The Issues Of Forest Fires Environmental Sciences Essay

The Issues Of Forest Fires Environmental Sciences Essay In the 21st century, influences of forest fires from demographic rapid changes, increase in human activities and unpredictable change in climate have become a crucial environmental problem in the ecosystems of the Southeast Asia region. It has unfavorably affected the natural environment and has put to risk the sustainable development as well as the management of resources (ADB, 2001). Indeed, haze pollution has been seriously affecting Indonesia and its neighboring countries due to the extensive burning of forests that arises in almost every year in Indonesia during the last 25 years. In 1997-1998, the global community raised its awareness on the critical conditions of constant haze and burning of forests. The occurrence of forest fires continued over long periods of time since the year 1998. The worst circumstances happened during 2001 and 2002 where the forest reserves and plantation areas of Riau province, West and Central Kalimantan and Sumatra burned. These corresponding areas were also affected by forest fires in 2003. The widespread forest fires happened in Sumatra and Kalimantan during March-July 2004 led to the increase of air pollution in Singapore, Malaysia, Brunei, and especially in Indonesia. To determine the extent of burning is by knowing the extent of deforestation in Indonesia given that it is greatly caused by fire and not the destruction through spraying of chemicals. Estimates on the loss of forests have been compiled since 1985 and is evident in the report of World Bank in 2001. According to the reports, beginning at 1985 to 1997, the range of forest cover has been reduced from 119 million hectares to approximately 100 million hectares. The forest fires happened in 1997 to 1998 desolated 1.7 million hectares in Sumatra, 6.5 million hectares in Kalimantan, 1.0 million hectares in Irian Jaya and 0.4 million hectares in Sulewesi, and brought about air pollution in Indonesia and its neighboring countries. From the given information on the annual loss of forests during 1985 to 1997, it is expected that the forest lands in Indonesia is now just over 90 million hectares from 1.7 million hectares. Causes of forest burning The sources of forest burning in Indonesia are divided into three groups: traditional cultivators, small scale investors, and large scale investors. The most long-lived source of forest burning is the subsistence and semi-subsistence traditional cultivators. Some of these are the inactive farmers who burn their small lands after harvest in order to kill the pests or weeds and also to refresh the soil to be used for planting. Others are known as the shifting cultivators who practice the common slash and burn methods to empty a small plot of the forest for crop cultivation. The second source of forest burning is the pioneer and migrant farmers. These farmers are given the authorization to acquire several hectares of forested land for them to clear by burning and of course to plant commercial tree crops. The third source of forest burning is the timber and palm oil plantation companies. Timber plantation companies first select trees of commercial value for cutting in an area and then the other remaining trees and bushes are burned in order to make way for the planting of trees that grow much faster and are used for commercial purposes. The oil plantation companies also apply the similar process of forest burning in order to create widespread palm oil plantations. The Indonesian government grants these companies of additional land concessions because these sectors such as logging and palm oil companies contribute significantly to the external trade of the Indonesian economy and thus provides a major source of foreign revenue. Apart from the three main sources of forest burning, there are other factors that contribute to the forest fires. These are political, economic, physiographic, sociocultural, and institutional factors as well. The most important of these are the policies and institutions. According to the Asian Development Bank (2001), lack of political will, inappropriate and poorly specified policies, weak legislation, ambiguous regulations, bureaucratic procedures, land-use conflicts, and inadequate resources for enforcement of laws and regulations were again and again crucial and crippling constraints. Harmful effects of forest burning It has indeed proved by the international environmental and health organizations that forest burning and air pollution have serious destructive consequences. The harmful effects are both seen in the areas of burning and in other areas and countries far from the fires (Jones, 2006). These impacts have several dimensions- economic, environmental, ecological, social, and others that may be onsite and offsite, direct or indirect (ADB, 2001). It is widely considered that the most serious effect of forest burning has been on public health, particularly as a result of people breathing in pollutants from burning of forests. Inhaling the smoke from the fires result in respiratory ailments such as upper respiratory tract infections, bronchial asthma and decrease in lung functioning. Also, it is evident that the smoke has serious effects on the skin and on the cardiovascular system. According to the estimations made by the Friends of the Earth in 1997, the haze has already claimed the lives of 19 people in Indonesia and over 40,000 people have been hospitalized. Up to 70 million people across the region are being affected, and health experts have warned that up to 20 % of all deaths in the region could be caused by the smog. Furthermore, press reports in June 2003 stated that thousands of people admitted to hospitals in Central and Kalimantan complained on breathing difficulties as well as eye irritation, while in 2004, health clinics and hospitals on the island of Sumatra mentioned that several patients seek for medications on respiratory problems. Forest fire impacts have also affected the social welfare through the displacement of communities, loss of income sources, and decreasing livelihood opportunities (ADB, 2001). Another serious effect of forest burning has been on climate, agriculture and bio-diversity. Further decrease in rainfall combining with effects of El Nino and decrease in sunlight that affected the photosynthesis of plants are due to the smoke brought about by forest burning. Besides this, forest burning has also led to soil erosion and flooding that ultimately reduced the productivity of agriculture. Furthermore, the Indonesian rain forests are home to a wide variety of plants and animals where in some of these are rare or endangered. According to the World Bank and Friends for the Earth, as a result of widespread forest burning, it has threatened the lives of numerous rare or endangered species. Forest fires also contribute to the global climate change and warming due to its greenhouse gas emissions in the atmosphere. These harmful effects, definitely, have detrimental economic and financial impacts on Indonesia and its neighboring countries. Evidently, the costs of these impacts include loss of forest timber, reduced agricultural production, losses resulting from soil erosion, medical expenses caused by ailments directly related to the haze, increased proneness to pests and diseases, need for new investments in forest rehabilitation and fire protection measures, costs arising from disruption to air travel and transport, and decreased revenue from tourism (ADB, 2001; Jones, 2006). It also had serious impacts on the means of livelihoods of indigenous people and it threatened the ability of