Educational Technology Essay

Educational technology is the study and ethical practice of facilitating learning and improving performance by creating, using and managing appropriate technological processes and resources.† The term educational technology is often associated with, and encompasses, instructional theory and learning theory. While instructional technology is â€Å"the theory and practice of design, development, utilization, management, and evaluation of processes and resources for learning,† according to the Association for Educational Communications and Technology (AECT) Definitions and Terminology Committee,educational technology includes other systems used in the process of developing human capability. Educational technology includes, but is not limited to, software, hardware, as well as Internet applications, such as wikis and blogs, and activities. But there is still debate on what these terms mean.[3] Technology of education is most simply and comfortably defined as an array of tool s that might prove helpful in advancing student learning and may be measured in how and why individuals behave. Educational Technology relies on a broad definition of the word â€Å"technology.† Technology can refer to material objects of use to humanity, such as machines or hardware, but it can also encompass broader themes, including systems, methods of organization, and techniques. Some modern tools include but are not limited to overhead projectors, laptop computers, and calculators. Newer tools such as â€Å"smartphones† and games (both online and offline) are beginning to draw serious attention for their learning potential. Media psychology is the field of study that applies theories in human behavior to educational technology. Consider the Handbook of Human Performance Technology. The word technology for the sister fields of Educational and Human Performance Technology means â€Å"applied science.† In other words, any valid and reliable process or procedure that is derived from basic research using the â€Å"scientific method† is considered a â€Å"technology.† Educational or Human Performance Technology may be based purely on algorithmic or heuristic processes, but neither necessarily implies physical technology. The word technology comes from the Greek â€Å"techne† which means craft or art. Another word, â€Å"technique,† with the same origin, also may be used when considering the field Educational Technology. So Educational Technology may be extended to include the techniques of the educator. A classic example of an Educational Psychology text is Bloom’s 1956 book, Taxonomy of Educational Objectives.Bloom’s Taxonomy is helpful when designing learning activities to keep in mind what is expected of—and what are the learning goals for—learners. However, Bloom’s work does not explicitly deal with educational technology per se and is more concerned with pedagogical strategies. According to some, an Educational Technologist is someone who transforms basic educational and psychological research into an evidence-based applied science (or a technology) of learning or instruction. Educational Technologists typically have a graduate degree (Master’s, Doctorate, Ph.D., or D.Phil.) in a field related to educational psychology, educational media, experimental psychology, cognitive psychology or, more purely, in the fields of Educational, Instructional or Human Performance Technology orInstructional Systems Design. But few of those listed below as theorists would ever use the term â€Å"educational technologist† as a term to describe themselves, preferring terms such as â€Å"educator.†The transformation of educational technology from a cottage industry to a profession is discussed by Shurville, Browne, and Whitaker. Definition of terms Evaluation is a systematic determination of a subject’s merit, worth and significance, using criteria governed by a set of standards. It can assist an organization to assess any aim, realizable concept or proposal, or any alternative, to help in decision-making; or to ascertain the degree of achievement or value in regard to the aim and objectives and results of any such action that has been completed. Technology is the making, modification, usage, and knowledge of tools, machines, techniques, crafts, systems, methods of organization, in order to solve a problem, improve a preexisting solution to a problem, achieve a goal, handle an applied input/output relation or perform a specific function. It can also refer to the collection of such tools, machinery, modifications, arrangements and procedures. Technologies significantly affect human as well as other animal species’ ability to control and adapt to their natural environments. Educational technology is the use of technology to improve teaching and learning. the treatment of the process by which people learn, as a systematic process based on objectives, with strategies and systems to achieve them; a set of expensive tools sold to schools purporting to improve learning but not actually proven to do so information and communication technology (ICT), is often used as an extended synonym for information technology (IT), but is a more specific term that stresses the role of unified communications[1] and the integration oftelecommunications (telephone lines and wireless signals), computers as well as necessaryenterprise software, middleware, storage, and audio-visual systems, which enable users to access, store, transmit, and manipulate information. Classifications of Educational Technology When we hear the word technology today, we would immediately think of the mediated instructional materials particularly those, which are computer-based. But technology also includes the indigenous materials which have been used in the past and which have been proven as reliable. They have proven their worth especially to the teachers in the early days. According to the Equilibrium Theory of Education, the schools which are supposed to transmit accumulated knowledge and skills to students, that students are given balance of the old and new learning so that they will not lose track of the finest pedagogical culture which have been developed and accumulated all through the years. The classification of Educational Technology is divided into two which is the following: * Material Technology Material Technology is divided by two which is the lo-tech paper technology and the hi-tech mediated technology Lo-tech paper technology * It is also called traditional instructional materials; these are indigenous materials usually real objects or those that are made of paper and cardboards. They are still here to stay because not all schools are equipped with technology tools and not all teachers are ready to embrace modern technology. Hi-tech mediated technology * Often called as the mediated technology, it includes those, which are presented using media equipment or hardware. The most persuasive modern technology for teaching and learning in these contemporary times is the computer and its various applications. In fact all educational efforts are being geared toward its used. Its effectiveness in teaching and learning has been widely recognized. * Non-Material Technology This includes theories, laws, principles, methods and strategies of teaching. They evolved results of researches and studies in order to facilitate teaching and learning. Applications of Educational Technology A proper application of educational technology can result to improved sensation and perception that will lead to quality learning. Educational technology transcends geographical barriers, expose students to experiences beyond classroom, disseminate instruction across large areas and make education more accessible to more people. If Educational Technology is properly selected and used the students can do the following: * Arouse and sustain the interest and attention of the students. * Concretize concepts and ideas to promote meaningful learning. * Make learning more permanent by providing rich experiences. * Provide self-activities for independent learning. * Increase one’s vocabulary by eliminating verbalism * Promote continuity of thought * Increase the quality of learning while decreasing the time spent * Check student’s preparedness * Make learning more interactive * Choosing and applying educational technology . Evaluation in Educational Technology As education systems, in particular Technology Education, adapt to new expectations for secondary students entering an uncertain workforce, the time is appropriate to investigate the need for school facilities to meet these present demands and those that continue to change curricula. This study has been conducted in order to determine the facility requirements for the delivery of the evolving technology/manual arts curriculum in Queensland. A set of validated design criteria for evaluating technology education and vocational education settings was developed and trialed to assist the designer of such facilities to meet the needs of