Family Business in the Middle East

Introduction A business is an activity of engaging in trade for the purpose of making profits. The profits are to be realized through the sale of goods and services to customers. A business can also be defined as an enterprise that is involved in selling goods and services at a price with the core purpose of satisfying their customers, earn profits, and increase wealth for the owners. There are different categories of businesses.Advertising We will write a custom proposal sample on Family Business in the Middle East specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More These include the sole proprietor, which is owned and managed by a single individual. In addition, there is the partnership business, which is an association of two or more people who come up to start a business together. In partnership, the partners raise capital and run the business together with the sole purpose of making profits. Finally, there is the company or corporation where mo re than ten people may wish to start a business and register the business to make profits. There is no maximum number of stakeholders in a company, and the company acts under the legal guidance with the constitution of the country where it is registered (Poza, 56). Family business A family business is a business enterprise that is owned and managed by at least two members of the same family. In family business, the entrepreneurs are usually related by blood or marriage. The interest of the business is to make profits (Halkias, 12). The business is run and controlled by the whole family, but may also be run by the person with the largest share holding in the enterprise. The profits for the business are usually shared according to the number of shares each controlling interest or person has in the company (Shams and Lane, 256). It can be noted that some of the most successful enterprises are family owned and controlled. For example, Walmart in the United States and Samsung in Korea (A lderson, 23). Family business in the Middle East Family businesses in the Middle East region are run and controlled at least two members of the same or related families. The family forms the management team for business and controls the operation of the business. Most of these family businesses were started a long time ago and have been passed from generation to generation, and control is under the family name (Barrett and Moores, 46). The success of most family-owned businesses can be attributed to the fact that family members are loyal and very dedicated to the business. In this case, each stakeholder is concerned with the welfare of the business (Gasparski, Ryan and Kwiatkowski 89). Notably, almost 80% of the businesses in the Middle East are family-owned.Advertising Looking for proposal on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More These businesses are thought to have been started as entrepreneurs in the mid 1960 s, and have continued to expand over the years to modern, large businesses that are taking the world by storm. For example, the Alghanim Industries Company is among the most prominent businesses in the Middle East. The company operates in more than 40 countries. The company is involved in diverse businesses within the manufacturing, engineering, retailing, and the insurance sectors (Stewart, Lumpkin and Katz, 65). Most family businesses are controlled by family members who have always had the upper hand in exercising control and management. A group of experts in management is appointed during family meetings to undertake the running of the business. Family business should understand the changing economic environment in order to adapt and continue making profits. This is aimed to ensure that the family business remains in operation and grow just like any other business (Iqbal, 123). Most family businesses do not survive the third generation despite being successful. This also applies to most firms in the Middle East. In this case, conflicts arise due to control of the business and may lead to collapse of the business (Gupta, 29). For the business to be successful and survive the third generation, the parties involved in the complex fight for control over the business should be met through discussion, and a balancing act reached by all parties (Carlock and Ward, 38). Each family is unique in its own way, and the identity of the family keeps changing as the generations change. In this respect, the younger generations wish to have control of the business without experience on how to run the business. The governance structure of the business keeps changing when business inheritance takes place where each leader comes up with a new strategy on how to run the business (Jamali and Sidani, 59). Conclusion For a business to reap the profits and be successful in its operation, the entrepreneur should draw up a good business plan that will see the business grow and expand to greater levels. Its operations should be efficient in order to make profits that will cater for its expenses and expansion. In the Middle East, most successful businesses are family-owned.Advertising We will write a custom proposal sample on Family Business in the Middle East specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This explains the booming of businesses in the area due to clear and strategic management in all areas of operation. The business owners are aware of some of the threats that these businesses are likely to face in the near future, and thus make plans on how to deal with them. Some of the challenges that family businesses face are discussed during family meetings where understanding and agreement are met by all the parties involved. Works Cited Alderson, Keanon. Understanding the Family Business. New York: Business Expert Press, 2011. Print. Barrett, Mary, and K. Moores. Women in Family Business Leadership Roles: Daughters on the Stage. Cheltenham, UK: Edward Elgar, 2009. Print. Carlock, Randel S. and J.L. Ward. When Family Businesses Are Best: The Parallel Planning Process for Family Harmony and Business Success. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan, 2010. Print. Gasparski, Wojciech, L.V. Ryan and S.M. Kwiatkowski. Entrepreneurship: Values and Responsibility. New Brunswick: Transaction Publishers, 2010. Print. Gupta, Vipin. Culturally-sensitive Models of Family Business in Middle East: A Compendium Using the Globe Paradigm. Hyderabad, India: Icfai University Press, 2008. Print. Halkias, Daphne. Father-daughter Succession in Family Business: A Cross-Cultural Perspective. Farnham, Surrey: Gower, 2011. Print.Advertising Looking for proposal on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Iqbal, Zubair. Macroeconomic Issues and Policies in the Middle East and North Africa. Washington, D.C: Internat. Monetary Fund, 2001. Print. Jamali, Dima and Y. Sidani. Csr in the Middle East: Fresh Perspectives. Houndmills, Basingstoke, Hampshire: Palgrave Macmillan, 2012. Print. Poza, Ernesto J. Family Business. Mason, Ohio: South-Western Cengage Learning, 2010. Print. Shams, Manfusa, and D.A. Lane. Coaching in the Family Owned Business: A Path to Growth. London: Karnac Books, 2011. Print. Stewart, Alex, G.T. Lumpkin and J. A. Katz. Entrepreneurship and Family Business. Bingley: Emerald, 2010. Print. This proposal on Family Business in the Middle East was written and submitted by user Brooke C. to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

