Thursday, October 31, 2019

Working conditions Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Working conditions - Coursework Example By identifying the normative ethics involved in running an insurance company, and explaining what the company's utilitarian and deontological duties are, we will have discovered the proper path towards ethical decision making within the company. Through my analysis of the situation at the insurance company and its corresponding ethical responsibilities, I should be able to effectively recommend decision making changes in the company that will help make all the decisions made acceptable and beyond question. All the information used within the paper shall be based upon the experience that I had with the insurance company and the decision making processes involved therein. Some reference shall be made to reputable sources online for further reference regarding the content and meaning of my explanations. Module 5 - SLP Insurance companies are in the business of collecting money from clients for their future medical needs. As such, their clients have a degree of distrust when it comes to paying out their hard earned money to the insurance companies for their premiums. It is because of this distrust that the insurance companies must prove that all of their actions are constantly ethical and beyond reproach.

Tuesday, October 29, 2019

Evidence based practices Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Evidence based practices - Research Paper Example Hence, the LAPD, as well as other law enforcement agencies, can undoubtedly profit from evidence-based approaches to assessing recruitment programs along with reformation the application process. Using the Los Angeles Police Department and city administrative data from financial years 2007 and 2008, this paper will estimate impacts, in line with applicant numbers, for LAPD’s employment efforts and will revise a model for prioritizing candidates established by Lim et al. (2009). Introduction Recruitment and maintenance are long-lasting worries for large urban law enforcement agencies (Lim, 2009). Over much of the last couple of years, police departments from San Diego to New York City have gone through considerable difficulty in finding and maintaining police officers. Even though, the number of police officers countrywide increased by 3.4% between 2000 and 2004 employment did not keep pace with population increase and was well underneath the rate of law enforcement development in the 90s. In addition, 20 out of the 50 largest local police groups in the country decreased in size between 2000 and 2004, in some departments by as high as 10 to 15% (Matthies, 2011). The countrywide economic recession, which started late in 2007, has attested to be a double-edged knife for law enforcement employment. Many candidates are applying for the job, but the funds for hiring and recruiting have been cut. Sheriff and Police departments around the nation have reported large increases in the number of candidates, as is the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). However, financial woes brought on by the economic recession are stopping agencies from taking advantage of the larger applicant pools. A high number of the applications have cancelled due to the lack of available finances to pay the cadets’ incomes. Nowhere else are these hiring and recruitment challenges more apparent than in the city of Los Angeles (Lester, 2007). The LAPD, in terms of per capita, is one of the token big-city law enforcement departments in the United States. In spite of attaining a considerable lofty force strength of 9895 police officers in early 2009, or one police officer for every 388 citizens, LA is still significantly under-policed compared to other prominent cities such as New York, which has one police officer per 233 citizens, and Chicago, with one police officer for every 213 citizens. Since Los Angeles City spreads over more than 400 square miles, the Los Angeles Police Department is also fairly small in line with the geographic area of its power, with 21 administration points per square mile, compared to 118 administration points per square mile in New York City and 59 administration points per square mile in Chicago. Significant empirical questions linked to LAPD’s hiring, and recruiting can be found in Lim et al. (2009). This paper builds on their publication with an extra in-depth study of marketing data and a simplified candidate processing to ol. This paper, in the section that follows, will explain experimental work, which provides facts, if not ultimate answers, regarding some significant employment research questions. Police Recruitment Studies Given the apparent societal import of having law

Sunday, October 27, 2019

Impact of War on Child Education

Impact of War on Child Education The wellbeing of refugee children in an early childhood education context: Connections and dilemmas. Journal of Educational Enquiry, Vol. 13, no. 1, pp.18-34. In this article Shallow Whitington review how providing an environment supporting the wellbeing of refugee children is vital to their resettlement. This article recognises that early childhood is the prime time for refugee children to participate in intervention programs as this time maximises outcomes for children. The authors used date gained through researcher observations, checklists and interviews of parents and school staff to gain a broader understanding of the school community. This data was designed to generate professional development aimed at supporting teachers to develop educational frameworks supportive of refugee childrens wellbeing and the dilemmas they face in the school environment. Their research was carried out as a case study and focused on eight children, three families and three parents to identify the practical and emotional support offered to refugee children as identified by parents and staff. This article connects with early childhood pedagogical beliefs a s it provides insight into the process of including all children into an educational setting and programs thereby insuring the emotional wellbeing of all children. This article recognises the importance of different diversities, cultural traditions (Ailwood, Boyd Theobald, 2016), resilience and strengths of refugee families (Arney Scott, 2013) which are vital to the development of socio-cultural perspectives, educational programs and strategies. This article was useful as it related to Rogoffs idea of the community of learners (Nolan Raban, 2015) which promotes the wellbeing of all children, not only refugees, by participating in shared activities and experiences. The main limitation of this article is that meaning, intention and understanding may have been changed as an interpreter was used during the interviews. Also the children were observed on one day and many variables may affect a childs wellbeing on any day. The authors indicate that this study is just a beginning point f or educators and schools to understand how they can support refugee children and their families. This article provided background information on the necessity of inclusive practices and strategies to promote emotional wellbeing of children in early childhood settings through games, peer interactions and welcoming and including all family members to the service. References Ailwood, J. Boyd, W. Theobald, M. (2016) Understanding Early Childhood Education and Care in Australia. Allen and Unwin. Crows Nest: Australia Arney, F., Scott, D.(2013). Working with vulnerable families: A partnership approach (2nd ed.). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Australia Nolan, A. Raban, B. (2015).ÂÂ   Theories into Practice. Teaching Solutions. Blairgowrie: Australia. Shallow, N. Whitington, V. (2014). The wellbeing of refugee children in an early childhood education context: Connections and dilemmas. Journal of Educational Enquiry, Vol 13, no 1, pp.18-34. Retrieved March 2017 from http://www.ojs.unisa.edu.au/index.php/EDEQ/article/view/870/664 Moylan, C., Herrenkohl, T.,Sousa, C., Tajima, E., Herrenkohl, R. Russo, M. (2010). The Effects of Child Abuse and Exposure to Domestic Violence on Adolescent Internalizing and Externalizing Behaviour Problems. Journal of Family Violence, Vol. 5, no.1, pp. 53 63 In this article Moylan, Herrenkohl, Sousa, Tajima, Herrenkohl Russo examines the effects of child abuse and/or exposure to domestic violence in childhood on adolescent internalizing and externalizing behaviours. This article addresses outcomes for family violence and the resilience in each individual family. It discusses the results of domestic violence (depression, withdrawal and anxiety) and highlights the risks associated with stresses in the family and the surrounding environment. This longitudinal study used data collected through interviews, individual questionaries and checklists to identify whether adolescents internalise and externalise behaviours due the experiencing child abuse and/or witnessing domestic violence. The research focused on assessing 457 children of different genders, and 297 families from mixed races and social economic backgrounds, and followed the children into adulthood. This article was limited by the inability to establish exactly how frequently and over what length of time exposure to child abuse and/or domestic violence occurred. Another limitation is that only moderately severe behaviours were documented so the authors suggest that greater samples and different statistical methods be used to develop a more comprehensive study into the effects of child abuse and/or violence on adolescent behaviours. A strength of the study was the combination of parent reports and reflective reports from adolescences regarding their experiences as they grew up. While this article did not actually provide relevant strategies and resources for use in an early childhood setting, it developed an awareness of pedagogies and strategies to be used with young children to assist them to identify and use appropriate behaviours when interacting with others. It highlighted possible causes for young children externalising anti-social behaviours or internalising their thoughts and feelings when they are in my care. This article reinforces Skinners belief that childrens behaviours are influenced by their environmental conditions and systemic reinforcements (Nolan Raban, 2015, p.42). An important part of my pedagogy supporting children experiencing challenging situations and identifying approaches to sensitively respond to them (Ailwood, Boyd Theobald, 2016). Strategies to incorporate into an early childhood setting include group time discussions with preschool children selecting which scenario depicts the correct behaviour. This will assist them to become aware that some behaviours they accept as the norm are not actually socially acceptable ways of behaving. It is the role of the educator to offer reinforcements and rewards for more acceptable responses and actions (Nolan Raban, 2015). Bandura states much human behaviour is learned from other humans (Nolan Raban, 2015, p.47), so as an educator I must be a model (Nolan Raban, 2015, p.47), demonstrating and acting in ways that I wish the children in my care to imitate. References Ailwood, J. Boyd, W. Theobald, M. (2016). Understanding Early Childhood Education and Care in Australia. Allen and Unwin. Crows Nest: Australia Moylan, C.; Herrenkohl, T; Sousa, C.; Tajima, E.; Herrenkohl, R. Russo, M. (2010).ÂÂ   The Effects of Child Abuse and Exposure to Domestic Violence on Adolescent Internalizing and Externalizing Behaviour Problems. Vol 5, no1. pp. 53 63. Retrieved March 2017 from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2872483/ Nolan, A. Raban, B. (2015).ÂÂ   Theories into Practice. Teaching Solutions. Blairgowrie: Australia. Hanson, J., Hair, N., Shen, D., Shi, F., Gilmore, J., Wolfe, B., Pollak, S. (2013). Family Poverty Affects the Rate of Human Infant Brain Growth. Journal of PLoS One, Vol. 8, no. 12. In this article Hanson, Hair, Shen, Shi, Gilmore, Wolfe, Pollak review how poverty may shape brain functions which trigger cognitive processes such as information processing, also behavioural regulation, schooling and health. The authors use data gained by analyzing 203 MRI scans from 75 children with 1-7 scans longitudinally per child, to examine how brain development in young children is affected by poverty. Children aged between 5 months to 4 years, from lower socioeconomic status backgrounds as well as more affluent backgrounds were the subjects of this research. Their research focuses on the volume of brain development (gray, white and cerebral) as the growth of gray matter is essential for the processing of information and implementing actions. This article is useful to the pedagogies, strategies and resources to implement in an early childcare setting as it establishes that lower volumes of brain tissue are connected to more behavioural problems in toddlers and preschool chil dren. These problems may take the form of breaking rules, extreme aggression and hyperactivity. The main limitation of this article was that the children studied were normal with those suffering from birth complications and family psychiatric history excluded. Also more children were from two-parent families. The authors indicate that the results under represent the real effects of socioeconomic status however poverty and environmental factors definitely affect human brain development and behaviour. The use of Banduras Social Learning theory to help educators gain a better understanding of children in their care who are in poverty or children at risk of poverty and to model desirable behaviors (Berk, 2013). As an early childhood educator using multimodal texts such as pictures and videos is an enriching way to educate children about poverty.ÂÂ   Early childhood educators should use the strategies of encouragement, support and intentional teaching to promote further investigatio n about this topic. References Berk, L. (2013). Child development.(9th ed.).ÂÂ   USA: Pearson education Hanson, J., Hair, N., Shen, D., Shi, F., Gilmore, J., Wolfe, B., Pollak, S. (2013). Family Poverty Affects the Rate of Human Infant Brain Growth. Journal of PLoS One, Vol 8, no 12. Retrieved March 2017 from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3859472/ Wessells, G. (2017). Children and Armed Conflict: Interventions for Supporting War- Affected Children. Journal of Peace Psychology, Vol.23 no.1 pp. 4-13. This article by Wessells reviews the need for intervention and the three areas of supports (comprehensiveness, sustainability and Do No Harm) needed to assist children affected by war in various countries. The author uses date gained through narratives, research, dialogue and the UN convention rights of the child. Their main research focuses on addressing childrens survival, development and their participation rights and the fact that if a child is a victim of any violence they are entitled to physiological and social recovery support. It advocates everyday practices such as a parent hugging their child, a teacher giving advice to a student or a shelter that gives privacy, as these actions can have beneficial physiological impacts. The main limitation to this article is the lack of long term research on whether or not children who received intervention are better off than children who didnt. The author indicates that comparative studies are also needed on which interventions have lon g lasting effects. This article relates to the pedagogies, strategies and resources implemented in an early childcare setting as it promotes the view that there is no one support for all children. Each child is an individual, requiring specific support and help as it relates to their individual circumstance, family background and environment. The best intervention approach includes all levels of a childs environment; their family, neighbourhood, community, school and social level. Bronfenbrenners ecological systems theory explains how everything in the child and their environment impacts on how a child grows and develops (Nolan Raban, 2015, p. 36). An early childhood educators pedagogy, strategies and resources should include knowledge about a childs background, their previous experiences and the involvement of support services if necessary. For a child who has experienced trauma early in their life a calm, familiar, predictable and unhurried early childhood setting as favoured by Steiner (NolanÂÂ   Raban, 2015) will be beneficial for their learning. References Wessells, G. (2017). Children and Armed Conflict: Interventions for Supporting War- Affected Children. Journal of Peace Psychology, Vol.23 no.1 pp. 4-13. Retrieved March 2017 from http://psycnet.apa.org/journals/pac/23/1/4.pdf Nolan, A. Raban, B. (2015).ÂÂ   Theories into Practice. Teaching Solutions. Blairgowrie: Australia.