this area on schools designed in different eras from the 1960s to the present. A review of the published literature would indicate that little has been written on this aspect of facilities design. While related studies have been conducted in North America, they were not confined to the designing of the facilities and only had specific relevance in that coun try. An expert group consisting of prominent Queensland educators provided the impetus for developing the criteria which had been generated through a systematic search of the literature. The methodology utilised to involve the expert group was the Nominal Group Technique. After the criteria had been developed, they were validated by questionnaire through a 30% random sample of practicing heads of department across Queensland in both state and independent systems. A trial evaluation using current facilities was subsequently conducted to determine the effectiveness of the criteria in terms of teacher acceptability as well as establishing a pattern of needs for modification. Practitioners who use the facility for teaching technology education and/or vocational education could use the set of criteria to evaluate their facility in a similar manner to that of evaluating their students. Such evaluations could then become the basis for ffiture school planning and budgetary allocations as well as asset management of existing facilities. The study proved to be valuable as the validated criteria have the potential of being used as a tool by teachers to evaluate their facilities. At the systems level of operation, the criteria will provide assistance for designers, architects and teachers to prepare informal educational briefs. Such briefs would provide a consistent approach to the some times difficult task of clearly defining the function of a facility. The modem facility must meet the needs of current curriculum and be sufficiently flexible and adaptable to provide the educational requirements well into the twenty-first century. These developed criteria will gr eatly assist in this process. Overview It is a great honor for me to join in the celebration of the 100th birthday of National Taipei Teachers’ College. In the United States, this year is also the 100th anniversary of a famous march, the â€Å"Stars and Stripes Forever,† composed by the revered bandmaster, John Phillips Sousa in 1896. I learned this when I attended a band concert this fall, celebrating the 100th anniversary of the Department of Bands at Indiana University. During the concert I was thinking about what I might say today, and I realized that National Taipei Teacher’s College, the IU Department of Bands, and the â€Å"Stars and Stripes Forever† are all 100 years old this year. I plan to talk today on the topic: evaluation of use of information technology in education. First, I will discuss the use of information technology as a lever for change in educational systems and practice. Second, I will talk about the development of criteria for evaluating information technology systems in K-12 education. During 1993-95, I played a central role on a team of faculty and graduate students at Indiana University who helped develop these criteria for the National Study of School Evaluation. I will provide a brief overview of the criteria for use of information technology in K-12 education in the United States. Finally, I will share my personal philosophy on use of technology in education. Stability and Change in Education The publication of A Nation at Risk in 1983 helped to renew U.S. efforts to further improve public schooling. We have given names to these reform efforts such as: site-based management, school restructuring and educational systems design (cf. Banathy, 1991; Reigeluth, 1992; Frick, 1993). One difficulty in changing a system is that it tends to remain the same. Systems try to attain and maintain some level of stability (cf. Maccia & Maccia, 1975; 1966). The big challenge is: How can we overcome this stability in our education systems in order to make positive changes, without harming what is already good and should not be changed? One educator in Indiana has joked that the problem of getting our schools to change is like trying to change the direction of a big elephant going 100 miles per hour. Indicators of Quality Information Technology Systems in Education The National Study of School Evaluation recently published Technology: Indicators of Quality Information Technology Systems in K-12 Schools (NSSE, 1996). This publication provides: * a vision for student learning in technology through suggestions of performance indicators at the elementary, middle and high school levels, * indicators for judging how a school’s instructional system supports learning achievement in technology, and * indicators for evaluating how a school’s organizational system supports its vision. History of Educational Technology during ancient times There is no written evidence which can tell us exactly who has coined the phrase educational technology. Different educationists, scientists and philosophers at different time intervals have put forwarded different definitions of Educational Technology. Educational technology is a multifaceted and integrated process involving people, procedure, ideas, devices, and organization, where technology from different fields of science is borrowed as per the need and requirement of education for implementing, evaluating, and managing solutions to those problems involved in all aspects of human learning. Educational technology, broadly speaking, has passed through five stages. The first stage of educational technology is coupled with the use of aids like charts, maps, symbols, models, specimens and concrete materials. The term educational technology was used as synonyms to audio-visual aids. The second stage of educational technology is associated with the ‘electronic revolution’ with the introduction and establishment of sophisticated hardware and software. Use of various audio-visual aids like projector, magic lanterns, tape-recorder, radio and television brought a revolutionary change in the educational scenario. Accordingly, educational technology concept was taken in terms of these sophisticated instruments and equipments for effective presentation of instructional materials. The third stage of educational technology is linked with the development of mass media which in turn led to ‘communication revolution’ for instructional purposes. Computer-assisted Instruction (CAI) used for education since 1950s also became popular during this era. The fourth stage of educational technology is discernible by the individualized process of instruction. The invention of programmed learning and programmed instruction provided a new dimension to educational technology. A system of self-learning based on self-instructional materials and teaching machines emerged. The latest concept of educational technology is influenced by the concept of system engineering or system approach which focuses on language laboratories, teaching machines, programmed instruction, multimedia technologies and the use of the computer in instruction. According to it, educational technology is a systematic way of designing, carrying out and evaluating the total process of teaching and learning in terms of specific objectives based on research. Educational technology during the Stone Age, the Bronze Age, and the Iron Age Educational technology, despite the uncertainty of the origin of the term, can be traced back to the time of the three-age system periodization of human prehistory; namely the Stone Age, the Bronze Age, and the Iron Age. Duringthe Stone Age, ignition of fire by rubbing stones, manufacture of various handmade weapon and utensils from stones and clothing practice were some of the simple technological developments of utmost importance. A fraction of Stone Age people developed ocean-worthy outrigger canoe ship technology to migrate from one place to another across the Ocean, by which they developed their first informal education of knowledge of the ocean currents, weather conditions, sailing practice, astronavigation, and star maps. During the later Stone Age period (Neolithic period),for agricultural practice, polished stone tools were made from a variety of hard rocks largely by digging underground tunnels, w hich can be considered as the first steps in mining technology. The polished axes were so effective that even after appearance of bronze and iron; people used it for clearing forest and the establishment of crop farming. Although Stone Age cultures left no written records, but archaeological evidences proved their shift from nomadic life to agricultural settlement. Ancient tools conserved in different museums, cave paintings like Altamira Cave in Spain, and other prehistoric art, such as the Venus of Willendorf, Mother Goddess from Laussel, France etc. are some of the evidences in favour of their cultures. Neolithic Revolution of Stone Age resulted into the appearance of