Tuesday, November 26, 2019

Soil Erosion in Africa

Soil Erosion in Africa Soil erosion in Africa threatens food and fuel supplies and can contribute to climate change. For over a century, governments and aid organizations have tried to combat soil erosion in Africa, often with limited effect. The Problem Today Currently, 40% of soil in Africa is degraded. Degraded soil diminishes food production and leads to soil erosion, which in turn contributes to desertification. This is particularly worrisome since, according to the UNs  Food and Agriculture Organization, some 83% of sub-Saharan African people depend on the land for their livelihood, and food production in Africa will have to increase almost 100% by 2050 to keep up with population demands. All of this makes soil erosion a pressing social, economic, and environmental issue for many African countries. Causes for Erosion Erosion happens when wind or rain carry topsoil away. How much soil is carried away depends on how strong the rain or wind is as well as the soil quality, topography (for example, sloped versus terraced land), and the amount of ground vegetation. Healthy topsoil (like soil covered with plants) is less erodible. Put simply, it sticks together better and can absorb more water. Increased population and development put greater stress on soils. More land is cleared and less left fallow, which can deplete the soil and increase water run-off. Overgrazing and poor farming techniques can also lead to soil erosion, but it is important to remember that not all causes are human; climate and natural soil quality are also important factors to consider in tropical and mountainous regions. Failed Conservation Efforts During the colonial era, state governments tried to force peasants and farmers to adopt scientifically approved farming techniques. Many of these efforts were aimed at controlling African populations and did not take into account significant cultural norms. For instance, colonial officers invariably worked with men, even in areas where women were responsible for farming. They also provided few incentives - only punishments. Soil erosion and depletion continued, and rural frustration over colonial land schemes helped fuel nationalist movements in many countries. Not surprisingly, most nationalist governments in the post-independence era tried to work with rural populations rather than force change. They favored education and outreach programs, but soil erosion and poor output continued, in part because no one looked carefully at what farmers and herders were actually doing. In many countries, elite policymakers had urban backgrounds, and they still tended to presume that rural peoples existing methods were ignorant and destructive. International NGOs and scientists also worked off of assumptions about peasant land use that are now being called into question. Recent Research Recently, more research has gone into both the causes of soil erosion and into what are termed indigenous farming methods and knowledge about sustainable use. This research has exploded the myth that peasant techniques were inherently unchanging, traditional, wasteful methods. Some farming patterns are destructive, and research can identify to better ways, but increasingly scholars and policymakers are emphasizing the need to draw the best from scientific research and peasant knowledge of the land. Current Efforts to Control Current efforts, still include outreach and education projects, but are also focusing on greater research and employing peasants or providing other incentives for participating in sustainability projects. Such projects are tailored to local environmental conditions and can include forming water catchments, terracing, planting trees, and subsidizing fertilizers. There have also been a number of transnational and international efforts to protect soil and water supplies. Wangari Maathai won the Nobel Peace Prize for establishing the Green Belt Movement, and in 2007, the leaders of several African states across the Sahel created the Great Green Wall Initiative, which has already increased forestation in targeted areas. Africa is also part of the Action against Desertification, a $45 million program that includes the Caribbean and Pacific. In Africa, the program is funding projects that will protect forests and topsoil while generating incomes for rural communities. Numerous other national and international projects are underway as soil erosion in Africa gains greater attention from policymakers and social as well as environmental organizations. Sources Chris Reij, Ian Scoones, Calmilla Toulmin (eds). : Indigenous Soil and Water Conservation in AfricaSustaining the Soil (Earthscan, 1996) Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Soil is a non-renewable resource. infographic, (2015). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Soil is a non-renewable resource. pamphlet, (2015). Global Environmental Facility, Great Green Wall Initiative (accessed 23 July 2015) Kiage, Lawrence,  Perspectives on the assumed causes of land degradation in the rangelands of Sub-Saharan Africa.  Progress in Physical Geography Mulwafu, Wapulumuka. : A History of Peasant-State Relations and the Environment in Malawi, 1860-2000.Conservation Song (White Horse Press, 2011).

Friday, November 22, 2019

Miohippus - Facts and Figures

Miohippus - Facts and Figures Name: Miohippus (Greek for Miocene horse); pronounced MY-oh-HIP-us Habitat: Plains of North America Historical Epoch: Late Eocene-Early Oligocene (35-25 million years ago) Size and Weight: About four feet long and 50-75 pounds Diet: Plants Distinguishing Characteristics: Small size; relatively long skull; three-toed feet    About Miohippus Miohippus was one of the most successful prehistoric horses of the Tertiary period; this three-toed genus (which was closely related to the similarly named Mesohippus) was represented by about a dozen different species, all of them indigenous to North America from about 35 to 25 million years ago. Miohippus was a bit larger than Mesohippus (about 100 pounds for a full-grown adult, compared to 50 or 75 pounds); however, despite its name, it lived not in the Miocene but the earlier Eocene and Oligocene epochs, a mistake for which you can thank the famous American paleontologist Othniel C. Marsh. Like its similarly named relatives, Miohippus lay on the direct evolutionary line that led to the modern horse, genus Equus. Somewhat confusingly, although Miohippus is known by over a dozen named species, ranging from M. acutidens to M. quartus, the genus itself consisted of two basic types, one adapted for life on prairies and the other best suited to forests and woodlands. It was the prairie variety that led to Equus; the woodland version, with its elongated second and fourth toes, spawned small descendants that went extinct in Eurasia at the cusp of the Pliocene epoch, about five million years ago.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Discuss the importance of recruitment and selection of sales people Essay