Friday, October 25, 2019

Child Labor and Sweatshops are a Current Problem in the Fashion Industr

Child Labor and Sweatshops are a Current Problem in the Fashion Industry   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Many societies face the much overlooked problem of child labor and sweatshops in the fashion industry. Recently, Americans were stunned to learn that their apple pie sweetheart, Kathie Lee Gifford was associated with the exploitation of underage workers in Honduras. Gifford's story began the resurgence of knowledge of the growing problem of sweatshops in today's society. Contrary to popular belief, sweatshops still exist across the world in both third world countries and super powers such as America. Sweatshops incorporate the inhumane exploitation of workers, many of whom are underage, by providing extremely low wages as well as expecting unrealistic time commitments. In addition, the workers lack benefits and very few sweatshops abide by the required health codes. Sweatshops are obviously a growing problem that will not disappear with out change. Although the United States government has begun to take steps to alleviate the problem, there must be an increase in both awareness and legislation.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The belief that the archaic-like prisons known as sweatshops have been abolished, has been proven false. They do, in fact, exist in not only foreign countries but also in America. The abuse of human rights is demonstrated as more than half the 22, 000 garment contractors in the United States don't pay workers minimum wage, according to the Labor Department, and working conditions are deplorable...Americans were horrified to learn last August of 72 Thai laborers imprisoned in El Monte, Near Los Angeles, who were forced to work up to 22 hours a day, seven days a week at $1.60 an hour" (Yeh).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   More evidence is uprooted daily which... ...stry and Codes of Conduct. Online. HTML. Internet. 25 April 1997. Johnson, Paul. American Government. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1994. Knoebel, Edgar. The Modern World. Orlando: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1988. Nifong, Christina. 'No Sweat' Pact to Cut Garment Worker Abuse. The Christian Science Monitor Online. HTML. Internet. 14 April 1997. Reuter. Clinton Unveils Clothing Sweatshop Pact. Online. HTML. Internet. 16 April 1997. Wendel, Melissa. Fashion Majors, Don't Sweat It. Online. HTML. Internet. 14 April 1997. Wilson, David. Apparel Task Force Fiasco. Online. HTML. Internet. 25 April 1997. Wilson, David. Fashion Industry Forum. Online. HTML. Internet. 25 April 1997. Yeh, Emerald and McMurray, Christine. Sweatshop Bargains: A Shopper's Dilemma. Online. HTML. Internet. 14 April 1997. 1 Labor Alerts is a service campaign for labor rights.

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Impact of Computers in Todays Society

Computer, as the term is most commonly used, refers to the digital computer, an electronic device that makes lengthy or complicated calculations at high speeds and (except for certain small models) is also able to make decisions based on logic. A less common type of computer is the analog computer. A digital computer forms the core of a data processing system. Data processing is, basically, the organization of information into a useful form by such processes as comparing, selecting, and arranging. A very simple example of data processing is alphabetizing a list of names. Electronic data processing, or EDP, is data processing performed by a computer. Computers vary greatly in the speed at which they can perform calculations and in their ability to handle complicated tasks. Computers also vary greatly in size—from arrays of equipment occupying a large room to a slice of silicon smaller than a postage stamp. In general, small computers are referred to as microcomputers; large computers, as mainframes; and computers of intermediate size, as minicomputers. General-purpose microcomputers are commonly called personal computers. The computer ranks as one of the major technological developments of the 20th century. Beginning about 1950, it took the computer less than two decades to revolutionize the methods of business, industry, and government; to greatly advance work in the sciences; and to find wide application in such diverse fields as accounting, education, medicine, and publishing. Today, the computer industry—which includes the manufacturing of computers, the designing and marketing of computer programs, and the providing of computer-related services—is among the most important in the world. History Early forerunners of the computer were the abacus, developed in the ancient times in the Far East, and an adding machine invented in 1641 by Blaise Pascal of France. The principle of the punched card was developed about 1801 by Joseph Marie Jacquard, also of France. His cards were used to control the pattern produced in textiles by a loom. All of the basic principles of the modern digital computer—input and output devices, storage and arithmetic units, and the sequencing of instructions—were conceived in the 1820’s and 1830’s by Charles Babbage, an English mathematician. He completed a small computer, called a difference engine, in 1822. It consisted primarily of gears and levers and was similar to a modern mechanical desk calculator. Impact and use of computers A computer is a high-speed mathematician, file clerk, and a typist. It can perform many thousands of times more rapidly than human without error. Its many uses grow out of these characteristics. Computers are used in business to do many routine and time-consuming jobs, such as handling billing, payrolls, and inventory. Computers can be used in making forecasts of future sales figures or economic conditions. In many organizations, computers are used as word processors, simplifying the production of reports, letters, and other documents. Some organizations routinely transmit memos and other messages by means of computer linkups, a form of communication known as electronic mail. Reporters, salespeople, and other workers can produce their written work on portable computers and then transmit the work to an office via telephone lines. In the school, computers are used in many classrooms to assist teachers in instructing students. Computers are used in a variety of ways, from supplying simple drills to providing complex simulations of such processes as conducting a scientific experiments or managing a large company. In such sciences as physics, chemistry, and psychology, computers are used to monitor experiments and organize the results so that they can be interpreted more easily. In astronomy, computers perform the complicated alculations necessary for determining the orbits and relative positions of various heavenly bodies. In engineering, computers are used to help produce and evaluate the design of new products. Another use of computers is to control industrial processes. This form of control, a type of automation, has been applied to such processes as machining, oil refining, and the manufacture of chemicals. Another industrial use is to control robots used in assembly operations. Computers are essential for a variety of functions performed by government agencies. For example, computers are used by the National Weather Services for analyzing large amounts of weather data to make weather forecasts; by the Federal Aviation Administration for operating the complex equipment needed to direct air traffic; by the Internal Revenue Service for handling tax records; by the Census Bureau for compiling statistical data on the country’s population; and by the military for communication, defense, and weapons systems. In the home, computers are used for a number of purposes. A popular used of home computers is for playing video games. They are also used to gain access by telephone hook-up to networks providing a variety of information and communication services. In some homes, computers are used for word processing and for maintaining household records. It is also known to surf the web and collect various information off of the internet. Many people work off of a computer for a living. A computer can perform a virtually unlimited number of calculations, one after another, without further action on the part of the person using it. It is this ability that sets a computer apart from an ordinary calculating machine, which requires control by a human operator for each calculation. Although the computer itself deals only with numbers, it can work with information that was not originally in numerical form if that information lends itself to mathematical and logical analysis. It does so by first converting the information into numbers; it then performs calculations with the numbers and converts the result into a usable form. Although computer does not think, it does make decisions. Each decision is based on a logical pattern previously stored—by a human being—in the computer. It makes a decision by following instructions such as â€Å"If the number you are reading is 10 or less, proceed to the next step. If it is greater than 10, skip the next step. † In making decisions, the computer uses the same processes as those described in the article LOGIC.