Bronze Age with development of agriculture, animal domestication, and the adoption of permanent settlements. For these practices Bronze Age people further developed metal smelting, with copper and later bronze, an alloy of tin and copper, being the materials of their choice. The Iron Age people replaced bronze and developed the knowledge of iron smelting technology to lower the cost of living since iron utensils were stronger and cheaper than bronze equivalents. In many Eurasian cultures, the Iron Age was the last period before the development of written scripts. Educational technology during the period of Ancient civilizations According to Paul Saettler, 2004, Educational technology can be traced back to the time when tribal priests systematized bodies of knowledge and ancient cultures invented pictographs or sign writing to record and transmit information. In every stage of human civilization, one can find an instructional technique or set of procedures intended to implement a particular culture which were also supported by number of investigations and evidences. The more advanced the culture, the more complex became the technology of instruction designed to reflect particular ways of individual and social behaviour intended to run an educated society. Over centuries, each significant shift in educational values, goals or objectives led to diverse technologies of instruction. The greatest advances in technology and engineering came with the rise of the ancient civilizations. These advances stimulated and educated other societies in the world to adopt new ways of living and governance. The Indus Valley Civilization was an early Bronze Age civilization which was located in the northwestern region of the Indian Subcontinent. The civilization was primarily flourished around the Indus River basin of the Indus and the Punjab region, extending upto the Ghaggar-Hakra River valley and the Ganges-Yamuna Doab, (most of the part is under today’s Pakistan and the western states of modern-day India as well as some part of the civilization extending upto southeastern Afghanistan, and the easternmost part of Balochistan, Iran). There is a long term controversy to be sure about the language that the Harappan people spoke. It is assumed that their writing was at least seems to be or a pictographic script. The script appears to have had about 400 basic signs, with lots of variations. People write their script with the direction generally from right to left. Most of the writing was found on seals and sealings which were probably used in trade and official & administrative work. Harappan people had the knowledge of the measuring tools of length, mass, and time. They were the first in the world to develop a system of uniform weights and measures. In a study carried out by P. N. Rao et al. in 2009, published in Science, computer scientists found that the Indus script’s pattern is closer to that of spoken words, which supported the proposed hypothesis that it codes for an as-yet-unknown language. According to the Chinese Civilization, some of the major techno-offerings from China include paper, early seismological detectors, toilet paper, matches, iron plough, the multi-tube seed drill, the suspension bridge, the wheelbarrow, the parachute, natural gas as fuel, the magnetic compass, the raised-relief map, the blast furnace, the propeller, the crossbow, the South Pointing Chariot, and gun powder. With the invent of paper they have given their first step towards developments of educational technology by further culturing different handmade products of paper as means of visual aids. Ancient Egyptian language was at one point one of the longest surviving and used languages in the world. Their script was made up of pictures of the real things like birds, animals, different tools, etc. These pictures are popularly called hieroglyph. Their language was made up of above 500 hieroglyphs which are known as hieroglyphics. On the stone monuments or tombs which were discovered and rescued latter on provides the evidence of existence of many forms of artistic hieroglyphics in ancient Egypt. Educational technology during Medieval and Modern Period Paper and the pulp papermaking process which was developed in China during the early 2nd century AD, was carried to the Middle East and was spread to Mediterranean by the Muslim conquests. Evidences support that a paper mill was also established in Sicily in the 12th century. The discovery of spinning wheel increased the productivity of thread making process to a great extent and when Lynn White added the spinning wheel with increasing supply of rags, this led to the production of cheap paper, which was a prime factor in the development of printing technology. The invention of the printing press was taken place in approximately 1450 AD, by Johannes Gutenburg, a German inventor. The invention of printing press was a prime developmental factor in the history of educational technology to convey the instruction as per the need of the complex and advanced-technology cultured society. In the pre-industrial phases, while industry was simply the handwork at artisan level, the instructional processes were relied heavily upon simple things like the slate, the horn book, the blackboard, and chalk. It was limited to a single text book with a few illustrations. Educational technology was considered synonymous to simple aids like charts and pictures. The year 1873 may be considered a landmark in the early history of technology of education or audio-visual education. An exhibition was held in Vienna at international level in which an American school won the admiration of the educators for the exhibition of maps, charts, textbooks and other equipments. Maria Montessori (1870-1952), internationally renowned child educator and the originator of Montessori Method exerted a dynamic impact on educational technology through her development of graded materials designed to provide for the proper sequencing of subject matter for each individual learner. Modern educational technology suggests many extension of Montessori’s idea of prepared child centered environment. In1833, Charles Babbage’s design of a general purpose computing device laid the foundation of the modern computer and in 1943, the first computing machine as per hi design was constructed by International Business Machines Corporation in USA. The Computer Assisted instruction (CAI) in which the computer functions essentially as a tutor as well as the Talking Type writer was developed by O.K. Moore in 1966. Since 1974, computers are interestingly used in education in schools, colleges and universities. In the beginning of the 19th century, there were noteworthy changes in the field of education. British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), right from its start of school broadcasts in 1920 had maintained rapid pace in making sound contribution to formal education. In the USA, by 1952, 20 states had the provision for educational broadcasting. Parallel to this time about 98% of the schools in United Kingdom were equipped with radios and there were regular daily programmes. Sidney L. Pressey, a psychologist of Ohio state university developed a self-teaching machine called ‘Drum Tutor’ in 1920. Professor Skinner, however, in his famous article ‘Science of Learning and art of Teaching’ published in 1945 pleaded for the application of the knowledge derived from behavioral psychology to classroom procedures and suggested automated teaching devices as means of doing so. Although the first practical use of Regular television broadcasts was in Germany in 1929 and in 1936 the Olympic Games in Berlin were broadcasted through television stations in Berlin, Open circuit television began to be used primarily for broadcasting programmes for entertainment in 1950. Since 1960, television is used for educational purposes. In 1950, Brynmor, in England, used educational technological steps for the first time. It is to be cared that in 1960, as a result of industrial revolution in America and Russia, other countries also started progressing in the filed of educational technology. In this way, the beginning of educational technology took place in 1960 from America and Russia and now it has reached England, Europe and India. During the time of around 1950s, new technocracy was turning it attraction to educations when there was a steep shortage of teachers in America and therefore an urgent need of educational technology was felt. Dr. Alvin C. Eurich and a little later his associate, Dr. Alexander J. Stoddard introduced mass production technology in America. Team teaching had its origin in America in the mid of 1950’s and was first started in the year 1955 at Harvard University as a part of internship plan. In the year 1956, Benjamin Bloom from USA introduced the taxonomy of educational objectives through his publication, â€Å"The Taxonomy of Educational Objectives, The Classification of Educational Goals, Handbook I: Cognitive Domain†.