Discuss the importance of recruitment and selection of sales people. Explain the possible problem that you may encounter in selecting the wrong person for the job - Essay Example And in spite of the considerable expansion of the indirect sale, supported by the fast and phenomenal development of new technologies, the direct sale remains a privileged tool in the global sales process. Nevertheless, it is will be assigned here that even the sale is done by direct or indirect way; the salesman plays a major role in this process that we will try to highlight along this paper. In an intuitive way, we can say that â€Å"it is somebody who succeeds in convincing a customer to buy his product or his service at his price and his conditions†. We will be able to discourse a long time on the subject, but the real fact is that the salesman is currently engaged in order to achieve this objective and to improve the results continually (Doney and Canon 1997). Thus, the real mission of salesman is to accomplish a work with innovation, motivation and high confidence. Doney and Canon (1997) state that, more and more people beginning their sales career adopt an attitude which is harmful for themselves with respect to their work. They identified a series of reasons that lead to this kind of behaviors. Among those reasons they mentioned the lack of confidence in a product, the difficulty in making a final choice by the absence of priority sense, etc. More emotive reasons like personal rejection or fidelity towards their current supplier are also present and they are often among the most difficult to counter to. The internal conflicts at the various stages of intervention in large organizations are omnipresent and constitute serious problems but not insurmountable obstacles for salespeople (Forsyth 1980). We must remember here that in 67 % of the cases, the first objection of the customer is not "the true objection" and that the sale starts when the customer says "not". We wish to warn against the reflexes of defense which come with the rejection and which tend to

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Rate of Adaption Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Rate of Adaption - Essay Example It has attracted interest of the world due to easy growth factors and highly nutritious element. It offers best protein composition including lysine, histidine, cystine and methionine. Cereal starch has bigger size granules as compared to quinoa starch granule. It is more viscous. The plant is best suitable for industrial use. The plant is comprised of saponins, which is a bitter compound and these can easily be removed by abrasion and washing before using it. A study showed that plant could grow well in less fertile soil (Galway, 1992). Chenopodium Quinoa has one crucial component of interest, that is, the lysine content, which is not a common nutrient in other plant species. The growth of this annual herb produces panicle, which contains some small seeds called achenes (Jacobsen, 1997). The seeds produced are round, small and flat with pigmentation ranging from red to white. The color of the seeds varies from one ecosystem to another because of the climatic disparities in the regions where it is grown. It has an extensive root system predominantly subjugated by taproots that support the branchy stem. The plant grows to heights of between sixty to one hundred and twenty five centimeters. The food crop is found in areas with harsh environmental conditions, such as high mountain plains, relatively moderate fertile valley areas, coastal forests, and alkaline areas (Burton & Bo, 2005). In this case the desired location is Umatilla County, which is one of the agriculturally rich areas in the State. The predominant environment in the Hermiston area changes rapidly; hence the need to grow resistant crops that are not dependent on stable environmental conditions (Van de Fliert & Ann, 2002). Moreover since the IPCC (1990) was published, extensive efforts have been brought in to help our agriculture adapt to the climate change because the latter has deep biophysical impacts on crop yield, soil and water resources (Antle, 2009) and for this reason quinoa is

Saturday, November 16, 2019

Predictive Validity Results for Assessment Centers and Face to Face Interviews Essay Example for Free