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Terry Hill

Terry Hill, a professor at Oxford University argues that the criteria required in the marketplace (and identified by marketing) can be divided into two groups: âž ¢ An order qualifier is a characteristic of a product or service that is required in order for the product/service to even be considered by a customer. âž ¢ An order winner is a characteristic that will win the bid or customer's purchase. Order winners and qualifiers are both market-specific and time-specific. They work in different combinations in different ways on different markets and with different customers. While, some general trends exist across markets, these may not be stable over time. Order Qualifier: Incase of telephone company the main objective is to ensure proper communication. In this sector some of the order qualifiers are Grameenphone, Robi, Citycell, Banglalink, Teletalk, Warid. Order Winner: An Order winner criterion depends on the cost of the product, product quality and reliability, or any of the other dimensions developed earlier. In our country Citycell (Pacific Bangladesh Telecom Limited) is the first mobile communications company (since 1989) of Bangladesh. For this reason it got some priorities in that time. But when GP (Grameephone) came into market in 1997 it became the order winner because of its strong and reliabile network. Grameenphone was the first company to introduce GSM technology in Bangladesh. It also established the first 24-hour Call Center to support its subscribers. It has now more than 28 million subscribers (as of October 2010). As of July, 2008 Citycell has 1.67 million subscribers. It is Important to remember that the order winning and order qualifying criteria may change over time. Professor Hill states that a firm must re-qualify the order qualifiers every day it is in business.

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

Piaget Theory Of Cognitive Developement essays

Piaget Theory Of Cognitive Developement essays There are two classical theories of cognitive development. The one that I will focus on is Piagets theory of cognitive development. Jean Piaget, a Swiss, educated, mollusk biologist lived from 1896 to 1980. He hypothesized that learning is a physical, biological function of dealing with successfully with the environment. (Phillips, 1998) This is the basis for his theory. Looking at Piagets theory of cognitive development in more detail we find that he based it on two biological tendencies. The two tendencies are organization, and adaption. Organization as Piaget saw it said that humans are designed to organize their observations and experiences into coherent sets of meanings. ( Eggen, 1999) This organization of observation makes the thinking process more efficient. If a person can put the things they observe in some sort of order the easier it is to remember and apply their observations. If we did not organize our observations and experiences we would have little bits of information floating around in our brains with no connection between them. Adaption is according to Piagets theory is the tendency to adjust to the environment. Adaption is a process by which we create matches between our original observations and new ones that might not exactly fit together. Our original observations and conceptions are called our schemas. To adapt to new observations and experiences into our schemas we use one of two techniques. We can assimilate that information by putting it together with old schemas or conceptions. If the observations dont fit nicely into our existing schemas we use the second of the adaption techniques. We accommodate or change our schema to fit our observation. Piaget never said that our schemas had to be right or wrong. Our schemas are based on our own observations and experiences. ( Eggen, 1999) We adapt to things because we are driven by the urge to have things fit together or to be in what...

Monday, October 21, 2019

The healthcare reform debate

The healthcare reform debate The health care reform debate has continually heated up in the recent years among various interest groups, government officials, the House and the Senate and the media. This debate is of different interests to different interest groups as some look into the long term benefits where as others are profit-driven at the expense of the public.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The healthcare reform debate specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More HR 3962: The Affordable Health Care for Americans This bill was crafted by the House of Representatives in November 2009 but later on December, 2009 the Senate passed a substitute bill, Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act which was later abandoned for the Healthcare Reconciliation Act of 2010. List of recommendations by interest groups A group of health policy experts, health insurance executives, business leaders, economists, hospital administrators among other experts held several workshops to discuss health care reforms in a forum known as the Fresh-thinking Project and came up with the following recommendations; Change the existing fee-for-service payment to a system that promotes and rewards improvement in the well-organized provision of quality care and put in the expansion of outcome, procedures to direct payment. Payments ought to be allied to improving patient products, reducing racial and further inequalities in outcomes, mounting effectiveness, and restraining the growth in the cost of care. Consequently connecting payment to outcomes will necessitate constant investment in the regular growth of outcomes measures (Terry, 1). There is a need to pool a risk and therefore exchanges both regional and state to guarantee the Americans without access employer based insurance or any other type of insurance is enabled to obtain an average benefits package. Employers are also supposed to also be permitted to play a part in these exchanges designed for their e mployees coverage. Typically, underwriting individual and small group insurance firms do not perform well due to risk selection. Therefore in order to reduce poor selection there should be compulsory coverage for standard benefits and risk accustomed payments on the part of the exchanges. These mandates ought to be matched with mechanisms that ensure adequate participation of those qualified to avoid the buildup of just the high-risk people in the exchange. These mechanisms should include considerable subsidies, probably joint with enforceable directives. It is also important to recognize the efforts of the employers in their employees’ coverage. According to the experts revenue source which includes a cap on the tax exemption which touches on employer-based insurance to support health care should be implemented to insure all Americans. There are tens of millions and budding numbers of Americans who are not insured and approximately 70% of these Americans cannot afford to pay for their insurance (Jost, 1). Consequently, more savings should be mobilized to insure all Americans like passing on accessible health income or levying tax on tobacco. President Obamas new health care reform and the recommendations The health care reforms recommended by Obama is meant to radically reform the insurance market by barring pre-existing stipulation, eradicating underwriting which is founded on gender, education, occupation or health status. It will also provide a guideline on the crucial benefits that the insurance plans must cover, to improve transparency and insurance disclosure. Therefore his reforms to some extend will concur with their recommendations because it is going to create a national health insurance exchange where every new non-group policies will be put up for sale and make insurance accessible for employees of small and possibly even the large employers. The exchanges should raise competition and reduce the rising administrative costs so as to reduce overall costs and enhance accountability. As a way of insuring all the Americans the Obama reforms if legislated would oblige employers with payrolls above $500,000 annually to grant health insurance to their insurers or forfeit a penalty (Jost, 1 and alternatively majority will be insured through House leadership. It will as well recognize small businesses who have covered their staff by granting them tax credits. However, this idea has not been welcomed by many business owners. Similarly, many people look at it as a means of making those who are well off to pay taxes for the poor.Advertising Looking for essay on health medicine? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More To raise money to cover such people, reforms are proposing taxation of medical device manufactures because this is likely to offer the government about $20 billion. The senate bill intents to reach or raise $40 billion from the device makers. However, this m ay be difficult because national lobbyists for the industry on the other hand are favoring reconciliation to the lower amount and therefore this could increase lobbying. The health care reforms proposed by president Obama’s administration have both losers and gainers and therefore everyone is pulling their side so that they will not be affected negatively (Terry,1). The insurers feel that the reforms do not favour them whereas other stakeholders and interest groups feel that this will affect delivery system as well as ensure almost all Americans have access to healthcare. Children’s hospitals on the other hand feel that they will have more to lose as a result of the reforms than full-service hospitals. I think in the long run all these reforms will work out to the advantage of all Americans if the end result actually moves America closer to sustainable healthcare system. Jost, Timothy. HR 3962: The Affordable Health Care for Americans; health affairs blog Act. 2009 â €“ July, 27, 2011 https://www.healthaffairs.org/do/10.1377/hblog20091030.002649/full/ Terry, Ken. â€Å"Interest Groups Redouble Fight on Healthcare Reform† 2009 July, 27, 2011 https://www.cbsnews.com/news/interest-groups-redouble-fight-on-healthcare-reform/Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The healthcare reform debate specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More