Employee Training and Career Development Essay

In this Employee Training and Career Development Paper a number of topics will be discussed pertaining to development. Explaining the role of training in an organizations development and describing different employee development methods and its benefits will be reviewed. The paper will address analyzing the relationship between employee and organizational development, as well as, describing the role of human resource management in career development. Resources for this information will come for the eBook; Fundamentals of human resources management text. Included in this paper will also be a reflection on the writers’ personal career development, and where they see themselves in 5 years. Along with it will be the writers’ opinion on how their present and/or future company can assist in their career development and if the company’s career development opportunities are sufficient. Bullet 2 Employee development is future oriented and concerned with the education of an employee rather than job training. By education, this means enhancing an employee’s ability to understand and interpret knowledge. Employee development focuses on personal growth to aid in the success of preparing for greater responsibility positions, have analytical, human, conceptual and specialized skill. There are three methods of employee development that will be reviewed; job rotation, assistant-to positions, and lecture coursed and seminars. Each of these methods are either on-the-job techniques or off-the-job techniques. Job Rotation involves moving employees throughout the company to different positions with the intent of expanding skills, knowledge and abilities. This  method can be done either horizontally or vertically. Job Rotation is a great method, its benefits such as broadening the employee’s exposure to the organizations operations, increasing experience, reducing boredom, and stimulating new ideas are excellent avenues to have within a company. This also allows management the opportunity to observe the employee for reliability. The Assistant-To Positions method is when employee’s with potential work under someone with a higher position in other areas of the organization. These employees may be staff assistants or serve on a particular board. Whichever duty it is, it is done under the eye of a supportive coach. Benefits for this method is that the employee will gain a numerous amount of experience in management activities and grooming duties for a higher leveled position. Lastly the Lecture Course and Seminars method is one many organizations offer either in-house or through outside sources. This method involves traditiona forms of instruction, revolving around lecture courses and seminars. Employees acquire knowledge and develop DeCenso, D., & Robbins, S. (2007). Fundamentals of human resource management (9th ed.). Retrieved from The University of Phoenix eBook Collection.

The First Part Last

Imagine being a teen adult who has to deal with a baby, go to school, and work. Well, that's what Bobby has to deal with when his girlfriend has a baby and she leaves him. Bobby's experience as a teen adult and teen adults in the media care for and do things differently. Bobby's and the teen adults' lives have changed ever since a baby entered their lives. Nothing will be the same? First of all, Bobby has to take care of the baby all on his own without his spouse, while the teen adults on the media at least have their spouse or family to help them.For example, when Bobby found out that he got Naira pregnancy he was scared at first and shocked. But when his parents found out they told him that they were not going to help. Also, later on, Naira wasn't okay with It so she left Bobby to continue her life. Bobby was all alone with the baby! In addition, Bobby's world turned upside down when the baby came Into his life; as did the teen parents in the media. For Instance, Bobby couldn't do all the cool things he used to do with his friends. His friends didn't care though because they understood his problem.The teen parents In the media will try to do the opposite ND pretend that they never had a baby in the first place. People will do whatever It takes to take care of a baby or Just drop It out of their head like It doesn't even exist. In conclusion, parent, young or old, have babies and those babies are their responsibilities no matter how much It changes your life. Teen parents and Bobby have lives that have changed throughout their life. While teen parents go help from family or their spouse, Bobby only got friends and a babysitter. The moral of Bobby's and the teen parents' stories are to expect the unexpected and be prepared when It comes.

Buddhism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Buddhism - Essay Example Buddhism is a philosophy, which originated in India and was developed by Siddhartha Gautama (Buddah). He was an Indian prince who left his wealth and power in order to search for enlightenment. Buddah returned after he had spent many days in deep meditation in order to preach and help his followers reach enlightenment and thus break the cycle of death and rebirth (reincarnation). Essential to the philosophy of Buddhism is what Buddah named the Four Noble Truths. This was his foundation in which he based Buddhism so that a person could go on to achieve nirvana. The first was that life leads to suffering in some form or another. He termed this suffering dukka. The second was craving is what causes this suffering. The craving we feel is that we are clinging to a materialistic or some important construct in our physical world in which we derive pleasure from. Third, once a state of enlightenment is achieved, the cravings stop so causally the suffering ceases. Lastly, the fourth noble truth is that in order to achieve enlightenment, one must follow the path that Buddah has laid out. In a sense, Gautama gives his followers a set of instructions and conditions in which a person can achieve nirvana (Matthews, 103-144).