the poor to improve their lives (ASEAN STRATEGY). According to the estimations made by the Asian Development Bank, the incident during the 1997-1998 alone cost the people and the Indonesian government around US$8.9 to US$9.7 billion. Linkage between climate change and social development Undoubtedly, the major impacts and threats of transboundary haze pollution that can contribute to climactic change are widespread. The most vulnerable to haze pollution (or climate change) are the poor because of the inability to adapt and recover to certain changes due to low income and limited access to basic services and needs. Also, the areas that they live in are highly exposed to natural hazards and are linked with their sources of income such as agriculture and forestry which are known to be climate-sensitive sectors. That is why it is necessary to come up with an immediate action. One solution is the need for adaptation where it is a process through which societies make themselves better able to cope with an uncertain future. It calls for taking the right measures to reduce the negative effects of transboundary haze pollution (or climate change) by making appropriate adjustments and changes. There are several options and opportunities to adapt such as technological options, b ehavior change at individual level and early warning systems for extreme events. As a result of the speed at which change is happening, it is important that the vulnerability of Indonesia and other neighboring countries to haze pollution (or climate change) is reduced and their capacity to adapt is increased and national adaptation plans are implemented. Although adaptation to haze pollution (or climate change) is essential and is considered as an urgent priority, the affected countries have limitations that make adaptation difficult. These limitations are human capacity and financial resources. The major barriers for adaptation are the lack of funding in various forms and difficulties in accessing the funds which are available. In order for these affected countries to understand the impacts and vulnerabilities of the issue, as well as facilitating better policy decisions and management, it is necessary for research and training to be included in adaptation. However, these affected countries still face difficulties in incorporating concerns regarding the haze pollution into national policies because of lack of resources and institutional capacities. Despite the difficulties, in order for effective adaptation measures to work, the stakeholders must consider integrating the issue of haze pollution in all levels of decision making espec ially in planning and budgeting. Objectives The purpose of this paper is to present a framework analysis in such a way that it will be applied to the social issue being discussed, specifically the transboundary pollution in Southeast Asia. The framework tool to be used will be based on the polycentric approach in order to enhance policy actions regarding the widespread haze pollution in Indonesia and other affected neighboring countries. Also, one of the objectives of this paper is to discuss the stakeholders using the stakeholder analysis wherein it will identify the people, groups, and institutions involved that will influence the issue positively or negatively. Throughout the paper, included in the objectives, still, is to come up with a conclusion based on the analysis and recognize the failures that the framework tool was not able to elucidate. Finally, it also aims to give recommendations for the improvement or success of the issue. Stakeholder Analysis Secondary Stakeholders Stakeholders Interest(s) in the issue Assessment of Impact Influence of the group Global Agencies -World Bank, IMF, UNDP, UNEP, WHO, WMO, UNICEF Adaptation measures on haze pollution Prevention of haze pollution across the globe High High Regional Organizations -ASEAN, APEC, ADB Prevention of haze pollution in Indonesia and affected countries particularly in Asia High High Concerned institutions -health care, environmental protection, schools, religious organizations, charitable institutions Prevention of haze pollution Low Medium Concerned nongovernmental institutions -emergency associations (e.g. Red Cross, Medicins sans Frontieres) -Development NGOs -Environmental NGOs Prevention of haze pollution Low Medium Primary Stakeholders Stakeholders Interest(s) in the issue Assessment of Impact Influence of the group Victim State governments -Singapore, Brunei, Malaysia Indonesia -relevant central government agencies (Health, Environment, Tourism) -local authorities (agencies representing small farmers) Increase in response capacity on haze pollution Prevention of widespread haze pollution Adaptation measures High High Victim Industries -tourism recreation -airlines -ancillary industries Prevention on widespread haze pollution Medium Low Low-income groups; farmers; minor forest users Increase in adaptive capacities High Medium Culprit state governments -Indonesia -central government agencies (agricultural, environment) -regional/provincial agencies -local authorities (agencies representing small farmers) Decrease in source of foreign revenue High High Culprit Industries -Forestry -Palm oil -ancillary (e.g. haulage) Decrease or loss in plantation business Medium Medium III. Analysis Framework of Analysis The framework to be used on the social issue of haze pollution in Indonesia is the polycentric approach. According to Ostrom (2010), polycentricity is a useful analytical approach for understanding and improving efforts to reduce the threat of climate change. Furthermore, polycentric implies the independence of many centers of decision making to each other. These centers of decision making take each other into account in competitive relationships, engage in all manners of contractual and cooperative projects or aid in to central mechanisms to resolve conflicts and various political jurisdictions and function in an organized manner to which consistency and predictable patterns of interacting behavior are involved. Rather than a monocentric unit, polycentric systems are characterized by multiple governing authorities at differing scales. Each unit within a polycentric system exercises considerable independence to make norms and rules within a specific domain (such as family, a firm, lo cal government, a network of local governments, a state or province, a region, a national government, or international regime)(Ostrom, 2010). Participants involved in this system have the advantage to use local knowledge and learning from other sectors who are engaged in trial and error process. Problems identified with non-contributors, local tyrants and inappropriate discrimination can be addressed and major investments made in new scientific information and innovations when larger units get involved. Polycentric systems are believed to have considerable advantages because of their mechanisms for mutual monitoring, learning and adaptation of better strategies. This system also enhances innovation, learning, adaptation, trustworthiness, levels of cooperation of participants, and the achievement of more effective, equitable, and sustainable outcomes at multiple scales, even though no institutional arrangement can totally eliminate opportunism with respect to the provision and production of collective goods (Ostrom, 2010). Through this framework tool, adaptation measures and prevention of haze pollution in Indonesia and its neighboring countries would be much easier to be implemented because of its ability to solve such problems in a collective manner that includes all its stakeholders rather than focusing only on one central stakeholder.