Saturday, October 19, 2019

A Pilot Study Report Education Essay

A Pilot Study Report Education Essay Introduction The aim of the pilot study was to examine data collection instruments that will be used in the main data collection. It is important that any tools of data collection should have a pilot study ‘in order to iron out any problems of overlap of categories’ (Cohen et al, 2005: 130). In other words, Drever (1995: 56) points out that the researcher in the pilot study is trying to do two things: ‘first, to give the interview a trial run under realistic conditions; second, to get as much information as possible from the other person about how they interpret and reacted to the researcher’s questions. Instruments Two instruments of data collection were used in the pilot study: first, in class-essay writing sessions, this was done by asking students to write three essay drafts in three different writing sessions. The time allowed for writing the essay drafts was 90 minutes. The number of errors was used to measure the achievements of the students’ accuracy in a new piece of writing. Second, conducting an interview with students first and then their tutors in order to know their expectations towards tutors’ error feedback. Participants Students from the two colleges were selected and had informed that their writing work would be analysed and used for research and teaching purposes. First year students and second year students from each college were enrolled in three writing class sessions. The total number of students who participated in the study was ninety-seven students. Students assigned to two different groups: first group, students who received ‘coded’ direct written feedback focused on form and the other group who received ‘un-coded’ written feedback focused on form as well. English writing tutors were selected in the study and their number was four. Pilot Study Procedures and methods of collecting data Used Students were required to write three descriptive essays on different topics but on a similar context during six weeks’ time. Tutors were asked to focus on correcting errors based on form, and they were given a list of types of errors that should be addressed on students’ essay drafts. (See table 1) Types of Error Article Errors Plural Nouns Errors Prepositions Wrong Word Punctuations Missing word Spelling Word Order Capitalization Subject-Verb Agreement Personal Pronouns Verb Tense Errors Incomplete Sentence Table: 1 Tutors asked students to write between 250 – 300 words for the first essay draft for both first and second year students. All students were given 90 minutes to write their essays. Tutors asked first year students to write three descriptive essays in six weeks’ time. The first essay topic was to describe your family and whether it is a typical family in Libya. In week two, they were asked to describe their best friends and why they were the best of their friends. In week six, students were asked to describe one of their parents and how they would describe them. Likewise, tutors asked second year students to write three descriptive essays in six weeks’ time. The first topic was to describe any important Muslim event in their country and why it is important to them. In week two, students were asked to describe their national holiday event in their country and why it is important. In week six, students were asked to describe their favourite holiday place in their country and why it is favourite one.

Friday, October 18, 2019

Trend Essay - Retro Fashion Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Trend - Retro Fashion - Essay Example The essay "Trend Essay - Retro Fashion" focuses on the retro fashion. Even famous makers of athletic footwear have begun to produce new lines of ‘retro’ shoes. Anyone who doubts the existing of a retro trend needs to simply visit the internet or pick up a fashion magazine. There are plenty of YouTube videos on how to get the look of a particular decade. The term is used in many articles on how to mix new with old garments from the past. It’s not just the styles that are desirable; but the colors as well. Hot pink has definitely made a comeback. Polka dots from the 60’s have found their way back into fashion today. Not only are they found in garments, but also in home decor, such as on pillows and bedding. Retro is a distinctive style that is sometimes classified along with the ‘vintage’ styles. However, it is unique, in that it does not necessarily imply age or an aged look. Vintage, on the other hand, does imply something that is aged. Most pe ople think of vintage as a look coming from the 1920’s through the depression era. Retro is what comes after that period. Though some people tend to mix the terms, Retro has a distinct place in time that it resembles. It represents an era in fashion that influenced garment design, furniture and an overall style. A retro look is not limited to fashion. Brown, et al talk about the term applied to the marketing of products, suggesting it is a trend that reinvents something from a past decade, with a new twist. They give the example of the Volkswagen Beetle.

Outside speech Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Outside speech - Assignment Example Through the Elder Helpers volunteer organization, volunteers can do what the government cannot do. That is, to show kindness to a society that has done its part in building the nation. The elderly face a series of emotional, physical and societal problems. Physically, aging is the deterioration of the physical and mental mechanisms (Edward 533). Inevitably, the body becomes vulnerable to innumerable diseases and conditions such as Alzheimer’s. This deterioration of health has resulted in the elderly being identified as the handicapped, particularly in capitalist societies (Edward 533). Moreover, the challenges are made difficult by the high cost of medication and therapies resulting in a majority of the aging population living with the lack of proper health care. Currently, the elderly live solitary lives where they can go for days without communicating with other individuals. Some elders have also lost their spouses which results in emotional problems. Inevitably, the isolated life coupled with the physical challenges makes the elderly vulnerable to unhealthy lives that would most likely lead to more complications or even death. At this point, I know there are some who are wondering why we should help the elderly members in our society. Such people need to acknowledge the fact that aging is a definite event that occurs in the life of every individual. Soon, each and every one of us may live long enough to experience the complications that arise through aging. At that point in our lives, I am certain we would all be grateful if the society helped us go through aging stress-free. Furthermore, the elderly in our society are important because, without them, the current generation would not exist. Elderly Helpers is an opportunity to interact with the elderly in the society and assist them in their day to day lives (elderlyhelpers.org). Moreover, the organization is an opportunity for young members in the society to provide

Manga in United States Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Manga in United States - Essay Example Manga were brought out only slowly into U.S. markets, first in association with anime and then independently. As on December 2007[update], a minimum of 15 U.S. manga publishers have released 1300 to 1400 titles The sway of manga on European cartooning is rather different than U.S. experience. Manga was open to the European market during the 1970s when Italy and France broadcast anime. According to the Japan External Trade Organization, sales of manga touched $212.6 million within France and Germany alone in the year 2006. Times are tough across the globe. With the economic slowdown, many industries are badly hurt. Anime/manga sales have already been slumping in the local as well as the international market. If the favorite entertainment segment has to survive these hard times, then products have to be bought not only for ourself but for our near and dear ones. Hello Kitty is a little cat, with a round face, a bow on her left ear, a short tail but without mouth, this cartoon cat is printed on over 22,000 kinds of commodities to be sold in more than 40 countries. She earns $500,000,000 for her owner, Sanrio Company, as well as billions of dollars for those companies authorized to use her image. Some unauthorized companies put it on a variety of things, creating a profit of $1,000,000,000 every year.

Thursday, October 17, 2019

Research funding(granting) agencies Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Research funding(granting) agencies - Essay Example The National Institute of Health is a federal agency that operates to support research activities for better health standards. The mission of the National Institute of Health is to â€Å"seek fundamental knowledge about behavior of living systems,† use the developed information to promote health, increase life expectancy, and reduce rates of illnesses and disability (National Institutes of Health, n.d., p. 1). The mission outlines a research-based initiative for knowledge development and application of research findings for better health among citizens. The mission scope also identifies the agency’s resources for funding research and possible collaboration with other research institutions. The National Institute of Health has institutes, centers, and offices that implement the agency’s mandate. Some of its institutes that are relevant to health system management, through informing management, are the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Engineering, Natio nal Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities, National Institute of Mental Health, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, and the National Institute of General Medical Sciences (National Institute of Health, n.d.). ... It further outlines the mode and dates of application, and indicates a formal approach to the agency’s funding announcements and procedures for applications and consideration of the applications. The institute supports grant applications from organizations that conduct research to help address needs for existence and application of new technologies and techniques for care provision (National Institute of Health, n.d.). The agency’s mission is to facilitate and improve health at different levels of the society such as â€Å"individuals, families, communities, and populations† (National Institute of Nursing Research, 2011, p. 1). Pursuing the mission involves the institution’s direct and indirect engagement in clinical and basic research and through trainings. These initiatives aim to â€Å"build the scientific foundation for clinical practice, prevent disease and disability, manage and eliminate symptoms caused by illness, and improve palliative and end of life care† (National Institute of Nursing Research, 2011, p. 1). The institution’s areas of research emphasis are â€Å"health promotion and disease prevention, quality of life, health disparities, and end of life† (National Institute of Nursing Research, 2011, p. 1). Funding announcements are made through the National Institute of Health and only links and brief descriptions appear on the agency’s web site. The purpose of Healthy People 2020 is to achieve high living standards with a prolonged life expectancy among people. Its vision, mission, and initiatives communicate this, and its established standards that promote joint strategies among communities and sectors, â€Å"empower individuals toward making informed health decisions,† and determine effects of prevention measures support this. The

PEST Analysis for video game store that i'm opened Term Paper

PEST Analysis for video game store that i'm opened - Term Paper Example It should be noted though, that political environment does not necessarily imply the rivalry between top leaders. Instead, it is refers to how tax policy, labor-law, restrictions pertaining to trade are carried out. London, Canada is one of the best places in terms of political stability due to its setting. As far as the real politics is concerned, there has not been a case of political unrest in the city for a very long time. Concerning the taxes, the central government and the local one are the major collectors through various methods. For instance, the local government mostly collects from parking and such services Therefore, London City seems to be a perfect place to start this video store because there is political stability, no exaggeration of taxes not to mention the security. Secondly, economic factors in every city, especially one where a business is started, are very important and have to be investigated extensively. Usually, when the interest rates are low, business people are able to access loans at a lower rate. At this point, it is vital to understand that since the inflation rate is not high, the local people will be able to spare some money to spend on other things. As an informed businessperson, this video game store will have clients from every part of London courtesy of the marketing strategies. One reality about business is that no matter how strategic one may be, if the overall financial status of the target market is poor, the business will have minimal chances of success. Conversely, if the people in a region are financially stable, the businesses have higher probabilities of achieving success. Therefore, this London city is a great opportunity for this video game business to be initiated. The social aspect of every region is an imperative in the analysis of a business location. It is not logical to initiate a business where the locals hardly

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

Manga in United States Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Manga in United States - Essay Example Manga were brought out only slowly into U.S. markets, first in association with anime and then independently. As on December 2007[update], a minimum of 15 U.S. manga publishers have released 1300 to 1400 titles The sway of manga on European cartooning is rather different than U.S. experience. Manga was open to the European market during the 1970s when Italy and France broadcast anime. According to the Japan External Trade Organization, sales of manga touched $212.6 million within France and Germany alone in the year 2006. Times are tough across the globe. With the economic slowdown, many industries are badly hurt. Anime/manga sales have already been slumping in the local as well as the international market. If the favorite entertainment segment has to survive these hard times, then products have to be bought not only for ourself but for our near and dear ones. Hello Kitty is a little cat, with a round face, a bow on her left ear, a short tail but without mouth, this cartoon cat is printed on over 22,000 kinds of commodities to be sold in more than 40 countries. She earns $500,000,000 for her owner, Sanrio Company, as well as billions of dollars for those companies authorized to use her image. Some unauthorized companies put it on a variety of things, creating a profit of $1,000,000,000 every year.