Family Structure Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Family Structure - Essay Example As the study outlines   from among all these, the newborn baby is the one who is least affected in the new structure because he or she is the one taken cared for while everyone starts being responsible for him or her. Speaking of the new parents, the mother and the father are affected greatly by their newborn child not only in terms of the physical demands they should fulfill such as not getting enough sleep and having to tolerate the constant crying but at the same time cause a change in their lifestyle, the dreams they pursue, responsibilities, purchase behavior, and even how they interact socially. This is because of the fact that a newborn poses a lot of responsibilities not only financially but at the same will require a lot of sacrifices such as re-managing one’s priorities to achieve a balance between providing for one’s family’s needs and at the same time giving oneself a little leeway for a little fun time. This paper highlights that what is unique to mothers of a newborn would be the fact that they usually feel neglected or perhaps feel like they are missed out a lot in life because of the routine activity she is confined in from not only taking care of the baby but at the same time her other children if there are and of course, we cannot miss out on her responsibility to her husband which makes her lose time and energy to pamper herself. On the other hand, fathers constantly face the pressure to work longer hours and earn more to be able to provide for his family’s increasing needs. A newborn baby would greatly affect their siblings as well. This is because of the fact that children have the tendency to be possessive with their parent’s attention and time especially when they were used to being the only one.  

DQ2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

DQ2 - Essay Example The payments made to the suppliers of resources are expressed and revealed (explicit) or are present but not clear (implicit). Therefore a firm incurs both implicit and explicit costs while producing products. Explicit costs of the firm are the cash expenditures or monetary payments made to the suppliers who provide materials, labor services, fuel, transportation services and other similar requirements. These monetary payments are made for using the resources owned by suppliers. Implicit costs of the firm are the opportunity costs incurred for using the firm’s self employed and self owned resources. Implicit costs are the monetary payments the self owned and self employed resources may have otherwise earned through their best alternative utilization. Economists does not use the same cost data as accountants use because economists include both implicit costs and explicit costs related to production and also include normal profit which is necessary to acquire and retain resources for a particular line of production. Economists view economic costs as the opportunity cost of resources utilized whether it is owned by the firm or others (McConnell 2005 p.155). Accountants on the other hand consider profits as the balance of revenue after deducting accounting costs (or explicit costs) only. For the economists, economic cost (explicit and implicit costs including normal profit to producer) reduced from total revenue is the economic profit (McConnell 2005 p.156). Changes in demand, supply and equilibrium occur due to fluctuations in customer income, tastes or changes in customer expectation or the changes in the price of related products. Changes in supply occur as a result of changes in the price of resources, taxes or technology. These changes can have an effect on the equilibrium of price and quantity (McConnel, Brue & Campbell 2004 p.50). Price

Organization Development Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Organization Development - Essay Example This institution was founded in 1979 as a social service agency in St. Paul, Minnesota. In 1987, the agency opened an office in Bamburg, South Carolina with the executive director serving as the only staff person. This company does not have a merit system in place. There are enough employees now and the organization wants to implement an appropriate merit system. Within a few months of operation in South Carolina, the first child was placed in one of our foster homes and this institution have consistently grown since. By 1994, the need for serving a special population of foster youth was identified and the agency began providing a medically-fragile program. In March, 2005, Growing Home Southeast acquired the programs of Family Resources, Inc. of Beaufort, SC, increased its staff size to nearly fifty employees statewide, managed services for more than 200 clients and entered the home-based services market. Analysis of the organizational status of the Growing Home Southeast was conducted. Various aspects of the organization were studied such as the management of the organization, projects, supervision of the institution, management of client relationships and strategies. The researcher also performed extensive analysis of database and system response times with custom realtime diagnostic tools, and designed optimizations to address performance, bottlenecks, and increasing database capacity fourfold. According to Choo (2001), scanning or browsing behavior is influenced by external factors such as environmental turbulence and resource dependency, organizational factors such as the nature of the business and the strategy pursued, information factors such... This essay stresses that environmental scanning is the acquisition and use of information about events, trends, and relationships in an organization's external environment, the knowledge of which would assist management in planning the organization's future course of action. Thispaper makes a conclusion that organizations scan the environment in order to understand the external forces of change so that they may develop effective responses which secure or improve their position in the future. They scan in order to avoid surprises, identify threats and opportunities, gain competitive advantage, and improve long- and short-term planning. To the extent that an organization's ability to adapt to its outside environment is dependent on knowing and interpreting the external changes that are taking place, environmental scanning constitutes a primary mode of organizational learning. Environmental scanning includes both looking at information (viewing) and looking for information (searching). It could range from a casual conversation at the lunch table or a chance observation of an angry customer, to a formal market research program or a scenario planning exercise. A sound business practices in place at the Growing Home Southeast will allow clients to meet their b asic necessities of living in addition to being able to save for more costly nonessential items. In addition, the organization may implement an electronic time keeping system to better manage overtime and payroll costs of its employees.

Court Case against an Alleged Surface Water Polluter Brought Under Essay

Court Case against an Alleged Surface Water Polluter Brought Under Section 209 of the Water Resources Act (1991) - Essay Example The two Environment Agency (EA) Technical Officers observed and photographed the silt water that spreads across the half of the southern part of the controlled surface water of South Lake. The officers traced the source of the polluting discharge back to trenching excavations that were being carried out by the Ltd Company. The company was in the process of installing a new drinking main water supply for the rainy periods. The starting place of the silty water was the channel that was being dewatered through the pumping out of the water that had accumulated in the channel using an extractor pump (3inch). The conditions at the site were referred to as boggy by the defendant and the surrounding land was characterized as heather and scrubland on the sandy soil. It was then established that about 80,000 litres of water had been pumped to waste. The Environment Agency (EA) officers approached the sites manager and notified him of the offence and the consequences it will bring forth hence the likelihood of a court case. The Environment Agency (EA) officers observed that the silt was making its way by gravity which is 50-60m through a wooded area into a roadside ditch. Pollution discharge followed 170m alongside the B3430 road in the ditch through a silt trap into a 30m length of culvert; this Culvert discharged into Environment Agency (EA) controlled water (stream) which was flowing under the road and then some 370m into South Lake. A series of 5 tripartite samples were taken by the Technical Officers from the channel to the lake. The samples were taken in the way that has been prescribed by Water Resources Act. The samples included those from the pump; when the samples from the pump were taken, the pump was switched off. After collection of the samples, they were moved to the independent reference laboratories and the EA laboratory where an analysis was done and then presented for an independent analysis to the Ltd Company. Ltd Company was informed by the EA Area Pollution Control Manager that the analysis results suggested that an offence was committed and the papers were to be passed to the EA Solicitor for action to be taken in the local Magistrate’s Court. Pollutants The pollutants from the samples analyzed were suspended solids, ammoniacal - N, chloride, pH, BOD (Biochemical Oxygen Demand), total oxidized nitrogen and orthophosphate. Each of the pollutant will be described and its effects indicated. Suspended Solids They are naturally found in water and in its excess they become harmful. The finest particles in the suspended solids cause most of the serious problems. Increase in the suspended solids in water makes the water look cloudy or turbid. When the water becomes cloudy, it limits sunlight reaching the aquatic plants. The effect on the aquatic plants is stunted growth. Fine suspended solids can clog the fish gills and destroy their respiration and that of other aquatic animals (Hill 2010, p245). Sediments can have differing physical and biological effects de pending on the form of the suspended solids. Suspended solids high value reduces the productivity of the systems by shading the macrophytes and algae.