criminal offense essays

criminal offense essays 1. Persons charged with a criminal offence can raise a number of defenses ranging from denial of the prohibited act to claiming defenses based upon a lack of capacity to form the criminal intent. Clarify the concept of criminal culpability by examining any three of the following defenses: automatism, insanity, self-defense, intoxication, duress. There are many people in this world that are always looking for a chance to kill someone or injure someone. People will do anything for revenge or for their own benefits. Some may do it intentionally and others without being in the correct state of mind. But how do we really know if they are in their correct state of mind or not? Don't you think everyone that commits a crime should be punished? People that are charged with a criminal offence can raise a number of defenses ranging denial of the prohibited act to claiming defenses based upon a lack of capacity to form the criminal intent. No matter what the defense is, whether it is intoxication, self-defence or insanity the person must face the charges. Intoxication is similar to the defences of automatism and mental disorder. Their similarity concerns the accused person's state of mind when the offence was committed. People can be so intoxicated that they do not know what their bodies are doing but still be physically capable of harming someone. At such behaviour, questions arise relating to the voluntary nature of the accused's actions. About four hundred years ago self-induced intoxication was rejected as a defence to criminal actions. It was stated in Reniger v. Fogassa that "if a person that kills another, this shall be felony, and he shall be hanged for it, and yet he did it through ignorance, for when he was drunk he had no understanding nor memory; but inasmuch as that ignorance was occasioned by his own act and folly, and he might have avoided it, he shall not be priviledged thereby." Until 1994, under the Leary rulin ...

Personal Value Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Personal Value - Essay Example In the light of these two classifications regarding personal values, I consider my family to be the most prior entity in my life on which all of my personal values are based upon. My personal values and its association with my family will be explicated in this paper. I belong to a Vietnamese background where following parents’ order is one of the most important value. My parents have shaped my whole personality and fundamental education in which the development of my personal values is a significant part. As these two factors have played an immensely sufficient role in the development of personality, my whole life has been led in concordance with the decisions and desires of my parents. All of the values which are my priorities are being transferred to me by my parents. It is certainly critical for many individuals to consider is as independence or liberty, but it has never displeased or dissatisfied me because they have never suggested anything which can pose grave consequenc es for me. It is mainly because of their experience of practical life which is certainly more than my experience. As much as I have examined their teachings with a critical frame of mind, I have explored that they have always intended to give the society amorally good and valuable individual in the form of their daughter. In this regard, my most important personal value has become caring for others. They have taught me to be a selfless person that has illuminated some other important personal values that are honesty and forgiveness. These personal values are directly associated with my parents which is the reason why I consider myself to be a family person. In addition to these significant values, my religious teachings, that is Buddhism, which was also delivered in me by the parents, has added the value of kindness in my life. I believe in karma, that is why I intend to be a good person in order to lead a good life. In the light of personal values and my intense level of belongingn ess with my family, I try to lead a selfless, caring and helping life and to satisfy my family to the best that I am capable of delivering. This is the major goal of my life which has been developed by the upbringing which I have acquired from my parents. There is another significant personal value which I appreciate mainly because of my parents. This value is education. My parents have always suggested for me to acquire higher education. As I always follow my parents, I acquired education and by the education I have understood the importance of education to lead a good life. It has developed my intellectual capacity to a significant level from where I can fruitfully consider the difference between good and evil. Education has also assisted me to realize the significance of my personal values which have been intensified and has become more demonstrable in my behavior. The intention of my parents to provide a useful and valuable person to the society was contained with the necessity of education which has developed it as a personal value to admire. Education does not only help to understand the critical distinction between good and evil, but it is also a significant tool to acquire economic development. Financial development is one of the most important factors of contemporary life by which

Comprehensive Leadership, Communications, Teamwork, Motivation Assignment - 1

Comprehensive Leadership, Communications, Teamwork, Motivation - Assignment Example The Company should operate with a high degree of communication and good cultural practice for proper operations of its activities. The company defines culture as the ability to know what one is supposed to do without referring from the manual. The team members of the Wells Fargo are expected to know the policies of the enterprise all the time. Wells Fargo’s success is based on the attitude of the workers deeply in their hearts. The company members have caring and enthusiasm characters that enable them to perform extraordinary tasks (Wells Fargo & Co., 2008). The workers serves the customers with consideration whether they were the one who are served would they be okay with the service. The Wells Fargo’s works connect emotionally with the customers all the time when they are serving them. The company does not embrace the hierarchy form of communication but a circle where the customers are at the centre. The customers are surrounded by the then members and farther out of the circle are the leaders of the Company. Wells Fargo customers expect to find the One Wells Fargo always when they visit the com pany where the works are first imagining themselves as the customers. In Wells Fargo, there are some barriers of communication that arises which affects the proper performance of the company. These obstacles include language barriers where some workers who are not proficient enough in the language of the customers pose a challenge to the functioning of the enterprise activities. There are psychological barriers that influence the message received, sent or perceived. For instance, when one of the workers is experiencing stress may tend to be preoccupied with the individual concerns and fail to get the actual meaning of the message. The other barrier to communication that affects the Wells Fargo company is the attitudinal barrier that prevents the workers from communicating freely and efficiently. There are various ways of overcoming these

