amp; Claasen (2012:20) wrote about an incident that occurred in Grabouw: There was n protest against an overpopulated school, where the black and brown residents of this area turned on each other and got violent. The school had many damages. One of the residents also stated that the protest was for the bad conditions of the classrooms; where money was suppose to be given to the school in 2004 by the government. Political parties also had words for each other, where the DA states that the ANC uses a team to cause havoc in the area in order to gain more votes. There should be a clear focus on education and the importance there of. Instead of enhancing and trying to improve or make the government aware of the problem, the residents took charge and caused more damage to the school than good. The problem is the overpopulated school and the bad class rooms. Not only did government promise the school money, and indicated that they are giving money for infrastructure for schools in South Africa, but the challenge is to address this need. The challenge for social workers is to stand up and make their voice loud in the government on the injustice happening because of neglect. The implication of government not addressing this need can be of a disadvantage to the communities. Social workers should challenge the Government on how to improve and address all the schools that needs assistance. Education is important, and with education comes job opportunities and better quality of life. People of South Africa need to respect the right of education and the importance there of, by supporting and enhancing the school system and not to make it worse for the children that has to attend school. The challenges that lies within the social welfare and social work services is to promote social justice and to make people aware of their rights but also to take responsibility for their actions and respect that for which they stand for. 7. Article 4: â€Å"Greatest human rights violation is poverty† (2012) Pregs Govender, deputy chairperson of the South African Human Rights Commission said that poverty in South Africa is the greatest human rights violation (Greatest human rights violation is poverty, 2012). She further stated that especially women don’t have access to sanitation in the rural area. The right to health is not accessible to all people as it should be. President Zuma stated in the State of Nation Address (2012) that the Constitution is the fundamental vision statement in which policies and actions are guided in South-Africa. He also stated that they will work on the improvement of sanitation, water, electricity and roads. The question to be asked is what are the actions being done to improve sanitation as well as are they fundamentals of the Constitution and whether human rights are a priority. The challenge is that poverty is evident in South Africa and people do not have the freedom to take for granted or access to their rights as humans. Social workers should make people aware of their rights and the responsibility of those rights. The challenge for the social welfare and the social workers is to work from a developmental approach, by giving people in poverty the skills and create opportunity for people to gain knowledge, so that they can gain a sustainable income. The article goes on where it talks about the infrastructure plan to respond to the basic needs of people that has been underdeveloped over the past years. Infrastructure is not only there to improve situations in South Africa but to connect the rural communities to economic opportunities through the building of dams and systems. The implications of infrastructure development can create employment as stated in the State of Nation Address (2012). The challenge however is to not only create opportunity for economical growth and employment but for social welfare services and social workers to provide sustainable projects and programmes, to assure better quality of life, skills development, and employment of people. 8. Article 5: â€Å"As dit nou nog nie werk nie, stel dit reg† (Nolutshungu, 2012:III) President Jacob Zuma identified the challenge of unemployment, poverty and inequality, despite the progress made in South Africa already. He further states that Africans, women and youth suffer the most under these challenges (RSA, State of Nation Address, 2012). Nolutshungu (2012:III) wrote that if South Africa wants to alleviate poverty and unemployment, they should get rid of the BEE system. The unemployment number is 37% at present, where he states that the government should take different action steps and look at the challenges ahead. He further says that the government should look at their economic policies and should be willing to bring about change to enhance the economical growth. The challenges are still to create equal opportunities for all citizens, regardless of their gender, race and culture. Equality is what we strive towards in South Africa and is part of the constitution, but is there really equality implemented among citizens? The reality is that Africans, women and the youth suffer most in the challenges of poverty, unemployment and inequality (RSA, State of Nation Address, 2012), but the implication is that there is not equal opportunity for them all. In addressing job creation, women are being neglected. South Africa promotes equality, but they do not execute it. The challenge for social welfare is to address equality and implement it in services they render and promote sustainable equality, for change to take place. 9. Conclusion In the analysis of the media clips, State of Nations Address and the Budget Speech, the student gained more insight in what is happening currently in South Africa and what is planned to address the needs and challenges the country faces. In preparation for the group assignment, the student will be able to bring her understanding, questions and insight she gained in doing the individual assignment to the group.