Predictive Validity Results for Assessment Centers and Face to Face Interviews Essay Introduction:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   One the greatest challenges for any Human Resources Department in any corporation lie in determining whether or not an interviewee is suitable for the job opening that is available.   A lot of companies invest a large amount of capital to upgrade the selection and hiring procedures to ensure that the proper individuals are hired (Delery and Kacmar 1998). In line with these hiring procedures, many tests have been implemented to improve on the reliability of the HR processes that are involved (Delery and Kacmar 1998).   Traditional methods of testing involved face to face interviews which were considered as reliable in determining whether or not a particular individual was well suited for a certain job or an organization (Arce-Ferrer 2003).   More recently, however, more and more firms are basing their HR practices on more reliable tests and indicators such as the Predictive Validity of Assessment Centers. There has been a lot of controversy regarding the predictive validity results of assessment centers as opposed to face to face interviews.   Much of this has been based around the findings that the Predictive Validity for Assessment Centers is much higher than that of Face to Face Interviews (Moruzi and Norman 2002).   This short discourse will discuss the theory that the Predictive Validity for Assessment Centers is much greater than Face to Face Interviews.   In order to arrive at a better understanding of this issue, it is important to first discuss the meaning of Predictive Validity. Predictive Validity:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Predictive validity, as understood in the field of psychometrics, is defined as the extent that a certain scale is able to predict the scores with regard to criterion measures.   It is essentially a measurement of the degree of agreement among different results that have been collected through the use of direct and non-biased testing procedures (Arce-Ferrer 2003).   This predictive validity is almost always quantified by the correlation coefficients taken between the two (2) sets of measurements that have been collected from a homogenous target population. Important to the understanding of predictive validity is the concept of correlation coefficient which is basically an indication of the level of linear relationship that exists between two (2) variables.   The value of the correlation coefficient always lies between -1 and +1.   A result of -1 means that there exists a perfect negative relationship, while a +1 value indicates the exact opposite, which is that a perfect positive linear relationship exists.   0 means that there is no linear relationship between the variables (Arce-Ferrer 2003).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   A perfect example of the use of predictive validity is during job performance tests that are geared toward assessing the competency of a certain individual with respect to predetermined job tasks.   In job recruiting instances such as these, a group of 100 applicants[1] are tested.   After a certain span of time, an assessment comes out.   This assessment is based on a quantitative scale that has been evaluated by their superiors and co-workers.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   This results in 100 pairs of results – a single pair for every employee.   The first set is the scores that are obtained prior to hiring and the second set is from the assessment of competent experts after a certain period of time.   The reasonable quantitative measure of predictive validity is shown by the value of the correlation coefficient that has been obtained.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   It has been said that predictive validity has certain similarities to other validity tests such as concurrent validity.   Both of these tests measure the correlations between test results and a certain criteria measure.   The reason why predictive validity is selected despite its similarities to other validity tests is because it is able to provide more beneficial information and data (Arce-Ferrer 2003).   This is because predictive validity tests have been found to exhibit a greater fidelity in the context of real situations wherein the test is going to be utilized.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Like many other aspects of social sciences, the results obtained from the correlations in a predictive validity test are not exceptionally high.   It has been found that the typical predictive validity data for certain employment tests only yield a correlation of approximately r=0.35 (Arce-Ferrer 2003).   Nevertheless, such a result can still lead to substantial benefits for the companies who utilize such a test. Face to Face Interviews:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The utilization of Face to Face interviews has been cited as controversial in not only employment situations but also in other fields such as college admissions.   It has been said that these interviews derail the selection process because of the lack of validity and for its lack of reliable evidence (Moruzi and Norman 2002).   One of the reasons for this is that Face to Face interviews often yield a lower predictive validity value as compared to other tests such as the Assessment Centers.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Face to Face Interviews often involve a careful selection process among many applicants and potential employees.   It usually consists of a very detailed conversation with regard to a set of predetermined issues that serve to identify certain abilities of the individual being interviewed (Delery and Kacmar 1998).   In certain cases, in order to improve the accuracy of such a test, the participants are narrowed down to certain specifics to be able to reach an accurate representative of a certain population (Gehrlein, Dipboye and Shahani 1993).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The diverse amount of information that can be obtained from Face to Face Interviews makes it ideal in certain circumstances.   This method has been found to be particularly useful in gathering information that is not typically ascertainable through other methods (Moruzi and Norman 2002).   As such, the reliability of this type of test is compromised with regard to the predictive validity value because of the lack of objectivity that has been found to occur frequently during Face to Face Interviews. Assessment Centers:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Assessment centers are generally defined as a process by which a certain group of individuals are given a series of work related exercises and tests.   The purpose of these tests is to enable the experts to determine the abilities, skills, traits and other character details of the participants (Delery and Kacmar 1998).   The trained experts employed to conduct these tests are tasked with the evaluation of each individual against certain predetermined criteria.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   There are many different methods of assessment that are currently used in practice today.   These tests include interviews, in-tray exercises, presentations, group activities, work simulation tasks, group dynamics and at times even role-plays (Holling and Reiners 1995).   While not all of the Assessment Centers conduct all of these tests, a great number have resorted to a combination of a majority of the aforementioned assessment practices.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   As a method of selection and recruitment in companies, Assessment Centers are regularly utilized for its ability to provide consistent, unbiased and objective results.   Ã‚  The recognized downside to this, however, is the fact that assessment centers are very capital intensive for companies to maintain and therefore means that those who are subjected to assessments must already exhibit a great degree of potential for the company (Holling and Reiners 1995).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The broad range of methods used by Assessment Centers has made it suitable for use in selection, hiring and even promotion of personnel.   A number of studies have consistently maintained that Assessment Centers are regularly able to meet such requirements as reliability, objectivity and predictive validity (Holling and Reiners 1995).   With correlation coefficient values ranging from r=0.30 and r=0.40, the utility of Assessment Centers have allowed companies to come up with a reliable method for personnel management (Holling and Reiners 1995).   This relatively high predictive validity value has been attributed to the fact that most of the indicators of future job performance are not made to depend upon a subjective assessment. Advantages and Disadvantages:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Before comparing Face to Face Interviews and Assessment Centers, it is important to first discuss the advantages and disadvantage of each of these methods as HR functions.   