Assess the representation of women in eighteenth-century literature Essay

Assess the representation of women in eighteenth-century literature - Essay Example We might take issue with this, but it is easy to see why the novel has been such a keen topic for feminist criticism. In Sense and Sensibility, Austen draws on her own experiences as a young woman to understand the position of women deprived of economic means. It is of course notable that Austen was herself a rarity at the time – an independent female writer, and Sense and Sensibility, her first published novel, was originally published under the pseudonym, ‘A Lady’. Defoe’s Moll Flanders, like several of his other novels, is presented in the form of an autobiography. The character, in this case Moll, is looking back on her life and, as Pollak suggests, is ‘attempting to make sense of it through the act of writing’ (p.139). There is some question over the position of Defoe in presenting the immorality and deprivation of Moll’s past life. Through writing, is he attempting to discourage such immorality by exposing it to the light of day an d public criticism, or is he taking advantage of the excitement readers feel for the forbidden, the lowlife, and the illicit. The latter is surely the case to some extent. There is even some question as to the sincerity of Moll’s conversion from immorality. Defoe writes that she is no longer ‘so extraordinary a Penitent, as she was at first’ (p.5). ... a tool to make the story appear more genuine and authentic for readers, it is possible that Defoe is leaving room for doubt as to his own opinions on women and the position they are given in the society of his novels. As Pollak writes, this ploy ‘works subtly and perhaps surprisingly to unsettle the very truths about gender that his plots seem to affirm’ (p.141). At this juncture, it is worth recalling the terms in which Defoe, writing as the editor of Moll’s racy account, describes the severe difficulty faced in his task. He has had â€Å"no little difficult to put it [Moll’s account] into a Dress fit to be seen, and to make it speak language fit to be read. When a Woman debauch’d from her Youth, nay, even being the Off-spring of Debauchery and Vice, comes to give an Account of all her vicious Practices...an Author must be hard put to wrap it up so clean’ (p.1). There is an air here of Moll being a fallen woman, and being tainted by all that she has engaged in. In this comment by the editor, there is an even a sense of his distaste at handling such material. However, as noted above, at many points Defoe continues to be ambiguous about his own opinion of Moll and her failings. We are left with the fundamental question: is she an immoral soul, or a woman forced by the circumstances of her gender to stoop to low acts in order to seek independence. Defoe adopts a similarly ambiguous position in his presentation of the prescribed roles for women in contemporary society. Moll recounts, in the course of her account, being mocked as a child for believing that she could one day become a gentlewoman by working for an honest livelihood. In this instance, we must ask, as does Pollak, ‘Is the older, more experienced Moll simply exposing her earlier childish ignorance

Are Eyewitness Identifications Reliable?