The Environmental Values of Industrial Nations and Native Societies Essay

The Environmental Values of Industrial Nations and Native Societies - Essay Example Man’s relationship with nature and his environment has always been stimulated by his economic interests and dictated by political decisions. This can be proven by just studying the distinctive characteristics of the values adhered to by industrial and native societies. The industrialized countries of the world today are generally societies with capitalist economic backbones. Capitalism is a system that thrives on the drive of private businesses to utilize the earth’s resources to derive profits. It is basically incidental that such business interest also results in the satisfaction of consumerist demands. In fact, it is because of the interest of profits that prompt businesses to create demands from consumers. As industries owned by private businesses try to create wealth and as the consumers demand for more, the requirement for the massive exploitation of sources of energy, of above-ground and underground land resources and minerals, as well as aquatic resources become s an imperative. Industrial and capitalist countries tend to set aside environmentalist concepts to make way for economic activities that would satisfy business and consumerist interests. Consequently, this resulted to wanton disregard of the well-being of the environment. However, environmental degradation is not only brought about in the process of the capitalist society’s aim to produce more wealth. The products and production wastes have also resulted in pollution. This is the reason why, globally, it is the industrialized nations that are the major exploiters of natural resources and are, at the same time, the worst polluters. There are sectors in industrial societies though which have seen the necessity to introduce protection for the environment. To some extent, these have compelled their respective governments to introduce regulatory policies in favor of the environment. However, â€Å"government agencies and ministries concerned with economic growth †¦ usually have more power and influence on government policy than the ministry concerned with the environment†¦ these agencies generally argue against strict environmental laws and regulations on the grounds that such policies reduce economic growth† (Desai 2002, p.374). In many cases, the government is beholden to business groups, which is why environmental policies by the state are oftentimes inadequate. The treatment of the environment by native societies is very much in contrast to that of the industrial countries. Native populations are generally more conscious about taking care of the environment. They make sure that the resources are not overused or abused while at the same time relying on the environment for their basic needs. Unlike in industrial countries, there are no big capitalists in native societies, which mean that all semblances of production are not at all profit-driven. Instead, the utilization of resources, which may have an effect on the environment, is a resul t of man’s need for food, clothing, and shelter. However, it is true that the respect and the protection of the environment and its resources can oftentimes be brought about by religious or superstitious beliefs. According to Robert Brightman, â€Å"rather than inhibiting overkill, religious definition of the

MailChimp as One of The Newsletters in Advertising Essay

MailChimp as One of The Newsletters in Advertising - Essay Example This makes it easy to use and adopt.However, the disadvantages include its inability to tolerate spamming as well as the unsolicited mails. As such if one’s correspondence is labeled as spam, the system automatically disables one’s access to the services of the recipient. The advantages include: simple to use and manage, maximum delivery of services, customer support, simple to create as well as deliver, and customizable. The disadvantages include: it is not cheap and unable to send videos on emails (Jose, 9). The advantages are: it has very competitive prices, ability to provide live customer support via phone and webinar, supports autoresponder. The disadvantages include: a limit on the number of campaigns one can run at a given time, and the web-based browser may sabotage one's emails when they  switch. Advantages include: Very convenient as customers don’t need to install it, and its cost effective. The disadvantages include: the data security may be a chal lenge.   Advantages include providing users with easy to use templates. The disadvantages are no live chat support.

Strategy Recommendation Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Strategy Recommendation - Research Paper Example In addition, businesses sell their products through various online platforms such as e-bay and Amazon. Nike Inc began its operations in September 8, 1969.The Company engages in design, development, marketing and worldwide distribution of apparel, footwear, accessories, equipment and services. The company mainly focuses on manufacturing athletic apparel and footwear. The corporation’s major products offerings include football wear, running gear, and basketball uniform in addition to training and boxing apparel. The company also produces sports apparel for children and other equipment for sport-oriented recreation activities such as swimming, golf, lacrosse, American football and outdoor activities. Nike also manufactures sports accessories like bags (Carty, 2010). The company’s marketing strategy entails promotion activities such as event sponsorships, billboards and television advertisement. It also promotes its products through placement in various reality TV shows across the world. Nike is the largest designer and manufacturer of sports apparel in the world. The company initially specialized in the production of sports footwear. Its current line of production comprises of various types of sportswear such as swimsuits, footwear, training wear, boxing gears and its accessories, football apparel and basketball gear. The company utilizes the internet to market and sell their products. Moreover, it communicates with the consumers on various social network platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and MySpace. Nike Inc also uses Instagram to highlight various updates on their products such as Nike shoe customizations and the enhancement of comfort in its running gear. The internet enables the company to communicate, sell and market its product s easily. Nike Inc uses the internet to enhance its operations in the apparel market, which makes it an excellent case study for the proposal (Knight, 2000). The internet is