This discussion will begin with the advantages and disadvantages of Face to Face Interviews and proceed to a discussion on the same topics with regard to Assessment Centers.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Advocates of Face to Face Interviews have often cited that this process has many beneficial applications for HR functions.   One of the reasons given is that Face to Face Interviews often provide information about non-cognitive criteria that are usually regarded as crucial to success. The ability of Face to Face Interviews to provide information that is usually not obtained in other tests gives it a distinct advantage over objective methods design to elicit very specific criteria (Li, Canada and Lim 2000). Another important advantage of Face to Face Interviews comes from the fact that it allows for a systematic review of certain criteria or information that the individual has provided.   The Face to Face Interview process means that there are more opportunities to tackle certain issues that cannot be raised in Assessment Center practices.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   On the other hand, Face to Face Interviews have been criticized for the subjectivity factor that contributes to errors from multiple sources (Holling and Reiners 1995).   This in turn affects the Predictive Validity of such a method.   It has also been shown in studies that use the Face to Face Interview process in college admission programs that the predictive validity is widely unknown.   Other have also criticized these Face to Face interviews for being less efficient and even more costly as compared to the other alternatives that exists such as standardized objective exams and the like.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Assessment Centers justify their relatively significant Predictive Validity ratings on the objectivity and reliability of the results obtained.   A fairly great number of individual studies that have been conducted on the objectivity of Assessment Centers have shown that the Predictive Validity of Assessment Center Procedures studies lie within the range of r=0.30 to r=0.40 (Holling and Reiners 1995).  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In addition to this, the â€Å"social validity† that assessment centers have has met the demand for the other qualities that are essential to the personnel selection process. In most Assessment Center practices, information on certain details with regard to the workplace and the company are made available to participants, while management, on the other hand, participates in the development and use of selection instruments (Holling and Reiners 1995).   This results in the implementation of processes and leads to conclusions that are transparent for both the participant and the management.   The effect of this is that it leads to a relatively easier communication system for the parties involved. These advantages are what make Assessment Centers highly acceptable to both the participants and HR in relation to personnel selection within companies.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The greatest disadvantage to Assessment Centers as argued by critics lies in the finding that the objectivity of the methods are compromised due to the involvement of management and employees in the design of the Assessment Center procedures (Holling and Reiners 1995).   As such, there can be no objectivity with regard to the results because the preconceived notions of the desired qualities for the applicants play heavily in the selection of potential employees as assessors.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Another issue is with regard to the performance criteria that are utilized in Assessment Centers.   The Predictive Validity of the Assessment Center is subjected to influences in relation to the norms, values and preconceptions of management (Holling and Reiners 1995).   This criterion contamination effect often leads to over estimates in Predictive Validity results (Holling and Reiners 1995). Link between Face to Face Interviews and Assessment Centers:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The link that exists between Face to Face Interviews and Assessment Centers revolves around the practicality of such practices in light of Human Resource Procedures for Corporations.   The determination of the selection and hiring of individuals is often an expensive process for most companies (Cherwitz 2004, 2005).   Due to this financial concern, a number of companies are torn between conducting face to face interviews and organizing assessment centers.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Clearly, the reliability that Assessment Centers provide makes it an ideal choice over Face to Face Interviews for most companies.   The lack of objectivity of Face to Face Interviews, as shown in the previous section, makes it difficult to ascertain the reliability of such a test (Cherwitz 2004, 2005).   Although it does offer additional information that cannot be obtained through other methods, the usefulness only lends partial viability for the utilization of this model.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Assessment Centers, on the other hand, allow the companies to have a more reliable view of the potential employee.   This allows companies to predict to a more accurate degree whether or not a certain individual would be a perfect fit in the organization.   It also allows companies to estimate to a reasonable degree the success of such person within the organization.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   It must be noted, however, that a lot of the research done in this field has led to certain changes in HR functions.   The ever growing reliance by management on verifiable statistics and tests has led to an adaptation of certain measures to improve the validity of such findings (Hough 1998).   As such, while Assessment Centers are clearly shown here as more reliable given the greater Predictive Validity ratings that it consistently obtain, the presence of newer and more reliable techniques could tip the scales in other directions (Hough 1998). Conclusion: While face to face interviews can be incorporated in most Assessment Centers, the issue of reliability and objectivity still comes into play.   As has been shown in the advantages and disadvantages section of this discussion, the benefits that a company can derive from organizing Assessment Centers far outweigh those of Face to Face Interviews.   The only concern, however, is the financial burden that such a program can cause for a company.   Given the benefits that can be acquired from the implementation of this HR function, however, it is clear that Assessment Centers yield more promise than Face to Face Interviews. In the advent of globalization and the presence of an ever competitive global market, the relevance of such a finding is crucial.   Companies can effectively allocate the resources that they have to obtain results that are quantifiable and verifiable.   The investment in sound personnel policies such as an Assessment Center ensures that the companies that employ such HR functions can remain competitive in the global markets of today.          References: Arce-Ferrer, A., Ketherer, J. (2003). The effect of scale tailoring for cross-cultural application on scale reliability and construct validity. Educational and Psychological Measurement, 63(3), 484-501. Cherwitz, R. (2004). Capitalizing on unintended consequences: Lessons on diversity from Texas. Peer Review, 6, 33-35. Cherwitz, R. (2005). Diversifying graduate education: The promise of intellectual entrepreneurship. Journal of Hispanic Higher Education, 4, 19-33. Delery, J., Kacmar, K. (1998). The influence of applicant and interviewer characteristics on the use of impression management. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 28, 1649-1669. Gehrlein, T., Dipboye, R., Shahani, C. (1993). Nontraditional validity calculations and differential interviewer experience. Educational and Psychological Measurement, 53(2), 457-469. Hills, J. (1971). Use of measurement in selection and placement. In R. L. Thorndike (Ed.), Educational measurement (2nd ed., pp. 680-732). Washington, DC: American Council of Education. Holling, Heinz and Reiners, Wolfram (1995) Predicting Job Success with the Assessment Center: Validity or Artifact? Westfalische Wilhels-University Munster, Bundesrepublik Deutschland. Hough, L. M. (1998). Personality at work: Issues and evidence. In M. Hakel (Ed.), Beyond multiple choice: Evaluating alternatives to traditional testing for selection (pp. 131-166). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc. Li, C., Canada, R., Lim, M. (2000). A review of admission procedures of counselor education programs. The Alabama Counseling Association Journal, 26(2), 33-40. Moruzi, C., Norman, G. (2002). Validity of admission measures in predicting performance outcomes: The contribution of cognitive and non-cognitive dimensions. Teaching and Learning in Medicine, 14(1), 34-42. [1] For purposes of this discussion the figure 100 will be used.   This does not signify that 100 is always the base number required for conducting predictive validity tests.