PEST Analysis for video game store that i'm opened Term Paper

PEST Analysis for video game store that i'm opened - Term Paper Example It should be noted though, that political environment does not necessarily imply the rivalry between top leaders. Instead, it is refers to how tax policy, labor-law, restrictions pertaining to trade are carried out. London, Canada is one of the best places in terms of political stability due to its setting. As far as the real politics is concerned, there has not been a case of political unrest in the city for a very long time. Concerning the taxes, the central government and the local one are the major collectors through various methods. For instance, the local government mostly collects from parking and such services Therefore, London City seems to be a perfect place to start this video store because there is political stability, no exaggeration of taxes not to mention the security. Secondly, economic factors in every city, especially one where a business is started, are very important and have to be investigated extensively. Usually, when the interest rates are low, business people are able to access loans at a lower rate. At this point, it is vital to understand that since the inflation rate is not high, the local people will be able to spare some money to spend on other things. As an informed businessperson, this video game store will have clients from every part of London courtesy of the marketing strategies. One reality about business is that no matter how strategic one may be, if the overall financial status of the target market is poor, the business will have minimal chances of success. Conversely, if the people in a region are financially stable, the businesses have higher probabilities of achieving success. Therefore, this London city is a great opportunity for this video game business to be initiated. The social aspect of every region is an imperative in the analysis of a business location. It is not logical to initiate a business where the locals hardly

Tuesday, October 15, 2019

Plato’s Dialectical Method Essay Example for Free

Plato’s Dialectical Method Essay Plato’s method is presumably taken from that of Socrates, who wrote nothing down. Socrates believes, in the early dialogues, that he â€Å"knows nothing. † This is an irony, meant to be juxtaposed to the elite of Athenian society who are convinced of their own wisdom and knowledge on specialized subjects such as rhetoric, argument, literature, generalship, etc. In the early dialogues, Plato initially has Socrates speaking from a position of â€Å"ignorance. † That is, from a position where he claims to know nothing, permitting himself just a series of questions that are designed to lead his opponent into absurdities, proving, so to speak, that his opponent knows only conventional wisdom–images of knowledge–rather than knowledge itself. The Platonic project is to reveal the Truth, the forms of being that exist behind the ever-changing panoply of sense impressions, accepted â€Å"truths† and the opinion of either the masses or the powerful, and often both. Hence, it makes perfect sense that Plato’s project will begin with dialogues such as the Apology and the Euthyphro, both showing Socrates not providing any positive doctrine, but stripping bare the accepted wisdom on the relevant topics of crime and punishment, or piety and faith. Before Plato can provide his positive doctrine, he must first show that the accepted wisdom–images given by mass society or the elite, or both–are false, and exist solely in the realm of opinion, that of the natural or conventional worlds, rather than the truth, the world of the forms, beyond space and time, beyond sense impression, apprehensible only though the mind. Khan (1996) gives us a hint as to the importance of the dialectical method. The dialogue form used because Plato has an â€Å"acute sense of the psychological distance that separates his world view from that of his audience. † (66). And further, â€Å"philosophy is essentially the practice of spiritual liberation by which the rational psyche prepares itself for a successful voyage back to its transcendental homeland† (66). The world of late Athens, just prior to the conquests of Philip and Alexander, is one of petty crime, worldly glory and political manipulation, hardly the arena for the development of a powerfully transcendent form of philosophy. Hence, the early dialogues are a preparation, the first movement forward away from the changing fortunes of Athens, and the changing natural world that keeps most men in intellectual chains. The point is not to lose one’s audience. For, early on in Socrates’ career, for him to have unloaded the full content of the Republic or even the Laws onto a highly corrupt Athenian society would have been disastrous. Socrates might not have been executed, but considered a madman and banished. Hence, early on, and even, to some extent in the middle dialogues, Socrates is struggling with worldly-wise men to get them to see the nature and ground of their craft, rather than its service to the state, to social advancement or even the advancement of their ego. In Plato’s Apology, Socrates is presented to the literary world as a martyr, a martyr against mass appearances and a fighter for the existence of Truth, which he claims (39) is really not possible to reach, and belongs only to the divinities of Olympus. What passes for truth is not truth, but is a reaction to mere appearances, the world of opinion, of doxa. A philodoxer is one who exists solely in the realm of sense impressions, those impressions that can be manipulated by those in power and ingrained into the psyche by mass opinion. Of course, in modern times, mass media would be the very source of the philodoxer’s alleged knowledge. In attacking the worldly-wise of Athens, Socrates admission of ignorance also derives from the idea that he has no specific area of expertise (Khan, 89). In other words, while it is true that his opponents are experts in their various fields, and hence should be approached concerning any question about those fields, Socrates seems to have none at all. His â€Å"field† simply is the tripping up of his opponents who do not think systematically, but think according to the present utility of their areas of expertise. Furthermore, while Socrates feigns ignorance, he, as Khan has written â€Å"never denies that he has practical good sense and moral excellence† (Khan, 90) He sees around him a once glorious Athenian society, set on solid ground by Solon centuries earlier, no longer on solid ground. The tyranny of the 30 created a situation–or reflected a situation–where power, and hence opinion, became the only true goods. One’s skill, ones arete, exist solely to bring the user worldly gains, both for himself and the city. But this situation leads to moral degradation, since the only reason to have virtue is to prove one’s usefulness in glory, to gain praise and promotion. This is the backdrop to the rise of the sophists, a group of pseudo-philosophers who claim to have knowledge, but this just amounts to the manipulation of socially crated images to appear to have knowledge. The sophist can make any argument they are paid to, because truth either does not exist, or is not useful in all circumstances. The sophist is valuable because self-promotion is their specialty, and hence, they receive the venom of Socrates. Hence, when Socrates is speaking of a certain craft, a certain form of practical excellence, he insists that he must be speaking of the same object as his opponent. Hence, in the Euthyphro, Socrates and his opponent are not speaking of piety in the same way. The are not speaking of the same thing. Socrates is speaking about piety in a way that includes all specific incarnations of the phenomenon. While Euthyphro, as a good Greek at the time, speaks of it in terms of its utility. Hence, they are not talking about the same thing, which permits Socrates to continually thwart his opponents. They are speaking on two different planes, one Truth, the other, use, or truth (small â€Å"t†). While Truth is utile, utility does not exhaust it, and even if it did, they are speaking of â€Å"use† in two very different ways. For Socrates, as in the Apology, one should never do evil, even if it is immediately utile. While the â€Å"timocrat,† one who lives for earthly glory, might do evil (something cowardly, or mercenary, etc) for the sake of gaining immediate glory and fame. Socrates holds that all evil is inutile, though not in any worldly way, but because, slowly but surely, it turns the soul bad, hence the soul begins not to know truth from falsehood. All is power, all is crass utility. In response to the utilitarian idea, Socrates says to his accusers: â€Å"a man who is good for anything ought not to calculate the chance for living or dying; he ought to consider whether in doing anything he is doing right or wrong–acting the part of a good man or bad† (40). Socrates is claiming that goodness is beyond utility, that he is morally good, and finally, that the common opinion that goodness is utility is false. In the Apology, Socrates affirms; â€Å"young men of the richer cases, who have not much to do, come about me of their own accord. They like to hear the pretenders examined. . . .they are plenty of persons, as they quickly discover, who think they know something, but really know little or nothing. . . (33). This is behind the charges against Socrates. Socrates, speaking of himself and his mission, says to the judges â€Å"I am that gadfly that god has attached to the state; and all the day long and in all places I am fastening upon you, arousing, persuading and reproaching you. (43). Many things are said here about his method. A. Socrates says nothing about any positive philosophy. This is not the point. He is not unaware of the utility of the crafts that he takes apart in debate, but, for the good of the city, he is forced to make his opponents realize the true ground of the goodness of their craft. B. Socrates sees Athens in trouble. The tyranny, the mass democracy and the predictable rise of sophistry means that power and only power (whether military, financial or persuasive) is operative. If this is true, than moral goodness will be prostituted to the state. In the long run, this will lead to the destruction of the state and its famed liberties, since moral goodness will be defined as loyalty to one political faction or other, each faction seeing Athens as a means to financial or political advancement. Not real city can function with those sorts of divisions. Hence, Socrates, unbeknownst to his opponents, is a true patriot, seeking the moral betterment of his people. C. By â€Å"god† it is likely that Socrates means â€Å"world of forms. As Khan said earlier, the usage of common terminology is a strategy where he may gain acceptance. By the use of â€Å"god† he is talking about ultimate Truth (which he alone serves) in language that the common folk of Athens could understand. It is possible that Socrates viewed the Olympian pantheon as a popularization and â€Å"folkloric† method of understanding the forms. *** When Socrates is grilling the unfortunate but well intentioned Euthyphro, there is a passage from Socrates that strongly hints that his negative approach is leading, at some future time, to the positive ideas of the forms. Socrates says to his opponent, speaking of pious acts â€Å"The point I should first wish to understand is whether the pious or holy is beloved by the gods because it is holy, or holy because it is beloved by the gods† (12) Outside of the Crito, this is the most suggestive passage in the early dialogues concerning a foreshadowing of later, positive doctrine. Here, Plato is giving, in sharp relief, the distinction between the Platonic idea of Truth and the common, utilitarian Athenian view. The sophist would claim that the former is the case. That something is holy because it is loved by the gods. The power of the gods is accepted as arbitrary and unquestioned. Hence, the only thing to do is to is to figure ways to place them, and hence acquire various profits in so doing. That is the opposite of what we call Platonism. What is more important is the critical part. Instead of merely accepting that what his holy is holy because the gods love it, one must find out the nature of the holy, to which then the gods then must conform. Nothing is more Platonic than this distinction. The first is reflective of the power hungry Athenian state. The famed politicians, bankers and priests want power, thus, if you are a citizen, you do what you can to please the powerful, and hence become famed yourself, and promoted through the system. This is the world of power and prostitution. Power and profit are taken as good in themselves, and hence the powerful are off the intellectual hook. Platonism is reflected in the idea that there is a concept of power, and, beyond that, the Good by which power is thus justified that would force a ruling class to conform their behavior to. Once the philosopher can provide an outline of this Goodness in relation to power (the Republic and Statesman), or the mode of being that a ruling class must conform to, then one’s life can be called rational (politically speaking). This passage in the Euthyphro then, points to a much later development in Plato’s ontology: There is a Good that the Gods love. The only reason the Gods love it is that it is Good, hence the gods (assuming Plato believed in them) are to be emulated only because of the Good, not because they are gods. The political ramifications of this are staggering, and it is easy to make an argument that the political ramifications of the question of piety (especially given the nature of the charges against Socrates) are designed to reorient the mind of Athenian youth to the Good, rather than to power. The powerful seek to define the good for themselves, invariably, of course, defined as what is in their own interest. Hence, if this terrible state of affairs is to be avoided, the nature of the Good must be outlined. But in these early dialogues, only hits are being dropped.