When To Make a Multiple Page Resume

When To Make a Multiple Page Resume We’ve all been told the cardinal rule of resume writing. Concision. Get as much information into as few words as possible, present everything cleanly and clearly and- no matter what- stuff it all into one easy-to-read page. That’s fantastic advice 99.9% of the time. For the most part, you don’t want to give too much away. Save some details for the interview, and make sure everything in the resume is screaming that you deserve one. You want to make sure you stand out from the crowd and make the cut.However, there are certain situations when a multiple page resume  might be called for. Here are some good general rules of thumb.One Page ResumeWhen you have fewer than 10 years in your field- whether you’re just starting out or are making a major career change and have yet to gather the requisite wealth of experience. Or if you’ve had multiple positions with the same company or employer.Two Page ResumeIf you’re pushing 10+ years experience in yo ur field, particularly in your particular sphere. Or if you are in a field requiring a good deal of technical, engineering, or other specific bits of knowledge and background qualifications which you need to list out in detail.Three Page ResumeIf you’re an academic or a scientist and you have numerous speaking engagements, publications, patents, professional service, courses, etc. to list. At this point, this is less a resume and more of a C.V. Also if you’re in a senior level or you’re an executive and you have a massive laundry list of leadership accolades to list.If you’re new to your field, or to the workforce in general, follow the well-established rules you’re told. But if you feel you’ve developed past the one-page point, try expanding your space and see how it pans out.

Businesses in Canada Essays - Economic Ideologies, Economic Systems

Businesses in Canada Technological changes today, and in the near future, will be the greatest influence on Business as we know it. With the development of computers and robots, the requirements for many industries will fill up extremely quickly. By having machines to perform complex and monotonous operations by humans, industries will seek out their aid and most likely affect the emplyoment rate both ways. There is no question that many individuals will lose their jobs but at the same time new options will arise. An example would be the development of the Telstat Telecommunications satellite which opened the door for many unemployed citizens who possessed the key ingredient to hold down such a job. This ingredient would be based upon Toffler's thesis that information is the most valuable aspect our lives and that wealth is insignificant compared to the rewards of knowledge. There is an abudance of positions available to Canadians that cannot be completed by computers (at least, for the time being) and therefore, our standard of living and quality of life will not be depleted. Technology will either be the blessing or curse for society in the future, and depending on the position of our government, will we be able to make sure that our standard of living does not decrease. The deficit poses a severe problem in a country littered will such vast natural resources and a high education level in its populace. The presence of inflation in the cost of goods will not profit private businesses if they are unable to compete with the demand from the public. With major corporations seeking to gain from an increase in expenditures, it would become vital for a private business to take advantage of the situation by lowering their prices to accomodate the flow of income. At the same token, it is important for private business to avoid depleting their assets in order to maintain a steady flow of provisions. Without maintaining a close look at the whole commerce situation in the country, it is doubtful that the private business will be able to cope in the vast competitive market. The political system in Canada will eventually decide the fate of business in the country. Since Canada is under the philosophy pertaining to Democratic Socialism, it seems unlikely that a significant change will occur in the next few decades. Our capitalisitic roots will help us stay competitive and the market will flourish. The current party in power (Tories) will aid the increasing competition if they can maintain their position, however this seems unlikely as the New Democratic Party are more concerned with the welfare of the people in general (therefore, more socialistic). I believe that Business in the Canadian environment is escalating at a rate that will eventually see our products of Technology forcing us out of an occupation. By the year 2000, with an ominous deficit and pestering recession still taking its toll, major companies and corporation will find themselves replacing the knowledge and education a person with the consistency and accuracy of a machine. This will cause the unemployment rate to soar, our welfare situation to worsen and our quality of live to regress. I believe that unless our government can 'Grab the bull by the horns' and solidify our political and economic situation, this country will fall into a scenario that will see our valuable socialism crumble beneath our feet.