Thursday, November 14, 2019

William Wordsworth Essay example -- English Romantic Poets Biography B

William Wordsworth William Wordsworth is considered to be the greatest among all of the English Romantic poets. Although he did not always get the recognition that he rightfully deserved in the early part of his career, only through trials and tribulations did he reach the pinnacle of the literary world. "Wordsworth said of "the Prelude" that it was "a thing unprecedented in the literary history that a man should talk so much about himself": " I had nothing to do but describe what I had felt and thought" and " therefore could not easily be bewildered.""(Sinatra, 1) Wordsworth's innovative concept of nature and his frank exploration of his feelings and philosophical ideas created his own original poetic theory. Asserting himself as a noted figure in the English literary world, his accomplishments are unprecedented through out the world. William born at Cockermouth in the Lake District of Cumberland, England to John and Anne Cookson Wordsworth, on April 7th of 1770. Unfortunately Wordsworth lost his mother at the early age of eight, and the loss of his father five years later made him depend on his uncle for a good education." Schooling at Hawkshead was followed by matriculation at Cambridge University, where he entered St. John's college in 1787. Upon Graduation he revisited his beloved France to both learn the language and to develop himself into a man."(Frank N. Magil et al, 2200) His primary goal was the learn French due to his admiration of French society. "Much besides language, however drew the attention of young Wordsworth, much to the influence of his surroundings, William found himself developing two passions, one for Annete Vallon and the other for the French Revolution."( Frank N. Magill et al, 2200) ... ..., with his writing. Affecting the way I think and see things in the world. His depiction of nature adds rippling effects to minds young or old, the way he puts emotion into every word makes a person think of how deep of a person Wordsworth really was. William Wordsworth truly revolutionized both the Literary and artistic worlds. Bibliography: ï‚ · Drabble. The oxford companion in English Literature. Margaret and Oxford Press, 1985. ï‚ · Kunitz and Haycraft. British Authors of the 19th Century. H.W. Wilson Company, 1964. ï‚ · Magill, Frank N. Cyclopedia of World Authors. Salem Press, 1958-1997. ï‚ · Tucker, Martin. Moulton's library of Literature Criticism Vol. 2. Fredrick Lugor Publisher/co., 1966. ï‚ · Discovering Authors. ï‚ · http://www.newi.ac.uk/rdover/words/welcome.htm#Poetry ï‚ · gopher://ftp.std.com/11/obi/book/William.Wordsworth

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

Control being over business by government Essay

What are the arguments for and against, greater control being exercised over business by government? How do these arguments differ between the countries of the group members? We would like to start the answer by an example of USA when they were heavily involved in the industrialization and expansion. People of all different occupations were involved in some part of the industrial revolution. However there was a debate over the government intervening in the building of infrastructure. Chief Justice John Marshall made many landmark court decisions which played a role in defining the business climate that developed during the industrial revolution and strengthened the central government’s control over the business. Thus finally the government was involved in the early stages of the industrial revolution. The government’s decision of this era laid the ground work of the future U.S. growth of the nation. Without these pro-business decisions, the United states would not have made the change from being agriculturally dependent to the industrialized nation it is today. [www.historyteacher.net/USProjects/myessay21.htm] Hence it sounds better in some situation and it doesn’t in some. For example in China, local governments stand passively by as private firms aggressively reject long-standing official right because the government officials in south China are increasingly anxious to shed their responsibility for economic management. Also they fear the risks and dangers associated with the more complete market system that has emerged during the 1990s. As a result, China’s southern provinces have already begun the process of separating government from business, while, in the north, leading officials emphasize the slogan â€Å"separate government from enterprises† but, fearing slow growth, practice the opposite. [www.pitt.edu/~tgrawski/paper98/china.html] To what extent do you think a change of government in a) UK would affect the business community? b) the countries of group members? It can have a great impact on businesses in UK or in other countries like India, China etc. For example: Regulatory systems can be improved to provide faster access to exploration land and clarification of aboriginal disputes, taxes such as corporate taxes, income taxes etc can be reduced, Business leaders can hope for a complete overhaul of the resource-rich province’s economic structure, Economic growth can be affected by change in government, it is expected that the new government can come up with creative solutions on how to reduce government indebtedness during its term, the new government will aim to solve deficit of balance of payments by boosting production through attracting direct foreign investments, also new government can change the manufacturing scenario in the country like instead of importing products, they can plan to manufacture in their own land which will indirectly reduce the unemployment in the manufacturing field. Also it can provide grant to those regions in which unemployment is high. [http://www.rba.hr/web/pdf/rrr/rba-rrr-012-2003-12-18.pdf] What are the implications of â€Å"privatising† a public sector business organisations? With privatization programs still active in several countries in Sub-Saharan Africa, there is a growing debate on effects on economic development. To address such issues the representatives of privatization agencies of different nations established the African Privatization Network (APN) in November 1995. APN aims at promoting the concept of privatization and encouraging its implementation in African countries by sharing legislation and other relevant documentation; studying the nature and scope of privatization in each country according to its special circumstances and needs; and monitoring the process of privatization in Africa, identifying problems and obstacles and offering advice where required. The positive view of privatization suggests that it went ahead, in spite of domestic opposition, because politicians and bureaucrats perceived real benefits to themselves and their supporters. They could influence the sales to their own benefit, while, on the other hand, a more focused public sector improved service delivery. A well functioning private sector is essential for increasing economic growth and thus reducing poverty. Yet international development institutions recommend sophisticated policies to improve the business environment that governments in developing countries cannot successfully implement. The result is often a worsening of private sector performance. The promotion, support, financing, marketing and management of small and medium sized enterprises and industries is the core business of any privatisation programme. [ http://www.developmentgateway.org/node/130679/]