Are Eyewitness Identifications Reliable? Eyewitness testimony is one of the most commonly employed forms of direct evidence presented in court and is often more persuasive to juries than circumstantial evidence. Memory is often defined as the processing, storage and retrieval of information acquired through learning. Throughout your day, thousands of sights, sounds, smells and other stimuli from the external environment flood your sensory receptors. All this information, whether paid attention to or not, is briefly held in your sensory memory. Sensory memory is the entry point of memory, where new incoming sense-based information is stored for a very brief period. Short-term memory is a memory system with a limited storage capacity (7 +/- 2 items) and duration. Information is stored temporarily, and assuming that no rehearsal process is used, can be retained fairly well for the first few seconds, but for a longer time than sensory memory. After about 12 seconds, however, recall starts to decline and by 18-30 seconds almost all information disappears if it has not been renewed in some way. The duration can be enhanced if some rehearsal is involved. Long-term memory refers to memory system that stores almost an unlimited amount of information, which can be stored over a lifetime with rehearsal. It comprises of two different systems called declarative memory (specific facts and events) and procedural memory (actions and skills that have been learned previously). Recall and recognition also play a role in the process of retrieving information. Recognition is the ability to elicit stored material (memory) through the use of a cue (Eg. A photo line-up). Recall on the other hand is the ability to elicit stored material without externally providing any type of cue. The reliability of information is an important factor when it comes to identifying suspects and alleged offenders and providing a testimony at trials. Factor One – Age: During circumstances in which a child is a witness to an event, the credibility of that child and whether their testimony is reliable, is often questioned. Young children are able to testify, however they must be found competent before they can do so. The child must be able to understand the obligation of telling the truth, and the effects of lying. If the child is deemed unfit to testify, their prior statements to counsellors, doctors, or law enforcement may be used at trial. Article one: The purpose of first study conducted was to determine whether children as young as 6 or 7 years of age could understand and perform the task of identification, and whether decisional bias and committing fewer false alarms increases with age. Forty eight children were recruited, twenty five male and 23 female. The children were separated into two groups, 2 separate conditions (stealing vs. helping). They were all shown a short video individually, showing four men, dressed in identical red shirts in a soccer locker room. At the end of the video it shows one of the men walking out with two sports bags, one with a New York Yankees logo on it, which had previously been brought in by one of the other men. Each child was given instructions before and after watching the video, which were designed to frame the act, as a moral transgression (stealing) or pro-social (helping). The participants in the stealing condition were asked to identify the man who stole the bag. The others in the helping condition were asked to help the owner of the bags find him to give him a reward. After seeing the film, the participants were asked to say what they had witnessed, what happened in the film, and if they failed to mention that nature of the act (stealing or helping), the experimenter did. The children were then shown a series of photographs, presented sequentially, and for each photo, they were asked to identify whether it was or was not the man. The photos were all taken against an identical neutral background, with them being head-and-shoulders shots with each individual earing the same red t-shirt. In the end the children were asked if they had any questions and were praised for their cooperation, they were then allowed to choose a coloured pen as a reward and given a certificate of appreciation. The data supported the performance hypothesis that, younger children would apply a more negligent criterion when making eyewitness judgements of moral transgressions. The results show th at children in the younger age groups were more prone to make false alarms than children in the 11-14 years age group, and children in the youngest age group were more likely to be very sure that a person was guilty of stealing when he was not, compared to those in the older age groups. In conclusion, younger children are not as reliable when it comes to being an eyewitness to an event. Article two: There is usually a delay from the time a crime is witnessed and a suspect being apprehended, this allows the suspect to undergo a change in appearance, for example changing their hairstyle or hair colour. It is unclear how adults’ and children’s identification abilities compare when the suspect changes their appearance. In a recent meta-analysis, with simultaneous presentation, it showed that children over 5 were as accurate as adults in producing comparable correct identification rates. This study manipulated a suspect’s appearance (hair colour style) to produce ‘no change’ conditions (line-up members match the suspect’s appearance at the time of the crime) versus ‘change’ conditions (line-up members do not match the suspect’s appearance at the time of the crime). Both children and adults were tested. 239 adults were recruited from the introductory psychology participant pool at a university in Eastern Ontario, Canada, an d 96 children recruited from local elementary schools in Eastern Ontario, Canada. Upper body photos were taken resembling the suspect with short, grey hair, or dark mid-length hair. From the assortment of photos, six photos of men that matched the suspect’s description with short, grey hair and six photos that matched the suspect’s description with longer, darker hair were selected to for the line-ups. Two target-present line-ups were conducted, one line-up consisted of six photos, which consisted of five line-up members who had short, grey hair and the suspect’s photo (with short, grey hair). The second line-up consisted of six photos, which consisted of five line-up members who had longer, darker brown hair and the suspect’s photo (with longer, darker, brown hair). There were also target-absent line-ups conducted, one line-up consisted of five foils with short grey hair, with the suspect’s photo replaced with a matching male. The other line-up co nsisted of five foils with darker brown hair with the suspect’s photo replaced with a matching male. The results show that in a meta-analysis comparing the children’s and adults’ correct identification rates, children as young as 5 years of age were found to be able to select the suspect from a group of photos containing the suspect, at a rate comparable to adults. This changed however, when the suspect’s didn’t match his appearance at the time of the crime. For both children and adults’, there was a decrease in their correct identification rates when the suspects appearance changed, they both had great difficulty in correctly identifying the guilt suspect. One reason for a decrease in correct identification following a change in appearance is that eyewitnesses may use hairstyle as a key marker for identification. Overall the elimination procedure is the most effective when it comes to identification rates for both children and adults. Factor two – Stress/Arousal Witnessing a disturbing event (an act of violence) is likely to elicit arousal and to be stressful. Being under stress at the time of encoding can have an effect on the memory process, typically enhancing or preserving memory for emotional information, this can have an interesting implication for eyewitness accounts. Research has found that in the area of emotion and memory has provided evidence that stress influences the long-term memory processes. Article one: The goal of this study was to examine the subsequent effects of misinformation exposure on memory for a negative arousing to-be-remembered event encoded under stress. They adapted a slideshow, with materials from Payne et al. (2006), then added a misinformation manipulation 48 hours after encoding and 48 hour prior to memory testing. Sixty-eight undergraduate students were recruited through the university of Arizona subject pool. Participants were instructed to abstain from alcohol, caffeine, and exercise on days of experimental sessions. Participants were randomly assigned to a two (stress vs. control) and two (misinformation vs. no misinformation). On the first visit, the participants were engaged in a psychosocial stress induction (control task), after they were escorted to another room to few a negatively arousing slideshow. Participants returned forty-eight hours later to the lab to complete the second experimental visit. Upon arrival, the participants were told that they would be asked a series of questions, a totally of 60, relating to the slideshow the view previously two days ago. The questions for the misinformation condition had false information embedded as factual elements of the slideshow (e.g. â€Å"What did the boy have in his hands?† versus â€Å"What did the boy have in his hands besides his lunch?†). The questions were identical in the misinformed and non-misinformed groups to avoid inadvertently cuing one group with information that could potentially benefit the memory performance. The questions asked in this session were designed to expose the participants in the misinformation group to false information. Participants returned another forty-eight hours later after questioning, to complete the third and final experimental session, they were told that their memory of the slideshow would be tested. This was assessed using a recognition test that consisted of 136 questions, administered over a computer. The results showed that bei ng under stress prior to encoding affects memory for a negative event by enhancing subsequent memory. This finding supports the notion that stress influences encoding of aversive events, although stress alone did not moderate misinformation endorsement. Participants were less likely to endorse misinformation for the most negatively-arousing portion of the slideshow if they were stressed prior to encoding, and reported that they were aroused by the negative event. These participants had a more accurate memory for items that had been misinformed with the slideshow phase. The results demonstrate that, in regards to eyewitness memory, arousal induced by an event, in combination with activations of a stressed state, result in an enhanced emotional memory that is less vulnerable to the incorporation of false details, despite being exposed to direct misleading information. Article two: The goal of this study was to investigate how post-encoding stress will affect memory, depending on the thematic arousal of the initial learning period. Predicted that under high thematic arousal, post-learning stress would enhance memory for the central elements of an event, for example a cashbox grabbed by the burglar. Participants were recruited from Bielefeld University, 88 males, ages ranging from 19 to 37. The experiment consisted of four main stages, encoding of an event, manipulation of psychosocial stress, rehearsal of the event information and a recognition test for the event. The first stage consisted of the participants viewing a video-filmed event depicting a burglary. Participants in the high arousal condition should have anticipated to see a distressing, possibily violent incident in the video shown. However those in the low arousal condition were exposed to an event that was unlikely to be as distressing. In second stage, after encoding has occurred, a stress manipula tion was applied. About half of the participants were administered the Trier Social Stress Test, this induced psychosocial stress, the remaining participants were exposed to a non-stressful situation. In the third stage, the participants read a narrative description of the witnessed event, the description did however include items not shown in the original event. In the final stage the participants were given a yes or no recognition test that contained items that did appear in the video and those that didn’t. This study showed that eyewitnesses’ memory for an event was influenced by the combined effect of arousal during encoding and subsequent social stress, which was not related to the event itself. The results indicate that eyewitnesses are likely to experience arousal during observation of an event, they also may be exposed to social stress shortly after, like during an interrogation for example. There was no evidence that thematic arousal and/or post-event stress a ffected the participants’ memory for false post-event information. It is shown that age can have an effect on an eyewitness’s reliability, children are prone to forget things or take into account misleading information and believe it is true. With that being said their credibility is often questioned. Results show that younger children are more prone to making mistakes, and saying someone is guilty, even when they’re not, overall young children are not as reliable. Being under stress at the time of an event can have an effect on memory, however it does not effect on an eyewitnesses memory of an event. These studies show that eyewitnesses are still able to recall the events that happened, even after experiencing pre or post-event stress. At the end of the day, both can have an effect of the recall of information, and identifying the correct perpetrator. Reference List: Echterhoff, G., Wolf, O. (2012). The stressed eyewitness: the interaction of thematic arousal and post-event stress in memory for central and peripheral event information. Front. Integr. Neurosci., 6. doi:10.3389/fnint.2012.00057 Hoscheidt, S., LaBar, K., Ryan, L., Jacobs, W., Nadel, L. (2014). Encoding negative events under stress: High subjective arousal is related to accurate emotional memory despite misinformation exposure. Neurobiology Of Learning And Memory, 112, 237-247. doi:10.1016/j.nlm.2013.09.008 Pozzulo, J., Balfour, J. (2006). Childrens and adults eyewitness identification accuracy when a culprit changes his appearance: Comparing simultaneous and elimination lineup procedures. Legal And Criminological Psychology, 11(1), 25-34. doi:10.1348/13553250552626 Spring, T., Saltzstein, H., Peach, R. (2012). Childrens Eyewitness Identification as Implicit Moral Decision-Making. Appl. Cognit. Psychol., 27(2), 139-149. doi:10.1002/acp.2871