Emperor Hadrian in Marguerite Yourcenars Memoirs of Hadrian and E.L. D

Emperor Hadrian in Marguerite Yourcenar's Memoirs of Hadrian and E.L. Doctorow's Everyman figure of Coalhouse Walker, Jr. in Ragtime As Marguerite Yourcenar states in Memoirs of Hadrian, â€Å". . . there is always a day where Atlas ceases to support the weight of the heavens, and his revolt shakes the earth.† (114) When Coalhouse Walker strides knowingly, even willingly, into his death, he is more powerful at that moment than he has been at any other point in his crusade. Because he has no regard for death or for the effect of his decision upon the rest of the world, his chosen fate sends a resounding reaction through all who witness his end. And what might drive a man to abandon his life so freely? Love and death. Inextricably meshed in both Memoirs of Hadrian by Marguerite Yourcenar and E.L. Doctorow’s Ragtime, these timeless states profoundly change the outlooks of Emperor Hadrian and Coalhouse Walker Jr. Despite being separated by centuries, both men go to extreme lengths for their perception of love, but when death intervenes they have curiously opposite reactions. Hadrian is Emperor of the vast Roman Empire, and when he first comes into power he is afire with new ideas of beautification and improvements for all the provinces of the Empire, whether the people of said provinces wanted to be improved or not. He is secure enough in himself to consider himself, while not a god, something like a lieutenant, â€Å"seconding the deity in his effort to give form and order to a world, to develop and multiply its convolutions, extensions, and complexities.† (Yourcenar, 144) After many personal triumphs, he still refuses the accolades that previous Emperor’s have felt were rightfully theirs, preferring to let his people and his ... ...ife. This concept is totally foreign to Coalhouse Walker Jr. who, only after achieving the love that he sought and then losing it so quickly and so inhumanely, gains almost godlike power over the people of the city, inspiring fear and no little awe for the man who would go to such lengths over an automobile and some inconsequential (to them) black woman who wasn’t even his wife. Death and love: inseparable through the course of time, transcending the ages– both Emperor Hadrian and Coalhouse Walker Jr. face them, and while one gains conviction and a purpose, even if that purpose is ultimately his own death, the other declines, never seeing that the death of his love could possibly serve a purpose other than simple grief and mourning, never understanding that, with time and action, â€Å"the future [could] once more [hold] the hope of the past.† (Yourcenar, 176)

Personal Code of Ethics Essay

â€Å"In the context of a code adopted by a profession or by a governmental or quasi-governmental organ to regulate that profession, an ethical code may be styled as a code of professional responsibility, which may dispense with difficult issues of what behavior is â€Å"ethical†. Some codes of ethics are often promulgated by the (quasi-) governmental agency responsible for licensing a profession. Violations of these codes may be subject to administrative (e.g. loss of license), civil or penal remedies. Other codes can be enforced by the promulgating organization alone; violations of these codes are usually limited to loss of membership in the organization. Other codes are merely advisory and there are no prescribed remedies for violations or even procedures for determining whether a violation even occurred† (Wikipedia, 2007). When we are called upon to make decisions, several factors are taken into consideration before this decision can be made. Depending on the type o f decision, such factors could be cultural beliefs, personal beliefs, and organizational beliefs. We have come to realize that there are fundamental challenges in trying to apply ethical principles in a cultural and organizational environment. Each culture has unique distinctions in values, which may or may not be considered ethical by each individual within society. These differences in culture and personal beliefs influence any decision, whether personal or professional, of any individual. Certain cultures within the work force may decide not to adhere to organizational codes of conduct because of not only personal feelings, but also because of the varying differences in cultural backgrounds. The intent of this paper is to identify values that are important to me personally, organizationally, and culturally, and the effects that these values have onEthics 3decision making in regards to my personal and professional life. Honesty, integrity, loyalty, and respect are highly valued and these values are present in my everyday life. â€Å"A code of ethics is often a formal statement of the organization’s values on certain ethical and social issues. Some set out general principles about an organization’s beliefs on matters such as quality, employees or the environment. Others set out the procedures to be used in specific ethical situations – such as conflicts of interest or the acceptance of gifts, and delineate the procedures to determine whether a violation of the code of ethics occurred and, if so, what remedies should be imposed. The effectiveness of such codes  of ethics depends on the extent to which to management supports them with sanctions and rewards. Violations of a private organization’s code of ethics usually can subject the violator to the organization’s remedies (in an employment context, this can mean termination of employment; in a membership context, this can mean expulsion). Of course, certain acts that constitute a violation of a code of ethics may also violate a law or regulation and can be punished by the appropriate governmental organ. They are often not part of any more general theory of ethics but accepted as pragmatic necessities. Ethical codes are distinct from moral codes that may apply to the culture, education, and religion of a whole society. Even organizations and communities that may be considered criminal may have their own ethical code of conduct, be it official or unofficial. Examples could be hackers, thieves, or even street gangs† (Wikipedia, 2007). According to Probation Officers Association of Ontario (2006), To assist Probation Officers in maintaining the integrity of their profession by upholding and advancing the purpose, knowledge, ethics and values of the probation field at all times. This Code ofEthics 4Ethics will thereby provide a standard of practice to enable all probation officers to fulfill their goals and objectives to the Offender, the Courts, the Community and the Criminal Justice System. To the profession probation officers Shall: Encourage ethical conduct by all members of the profession, have a responsibility to colleagues to develop a working relationship of mutual respect and cooperation, promote the philosophy and ethics of the profession with new colleagues, seek advice and utilize the expertise of colleagues and supervisors, contribute their expertise in order to promote the integrity and competence of the profession to the public, keep current with emerging knowledge relevant to the probation field and shall contribute to the knowledge base of the profession† To Courts, Criminal Justice and Community, Probation Officers Shall: Strive to provide the highest caliber of service to the Courts and Judiciary through the preparation of quality reports, testimony and investigations, probation Officers shall at all times conduct themselves in a manner that upholds the dignity of the Court, as an integral part of the total Criminal Justice System uphold and respe ct the tenets, rules and functions of that System, promote awareness among other members of  the Criminal Justice System, of the philosophies, functions