Saturday, November 9, 2019

Communication Studies Essay

This blog is for students of the Community College of St Vincent & the Grenadines who are to be entered for CAPE Communication Studies examination in May 2008. The blog contains information about the course syllabus, administration and assignments as well as the course content. Wednesday, March 05, 2008 The expository presentation for CAPE Communication Studies Internal Assessmblies The presentation has two distinct parts * A FACTUAL presentation on an aspect of your portfolio theme * A presentation about your research including an evaluation of two sources of information used to prepare your factual presentation. It will have all the following 6 elements present 1. An introduction (statement of topic) In the introduction you will give a brief explanation of topic/ theme and a preview (with a thesis statement) of what you are going to cover. For example. â€Å"My theme is Returning Migrants to St Vincent. Returning migrants or returnees are a group within the population of St Vincent who have spent a significant time away from the island and have then returned to permanently settle again. Returning migrants often are retired from their previous occupation which they pursued in a more developed country such as the United States, Canada or Great Britain or they have been working in another Caribbean state. According to statistics from the Customs Department given to me by Mrs B Chalres in an interview 4361 people claimed the concession for returning residents in 2005. Returning migrants experience 5 phases of adjuststment when returning which can be termed as â€Å"culture shock†.† Theme ; Returning Migrants to St Vincent. a group within the population of St Vincent a significant time away from the island returned to permanently settle retired from their previous occupation (the United States, Canada or Great Britain) OR working in another Caribbean state. Customs Department (Mrs B Charles) â€Å"4361 people claimed the concession for returning residents in 2005†. Returning migrants experience 5 phases of adjustmentwhen returning which can be termed as â€Å"culture shock†. 2. A rationale In the rationale you need to explain why you picked the theme and it can form part of the introduction. In the rationale you should mention any personal interests, current academic links and future career plans which influenced your decision to choose the theme For example I chose the theme returning migrants to St Vincent and specifically to focus on culture shock because I am a wife of a returning migrant. I have a BSc honours in Sociology and the concept of culture shock is part of socio-cultural studies carried out by Kavelo Oberg 1958. In the future I will be submitting my Masters thesis on this specific issue. 3. Discussion of issues The discussion of issues is the factual presentation about the theme and its narrowed focus based on the thesis statement. It should have a distinct organisational pattern and you should aim for one of the expository structures such as cause and effect, process analysis, analysis by division, classification etc (See Writing in English) It should also be referenced and include any research findings. You will also need to give a conclusion to your factual presentation as a sort of sub conclusion don’t wait until the end Here is an example of a possible outline for my example presentation (not all of it). It uses the organisational pattern of process analysis Remember you cannot read from a script! Culture shock 5 phases Honeymoon, rejection/ regression, conformist, assimilation, reverse culture shock Honeymoon Centre for Overseas Travel â€Å"the tourist phase† Questionnaire (300 returning migrants) 78% not feel â€Å"tourist† 82% â€Å"elated† Rejection Oberg – frustration etc Questionnaire 50% wanted to return after 3 months, Reasons, poor service, backward attitude, nothing to do, boring Interview Dr Sheridan Mental health presentations tend to be in 1st 4 months of return. 4. Challenges of research You need to discuss what difficulties you faced in preparing your factual presentation. If you did not have any difficulties then just explain why. For example (in note form) Questionnaires – time consuming, identifying sample, Other sources – no central data on returnees, newspaper articles useful Academic research not on St Vincent 5. Evaluation of two sources For this aspect of the presentation you need to discuss your research. The two sources need not necessarily be given as a reference in the presentation but they should be relevant. You should try to select two different types of data source e.g. a newpaper article and an interview. You may want to very briefly summarise all your sources before evaluating two for reliability and validity. Please see other parts of the blog for information on reliablity and validity. For example (in note form) Secondary sources: academic text books and journals, local and international newspapers and magazines, web sites: international public organisations e.g. Peace Corps general sites e.g. Wikipedia Primary sources interviews of experts in St Vincent questionnaire of returning migrants. Questionnaire of returning migrants Reliable: primary data source, research method suited to collecting data for social research Valid: Problem with sample size as total population of RMs unknown Problem with generalisation as differences between UK, US and other RMs more research needed. Overall reliable and reasonably valid The Experience of Return Migration: A Caribbean Perspective, Joan Phillips and Reliable Denis Conway, Ashgate Press, London 2005 Author expert Phd Social Anthrop. Specialised Caribbean writer – Canada Publisher: reputable, specialst academic main interest Social research Valid Recently published Problem no reference to St Vincent Overall general but very reliable and valid source 6. Conclusion The conclusion should be slightly different to the internal summary conclusion in your discussion of issues. At this stage you can express a personal view or put forward a possible solution. For example (in note form) Returning migrants YES culture shock 3 ways Honeymoon Rejection Conformist NO assimilation Solutions Programme – promote overseas, keep in touch, Information – government FINALLLY See my other post about the reseach using the internet for idea. Make sure that you are aware of the requirements for acceptable notes during the exam and be familiar with the marks scheme – it is not only content that is marked but also presentation skills.