Monday, October 14, 2019

The research process: Beginning to end

The research process: Beginning to end THE RESEARCH PROCESS Introduction The research process is the steps included or needed to conduct a research from the beginning to the end. Research that have been identify should be carried out in a deliberate and systematic manner in order to produce a substantive besides useful outcomes (Weaver and Lawton, 2006). The specific way in each of these stages and their attendant sub-stages is operationalized will wary from project to project (Weaver and Lawton, 2006). Furthermore, research also is an extremely cyclic process, where the review of earlier work might be necessitate for the later stages (Leedy and Ormrod, 2001). Therefore, it can be difficult to determine on where to begin or where to end the research due to its cyclic (Leedy and Ormrod, 2001). According Weaver and Lawton 2006, there are basically seven steps in the research as shown below. Step 1: Problem Recognitions According to Leedy and Ormrod, 2001, a research begins with a problem. Therefore, the first step in any research process or before conducting a research is to recognize the problem or issues that interest the investigator (Weaver and Lawton, 2006). In tourism-based corporation, the core issues that require research are reduced patronage and declining market share (Weaver and Lawton, 2006). From a destination perspective, additional concerns may be harbored about negative community reactions to tourism or declining environmental conditions that will affect the industry (Weaver and Lawton, 2006). However, methodological bias of the researcher might dictate the problems As we know, before starting to conduct a research, at first we should come out with a question because all of the research that begins with a question. Besides that, curiosity of a researcher is often used as a foundation for scholarly inquiry. Before start to conduct a research, the researcher should know the problems a nd broad issues that interest them to conduct a research. Researcher should clearly understand and clarify what they want to know to conduct the research. After problem has been recognized and the researcher understand what they want to know to conduct the research, it will makes them easier. Researcher can ask themselves question on what they want to know actually based on the research that will be conduct. By this, it can help them to conduct a better research because they have the purpose for conducting the research. After problem has been recognizing, the researcher can plan or create a useful framework for clarifying or contextualizing the broad problem. For example: if you are interested in finding out about how many students will take the opportunity to involve themselves in the sports events in school? You might need to pose out a question that what is the advantages of taking part in sports event in school? Researcher should understand what they really want to find out by t his topic. They should indentify what problem, concepts or keywords in this question on what they want to know by doing this research and then plan their framework well before start to do their research. Step 2: Question formulation After all the problem and topic that researcher identify or broad problems that have been selected, research questions must be focused to prevent that time and resources are not wasted on tangential avenues of investigation(Weaver and Lawton, 2006). Furthermore, hypothesis may be expressed when question formulation. As a basis for question formulation, it is helpful to clarify that the level of investigation that is warranted by the problem and the resources of the company or destination that are available. There are four levels of investigations which are description, explanation, prediction and prescription. All of this level will be using based on the research that will be conducted by the researcher. The first level if the investigation is description (Weaver and Lawton, 2006). Description it is the most basic level of inquiry. For example, the managers of a particular destination are concerned that the local people appear to be increasingly hostile toward visiting tourists. The logical first step in addressing this issue is to describe the actual situation, by asking questions such as what are the attitudes of local residents towards visiting tourists. Next level for the investigation is explanation (Weaver and Lawton, 2006). Explanation is the decision whether to or not to proceed to this level of investigation, which is to explain the resultant patterns is often constrained by the availability of resources. However, the decision should be based on whether one or more serious problems have been revealed after the research process has been completed at the descriptive level. For example, the perceived hostility of residents involves only a few isolated incidents instigated by known troublemakers, and then there is probably no compelling reason to precede any further investigation. But, if the suspicious of emerging hostility have been confirmed, and the parameters of the hostility are identified as being broad-based, then the explanation is necessary towards its resolution. Level three for the investigation level according to Weaver and Lawton, 2006 is prediction. Prediction means once a plausible explanation for a problem is found out, the further investigation is to predict the problems consequences if no remedial measures are taken. As with any prediction involving humans, this stage of inquiry will be speculative, but it is possible to engage in intelligent and well-considered speculation that will inform the final stage of prescription. Example would be like asking what will happen to the local tourism industry if no steps are being carried to address the hostility of young adults towards tourism. Lastly, the final stage of the level of investigation according to Weaver and Lawton (2006) is prescription. Prescription is the culmination of research process, involving the consideration of various solutions to the problems. If the predictive phase reveals that the above situation is highly volatile, and that the community will endure great suffering if no correction action was taken, then it is essential to proceed with prescriptive phase. To summarize, the intervention or the actions that should be taken to ensure optimum outcomes for the company or destination, is a core component of the process in management and in applied research. Appropriate solutions or prescriptions will only emerge as a result of the knowledge that is obtained through preliminary research at the levels of description, explanation and prediction (Weaver and Lawton, 2006). Step 3: Identification of research methodology and/ or methods Next step of the research process is to identify the methodologies that will be use to conduct the research that the researcher already selected (Weaver and Lawton, 2006). In the other words means identify the specific research methods that will be best allow the project or research to be proceed, and normally all this probably will based on the problem that have been identified and the question set for the research. For example, in the descriptive phase, the investigators may undertake quantitative surveying in which resources, time; cultural and social context will be taken into account. Whereas in the explanatory phase, the researcher will engage in qualitative, in-depth interviews to identify the reasons for revealed attitudes and behavior. While for prediction level, the interviewer has a number of options that can be pursued in conjunction with each other to see whether the different methods yield the same results. As shown in the above example, the usage of all the techniques in the same research process also can be known as methodological triangulation. Furthermore, If all of this four methods for the research reveal the similar outcomes, it will gives the researcher high degree of confidence that the real situation of their research that they want to be conduct has been identified. Moreover, it is likely that each of the method will yield its own unique insights into this situation, thereby strengthening the knowledge base that is obtained from the research. Step 4: Data collection After the most appropriate have been identified, the next step of the research process can be proceeded (Weaver and Lawton, 2006). In a former case, a sample of data collection mostly is randomly drawn from the population and each of the members of the population has the equal probability to be selected as the sample for the data (Weaver and Lawton, 2006). Researchers will simple drawn out all the names of those will be involves in the research by using the random number tables to prevent biases when collecting the data. However, researcher also will select a large enough sample so that inferences can be made about the entire population. According to Neuman 1997, it is advisable that the sample should be at least of 30 per cent of the entire population to make sure that it will achieve the same effect. In the data collection, researcher commonly will practiced the non-probability or convenience sampling in the qualitative research and deliberate selection of certain cases to build th e sample for the research that will be conducting. (Weaver and Lawton, 2006) Besides that, for the data collection, once the sample size and procedure of selection for the research have been decided, the actual or the process of the data collection can be started and there is few factors that need to be considered at this stage such as consistency for the result in as short a time period as possible, timing of the interviewing or observation for the research (Weaver and Lawton, 2006). The reason is that it can save the cost and resources for the research without wasted and the collection of the data will be more accurately as well. Theory will be developed from the data gathered and analyzed by the researcher (Neuman, 2000). Furthermore, each research that will be conducted must use an appropriate data collection technique based on the research methodology that has been chosen. The researcher might also involve in pilot study or test, in which the researcher will conduct a trial test of the data collection tools and analysis by using the same sample of the po pulation used in the final study (Jennings, 2001). Besides that, once the sample size and selection procedure have been decided, the actual data collection can be started (Weaver and Lawton, 2006).   The main goals of both quantitative and qualitative studies are to maximize the responses and the accuracy of the research (Walonick, 1993). The researchers will also validate the data collection process When others data collection service are being used, by contacting a percentage of the respondents to verify that they were actually being interviewed ( David S. Walonick 1993). Not only that, the checking process for inadvertent errors in the data also involves data editing and this process normally required a computer to check for the out of boundaries data. Step 5: Data analysis The data analysis is the next stage after data collection, which is a stage that attempts to answer the related research questions by examining and assessing the collected information to identify patterns and meanings (Weaver and Lawton, 2006). At this stage, filtering and organizing the database to eliminate the invalid responses usually will be involves to get a better result for the research. Next (at least in quantitative research), it is follow by the coding and entering of the data that already been collected into a computer software system such as SPSS (Statistical Package for the Social Science) facilities which have the further classification and analysis (Weaver and Lawton, 2006). Actual analysis of the research can be undertaken after all the data already been cleaned to eliminate error in the coding procedure. According to Weaver and Lawton, 2006, the most basic analysis in a qualitative research is to record a simple descriptive statistics such as means, frequencies and standard deviation besides test also can be use when in a more sophisticated level. Researcher need to be open to the data to ensure that the data that they collected do not force the data (Glaser 1992). According to Neuman 1997, qualitative data analysis includes organization of the same categories as well as the relationship development and process models based on a constant comparison of the text-based data. There are 3 aspects of data analysis which is data reduction, data displaying and drawing conclusion (Miles and Huberman 1994). The relationship between different variables and groups can be examined or determined simultaneously by using multivariate technique, such as analyzing the factor and the multidimensional scaling. Level of sophistication depends on the nature of the research question and the datas characteristic collected by the researcher (Weaver and Lawton, 2006). In a qualitative research, the sorting, comparing, classifying and synthesis of the collected informat ion can be involves in analysis for qualitative research (Weaver and Lawton, 2006). Step 6: Data presentation In data presentation, the results of the analysis should be presented in the way that can be easily understood by the target audience. When preparing data for presentation, make sure that you are choosing the key points of the research (Gayle Jennings 2001). The most common devices that use to presenting data is by using tables and graphs but great care also should be always be taken to avoid complexity and clutter particularly if the intended audience is non-academic (Weaver and Lawton, 2006). The reason is that to prevent that audience did not understand what are being present. Furthermore, researcher also can use maps for their presentation because maps are extremely efficient means of presenting spatial information if being constructed properly (Weaver and Lawton, 2006). According to Jennings 2001 Power point presentation also can be use to present the data but there is some consideration when using it to presenting data such as slides should not overwhelmed with text, text is ea sy to read, try not to use colors that are hard to focus on or gaudy, not to over use different font and different style such as italics, bold, use an infra-red or timber pointer if need to indicate something, do not turn your back to audience and check out the slide is in the correct order.   Step 7: Data interpretation The final stage of the research process is data interpretation, in which the meaning from the research results will be extracted (Weaver and Lawton, 2006). This is the stage where important implication of the research result are considered from theoretical and/or practical perspective besides in this stage, researcher also will consider higher levels of investigation which means the researcher will revisit the previous stages(Weaver and Lawton, 2006). Data that been interpret maybe will be influence by the methodological and other biases of the researcher.   The important of the effective interpretation at the specific or broad level cannot be overstated since leads to translation of research results into policy decision and other outcomes that are important to the target audience (Weaver and Lawton, 2006).   