Response to the Right Stuff Essay Example for Free

Response to the Right Stuff Essay David Suzuki in his essay â€Å"The Right Stuff† stresses the importance of sex education and human biology, in the course of science, in high schools. He urges that in high schools sex education should be taught first than any other subject. Suzuki argues that the impressions made in high school are very deep and are unforgotten than any other stage of life, so in this age, whatever they will learn, will always remember and will be very beneficial throughout their life. So, he urges the need of educating human sexuality in high school. Although Suzuki’s idea of teaching sex education in high school is interesting, the argument he makes is less than convincing. Suzuki’s main purpose for writing essay is reflecting the importance of sex education in high schools. He wants that science education in high schools should be taught practically and in more interesting way. He argues that the students in high school are enough mature to understand about sex education, and the lessons they learn at high schools will be helpful for their whole life and they will always remember those lessons. He says that all students do not choose science course at university level, so sex education needs to be taught in high schools. He informs that the students are interested and pay more attention towards the topics of human biology, drugs, and sex, so in science class sex education should be taught first. Suzuki in his essay uses the information from his personal knowledge and from his science background. He sees everything in a scientific way because of a science background, and suggests teachers that first they go through practically from every subject in science before teaching to students. He also wants in high schools, sex education should be plan around human biology. The major part of the essay covered his personal narration, which is his visit to a small town to judge a science fair. Suzuki also uses some information in his essay, from the book â€Å"Is There Life After High School?† that he read and some given by a high school teacher of a small town about the interes t of students towards sex, drugs and cars. The consequences of Suzuki’s reasoning are that some of the parents and religious persons maybe on the other side because maybe they do not want that their children know about sex education, that is why, they may be disagree. On the other side, if students get all the information regarding sex in their early age at high school, they might be grow too quickly, and probably get into sexual activities in their young age. In some of the religions, sex education is not allowed in high schools, if it kept compulsory in schools, so maybe some religions will oppose it. And also students may not pay much attention to other subjects, or they start watching erotic films, so that will affect their life. In his essay, Suzuki does not provide strong evidences to support his idea. He first describes the life of students in high school and the changes occur in that period, then he suddenly shifts to his personal experience in a small northern town with 400 high school students. But his main points are not properly argued. Suzuki wants sex education to be taught in high school, but he didn’t think about the bad impact of that education on students. Some students will probably do a lot of bad things, which they don’t need to do, if they will get the knowledge about sex in their teenage. So, his main point is not convincing.

The Importance Of Agriculture In Developing Countries Economics Essay

The Importance Of Agriculture In Developing Countries Economics Essay Agriculture always plays an essential role in the economy of every country. Not only because of it tends to provide foods for the entire population of a country but agriculture helps to connects and interacts with all the related industries of that country. A country is usually believed to be a social, political and economically stable nation if the agricultural sector is very stable. However, people in developing countries who are depend on agriculture for their living are always much poorer than those who work in other sectors of the economy. And generally those who involve in agriculture sector are always represents a significant share of the total number of poor people in the countries where they live. Hence, there is a need to improve agriculture industry. It is important to improve agriculture sector because it create job opportunities for its citizens. Agriculture is known as the backbone of the developing countries. It accounts for between 30 to 60 percent of the total GDP and employs about 70 percent of the total workers. Apparently, this are a huge amount of peoples involves in agriculture industry if compared to any other sectors in developing countries. In other words, agricultural sector is the major source of employment in most of the developing countries. This is because the owner of the farm usually found that it is necessary to hire additional hands for the purpose to cultivate the lands successfully and to look after the livestock. However, the increase of job opportunities is not only on farms but also in processing, advertising and packaging the agriculture product. Thus, if the agriculture sector is improving, it will definitely benefit the developing countries by decreasing its unemployment rate. Not only that, agriculture sector helps to fully utilize the unused land in developing countries. The expansion of agriculture output caused abundant supply of unused land to be brought under cultivation. However, in most of the African countries such as Mozambique, Tanzania and Zambia, there are only 12 percent of arable land is actually been cultivated. The African Union (AU) has appealed to the governments to allocate 10 percent of their total spending to agriculture, but unfortunately only four or five countries have successfully reach that target. Obviously, developing countries do not have enough money to develop the unused land. It is a waste for just leave a huge area of arable land empty without any plantation. Thus, the offer by foreign investors to develop agricultural land is very attractive to developing countries. Based on the standard of the one-dollar-a-day threshold, there are 1.2 billion poor people in developing countries. And among these peoples, there are 780 million of them facing chronic hunger, which means that their daily intake of calories is not enough for them to live healthy and productive lives. Besides, there are millions more suffer from specific nutritional insufficiency of one form or another. Most of the worlds hungry live in countries which are categorized as low-income and food-deficit nation. They are located mainly in the developing world and more than half of them are in Africa. These countries do not produce enough food to meet the demand of the citizens and they may not have enough foreign exchange to replace the shortfall by purchasing foods on the international market. This kind of situation getting serious especially when they are facing with loss of crops and livestock that caused by natural disaster or extremely high food prices on the international market. In order to feed people better, agriculture must strengthen its conservation goals by adding assortment to the food chain and by restoring the ecosystems. Agriculture sector can reduce hunger as it ensures the food security of developing countries. The drive toward food security has seems to be slowed in recent years. The growth rate of agricultural production is declining, the world grain reserves have shrink to record lows, the commitments of aid to agricultural development have decreased as well and thus it boosting the demand for imported grain. This obviously opposed to the current situation of developing countries because their population is expanding. Food production is directly related to the daily life of human being. Food security is an immediate and future main concern for all developing countries. A stable agricultural industry plays an important role to ensure the food security of a country. Food security is considered as one of the basic requirements of any nation. None of the nation that consists of huge amount of hungry people can grow efficiently with a stable agricultural base because hungry people can do nothing towa rds helping to develop their country. Food security prevents starvation which often been considered as one of the serious problems that being faced by the small developing countries. Furthermore, agriculture also ensures economic growth of developing countries. Agriculture is a fundamental source of income for developing nation that exists on this globe. Not only because of it provides food for our daily life, but mostly all the industries in the country depend on agriculture both directly and indirectly. The high rates of economic growth are basically linked with the rapid expansion of agricultural output. In fact, the economy of several West African countries is primarily maintained by agriculture sector. Most of them depend on agriculture for their export trade to boost the incomes of the country. Agricultural products are their main foreign exchange earner which contributes about 75 percent of their total export commodities. The exports of agriculture products create additional economic activity that ripples through the domestic economy. Besides, agriculture contributes between 40 to 60 percent of the total GDP of most of the African countries. In conclusion, it is crucial to develop the agriculture sector not only in the developing countries but every country in the globe. A very low GDP and widespread chronic under nutrition are generally because of the underdeveloped of agriculture sector. Citizens cannot get enough their basic needs for their daily life. Therefore, economic progress in the agricultural industry is very important to boosting the incomes and increasing food supplies of the poor. Agricultural sector can only be further develop if and only if everyone in the society willing to take the responsibility to sustain a society that have sufficient food supply for our future generation. This is an issue that related to the whole society and efficient action must to be taken from now on.