and roles of Probation Officers, be aware of their role in protecting the community from criminal activity and in the promotion of programs for the prevention† â€Å"To the Offender Probation Officers Shall: Provide service to the offender to the maximum of their professional skill, ability and competence, maintain a professional relationship at all times to avoid conflict of interest, promote equality in every respect thereby preserving the dignity and rights of offenders, create a positive atmosphere for change that will encourage offenders to realize their goals and potentials by takingEthics 5advantage of training, treatment and services provided, Inform the offender of legal rights to and his responsibilities in the Criminal Justice System, make the offender aware of the responsibilities and duties of the Probation Officer within the Criminal Justice System, respect the privacy of the offender and the confidentiality of information subject to legal and policy parameters† What I have experienced over my 26 years of living, both personally and professionally, forms my thoughts, beliefs and feelings and therefore drives what I can call my personal code of ethics. The following briefly describes the core ideals that I maintain: Honesty – I firmly believe that honesty is the best policy. It will have to be an extreme situation that involves serious injury; damage or other loss that will convince me that not being truthful is best. I realize that the truth can often be very painful, can cause anger, distrust and hatred but I feel that if I have been truthful and given someone all of the information, they will possibly hold me in a higher regard. This honesty will hopefully allow a greater trust between us and future dealings will be less likely to be strained. Legal – I am a person that follows the laws of the land. I feel that it is wrong to steal, cheat, lie or mislead with the intent to make a personal gain. I strive to be a law-abiding citizen. I honestly do not think there is a difference between personal and professional code of ethics, which makes it hard to compare, but what I believe is that, â€Å"A personal code of ethics† is simply a belief system in which you do some things because they are â€Å"good,† and avoid doing other things because they are â€Å"bad.† Formal law has very little to do with a personal code of ethics. You develop and are responsible for this code by yourself, though your parents and social contacts have a lot to do with it. Here is an example: There are very few places in which a bystander has any  legalEthics 6obligation to come to the aid of a third party. And yet, people help out others all the time – because it is the â€Å"right† thing to do in their belief systems. References Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2006-07 Edition (2006). Probation Officers andCorrectional Treatment Specialists. Retrieved October 13, 2007, fromhttp://www.bls.govWikipedia (2007). Code of Ethics. Retrived October 20, 2007, fromhttp://www.wikipedia.org

Alcohol, Cognition, and Impusivity - 1561 Words

When alcohol is consumed it attacks and impairs a variety of cognitive processes (Norton Halay, 2001). Some of these cognitive processes include: executive decision making, impulse control, modification of emotion, and future preparation (Norton et al., 2001). The focus of this Research Paper will be to examine the cognitive effects of alcohol consumption and any correlations between impulse control (impulsivity) and alcohol consumption. Research studies have shown that alcohol use disrupts the neurocognitive processes involved in self-regulation and is associated with a high level of behavioral disinhibition, which is characteristic of the personality trait impulsivity (Noel, Tomberg, Verbanck Campanella, 2010). The construct of†¦show more content†¦It was hypothesized that the relationship between the use of alcohol and drinking and driving would be modified by impulsivity (Moan et al., 2012). A longitudinal study was conducted in Norway. The participants were evaluated at an average age of 17 and again at an average age of 28 (Moan et al., 2012). Participants were asked to self-report on episodes of heavy alcohol consumption, drinking and driving, and impulsive behavior. A 2.6% increase in how often drunk driving occurred was found to be associated with each additional episode of heavy alcohol consumption (Moan et al., 2012). The results of this study supported the hypothesis. A significantly stronger relationship between individuals who scored high on impulsivity compared to those who scored low was found between alcohol consumption and driving drunk (Moan et al., 2012). Dangerous drinking has also been shown to be associated with higher levels of impulsivity and the elicited automatic approach tendencies by alcohol related cues (Christiansen, Cole, Goudie, Field, 2012). The independent measures of impulsivity and their relationship with dangerous drinking were examined. Individual differences as moderators within the relationship between danger ous drinking and automatic approach tendencies towards alcohol were also examined (Christiansen et al., 2012). The participants in this study consisted of ninety-seven social drinkers of which sixty-five were female. The participants completed several

Effective Communication Within A Workplace - 854 Words

Communication skills are very important no matter where or who you are. Communication within a workplace can determine whether a business or individual is successful or not. Understanding effective communication in a medical setting helps hospitals and doctor offices develop a work environment that is able to communicate effectively with coworker, patients and doctors in order to take of the patients needs. Listening, clarity and Patience are three main keys to effective communication within a workplace. In this paper, the author will describe an experience within the medical field work place where communication was effective. In a medical workplace environment, having effective communication is very important. In my workplace, patient and staff communication is very important to run a clinic proactively. Working as a medical assistant for two different doctors can be very stressful and overwhelming at times because communication with them can be sometimes misconstrued. One exp erience where communication was effective if my workplace is, I had an elderly patient who was referred by another facility and Dr, come in without any historical records or recent testing documentation which is required by the Dr. My job as the doctor’s medical assistant is to get the history of present illness of the patient before the doctor comes to see the patient. As I was communicating with the patient, asking for the proper documentation, I notice the patient did not have all of herShow MoreRelatedEffective Communication Within The Workplace1254 Words   |  6 Pagesoperate effectively within a workplace their must be effective communication between staff and managers from front line managers to high end managers. However, in workplaces all around the world. Employees often fail to address employees effectively and often as a direct result. Employees either make mistakes or purposely choose to disregard orders. To reinforce this statement managers still evaluate tha t there is a clear failure of effective communication within the workplace still is a large problemRead MoreEffective Communication Within The Workplace1848 Words   |  8 Pagesorganisational communication; it is the communication that happens within the organisational, whether it is face to face communication or video conferences communication. It is important to note that if organisations do not communicate the right information, in the right way, to the right people, at the right time, this could