Sunday, October 13, 2019

Trials and Tribulations of Ariel Dorfman :: Essays Papers

Trials and Tribulations of Ariel Dorfman In the late 1950’s Chile was fighting a political war. Ariel Dorfman wrote many stories and essays dealing with the political oppression. Ariel Dorfman was exiled from Chile because of his writings, and struggled with his writing in Paris. With ambitions to return to his country he became one of the most significant Hispanic writers in the 20th century. Chile was going through a time of change. After the death of President Salvador Allende, Augusto Pinochet took over. Ariel worked for Allende and wrote many not so nice things about Pinochet. In 1973 Pinochet didn’t fire Dorfman, instead he just exiled Ariel from the country. After being exiled Dorfman went to Paris he came down with a case of writers block, which left him poor for a while. He eventually recovered and wrote many famous plays and poems. In one of his poems â€Å"He describes Latin America as an enigma a vibrant, sprawling, messy reality which did not itself know where it was or where it was going†¦a series of half-formed nations trapped in a history not of its own, trying to invent an alternative.† (Former Exiled Writer â€Å"Dorfman† 21) Born on May 6, 1942 in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Dorfman’s family was well aware of the horrors of war and the pain of exile, his Jewish grandparents fled the pogroms of Eastern Europe. At the age of two his family moved to New York City and he attended grade school there. When he was seven he began writing children’s fiction. He also expressed himself through painting. At the age of twelve he and his family moved to Chile where he completed his education, married, and in 1967 became a naturalized Chilean citizen. He attended graduate school in Berkley California in 1968 and 1969 and then he returned to Chile. As an adult Dorfman worked as an activist, journalist and writer. Dorfman actively protested against political oppression in Chile. When Chile’s democratically elected Allende and his Marxist government were overthrown in a coup by Augusto Pinochet in 1973 he found himself in opposition to those in power. Following Allende’s death, thousands of politicians, intellectuals, clergymen and writers, of which Dorfman was one, were expelled from Chile. Many famous and significant writings came from Dorfman. His writings include Windows, his Memoir Heading South Looking North: A Bilingual Journey, Death and the Maiden, along with many short stories and poems.

Saturday, October 12, 2019

Benin :: essays research papers

Benin, independent nation of W Africa, formerly called Dahomey. Once a French protectorate, it is a country of 40 ethnic tribal groups and a low-level economy.Land and EconomyLocated in the bulge on the S side of W Africa, Benin is bordered by Nigeria, Toga, Berkina Faso, and Niger, with 75 mi (121km) on the Gulf of Guinea. The coast is hot and humid, and there are two rainy and two dry seasons; average annual rainfall is 32in (813mm). Benin has three plateaus, one fertile, another of bare rocks, and a third with streams flowing to the Volta and Niger rivers and including the Atakora range. The E section is a plain. Subsistence agriculture is the economic base. Palm products and cotton account for half of export revenues.PeopleThe leading class in Benin is composed of male-line descendants of the Aja (Fons, or Dahomey) who had established the early kingdom. Trained for civil service by the French, they are the best educated; literacy is 25% among school-age children. In the N are the nomadic Fulani and the Somba tribe, hunters with no political organization; E are Baribas. 90% of the population is rural, and 65% practices animist religion. French is the common language.GovernmentBenin has been under military rule since 1970. The constitution of 1977 instituted a national assembly, whose members belong to the sole legal political party, the Benin People's Revolutionary Party.HistoryBenin's history dates back to three principalities-Allada, Porto-Novo, and Dahomey-in the S area who were being pushed by the N Kingdom of Abomey in the 16th century. Dahomey was the most aggressive, pushing N and selling slaves. In 1863 the king of Porto-Novo sought French protection. By 1892 France had subjugated all groups and made them protectorates as part of French West Africa. In 1960 the country became independent as Dahomey. The official name was changed to Benin in 1976. Economic and regional rivalries have caused numerous military coup d'‚tats and changes of government since 1960. The Marxist-Leninist military government in power since 1972, led by Brig. Gen. Mathieu Kerekou, relaxed its authority somewhat during the late 1970s and improved relations with France.

Friday, October 11, 2019

Health Care Operations Essay

In a healthcare organization, there are issues, like any other organization. The difference is that in this type of organization, peoples’ health or even their lives can be at stake. Therefore, there is little room for error and all issues must be addressed as soon as possible so that the impact can be controlled and minimized. One such issue can be the overcrowding of the emergency department at hospitals. Many hospitals face this problem especially at the time of disasters and calamities. At times of emergencies, injured people can be flowing in. At times like these, there is always a shortage of space, doctors, supplies and medical attention. Such a problem can have a great negative impact. To analyze the root cause of this problem, following is a ‘five whys’ section aimed at getting to the root of the problem. Why-1 Why is the emergency department being overcrowded? There is not enough space to accommodate the incoming patients. There is mostly a lack of beds, rooms, doctors, medical supplies and treatment. At times of emergencies, the patients coming in are severely injured and need medical attention. With limited resources, these patients do not get enough attention and the delays can cause complications in their medical conditions. Injuries and illnesses can be worsened and lives can be lost because of this lack of space and resources. Why-2 Why is there a lack of space and resources in the hospital? Â  The lack of space can be a design flaw or a problem during the planning phase when the operations scale were being mapped out and discussed. The lack of resources can have the same cause as well i.e. the planned scale of operations was underestimated. Why-3 Why was the scale of operations underestimated? The medical facilities needed in the surrounding environment or locality were underestimated; the planning team did not realize that the locality would need emergency medical facilities on a larger scale. Why-4 Why were the emergency medical needs of the locality underestimated? The survey and requirements analysis done before planning out the operations of the hospital were either done poorly or not at all. This can have several causes too like unskilled researchers and lack of expertise. Failure to look at all social aspects and the lack research backing the healthcare facility plan can be the root causes of the problem. Thus, all projects need to be started off after thorough research and planning so that future issues can be looked after.