External Forces, Brand Strategy and Strategic Position Essay

External Forces, Brand Strategy and Strategic Position - Essay Example In present business environment, the competition had been likened to the battle zone where business rivals throw every manner of jibes to outdo another. It is normally said that the person who arrives first in the battle zone awaits opponents with much ease, and the one who comes later into the battle zone is often weary. It is on this backdrop that the business operations of Scribe Group often enter the market that is dominated by the big boys and competes on the complacency of other companies to win their share of the market and build their brand. To go out for war metaphorically requires strategy, and strategy in simple connotative term implies tactics that have been inculcated to outdo the opponent. The firm faces a number of external challenges myriad with internal dynamics. In understanding the Scribe Group’s external forces, the Porters Five Forces Model provides a sufficient mechanism for the analysis. The model recognizes and evaluates five competitive forces that continually bombard and shape companies to allocate their industry’s level of competitiveness and hence understand the development of their strategies (Griffin, 2013). In the paragraphs that will ensue, this paper shall apply the Five-Forces Model for the Scribe Group. First, Barriers to Entry, which is high, the airline industry is synonymous with a high fixed cost required for business development. The Selling and administrative costs can be high within the industry, given the fact that Scribe Group enters into a market where there are already established names especially the advertising costs. The report shows that the combined pretax profit realized from rail and airlines in 2013 and 2014 are 90 and 112 respectively against a huge turnover in the same period of  £980 and  £1101 respectively. The huge difference in turnover and profit is the result of even a comparable larger selling and administrative costs.

Managed care contracts Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Managed care contracts - Essay Example Managed care is sometimes used as a general term for the activity of organizing doctors, hospitals, and other providers into groups in order to enhance the quality and cost-effectiveness of health care. Managed Care Organizations (MCO) include HMO, PPO, POS, EPO, PHO, IDS, AHP, IPA, etc. Usually when one speaks of a managed care organization, one is speaking of the entity that manages risk, contracts with providers, is paid by employers or patient groups, or handles claims processing. Managed care has effectively formed a "go-between", brokerage or 3rd party arrangement by existing as the gatekeeper between payers and providers and patients. The term managed care is often misunderstood, as it refers to numerous aspects of healthcare management, payment and organization. It is best to ask the speaker to clarify what he or she means when using the term "managed care". In the purest sense, all people working in healthcare and medical insurance can be thought of as "managing care." Any s ystem of health payment or delivery arrangements where the plan attempts to control or coordinate use of health services by its enrolled members in order to contain health expenditures, improve quality, or both. Arrangements often involve a defined delivery system of providers with some form of contractual arrangement with the plan. See Health Maintenance Organization, Independent Practice Association, Preferred Provider Organization (Pohley 2008). Systems and techniques used to control the use of health care services. Includes a review of medical necessity, incentives to use certain providers, and case management. The body of clinical, financial and organizational activities designed to ensure the provision of appropriate health care services in a cost-efficient manner. Managed care techniques are most often practiced by organizations and professionals that assume risk for a

Stand and Deliver Essay Example for Free

Stand and Deliver Essay In the movie Stand and Deliver, directed by Ramon Menendez, Mr. Escalante who starts teaching math at a poor high school meets several difficulties at the beginning of the movie. When Mr. Escalante is driving down the street on his way to Garfield High School, he begins to notice dirty walls that are full of graffiti, closed shops, gang members, and poor people. When Mr. Escalante arrives at the school, he notices that there is no order in the hallways. Such as students are late for classes, and they are disrespectful to teachers. Mr. Escalante is supposed to be a computer teacher at Garfield High School; however, he is told that this high school does not have any computers. As the result, he becomes a math teacher who is determined to â€Å"change the system and challenge the students to a higher level of achievement. † Mr. Escalante is at first not well liked by students, receiving an immense amount of laughs and tricks. The reason is that students in this high school focus more on entertainment rather than academics. All those tough situations do not defeat Mr. Escalante. He finds his way to solve them step by step. He does not react on the first day, letting the students talk back and throw paper at him. The next day he comes to class with a butcher’s knife and an apron on in order to get the class’s attention. He whacks a huge chunk of an apple out in front of the whole class, which immediately gets the students’ full attention and he begins.