create problems and have an impact on the level of effectiveness and efficiency. In essence, there is therefore a need for effective communication within the workplace. If thereRead MoreInterpersonal Communication And The Workplace946 Words   |  4 PagesInterpersonal communication in the workplace is developed positively or negatively on the individual relationships we have combined with our human behaviors and human actions within each of those relationships. There are many things that can affect interpersonal communications within the workplace, from generational that create technological gaps, to diversity and tolerance it creates, and finally the type of workplace, is it a team environment encouraging inclusiveness within the organization orRead MoreEffective Communication Skills Are Essential For Success1222 Words   |  5 PagesIntroduction Effective Communication skills are essential for success in every organization. Individuals today in the workplace need to effectively communicate with employees, customers and potential clients. Effective and clear communication if not delivered in the right manner could be interpreted by the receiver and have a negative impact. There are many barriers that can effect a conversation such as cultural differences, gender and environment. Employees can learn how to adapt in differentRead More Work Environment Paper1015 Words   |  5 Pages Work Environment Paper Good communication skills are imperative for organizations to carry out in an attempt to maintain outstanding performance from employees and management. Every workplace is unique in terms of their diversity profile therefore, is it vital for organization to create and execute creative communication methodologies that will enable organizations to develop a community rather than just your average run of the mill work environment. For example, active listening, collective goalRead MoreEffective Communication in the Workplace Essay1220 Words   |  5 PagesCommunication Barriers in the Workplace Communication barriers in the workplace can have a serious effect on the functioning and of an organization. In the following article we shall understand what some of these communication barriers are and how to overcome them. Ads by Google Improve Communication Our NLP Training Program Helps You Overcome Your Fears. Enroll Today! www.EasyNLP.com/ Conflict Management How much is conflict costing you? Assessment, Training, Coaching www.StrategicLeadershipCoachingRead MoreImportance of Cross Cultural Communications1209 Words   |  5 PagesEffective cross-cultural communication is one of the most important issues dealt with in business, particularly when a firm operates at an international level. Communication is a process with three key elements, which includes a source, an audience, and a channel. Communication derived from businesses will have listeners that include, but are not limited to customers, employees, suppliers, and the community (Caddy et al.). These listeners contribute to the success of a firm, which is why there isRead MoreThe Effects Of Effective Communication On Job Performance1680 Words   |  7 PagesWhen asked to write a reflective think piece describing a single communication issue as it pertains to the organization in which I work, the Employment Development Department, I decided to delve into the to pic of effective communication, especially in regards to job expectations. I choose this particular aspect of communication because it is one of my divisions biggest complaints in regards to management or the lack there of, and I want to better understand how to avoid miscommunicating with fellowRead MoreThe Importance Of An Undergraduate Business Management Student1535 Words   |  7 Pagesever-changing business world, a key component to the productivity within the workplace is communication. As an undergraduate business management student, an important part of communication is understanding the difference between maintaining the faà §ade of an authoritative figure or maintaining a friendly relationship with employees and how it would affect the attitudes, behaviors, productivity and quality of work. In order create a successful workplace environment, finding and establishing a middle ground betweenRead MoreEssential Attributes in Nursing1220 Words   |  5 Pagescommunities. I n a nursing good workplace citizenship needs an understanding and maintaining a good relationship between patients and health professional to deliver quality health care and services. In the context of nursing, communication, teamwork and social responsibility is the main graduates attributes that are essential in workplace citizenship because it promotes a healthy relationship between health professionals, patients and improve the nursing workplace. Communication is the exchanging information

The Religion And Its Origins - 855 Words

This chapter was exactly like Vavova’s chapter as it was defending morals from debunkers. The author merely formed a defense for keeping his religious beliefs. The author had four parts of his argument. He introduces the arguments and claims that he can defend religion. In the introduction, the author puts out a hypothetical situation where a person, Fred, believes in evolution and God. Fred can see that evolution does not include whether not God is involved. The author claims that this is similar to a debunking argument, but he can defend a religious belief. The author then goes over the structure of his argument and requests patience from the reader on the matter. In the second part of his argument, the author explains religion and its origins. According to psychologists, folk theories are universal processes of human thought and we have found a lot of them. However the fact that we have folk theories does not explain why we have them. Debunking does not argue about whether cognitive evolution is true, it argues around the implications if it were true. Belief forming processes must be truth tracking. However, does that meant that evolution forces us into skepticism? The author doesn’t believe so, because of the possibility of a Milvian Bridge. Natural selection would help if it selected for the truth. Targets of beliefs should be causes of beliefs, making them remote and proximate. This is his detailed account of a Milvian Bridge. The author then goes on to define reasonShow MoreRelatedThe Origin Of The Egyptian Religion1113 Words   |  5 PagesHorus is one of the oldest and most meaningful deities in agent Egyptian religion. He was w orshiped through the late predynastic period and through the Greco Roman times. From as far back as we know the Egyptians believed that Osiris was of divine origin, that he suffered death and mutilation at the hands of evil, and after a great struggle with these powers he rose again, that he then became the king of the underworld and judge of the dead, and because he had conquered death the honorable also mightRead MoreOrigin of Hindu Religion2468 Words   |  10 Pagesas the SanÄ tana Dharma. The word Hindu is at times attributed to all persons professing Hinduism, Jainism, Buddhism or Sikhism as is used in the Constitution of India.[1] With more than a billion adherents, Hinduism is the worlds third largest religion. The vast majority of Hindus, approximately 1 billion, live in India.[2] Other countries with large Hindu populations, such as Nepal, Mauritius and the island of Bali, can be found in various parts of the world. Contents [hide] 1 Etymology 2Read MoreOrigin of Hindu Religion2457 Words   |  10 Pagesas the SanÄ tana Dharma. The word Hindu is at times attributed to all persons professing Hinduism, Jainism, Buddhism or Sikhism as is used in the Constitution of India.[1] With more than a billion adherents, Hinduism is the worlds third largest religion. The vast majority of Hindus, approximately 1 billion, live in India.