Friendship in The Pact :: Personal Narrative Pact College Friends Essays

Friendship in The Pact Works Cited Missing Friendship can lift you up, strengthen and empower you, or break you down, weaken and defeat you† (32). In The Pact, George, Rameck, and Sam lifted each other through the hard times. They helped each other reach their dreams, even though they had their rough times. George, Rameck, and Sam all lived troubled lives while growing up. They all suffered with financial problems, and judicial problems. Their friendship helped them succeed and eventually gave them a more stable live style. Friendship is very powerful and can help you in so many ways. Many high school seniors are excited about going to college. Meeting new people, trying new things, and finding who they are, are all things they look forward to. But, not until a few days before the big move out, do they become nervous. To me, overcoming the transition to college was very difficult, and would have been more difficult if I did not have friends to encourage me. I was filled with excitement throughout the entire summer. I could not wait to get out of Scranton to expand my horizons. As the summer progressed, the excitement grew. When receiving the room assignments, I was shaking with nerves to see who I would be living with. I remember seeing their names and immediately forming a stereotype of them just by the looks of their name. A week before moving out, reality hit me like a gigantic rock. The feelings that were excitement were now anxiety. I was scared about leaving my safety zone. I knew many people in Scranton, and fit in well. I did not know anyone that was attending Penn State Harrisburg, I was alone for the first time in my life. I began to look at college as a fresh start of life. I had the opportunity to change anything I want about myself. However, the day before leaving, I wanted to change my mind, I no longer wanted to leave everything that I have known for my entire life. But, I refused to show my new feelings because I knew it was a common feeling among other college bound freshman. After some tears and deep breathes, I realized I always wanted to go away to school and if I backed out, I would regret my decision for the rest of my life.