The Indignity of the Church :: Essays Papers

The Indignity of the Church In the article â€Å"The Priest Scandal†, by Carol Cannon expresses her views in the American Journalism Review regarding the scandals within the Catholic Church. She continues to explain how the Catholic Church has been trying to keep the whole issue hidden from society. Carol Cannon makes a point how the media has struggled with pursuing this issue for many years, while America wasn’t ready to hear the truth on such a controversial topic. Carol Cannon is writing to many different groups. Catholics are probably going to be the most interested, but since this issue is so huge it affects many different audiences and ages. Cannon’s article on sexual child abuse by priests, is written through the use of logic, credibility and emotions. She displays a clear topic and supports with using reason along with values and beliefs. The claims that Cannon makes are logical because many priests have come forwards or been charged with child molestation. Cannon makes logical claims by issuing persuasive arguments on the issue that child molestation by priests has been covered up for years. She has been reporting on the issue of pedophilia by Church officials for more than 13 years. Cannon uses evidence to support her claim. She has a combination of evidence, some which of were interviews of children who were sexual molested by priests. Cannon, along with others has also been granted permission to explore archives where the priest’s cases have been taken to court. Cannon’s examples are convincing through her arguments. She also has credible sources of other journalists that wrote on the same topic as she did. Cannons argument appeal to everyday common sense because the issue has become such a big deal to Americans. The media has also played a large part in the growth of this topic. When reporters were told to pick another topic the news media didn’t listen and were heard. Since the issue of child molestation has been around for awhile, the public knows of the issue and has a stance on it. The structure of the article has much to do on the argument of the topic. The author starts out with her credibility and then a short narrative which is an attention getter.

Possible Outcomes of Overpopulation

Possible Overpopulation Solutions The human population growth of the last century is tremendous. It required only forty years after 1950 for the population to double from 2. 5 billion to 5 billion. The factors affecting global human population are very simple. Theyre fertility, mortality, initial population and time. India, China and USA are the top countries that are currently in crisis because of overpopulation. Many of our basic resources are strained such as, food; one out of every seven people alive, go to bed hungry. 5,000 people die of malnutrition and hunger-related diseases. In many regions children's asthma has risen dramatically because of the air quality (www. howmany. org). Since this is happening, a result might be that there wouldn't be enough food, water, or shelter and therefore these numbers will increase. Scientists say solutions to this situation would be to plan out how many kids you want and use birth control.Some scientists think that the Government should adop t the slogan â€Å"Patriotic citizens stop at two children† and adjust tax and other policies (wmwnbcnews. com). Coaching Questions 1 . It's really feasible to control how many children a person has. In order to maintain urrent population, 1 kid per person is required. 2. We obtain energy from natural resources, fossil fuels, and nonrenewable energy. We would need more energy. Sometimes burning resources such as coal causes pollution. 3.Disease that spread fast in crowded conditions is: food poisoning, typhoid fever, tetanus and polio. These diseases can be treated and prevented with proper methods. 4. 14,475 deaths per day; in India the let vultures eat the dead; it's not practical to use land because of the growing population. Yes, building houses. 5. We need to conserve land and soil because we need somewhere to build houses and farms. . When land becomes a desert, this would be a problem because nothing grows in the desert. 7.Some residents get theirs from wells, some fro m city water in the ground 8. No, you cant add or lose water. 9. We would need a bigger hospital and a lot more schools; we would Just need to expand almost everything to adjust properly. 10. Yes , people will fight for what they need. Immigration would increase; people would move to places with the most resources. 1 1 . There would be less demand for animals which would give us more land 12. China, India and the USA. Possible Outcomes of Overpopulation By kiara_shonte