[2] Other countries with large Hindu populations, such as Nepal, Mauritius and the island of Bali, can be found in various parts of the world. Contents [hide] 1 Etymology 2 HistoryRead MoreThe Origins Of Christianity As A World Religion2485 Words   |  10 PagesBefore the predominance of Christianity as a world religion, a majority of the peoples of Europe and throughout the world acknowledged and worshiped a multitude of spirits. The Romans and the Greeks believed in a pantheon of gods while the Celts in the British Isles believed in the wildfolk or Faeries. These are just some examples of cultures who worshiped multiple beings. It would also be these same people who would be condemned for their beliefs and labeled by Christians as Heathens and PagansRead MoreThe Origins of Roman Religion and Its Progress Essay2671 Words   |  11 PagesThe Origins of Roman Religion and Its Progress Introduction ============ Throughout the ages, beliefs have changed, advanced, and occasionally begun. In the time of Ancient Rome, the people began observing one religion; that which was similar to the Greeks; the pantheon. Through the Roman Empire, the worship of twelve central deities was observed carefully. The Romans themselves began all the beliefs contained within the worship. This was of great importanceRead MoreAgrarian Magic: 20 Theories on the Origin of Religion8239 Words   |  33 PagesAgrarian Magic: 20 Theories on the Origin of Religion Religion is a species-specific human universal phenomenon, complex, full of paradoxes, and found in all cultures. Social scientists and anthropologists since the late 17th century have attempted to rationally answer questions about religion, and while we cant evaluate the veracity of religion’s claims, we can attempt to understand its functions. The methods of comparative religion, comparative mythology, with interdisciplinary analysisRead More The Common Origins of the World’s Major Religions Essay3563 Words   |  15 PagesThe Common Origins of the World’s Major Religions All too often in modern society it is the differences and conflicts that serve to separate religious groups that are emphasized. The mainstream media, fundamentalists’ propaganda, and other sources choose to ignore the numerous similarities that many religions share, and instead focus on the divisive elements. In this paper, I will attempt to shed light on the many commonalities in dogma that I believe exist between the major religions of the worldRead MoreOrigins of the Islamic Religion in the United States Essay450 Words   |  2 PagesOrigins of the Islamic Religion in the United States The beginning of Islam in the United States can be traced to the earliest days of the slave trade. While many of the slaves brought to America practiced traditional African religions, many of the slaves from West Africa were predominately Muslim. In fact a significant number of black Africans brought to North America during the slave trade were Muslim. Due to the overwhelming Christian presenceRead MoreWhy Do The Historic Theories Of The Origins Of Religion Begin? Essay1533 Words   |  7 PagesIntroduction Why study comparative religions? You could study religion for the same reason you study music or biology or drama. It is based on your interests. The second cultures of the world cannot be understood without a knowledge of the influence of religion on everyday life. Lastly, politics is a huge contribution for knowledge about world religions. How do the historic theories of the origins of religion begin? Well the first theory is Animistic Theory which Edward Burnett Tylor in his primitiveRead MoreDiscrimination Within The Workplace, Race, Religion, National Origin And Disabilities1372 Words   |  6 PagesDiscrimination in the workplace comes in many forms: age, sex, race, religion, national origin and disabilities. All of these are in protected groups by law. The text Business Ethics defines job discrimination as occurring when (1) an employment decision in some way harms or disadvantages an employee or job applicant; (2) the decision based on a person’s membership in a ce rtain group, rather than on individual merit; and (3) the decision rests on prejudice, false stereotypes, or the assumption

Mock Business Proposal free essay sample

Our services will first be introduced to Baltimore City Public schools; Specifically Fredrick Douglass High School. We have plans of further expanding into other public schools in metropolitan areas that have struggling school systems. Our curriculum will thoroughly prepare students for standardized testing which are evaluated and colleges amp; universities; specifically SAT amp; ACT testing. College Bound Prep will offer workshops where students can get help with their classes and homework. College Bound Prep will also put an emphasis on science because that is one major skill which students today lack. College Bound Prep is intended to help High School juniors and seniors, but with time it will be available for more grades. We decided to become a Non-Profit organization because the average income rate of Baltimore City households is about 30,000 or less. This will allow students whose parents wouldn’t be able to afford private tutoring sessions elsewhere to have their child stay after school and get the appropriate help. College Bound Prep will build partnerships with colleges amp; universities on the Eastern coast with the potential to expand across the states. We will work closely with school counselors amp;students to help them through the college application process, fill out government aid forms and find scholarships/grants which they may be eligible for. We will hold college tours with our partnered schools to shows students the diversity of their options and help motivate. Because we offer our services to the students free of cost we will Charge a $30fee per tour which will cover their travel expenses. We plan to host around 3 tours a semester. There are numerous other companies such as Kaplan, Newton and Frog Tutoring which offer tutoring or SAT Prep classes, many of these programs which go to onsite locations. We will use an enhanced version of the current school’s curriculum, and using student feedback we can focus on what the students need. In the State less than 28% of students are proficient in Science when compared to the rest of the world, is below standards which show the lack of science education. With the launch of a new Company we run the several Risks and but the opportunities are quite appealing. Some of the risks which our company faces are the strong opposition which we will face from our competition. Many of our competitors have been in business for several years, and are quite credible. Another problem we will face is the current budget cuts to Baltimore’s public education. Being a non-profit organization we will require government funding we run the risk of not receiving necessary funding. While analyzing our current market we realized the opportunity based on the current rise in Graduation and College application rate from the Baltimore public schools. This shows the rise and interest of students wanting to graduate and further pursue their educational careers. The city of Baltimore has set a goal of raising the graduation rate to 90% by the year 2020. College Bound Prep sees this opportunity as a chance to work closely with the Baltimore City Public School program and help reach this goal. College Bound Prep will be ran by 5 College Graduates all with their own disciplines which together will contribute our skills, time and some personal funds. To start off the staff will be made up of paid seasoned/veteran math, science, history, and English teachers who share in our ideal to help troubled schools. We will recruit College students