Issues in Second Language Learning Essay

People today live in a â€Å"global village† – people correspond with each other from around the globe regularly through the Internet, modern transportation enables a person to travel from Africa to Europe in a matter of hours, products are bought and sold with increasing ease from all over the word, services are provided anytime, anywhere in the world, and real time coverage of major international news events is taken for granted. Thus, it seems that learning second language is a requirement in today’s highly globalised environment. However, second language learning (SLL) is a long and difficult process, and is a big task for anyone. After all, learning a first language is a process that involves much of a young child’s day, and ESL students in universities must work even harder in order to learn and acquire a second language. The learning process can be emotionally difficult for university students to take the step into a new language and culture. Adult learners, perhaps even more than children and adolescents, can be shy and embarrassed around others when trying out beginning language skills. Learners acquire a second language in many different ways. There are many similarities in how a second language is learned, but there are also differences based on individual student characteristics and language background. For example, outgoing students may begin to imitate phrases and expressions very early and try them without worrying about making mistakes. Conversely, other learners may not use their new language for some time. Usually, at the outset, learners may experience cultural shock as they are exposed to a new language, therefore, a whole new culture. This common experience, described as uprooting, is the abrupt transition from a familiar cultural milieu to an alien one. In the beginning of every SLL program, many learners experience a so-called honeymoon period, during which students are enchanted with the alien language without a true understanding of them. As time progresses, it is common for students to become almost hostile toward learning new language. Second language learners often suffer greater rates of anxiety, depression, and psychosomatic complaints. Furthermore, given the stresses SLL students face, a student struggling with language issues may lack the physical, emotional, or financial resources to tend to basic needs. After this stage, the learners are transitioned to so-called improved adjustment. In the last stage, the stage of bilingualism, the learners incorporate the norms of the language and culture that they have acquired and learned into their own lifestyle and their own value set. Cultural Issues Many students of SLL are struggling with learning a new language. These struggles stem above all from linguistic and cultural differences. Often, they experience the â€Å"language shock† phenomenon wherein learners confront anxiety when first entering a community in which they do not speak, or are not proficient in, the dominant language. It is a common occurrence in schools, where, despite their desire to speak the dominant language fluently, students must struggle for months or several years before they understand everything that is being said. This feeling of anxiety is aggravated by the ignorance of others. Consider the following example reported by Li (1999): When a Chinese mother went to pick up her daughter from school, she began to ask her some questions about her day, but in Chinese. The girl became upset with her mother and later explained that her classmates would laugh at her in those situations. Moreover, whenever the teacher in her school inquired as to who had made a particular mistake, one of her classmates would point to her and say, â€Å"The Chinese girl,† when it was usually not so. In addition to the language shock that occurs on entering a new environment, many students experience another kind of struggle. Because of the types of ordeal described above, second language learners have negative associations with speaking their native language. Yet when they go home, that is the language in which their parents communicate. Moreover, their parents insist that they too maintain the use of the native language as a connection to their homeland and heritage. But many second language learners, especially those who immigrated to English-speaking countries, associate proficiency and fluency in English with becoming American and so they want to give up their native language. These learners are caught in a battle: while at home, they are expected by their parents to speak their first language; at school they are pressured to speak the second language. Another important challenge that many second language learners face is understanding the curriculum and pedagogy used in the classroom. Western classrooms are largely Euro-centric and America-centric. Carger (1996) recounts the story of a Mexican American boy, who was a student in a predominantly Latino Catholic middle school in Chicago. While the teachers and administrators never openly stated that they believed their students were inferior, they treated them as if they were. The boy’s homeroom teacher often used a demeaning tone when she spoke to her students. She did not allow them to ask questions, nor did she encourage them to think on their own. Most of her assignments included content to which her students could not relate. For example, one task that the students were asked to complete was to describe the experience of going to the dentist. However, many of the students had never been to a dentist. Pedagogical Issues A major problem confronting learners is the failure of the teachers to appreciate different learning strategies and styles among SLL students. Increased interest in student-centred learning approaches amongst language educators has led to numerous studies investigating individual language learning strategies and their relationship to achievement in learning second/foreign languages. Studies have indicated support for appropriately applied language learning strategies on second/foreign language achievement (e. g. , Griffiths and Parr, 2001). The consensus of the research is that although all learners, regardless of success with language learning, consciously or unconsciously employ a variety of learning strategies; successful language learners engage in more purposeful language learning and use more language-learning strategies than do less successful ones. Overall, findings indicate that both the frequency with which learners apply language learning strategies and the strategies they choose are distinguishing characteristics between more successful and less successful learners. Learning strategies are strategies that contribute to the development of the language system which the learner constructs and which affect learning directly. They are steps taken to facilitate the acquisition, storage, retrieval, and use of information. In addition learning strategies are the special behaviours or thoughts that individuals use to help them learn, comprehend, or retain new information. Furthermore, it can be argued that learning strategies can foster learners’ autonomy in language learning. Strategies can also assist second language learners in promoting their own achievement in language proficiency. Learning strategies, therefore, not only help learners become efficient in learning and using a language, but also contribute to increasing learners’ self-directed learning. Whether as a result of heredity, educational background, situational requirements, age, or other factors, Sudanese learners of the English language understand and process information differently. While one individual prefers a particular learning style over another, such a preference reflects a personal inclination for how to learn in a particular situation. As personalities change, so too may their learning style preferences after exposure to different learning/teaching situations. Early research into language learning strategies was mostly concerned with investigating what language learning strategies learners used, without attempting to address the links between strategy use and success. Recent research has focused on determining the connections between strategy use and language proficiency. Such studies have shown that proficient language learners employed more strategies in language learning than less proficient language learners. Other findings have exposed a relationship between students’ perceptions of their language proficiency and strategy use. Oxford and Nyikos (1989) affirmed that greater strategy use accompanied perceptions of higher proficiency, while Wharton (2000) demonstrated a significant correlation between the two factors, indicating the higher a student’s language proficiency self-rating, the more frequent strategy use was. Long lists of learning strategies have been identified by a number of studies over the past thirty years Oxford (1993) reported that there were at least two dozen different classifications. Generally, these learning strategies fall under four broad categories, i. e. strategies that enable learners to: (1) comprehend, store, retrieve and use information; (2) manage and direct their learning through reflection and planning; (3) control their emotions; and (4) create opportunities to practice the target language with other people. Learning strategy system can be direct or indirect. Basically, direct learning strategies require mental processing of the target language. There are three major groups of direct strategies, each processes the language differently and for different purposes: memory, cognitive, and compensation. Memory learning strategies, also called mnemonics, involve mental processes used in arranging information in order, making associations, and reviewing. Cognitive learning strategies involve the processing of the target language so that meaning becomes clear through processes like reasoning and analyzing. Lastly, compensation learning strategies enable second language learners to make up for gaps in their knowledge and skills, by, for example, guessing meanings and using gestures. On the other hand, indirect strategies support and manage language learning often without involving the target language directly. The metacognitive, affective, and social learning strategies belong to the groups of indirect learning strategies. In essence, metacognitive learning strategies enable second language learners to plan, coordinate, evaluate, and direct their own learning as well as to monitor errors. Affective learning strategies, on the other hand, help learners gain control over their emotions, attitudes, and motivation through self-encouragement, self-reward, and reduction of anxieties. Finally, social learning strategies are ways of involving other people in enhancing learning through questions, cooperation and increased cultural awareness. Another pedagogical issue is that many SLL teachers do not generate environment that will foster learners’ understanding of making the essential mental construction. The current research proposes that students need to construct their own understanding of their learning. Constructivism provides a way of understanding teaching and learning and offers information for developing various ways of teaching, because the challenge in teaching is not to lecture, explain, or otherwise to attempt to transfer knowledge, but to create circumstances and experiences that engage the students and support their own explanation and application of language models needed to make sense of these experiences. The focus of constructivism is not unique to psychology; it also has roots in several areas, such as linguistics. Constructivism is primarily a theory of human development that in recent years has been applied to learning. The learning or meaning-making theory proposes that people create their own meaning and understanding, combining what they already know and believe to be true with new experiences with which they are confronted. The theory views knowledge as temporary, developmental, social and cultural. Lambert et al. (1995) described constructivism as the primary basis of learning where â€Å"individuals bring past experiences and beliefs, as well as their cultural histories and world views, into the process of learning; all of these influence how we interact with and interpret our encounters with new ideas and events† (p.xii). Guided by theories of constructivism, teachers must recognize that: learning is a search for meaning; meaning requires an understanding of the whole as well as its parts; in seeking meaning, they must understand the mental representations that students use to interpret the world and the assumptions they make to strengthen those representations; and the goal of learning is for the SLL student to develop his or her own understanding. Hence the students’ cultural-social and historical contexts are of importance in their learning. Social constructivist concepts have important implications in teaching strategies. Social constructivists believe that reality is constructed through human interactivity. Members of a society together construct the properties of the world. For them, reality does not exist prior to its social invention, thus it cannot be discovered. Also, social constructivism holds that knowledge is also a human product and is socially and culturally constructed, which suggests that individuals establish meaning by interacting with each other and with their environment. Additionally, social constructivism proposes that learning does not occur only within an individual, but is a social process; meaningful learning among SLL students happens when they are involved in social activities. Teachers can design instructional models based on the social constructivist perspective. These models promote collaboration among learners and with practitioners in the society. According to Lave and Wenger (1991) a society’s practical knowledge is positioned in relations among practitioners, their practice and the social organization and political economy of communities of practice. This suggests that learning should involve such knowledge and practice.