Low Stakes Paper: The Shepherd’s Horn Essay

In â€Å"The Shepherd’s Horn†, persuasion plays an essential role throughout the entire story. Persuasion can be an extremely powerful tool and through telling this story, Hansen illustrates just how significant it can be. â€Å"The Shepherd’s Horn† tells the story of a young couple, Ragnhild and Guttorm, who are prevented from having a relationship by Ragnhild’s protective father, Thord. Together, Ragnhild and Guttorm have a child out of wedlock, therefore forcing the couple to hide their relationship as well as their child from Ranghild’s mother and father in fear of disapproval. However, with the help of Caroline, the story’s narrator, the couple is finally reconciled with her parents because Caroline’s abilities to persuade are no match for Thord. Caroline’s curiosity in the story is essential because without it, the story may not have had such a happy ending. His recognition of the sound from the mysterious horn in his dream is what ultimately leads him to learn about the story of Ragnhild and Guttorm and to his surprise, their child. Touched by their romantic story, Caroline was able to convince Ragnhild and Guttorm to have courage and tell her parents the truth about their relationship, as well as their child. This is where the first major instance of persuasion occurs in the story. Caroline’s influential approach was the first step in having the couple confess to Ragnhild’s mother and father the life that they had been hiding for many years. After he was able to convince them to lay â€Å"their fate in [his] hands†, they proceeded to find Thord. Ragnhild and Guttorm had been hiding this child for months, and their relationship for even longer, so the fact that Caroline was able to convince them with such ease to finally admit this story shows that Caroline is a very skillful persuader. However, rather than flat out telling Thord the truth, Caroline first went about telling him in a very clever manner. Caroline started by telling Thord a â€Å"tale† that paralleled the story of Ragnhild and Guttorm, easing the idea of the reality of the situation onto Thord. As he saw Thord grow more and more intrigued in the story, he skillfully explained at the end, how the story taught, â€Å"about your royal lineage†¦here lies the word of the Lord, which teaches that we are the same before God. It teaches humility and forgiveness, mercy and love†. His choice to compare his tale with that of Ragnhild and Guttorm’s was witty as he was first able to explain the moral of the story before Thord became too enraged to listen, which may not have been the case if he had only heard the story of Ragnhild and Guttorm. After Thord had heard everything that Caroline had to say about how, in fact, this story taught valuable life lessons about forgiveness, Caroline decided to proceed right into revealing Ragnhild and Guttorm’s child. At first, Thord and his wife were angry and upset. However, it was Caroline’s continuous efforts to persuade the couple combined with the respect that the couple had for him that eventually lead to their forgiveness. Much to all of their surprise, Thord was able to forgive Ragnhild and Guttorm and open to making peace with the situation. The story ended with Ragnhild and Guttorm happily married and the child was named after Caroline as a means of respect for what he had done for their family. After reading this story, I was able to see how prevalent the idea of persuasion was. It occurred throughout the entire story in instances that may have gone unnoticed, such as when Caroline convinced his driver to drive to the location after hearing the horn, as well as in very impactful places, when Caroline convinced Thord and his wife to forgive their daughter. Whether it was a climactic or part of the story or not, Caroline was very tactful in his methods, which ultimately lead to the happy ending of this story. While sometimes persuasion can be seen as manipulative, in â€Å"The Shepherd’s Horn†, it illustrates how the persuasion of even strangers can have such a positive impact. Caroline was able to use things such as diction, reasoning, and other persuasive strategies in order to achieve his goals of easing the reality of the situation on Ragnhild’s parents. Not only does persuasion take a lot of strategy, but it also requires courage. If it weren’t for Caroline’s persistence and persuasive methods, Ragnhild and Guttorm may not have had the courage to tell her parents and would ultimately live in hiding for the rest of their lives.

With reference to Sociobiology essays

With reference to Sociobiology essays A common thought that runs through the social sciences is that there is no such thing as human nature, but that if there is, it plays such a miniscule role in our daily lives that it can be all together forgotten about (Archer, 1996). Archer (1996) goes on to say that human behavior can be understood in terms of social roles and socialization, that is to say that our behavior is simply a reaction to our environment, social roles (for example mother, father, teacher) and our socialization or culture. However sociobiology and later evolutionary psychology came about in opposition to this theory. Sociobiology and took a more biological route claiming that behavior of both humans and animals are due to biological and evolutionary factors. It is mostly interested in the evolution of physical structures. (Archer, 1996). Evolutionary psychology differed from the genetic control orientated sociobiology by stating that behavior was due to current psychological mechanisms and our ability to respond. Evolutionary psychology is more interested in the evolution of behavior. (Archer, 1996). This essay will focus on sociobiology and evolutionary psychology and their principles regarding human nature and behavior. Before we explore sociobiology and evolutionary psychology we must clearly understand exactly what human nature is. There is no cut and dry definition, but rather nature can be understood in this context as human behavior and interaction and culture (Smille, 1985). The age old question that sociobiology and evolutionary psychology attempt to answer is are humans born with their nature or do humans make their nature? That is to say that humans are born pre-programmed with how to behave and so on, or are they active agents in forming, molding and changing their behavior day to day? Masters (1985) explains that sociobiology and part of evolutionary psychology (also known as the modern Darwinists) consists of five levels. T...