as interns to help as assistants to the tutors. Using interns will help cut back on pay roll and these College interns will hopefully be viewed as role models and representatives of what it is to be a college student. At start up each member will contribute $5000 of their own funds to add up to $25,000, along with an additional business loan of $25,000 we will have a total of 50,000 before any funding or aide. We will pay this debt of within the first 4 years of operation. With this 50,000 we will pay payroll, purchase books and material, and cover additional cost which we will occur. Mission Statement College Bound Prep is designed to help and motivate High School students in the Baltimore City School System to become independent learners and pursue advancement in their academic careers amp; educational opportunities beyond high school. Following the beliefs of the No Child Left behind Act we want to help any student who wants to go 2 college to get there and personally guide them there. Company Our Company College Bound Prep was founded July 24th, 2011 by five people who are willing to change the educational system in the Baltimore City Public School District. Our business is designed to help and protect the educational advancements of the Baltimore City School Youth. Also, our service most importantly, will help Baltimore City Schools raise their test scores in many subject areas that show they are deficient in such as Math, reading, writing, and other areas study. On the other hand, our company is a C-Corporation that will provide many tools and skills to students in the Baltimore City area so that they may have opportunities of advancement beyond high school. Additionally, our corporation will be building partnerships with colleges within the state of Maryland and in the future attempt to expand to others on the east coast if business is very successful. Our principal office will be located at Frederick Douglass Senior High School, where we may have an agreement with the school and the Baltimore City School District Board to use classrooms or other lecture halls for our academic sessions. We will use Frederick Douglass Senior High School as our first location until we see that we are financially fit and our curriculum proves sufficient enough to expand to other schools within Baltimore City District and/or possibly obtain our own public location. Our main focus and priority is to start in a location where the school that needs the most assistance and attention. According to the Maryland State Department of Education, Frederick Douglass Senior High School is second to last in worst high schools in the state of Maryland in algebra and English. Our Corporation feels that we must begin where the majority of students are doing poorly in their test scores so that we can show the public that we are serious company promoting change in the Baltimore City Public School District. Business College Bound Prep provides many services to students in the Baltimore City area an opportunity to seek assistance from us in the college application process so that they can fully comprehend the process of applying to college. Furthermore, specifically, we will assist and guide them in the understanding of the fine print of these college applications. Also, we plan to provide Inner Baltimore City Youth and Parents an opportunity to visit colleges in the state of Maryland so that they can get some real life experience on a college campus. Our College Tours will visit a variety of schools such as Towson, University of Maryland, Morgan State University, Coppin State University, UMBC, St. Mary’s College, Salisbury University, Maryland Easter Shore, Baltimore City Community College, and The Community College of Baltimore County. College Bound Prep is at the seed stage of the business venture, having just developed idea that would attract us to have different and unique services that many other educational enhancement corporations don’t have. Recently, we have hired three student tutors from the Towson University and two students’ tutors from Morgan State University. Additionally, we have come to an agreement with Frederick Douglass Senior High School as our first location to conduct our tutoring sessions and are in the talking agreement process with Harbor City High School in the Baltimore City Public School District. Our Corporation is expected to achieve at least 3600 dollars in sales from College Tours every semester from the academic sessions being held at our school locations. We can achieve this because the funds will allow us to market our company in the Baltimore City Public School Newsletters, allow ads to be admitted in the Baltimore Sun newspapers, allow us to put flyers out on billboards at all the Public High schools in Baltimore, and maybe allow our company to have television ads on the local Baltimore stations. Also, with the funding, we may be able to expand to our own location or expand to facilities where we may be able to rent rooms that are large enough to accommodate large amounts of students. Furthermore, we feel that our company will be able to hire the best tutors in the area so that we can give a young child an equal opportunity to further advance their education. Product/Service: College Bound Prep will deliver personalized tutoring to students at Frederick Douglass Senior High School. Tutoring will cover commonly tested areas such as Math, English, and Science. Tutoring in these specific areas is set to improve the test scores with confidence and with hopes of bringing Baltimore City’s school systems higher in ranking. College Bound Prep’s smaller group size will also enhance the student’s ability to receive information better and also increase confidence and encourage students in being more proactive in the learning process. Each subject will have an individual break down in terms of the style of teaching to the students. College Bound Prep will be stepping outside of the traditional teaching style and will involve the students in hands-on and personal experience learning. Each subject would offer its own curriculum that is different from the other. Math will involve physical construction of word problems which include having the students make drawings and illustrations of what they have read to demonstrate their comprehension, hands-on activities for areas in math such as Geometry, and computer labs held for areas in math such as Algebra, graphs, and other areas that require any data input and graphical depictions. Students will be able to apply what they learned from the textbook in science by actually applying it. Science will allow students to participate in classroom labs, textbook lab work, and working on designing their own experimental projects to test their own hypothesizes. English will involve the students having required texts to read, journals to document events in their daily lives, book reports to show their understanding of the books they have read, and peer grading with any reports or presentations done to test and increase their knowledge of writing. College Bound Prep does not only offer services to high school students in need but to college students seeking teaching experience, especially Morgan State University students. Undergraduate students majoring in Business, Engineering, and other studies, more specifically Education are offered paid internships to have the opportunity to work with the youth at Frederick Douglass High school. These student interns will have the opportunity to experience a non-traditional form of teaching and apply it to their future endeavors. The interns will also be given the opportunity to develop curriculum for their students to eliminate repetition in teaching and to improve on previous and current teaching outlines. There is no doubt that College