Thursday, November 7, 2019

Lioness With Anger Issues Professor Ramos Blog

Lioness With Anger Issues Summer of 2011. All twenty two girls are ready for blood. Well not literally blood, but you know, just the championship title. The girls playing in the first half jog to the field and get in their rightful positions while they wait for the referee. I quickly get down on one knee, silently say a little prayer, and quickly get up stretching my legs and arms one last time. And then, â€Å"BEEP† ! It starts, the opposite team has the ball and I know today is the day I have to score a goal, I need to be known as one of the top dogs of the team. Time goes by and the only thing I’ve done is throw ins and a couple kicks which is no good. Two of my new teammates have already scored and I’m happy but I want that small moment of glory for myself. The whistle gets blown which means that the first forty five minutes have ended. As I make my way onto the sideline I see my dad look at me with a â€Å" Is that really the best you can do on the field?† type of face. I just look down and reach my hand out for my water. I know I could do better but those girls are huge; like seriously, they’re about ‘5,6’, they look like they weigh more than 100lbs., their legs have a ton of well shaped muscles, and they bodyslam us with so much ease. My 12 year old, 65lbs.,’4,8’ self can’t do much against them. But my dad who played soccer for 20 years and almost made it professionally didn’t see that as an excuse. After about 5 minutes we all got back in our positions and we were ready to play again. Time is going by so fast and my teammates are getting ambushed. Luckily they see me and send me the ball. I brought the ball down with my leg and I start running like a madman. I had outrun the defense and I was beyond ready to score. As I paused and pulled my leg back I decided to shoot towards the upper left corner and as I brought my leg forward a force pushed me down to the ground. I looked up to see my opponent smirkin g at me and falsely said, â€Å"oops†. I picked myself up and quickly began to gently twist my ankle to relieve the pain We ended up losing 3-2 which wasn’t so bad for the first day of the tournament but it didn’t matter to me. All I wanted at that point was to get my revenge on that girl for taking my moment of glory and to make my dad proud of his oldest daughter following his athletic footsteps. So this is how I was helped by an opponent and my dad to bring out my â€Å"angrier† side to the game of soccer. The following day I was woken up at 8 in the morning by my dad. When I asked him why he said, â€Å"You look like a stick and if you want to be one of the best then you have to look your best.† He grabbed two squarish bean bags and drove me to the mountains. When we arrived he handed them to me and told me to put them on my feet. Confused I took them and noticed that they were both heavy; after putting them on I couldn’t pick my legs up as much as I wanted to. The 15lbs. weights were dreadful but my dad knew best so I slowly began jogging. And from then on that is how my excessive workouts began. At first my legs felt like noodles but after about 2 months I began to see the difference. My legs began to look buff which made me feel powerful but I was still being pushed down so we took my workouts even further. My dad would grab my boxing bag and he told me to run into it. I hated that workout so much because I couldn’t move my dad, not even an inch away from wher e he stood. But as I kept getting pushed by my dad and my opponents, I felt something bubbling inside me. When my dad came home and rested and a little while later he told me once again to get ready to push the bag. I looked at that bag with tiredness; my arm hurt and I didn’t feel like it would move. And I was right. Defeated, I told my dad that I didn’t want to workout and I went back inside the apartment and began to change for my soccer game later on in the afternoon. I was dreading the game because it was the same team that had the girl who pushed me down and I didn’t want to be humiliated in front of the audience and my team. It was dark and cold later on that day but I enjoyed that feeling. It made me relax for a little before the game started and I hoped that she wouldn’t be on my side. Luck was not on my side but I couldn’t complain so I just began looking towards her direction thinking of how I would be able to avoid her but nothing came to my mind. The lights turn on top of the field and all the girls were ready for the game. It was important for our team to win because we wanted so badly to make it to the finals. Once again all the girls aligned themselves on the fields and we waited for the signal. When the referee blew the whistle we all put our attention towards our rivals. We began pressuring and defending and keeping the ball in our possession as much as we could. Sadly, we weren’t doing as well but our desire kept us pushing. During the game I received the ball but I wasn’t able to give it to another player so I took it by myself. I dodged the midfielder and as I g ot closer to the goal post I noticed my last obstacle: her. The same person who had stolen my moment of glory. I panicked for a moment but then I got the bubbling feeling inside me again; and I looked at her with a sudden anger that I think I might have even snarled at her. I ran towards her and dodged her but she was able to keep up with me. She began pushing me little by little and I could hear her laughing every time I almost lost my balance. Hearing her laugh just pushed me to my limit. I slowed down a bit to be aligned with her and then I started pushing her. Somehow little me began to actually move her away from me. After pushing her she finally fell down and it took me by surprise. I heard my team scream, â€Å"There you go Susy, run, keep running.† Taking the ball up the field felt amazing at the moment; I was smiling like crazy. Unfortunately the whistle blew, indicating that I was outside, but it didn’t matter to me. Jogging back I realized that being angry f or a second helped me bring out my inner strength. Being seen as weak and tiny gave me a sense of aggression that helped me defy my opponents. The game ended with us tying and going into penalty kicks. Our best players went to the middle of the field while the rest of us stayed on the sidelines. Nobody said a word behind us as the girls, one by one would go up to the white circled grass where the ball was placed. Their goalie was able to block 2 of the goals which led to our defeat. Our girls came back to our side, trying not to cry and aligned themselves and we all walked down the mid field shaking the hands of the opponents. Our season had come to an end and even though we received third place, the girls all saw a growth in each and everyone of us. I was proud of the way I could hold my head up high and not cowering away from opponents even with a big difference in height and weight. I continued playing for teams until freshman year of high school. Junior year of high school I moved to a new school where I was able to impress the coaches by getting hit by a ball in the face and getting a bloody nose and still wanting to play. When giving the scrimmage shirts back my new coach asked me, â€Å" How tall are you?†, and I said â€Å" I’m 4’11.† which made him laugh. â€Å" Aren’t you afraid of the other girls? We go up against girls who are about a foot taller than you.† I laughed and shook my head â€Å"Nope I’m not scared of the height difference, that doesn’t make you good at soccer, the skills do,† I said to him. When tryouts ended I was chosen almost automatically. I don’t think I was chosen for being able to score because I never did score but I think my coach saw the potential and the determination I had when it came to every game. Being put against the biggest girls and seeing the way they would look at me was my favorite part because it usually took them by surprise when I was able to take them down so easily. With some girls it took more effort and sometimes I’d be the one that would end up down on the ground. As the season progressed, one of my teammates came up to me and asked, â€Å"Hey Susy, do you have anger issues? I see the way you go crazy whenever they get near you and try to get the ball.† I laughed and told her that I don’t have anger issues but that I out of the blue do get mad whenever they get near me and that became what I was known for. My closest friends and teammates gave me the nickname of â€Å"Leona† which means lioness, for my sudden anger that would take over and for my puffy hair. Growing up as tiny as I was and still am isn’t really fun because I’m always getting asked about it but I don’t mind it as much. When it comes to soccer I realized that the best players aren’t always the ones that are huge giants but the ones that are tiny. We’re super fast, we can dodge people better and we can easily get in front of other players with ease. And even though I’m looked down upon I’ll secretly enjoy it because it’ll just trigger the lioness from her slumber with a desire to feast on her prey.