Battle of Resaca de la Palma - Mexican-American War

Battle of Resaca de la Palma - Mexican-American War Battle of Resaca de la Palma - Dates Conflict: The Battle of Resaca de la Palma was fought May 9, 1846, during the Mexican-American War (1846-1848). Armies Commanders Americans Brigadier General Zachary Taylor2,222 menMexicansGeneral Mariano Aristaapprox. 4,000-6,000 men Battle of Resaca de la Palma - Background: Having been defeated at the Battle of Palo Alto on May 8, 1846, Mexican General Mariano Arista elected to withdraw from the battlefield early the next morning. Retreating down the Point Isabel-Matamoras road, he sought to prevent Brigadier General Zachary Taylor from advancing to relieve Fort Texas on the Rio Grande. In looking for a position to make a stand, Arista sought terrain which would negate Taylors advantage in light, mobile artillery which had played a critical role in the previous days fighting. Falling back five miles, he formed a new line at Resaca de la Palma (Resaca de la Guerrero) (Map). Here the road was hemmed in by thick chaparral and trees on either side which would negate the American artillery while providing cover for his infantry. In addition, where the road cut through the Mexican lines, it passed through a ten-foot deep, 200-foot wide ravine (the resaca). Deploying his infantry into the chaparral on either side of the resaca, Arista placed a four-gun artillery battery across the road, while holding his cavalry in reserve. Confident in the disposition of his men, he retired to his headquarters in the rear leaving Brigadier General RÃ ³mulo DÃ ­az de la Vega to oversee the line. Battle of Resaca del Palma - The Americans Advance: As the Mexicans departed Palo Alto, Taylor made no immediate effort to pursue them. Still recovering from the May 8 fight, he also hoped that additional reinforcements would join him. Later in the day, he elected to push forward but decided to leave his wagon train and heavy artillery at Palo Alto to facilitate more rapid movement. Advancing along the road, the lead elements of Taylors column encountered the Mexicans at Resaca de la Palma around 3:00 PM. Surveying the enemy line, Taylor immediately ordered his men forward to storm the Mexican position (Map). Battle of Resaca de la Palma - The Armies Meet: In an attempt to repeat the success of Palo Alto, Taylor ordered Captain Randolph Ridgely to move forward with the artillery. Advancing with skirmishers in support, Ridgelys gunners found it slow going due to the terrain. Opening fire, they had difficulty spotting targets in the heavy brush and were nearly overrun by a column of Mexican cavalry. Seeing the threat, they switched to canister and drove off the enemy lancers. As the infantry advanced through the chaparral in support, command and control became difficult and the fighting quickly degenerated into a series of close-quarter, squad-sized actions. Frustrated by the lack of progress, Taylor ordered Captain Charles A. May to charge the Mexican battery with a squadron from the 2nd US Dragoons. As Mays horsemen moved forward, the 4th US Infantry began probing Aristas left flank. Surging down the road, Mays men succeeded in overrunning the Mexican guns and inflicted losses among their crews. Unfortunately, the momentum of the charge carried the Americans a quarter mile further south allowing the supporting Mexican infantry to recover. Charging back north, Mays men were able to return to their own lines, but failed to retrieve the guns. Though the guns had not been seized, Mays troopers succeeded capturing Vega and several of his officers. With the Mexican line leaderless, Taylor promptly ordered the 5th and 8th US Infantry to complete the task. Advancing towards the resaca, they launched into a determined fight to take the battery. As they began to drive back the Mexicans, the 4th Infantry succeeded in finding a path around Aristas left. Lacking leadership, under heavy pressure on their front, and with American troops pouring into their rear, the Mexicans began to collapse and retreat. Not believing that Taylor would attack so soon, Arista spent most of the battle in his headquarters. When learning of the 4th Infantrys approach, he raced north and personally led counterattacks to halt their advance. These were repulsed and the Arista was forced to join the general retreat south. Fleeing the battle, many Mexicans were captured while the remainder re-crossed the Rio Grande. Battle of Resaca de la Palma - Aftermath: The fighting for the resaca cost Taylor 45 killed and 98 wounded, while Mexican losses totaled around 160 killed, 228 wounded, and 8 guns lost. Following the defeat, Mexican forces re-crossed the Rio Grande, ending the siege of Fort Texas. Advancing to the river, Taylor paused until crossing to capture Matamoras on May 18. Having secured the disputed territory between the Nueces and Rio Grande, Taylor halted to await further reinforcements before invading Mexico. He would resume his campaign that September when he moved against the city of Monterrey. Selected Sources Palo Alto Battlefield National Historical Park: Resaca de la PalmaHandbook of Texas: Battle of Resaca de la PalmaUS Army Center for Military History: Guns Along the Rio GrandeTrudeau, Noah Andre. A Band of Demons Fights for Texas. Military History Quarterly Spring 2010: 84-93.