Bound Prep can improve Frederick Douglass Senior High School’s scores. To further spark the student’s interest in wanting to succeed in obtaining passing test scores, College Bound Prep will host college tours two to three times a year. These college tours will visit all colleges and universities in the state of Maryland, including community colleges in the Baltimore area. By establishing College Bound Prep’s name in most of the colleges and university, we will have personal relationships with most of the colleges and universities admissions offices. This will provide an advantage to any of the students interested in applying to the schools visited during the tour. An added incentive to students who take the tutoring sessions seriously and improve and advance in their test scores will receive scholarships. These scholarships would pertain to college acceptance students from the College Bound Prep program and would range from covering books to covering tuition between one to four years. Presently, College Bound Prep is in the introductory stage. We plan to follow our many services with extensions to our program which includes becoming more mobile in terms of expanding sessions to other high schools in the Baltimore City and County area, and even to other states. College Bound Prep will even offer possible online sessions. College Bound Prep is unique in the sense of our dedication to provide non-traditional, personalized attention and teaching and offering a variety of opportunities for the students receiving tutoring as they progress in much needed test score improvements and also to college students seeking internships for experience. Market College Bound Prep’s target market is Baltimore City Youth from 14-18, but mainly juniors and seniors in high school. We will focus on Baltimore City schools that have low test scores. Low income families with high school age students who may not be able to get the help that their children need are also part of our focus. As a tutoring company in Baltimore, we compete with a lot of other companies that have the same goals that we have. There are many other tutoring companies in the area that are trying to appeal to the same students and parents that we are trying to reach. Part of our plan is to go to open houses and back to school nights at local schools in order to advertise our services. These are places where a lot of parents will come to see how their children are doing in school and to also seek further help for them. These are our best opportunities to let these parennn ts know about the type of tutoring that we offer. Competition There are many other prominent and lesser known tutoring services in the area that we are in direct competition with. These companies include: Kaplan, Newton, Huntington, Innovational Educational Programs, Frog Tutoring and Sylvan Learning Center. We also have to compete with the after school programs that the schools implement such as sports, cheerleading, yearbook clubs, etc. The reason why we are in competition with these after school programs is because they are held at the same time that we plan to offer tutoring. If the students that need extra help in school are involved in other after school programs, it will be a challenge to get them to come to our tutoring program. One of the problems that we may encounter in our market is the fact that a lot of parents are not financially able to send their kids to tutoring. This is a very strong possibility because the students that we are trying to attract to our tutoring program come from poor backgrounds in the inner city. We can combat this by offering funding provided by the government for students that come from families that cannot afford tutoring. By doing this, we will be able to accommodate a lot more students in our program. We have implemented a lot of different services in our company that we believe will set us apart from other tutoring companies in the area. Our goal is to be able to go to the schools that the students attend to conduct the tutoring sessions. This will set us apart from other tutoring programs where the students have to go to a specified place to receive the tutoring. That can be a major problem because a lot of students don’t have transportation to get there. A lot of students have to use public transportation to get to school and it would cost them extra money to have to take public transportation to get to a tutoring site. By meeting the students at their respective schools, we eliminate this burden on the students. Another thing that College Bound Prep does that other tutoring services don’t do is, we use credible tutors, college juniors or seniors, and graduate level interns from neighboring colleges to tutor the students. This is a very smart and cost effective way to tutor the students as opposed to using retired teachers that may only be tutoring just to receive some extra money. By using college juniors and seniors seeking internships in the education field, and graduate level interns, we will be able to use people that are enthusiastic about working with students and people that are eager to do whatever is required of them. Our company also offers incentives for students that show vast improvement in their grades. These incentives include a deduction in the rate for tutoring, as well as free school supplies and girt cards for places such as Barnes amp; Noble and Chegg. com where they can get books to read as well as textbooks for their college courses in the future. Part of our tutoring program involves preparing students to take the SAT examination and taking them on college tours. There are not currently any other tutoring programs in the area that offer these services. Preparing students for college is the main way that we differ from other tutoring services in the Baltimore area. Most tutoring services focus on helping students with their students to improve their grades in their current classes, but we plan to be different by helping them in their classes now and helping them to prepare to attend college. The main focus of College Bound Prep is to prepare high school students for college. We plan to place students that are currently struggling in their classes, on the right path and encourage them to pursue higher education. By assisting students make the choice to pursue college education; this will eventually help to improve the communities. Having more educated people in any particular area will help to decrease the poverty and eventually decrease the crime rate. Risk amp; Opportunity Being that we are a new business we have to carefully weigh out our risk and opportunities. We know that in the Baltimore area there are several credible competitors such as Kaplan, Sylvan Learning Centers, and Frog Tutoring. Along with these programs universities such as John Hopkins and UMBC offer Sat Prep and tutoring for high school students. We offer a free alternative which will already be at the school ready for students to finish class. We will offer and enhanced version of the curriculum which will also focus on science. Another risk we face is the fact this year Baltimore City has cut funding to education. This limits our funding due to the fact we hope to get government and city aide to progress and grow. Thought there are budget cuts over the past four to five years the graduation rate of students in the Baltimore city school system have been on the increase. This opportunity shows us that more students are taking graduating more seriously. With this increase in graduation there has also been a rise in college applicants coming from the Baltimore area. The city of Baltimore has stated that by the year 2020 it would like to have the graduation rate to 90% for Baltimore city public schools. We intend on being the aide to help them reach that goal.