Whitney Museum of American Art Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Whitney Museum of American Art - Essay Example creasingly understood that the context of the museum setting and the principles upon which it is built must be known in order to understand the potential approach taken. This knowledge can be gained in a variety of ways such as multiple visits over a period of time through which a ‘feel’ for the museum and its philosophical approach might be developed. More practical means of discerning the particular approach a museum has adopted may include discovering the history of the museum, the distinguishing characteristics of it, the philosophies of the people who helped to build the museum to its present incarnation and an understanding of the people who govern, to some degree, the museum’s direction – the board of directors and donors. Therefore, before looking into the way the Whitney Museum of American Art treats its patrons through member benefits or the type of exhibitions they present, it is helpful to investigate some of these more practical conceptions of history, uniqueness, foundational principles and current influences. This museum was founded in 1931 based largely around the American art objects either previously collected by the museum’s founder Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney or purchased specifically for the museum by Mrs. Whitney. The original collection featured 700 paintings, sculptures and other art objects. Operating on a relatively tight budget, the museum quickly established a custom of purchasing works from living artists who were on the cusp of making themselves known in the general art world. These artists were often discovered through regularly scheduled exhibitions that showcased recent American art. Inspired pieces were often acquired through these exhibitions as well as future works by these grateful artists. Although these exhibits started as annual events, as soon as the museum could afford expansion, the events were scheduled biennially instead, a custom the museum continues to practice today. According to the museum’s

Management research assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Management research assignment - Essay Example The main objective of this paper according to the writers is to analyze various dimensions of educational validity of business gaming simulation that would be possible through the proposed research methodology framework. Thus the beginning part of the paper, specifically the abstract and introduction clearly indicates the background of the study they conducted. Research methodology is described, which as mentioned above is unique for its approach. According to Stainton, Johnson & Borodzicz (2010 p. 705), as a research method, they have relied on the ‘total enterprise simulation’. They further make clear that unlike the past, an effective research methodology is essential to analyze the business gaming simulation because the assessment of validity is an ongoing process; and therefore, it has to be viewed from an educational perspective. Researchers make a detailed review of available literature to form rather an authentic conclusion. According to them, design, implementat ion, and validity are the two most significant aspects associated with this research framework. Furthermore, the facilitator plays a crucial role in assisting learners to determine what to view, reflect, and learn. As far as the design is concerned, the factors associated with it involve, designer’s ability and perception, the significance of maintaining the sensible aspects of simulation etc. For instance, exaggeration or generalization of the difficulties of the real facts may occur if the designers’ perceptions flaw. Hence, according to the researchers, design plays a very important role in determining the quality of business gaming simulation. They further attribute the success of the implementation phase to the ‘learning by doing’ strategy which is based on the real life examples and problem solving. According to the writers, by following this method, with the help of a facilitator who would give training and motivation students will learn how to assi milate experiences with the given problem and their acquired knowledge. Thus, the writers come up with a more reasonable strategy for the effective implementation of a simulation. In order for answering the absence of an appropriate strategy for validating simulation, the researchers propose their own methodology that spreads across every phase of its process including design, implementation, and validation. According to them, education validity should involve the ‘internal educational validity, external educational validity, and external representational validity’ (Stainton, Johnson, and Borodzicz, 2010, p. 710). In order to understand these variables one should go through their concept of each form of validity. As they describe, internal education validity refers to participants’ understanding of their business outcome; whereas, external educational validity indicates participants’ ability to assimilate the real life experience with the simulation. And t hirdly, representational validity is evident if the simulation alters the participants’ attitude. In other words, these theoretical explanations refer to three things; 1) convince the participants of their business environment and roles (internal educational validity), 2) makes them understand how to relate the real life environment and simulation (external educational validity), and 3) makes participants able cope up with the real environment (representational v