Community Oriented Policing

Community Oriented Policing Community Oriented Policing PAGE 11Community Oriented Policing (Week Four)CJA/333: Policing Theory and PracticeOctober 16, 2006Community Oriented PolicingA revolution is taking place in policing and it has important implications for those in city government tasked with planning. This revolution is called community policing and it brings police work into a domain traditionally inhabited by community planners. This report will be the basis for the recommendation of a community oriented policing program. It will include a definition of what community policing is, as well as some core elements that are involved in a community oriented policing program.Community policing is really a policing philosophy. Community policing should promote and support organizational strategies to address the causes and reduce the fear of crime and social disorder (Dantzker, 2003). This is done through the use of problem solving tactics and police community partnerships (COPS, n.d.). The community policing m odel should balance reactive responses to calls for service with proactive problem solving centered on the causes of crime.English: THe Avondale community policing centre in...The goals and the methods of community policing are similar to those of community development planning. Both activities are designed to create stable, healthy neighborhoods. Both seek to involve community residents in improvement efforts. Thus, planners and community police officers need to work together to maximize their impacts and to take advantage of the perspectives and skills that each profession brings to the task of improving living conditions in the neighborhoods. Community oriented policing can be distinguished from traditional policing by recognizing three philosophical principles. These three principles are shared responsibility, prevention, and increased officer discretion (Rohe, n.d.)Both the police and members of the community share responsibility for the maintenance of order. Shared responsibil ity entails frequent and sustained communication between community residents and police personnel. Communication is essential in building...

Conflict in Sierra Leone -Research Paper- Research Paper

Conflict in Sierra Leone - - - Research Paper Example The role of MNC’s and FDI in both developing and developed countries cannot be disputed; however, they have a participatory and perpetuating role in the conflicts within mineral rich regions of the world, such as Sierra Leone. The Role of Multinational Corporations in the Sierra Leone Conflict Introduction Natural resources have been a very critical source of national wealth and pride since the beginning of regionalization and the pre-colonization era. Nations and civilizations alike have gone to war – both internally and externally – for the sole occupation over and exploitation of natural resources. Under the modern globalized trading environment, countries endowed with natural resources ranging from minerals, oil, wildlife, gas and so forth have been able to accrue revenues from exploration and trade of said minerals with other countries of the world. Foreign exchange earned from the legitimate trade in the resources has been a critical drive for economic deve lopment providing employment and revenues to governments for the provision of essential public services including education, infrastructure and national security. Another significant impact of the globalization of trade and production, as well as the relative ease of mobility of capital compared to labor, is the emergence of business entities that are operated across borders, regions and continents but have a central office in the homeland from where all its global management is conducted. Such entities are often referred to as multinational or transnational corporations or enterprises (Garry & Litan, 1998). A more direct definition of multinational corporations (MNCs) would perhaps best be obtained by linking the business organization to the type of trade that it is involved in. Therefore, this being the case, a multinational corporation is a firm that has created a global presence by participating in direct foreign investments, in specific or several industries. Such global â€⠀œ often private – firms and international institutions are presently observed to be primary actors and vital agents for the transformation of the state, region and international political, social and economic environment. The question, therefore, is: How do MNCs develop ties with government, if such ties even exist? In an ever increasing competitive landscape, countries of all levels of development –particularly through their governments – are emphasizing policies and channeling resources into new ways of attracting foreign direct investments into their countries. This is in line with the high prioritization of both micro and macroeconomic goals including sustained high levels of economic growth, stability of inflation and foreign exchange, increased employment and improved standards of living for the total population. Multinational corporations play a significant role in the efficiency and growth of the economy by contributing to the availability of capital re sources for global investment purposes (Held & McGrew, 2007). Sierra Leone is located at the south-western part of West Africa between the seventh and tenth latitudinal parallels north of the Equator. It has a land mass measuring approximately 71,740 square kilometers and a total coastline of 402 kilometers (www.nationsencyclopedia.com, 2012). It is most difficult to measure the exact population in Sierra Leone due to the long and deadly civil war that mushroomed since 1991, stretching to the early

Andrew Peller Limited Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Andrew Peller Limited - Essay Example The costs of goods sold, excluding amortization includes the costs of finished goods inventory sold during the year, inventory write-downs and revaluations of agricultural produce at fair value less costs to sell at the point of harvest. In this regards, the costs of goods sold excluding amortization are classified as variable costs. The company carries property, plant and equipment at cost less accumulated amortization with the costs including the borrowing costs for the assets requiring a substantial period of time to become ready for use which are calculated on a straight-line basis in amounts sufficient to amortize the cost of building, vineyard infrastructure and machinery and equipment over their estimated useful lives. The fact that they vary with the useful life of the property, plant and equipment implies that they are classified as variable costs. The company classifies financial instruments into different categories with the company choosing not to apply hedge accounting for any of its derivative financial instruments. Consequently, the company nets transactional costs relating to long-term debt against the carrying value of the liability which is then amortized over the expected life of the instrument using the effective interest method. These costs are classified as fixed