Thursday, October 10, 2019

Communicate in a business environment Essay

1.1 – The purpose of communication can be given by any means, it could be talking, email, text message, phone call, meeting as a group and notes. But all of these are done for the same reason to resolve a problem, to communicate a problem to others to resolve it or to organize or explain the problem to help other understand the agenda of what you are speaking about or working on. Every person has their own skills and knowledge so by communicating we can help each other learn or explain things to each other by all of the forms of communications mentioned above. There would be no understanding or routine without communication. 1.2 – The reasons for knowing the audience to whom you are speaking to is that if you know them then you can quickly figure out or should already know what way, language or style of writing which should or could be used. The aim is always to get your point, problem or query understood by whomever may be listening, reading or watching. So if it is an individual, group or team or people you know that you may know personally this makes the task at hand so much easier because they will believe you in what you are saying or trying to communicate across in which ever manner which is chosen. They will also understand the language, emotion or attitude you will be using towards them compared to if it was a complete stranger trying to understand you. I will always use whichever way of talking, writing or body language which I think will be the easiest for my selected audience at hand. Read more:  Different reasons why people communicate  essay 1.3 – The different methods of communication are Verbal, Written and non-verbal (Body language). Verbal would be communicating by using my voice to say and tell whatever I may be trying to communicate across to my audience. Written communication would be, sending an email, letter, text message to explain, tell or inform my audience. Non-verbal communication using body language, would be showing with my hands,  eyes or face by using gestures to show and tell. 1.4 – You should always use different methods of communication, for example if you was in a management meeting you would always communicate verbally in a formal manner. For just having a general talk between our editorial team in our desk area we would use informal for talking about the plans for the social media sites for the company, what products should be selected to show up on the company’s daily Facebook updates. Non-verbal would or could be used by sending an emails to someone to add facts, figures or statistic’s or even in a form as a written note. Body language is always used even without us know we are doing it, in any form of communication except sending emails, texts etc.†¦ Body language can tell or show a lot more from the way you hold your self during a public speaking or when at an informal or formal meetings.

Wednesday, October 9, 2019

CBS news program Essay Example for Free

CBS news program Essay The broadcast news source that I watched was the CBS Evening News with Katie Couric, which was a half hour evening broadcast. Couric sat behind a desk, facing the viewer the entire time. The top stories on this broadcast were the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, the Kansas City tornadoes, and the â€Å"Make or Break† mission in Afghanistan. Each story received about five minutes of airtime. Couric narrated statistics of how much oil has leaked and the length of coastline that has been affected in Louisiana and the Gulf of Mexico while live footage showed clean-up efforts taking place along the coast. The story was made relatable for the viewer by explaining that the amount of oil spilled is enough to cover all of New York City. It was lent credibility by an on-site reporter and correspondent that interviewed both local residents involved in the clean-up and with experts working to stop the oil leak. There was no attention paid to the source of the leak or to anyone being held responsible for the accident. The story about the tornadoes in Kansas City featured footage from a resident’s video camera of the funnel cloud approaching, along with local news footage of the damage to local homes and businesses. Couric, the on-site correspondent and a representative from the National Weather Service delivered their news in professional, almost formal tones. This gave the program the feel of being informed, but somewhat impersonal. The only statistics given were the death rate numbers, and the story ended by stating that more tornadoes were headed toward the area. Couric’s coverage of the â€Å"Make or Break† mission taking place in Afghanistan was the third top story. It discussed the efforts to reclaim the city of Khandahar from the Taliban and gave background information into previous operations in the war between the United States and the Taliban. In-depth explanations were given of where the US troops will go and what they will do. A correspondent reporting from the Pentagon made the story seem more credible, even as he explained President Obama’s reasoning behind the troop surge. The cable news source that I viewed was Fox News on the Fox News Network. It was hosted by Shepard Smith. This was also a half hour evening news broadcast. The top three stories on the show were the Kansas City tornadoes, the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, and the theft of a memorial cross for World War I veterans from a Mojave Desert monument. Air time for each top story was about five minutes, similar to Couric’s program. Shepard Smith delivered all of his dialogue standing and was positioned at various spots throughout the broadcast, as opposed to Couric who stayed seated. There were fast graphics, upbeat background music, and a news wire line across the bottom of the screen delivering more headlines during the top stories, all features not included in the CBS broadcast. The story about the Kansas City tornadoes lasted about five minutes. In included local news footage shot by a Kansas City news program, an in-studio commentator and weather expert that discussed the tornado system with Smith, and footage of local survivors describing what they had seen and heard and detailing the damage to their personal property. Statistics about deaths and injuries were given, and the segment ended with Smith saying that another storm system was on its way. When discussing the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, Smith delved deeper into the Capital Hill investigation of BP, Transocean, and Halliburton in the attempt to determine which company was responsible for the accident. There was also more attention given to the tanker explosion that caused the accident and there was mention of the crew that died in the explosion, information that was not included in the CBS news program. This made the Fox coverage of the oil spill seem more informed and more personable. It was made more personable by Smith’s opinion that someone should be held accountable. The story about the World War I monument being stolen seemed more of a human interest story, and it was interesting that this was made a top story on the program. In discussing the theft of the monument that had stood in the Mojave Desert since 1934, Smith talked with a veteran that was coordinating an effort to have the monument recovered along with a legal correspondent that explained the ongoing debate over whether the monument should be allowed to be erected in the spot in the first place. Overall, the basic layout of the programs was the same. Each top story was given about five minutes of air time and each featured on-site correspondents, experts, video footage, and interviews. The Fox News broadcast was made more engaging with more music, a host that moved around and stood while he spoke, offered jokes and offhanded opinions about the news stories, and in-studio correspondents to discuss them. The CBS broadcast was more serious and toned-down, with Couric being the only correspondent in the studio, tamer graphics, and no news wire. I feel that both proved ample credibility with their straightforward delivery of the facts. But I feel that the Fox News broadcast was more personable and relatable because instead of just showing footage of what’s happening right now like the CBS program did, Fox’s program gave more background information and opinions from more individuals to help the viewer understand the issues and the stories better. Similarities were evident for the basic purpose of news delivery, but the differences occurred because of a different attitude towards the viewer. CBS news program. (2016, Sep 11).

Tuesday, October 8, 2019

Peer pressure Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Peer pressure - Essay Example In most cases, a young person’s personal values  are altered  and shaped by his peer group so as to increase his  similarity  with the other group members. Peer groups are usually well established in most high schools, workplaces and members of the  group  exert pressure to the new members joining the group. Friendship among teenagers is one of the most  important  factors during development. Friendship gives them  secure  venue to discover their identity and experience a sense of belonging. It also cultivates their social skills  relevant  for their future success. On the contrary,  friendship  can  influence  them negatively or positively whereby they end up submitting to negative or positive peer  influence. Young people  become  influenced because of their self-image and self esteem. This serves as a  motive  for them to  identify  with groups that they  fit  or groups that will  accept  them. Those dimensions of the  self  that  are valued  by one’s own peer group become  very  outstanding  in each young person’s self-assessment.   Some peer pressure can be  good. This  is measured  by their outcome whereby positive  influence  of friends  is seen  to play  important  roles among the lives of peers. Positive peers  set  good  examples among themselves, and they tend  to become  good  role models for each other. They can influence each other on goal oriented activities such as working together in  school  work, discussing problems and personal issues together that can help one to make  good  decisions, listening to each other, offering  good  advice and developing a positive  culture  among others. Positive peer pressure can be used to encourage and promote social behavior, because as observed peers can have a  powerful  effect  on self-esteem. Well accepted children can  display  positive  academic skills, social behavior and even

Monday, October 7, 2019

Christian Church in the Middle Ages Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Christian Church in the Middle Ages - Essay Example The church influenced the way people think. The advent of the church began upon the fall of the Roman Empire. The Catholic Church was the only source of moral authority during the middle ages. The head of the Catholic Church at the time was, just like today, the Pope. Members of the church believed that the Pope represented Jesus spiritually on earth. Under the Pope were cardinals, archbishops, bishops and local priests who were in direct contact with the populace. The pope and the archbishops only presided in important occasions. Normal services were the obligations of the local priest under instructions from the Bishops. The major role of the church during the middle ages was to fulfill the spiritual need s of the followers. Priests gave instructions to peasants and the people living in towns in the faith. They also served important purposes in comforting the members when they are in trouble. When members of the church lost a loved one, the priests would be there to console with the families and ensure an organized send off. According to the church, everybody is a sinner, whether male or female and Christian s could escape the wrath from God by believing in Jesus. They would receive eternal life in heaven through doing good and fully participating in the sacraments. Apart from the spiritual leadership role, the church performed many secular roles. The church owned land and Christians contributed to the wealth creation of the church through tithes. Tithes were a portion of the members’ earnings that they gave to the church. Through canon laws, the church had its court to matters relating to justice. Except the monarchs, the church had authority over the secular leaders. The pope had the power to excommunicate kings and other secular rulers who attempted to challenge him. Some members of the Christian community during the middle ages dedicated their lives to serving God and they became Monks and Nuns.