Tuesday, November 5, 2019

Getting into a dream College, things to know for an applicants.

Getting into a dream College, things to know for an applicants. Getting Into a Dream College, Things to Know There is no such a† winning ticket† which can help you definitely take place in the college. However, I prepared for you, interesting information, given by admission deans, who worked with students’ applications for more than ten years. I am certain that people who actually worked in this sphere can give the solid pieces of advice. So, let’s start your trip to getting you enrolled to the selective college†¦ Don’t choose being good at one thing In the process of choosing students, the colleges are looking for the applicants with clearly-defined goals. Make sure you have the last ones. You need to present yourself as a confident person with a diversity of interests, knowledge and skills. If you have all A’s, that does not mean you catch your lucky ticket. Besides the grades, there has to be something more. Reveal your identity as a person who deserves to get the chance to enter this college. I bet you have some hobbies, or things that you are good at, and they are able to bring you that chance. It is always more interesting to communicate, work or deal with the all-rounder. High grades will still give their best benefits As college is the studying structure, test scores and grades are the most important during the consideration of your application. As you are going to be a student of their college, admission members want to be sure about your learning skills in the first place. Due to this fact, you have to be diligent student, and to keep up with the high results. Provide good feedback in recommendations about yourself When the big group of students, with the most outstanding identification papers, is formed, the college starts to find some selective features of the best student, that’s why they want to look carefully through your essay, recommendation letters, activities after classes and so on. The deans believe that the future students have to be prepared to overcome difficulties, to have passion for the learning process; develop critical thinking, leadership expertise, curiosity, optimism, thirst to the knowledge, and ability to work in team. Reveal your ‘real self’ Deans are bored from the clichà ©-essays, standard formula of success, which says all about your strengths. But, let’s consider it this way, every essay is full of describing applicant’s goals, achievements and that’s not the bad thing, however you can lose yourself by trying to follow the accepted scheme. Nowadays, it is possible to load some videos, to present some project, which will show your words in action.   The schools like University of Chicago, the University of Rochester Yale, Reed College, and Pomona College have already practiced using of this option. The person who is not afraid to create something new has a chance to catch the dean’s attention. Money is another winning point Even if you have high marks and good recommendation, the financial situation of yours still is taken into consideration. As there are plenty of programs you might be involved in, you have to be able to pay for yourself during some projects. Students without enough money can get worse results. Be prepared to face this fact, even though it may seem completely unfair to you. Hometown plays its role The colleges are willing to take students from all 50 states. The urban-rural students are welcomed to the colleges. Geography can be decisive as well. The need of exchanging students and their experiences is popular today. Get your success by your own Don’t expect that prestigious college will enroll you because of your famous mother or father. That’s not their position, that’s yours; put the efforts and earn your sit in the dreamed college. Good things require your true dedication Very often your doings influence the choice of admission members. They are interested in your ability to be sympathetic to the others and to help them. The main point here that you’re not doing it just for a record, the reason lies in your true desire to do well. For example, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology very deeply examines the applicant’s actions towards helping others. That doesn’t mean you need to spend all of your free time at community services, the simple help to your family, neighbors or some elderly people are perfect chances to open your heat to something good. Considerable importance During the choosing college, pick up your priority. The colleges appreciate that you made them your first option. Try to show them your strong interest to their college. Appoint the meeting to get to know the campus. Make sure your first visit will impress them in a good way. These tips from deans are very interesting for those who made their decision to be the students of an outstanding college. I hope this information will help you to approach your own method of ‘winning the ticket’ to the future college.

Saturday, November 2, 2019

What benefits will your college education provide you in your personal Essay

What benefits will your college education provide you in your personal and professional lives - Essay Example college education for my personal life will include development of good peer relationships, increase in self-confidence, awareness of various social issues, development of a good personality, awareness of different types of professional fields of life, and increased opportunities to perform recreational activities. The most important benefit, which I believe to come out of college education for my personal life, will be the development of new relationships with the people studying with me in the college. The benefits of college education for my professional life will include increased job opportunities, good salary package, career evolution, opportunity to excel in professional life, improvement in decision-making skills, ability to raise opinions based on knowledge, and increase in self-confidence. The most important benefit, which I believe to come out of college education for my professional life, will be the increased number of job