Definition of assessment

Definition of assessment Assessment is the foundation of the social work process with service users (Walker and Beckett, 2003:6). Why is assessment a crucial aspect of the social work process and what makes an effective social work assessment? What might be some of the barriers to an affective assessment and how can the worker overcome these? In your answer, you will be expected to refer to relevant research regarding social work assessment. Social workers are expected to carry out an initial assessment of situations they encounter before taking action. These are important because they provide the foundation for any plans to support, protect, manage or provide aid for a client. In a nutshell, an assessment is simply gathering information about people, their situation, factors deemed relative to that situation, and integrating this into a formal report, which will be used to look back on when carrying out a review. This will not only provide a helpful way for the social worker to quickly reacquaint themselves when looking back on a family, but it will also allow other work staff to get a gist of the situation if they are coming into it for the first time. For an effective assessment it takes someone with an organised, rational and open minded knowledge base, using these to compliment a number of unique skills they will hold, enabling them to come to grasps with the varied number of situations they will face and an ability to be sensitive to those involved. It is expected of social work graduates to understand all the legal documentations issued by work bodies (such as the Department of Health), for these will include necessary guidelines on assessment and how and when to act. However, simply knowing these will not cut it, and those who are inexperienced will simply be able to regurgitate back what they have learnt without knowing the true art of carrying out their work. An assessment is more than simply making notes on ones observations, for it includes the workers opinions, beliefs and ideas, which will be essential when carrying out interventions. They are not to be confused with evaluations, although they do contain evaluative sectors, for example determining a clients needs. Unlike evaluations however, assessments are open to more probing and study, which make them more effective tools for making a decision. For the social worker to be able to make their assessment successful, they will need to ensure they can fully appreciate a) all factors that affect the client and b) which of the clients needs are not being met. To do this they will need to establish the type of person their client is, for example how they communicate with others, how they react to stress, how they deal with problems etc. It is important for the social worker to know which bits of information are relevant, and rather than find out everything they can (scatter gun method) they pick out those bits which will serve to help them later. If they ask too many questions it will lead to general misinterpretations, often a common mistake in those just starting social work practice. One must understand that views will be different, and that other work forces, agencies or even individuals will draw out their own conclusions for a case. This makes it difficult to assume any kind of truth in an assessment, since what one sees depends on where one looks. (Jones 1983) Another problem assessors face is that there is often the case of clients scapegoating or stigmatising based on a negative assessment. Social workers are aware that they are held accountable for any action they make, and so if they make an error in the assessment that could prove costly to a families support, then they may be faced with court proceedings. In actuality, assessments are by no means a quick process. It is often the case that work staff are met with the stress of having to cope with busy offices, numerous phone calls and masses of paper work. Stress can affect workers in any number of ways, but the biggest concern is that it can lead to negligence such as making quick, inaccurate assessments because there is no time to meet the demands of the office. There is, however, a way of preventing these difficulties and that is to employ a method referred to as triangulation. This is done by drawing comparisons from other groups to find similarities between information gathered. In addition to this, it may prove helpful to discuss the assessment with clients themselves, for this will not only improve the accuracy of the assessment but will also create a sense of trust and warmth between client and worker. In spite of triangulation mistakes are still inevitable. Possibly the most common mistake would be to apply a one sided attitude towards people and/or situations. An example would be of a social worker looking at an argumentative couple; seeing things only from either the controlling wife point of view, or the unfaithful husband point of view. For this reason it is essential for the social worker to bring in other colleagues so as to form a multidisciplinary assessment. Rather than relying on one mans opinion, by working as a team, members may gain further insight into the task at hand and observations may be brought to the table that otherwise would have gone unnoticed. However, the use of multiple assessments is problematic in that the social worker will have to deal with multiple theories. This may lead to conflicts and confusions over the correct path to follow. Because of the time constraints on social work practice, alternative methods have been introduced to take away some of the pressures. Self assessments for example are often carried out when dealing with younger children. It is seen as a fun learning experience and will tell staff workers much about that child. Self assessments will compose of numerous exercises, such as multiple choice questionnaires, rating scales, producing stories, drawings of themselves, and/or their families. Adults often prefer this method as it allows them to use their own words rather than being misinterpreted. Another alternative is computer aided assessments. These have long been used in other fields such as medicine in order to make quick diagnoses. They are helpful in that they save time, and unlike humans do not forget or make errors. It is as simple as loading in all the variables, and allowing the computer to calculate the most likely outcome and therefore the best form of action. However, computers are unable to process social, emotional, or psychological factors and so can often fail to spot key issues. The use of computers is therefore limited. Recently, there have been movements in practice theory, the most important of which is a larger emphasis on the influences of powerlessness, prejudicial views, discriminatory acts and oppression. In addition, workers are starting to develop a more constructionist way of thinking. This includes seeing beliefs and ideas not as relying on the influence of the environment around those who hold said beliefs and ideas, rather them being constructed by individual people whilst they converse and respond to one anothers presence. It is this constructionist way of thinking where many theories on assessment begin. In the past 3 years it was found, through reviews from service users, that many were unsatisfied with the assessment process. One rising concern was that a large number of social workers were failing to conduct reassessments. It seems that they only look at certain information in order to confirm their theories and therefore neglect many important items. This is a critical point because assessments are the basis for all further work. An error here would be damaging for the whole investigation. Even when a reassessment is made, there still remains the problem of prioritising key areas of importance. If this is done shoddily then there is risk of the assessment giving off misrepresentations when conducting an evaluation. To prevent this, there are three areas that it is suggested the social worker start by looking at. These are: Starting where the client is, focussing on meeting the clients needs; legal considerations, which should be made known to the client; and health or safety concerns, for if there are any risks to the client then they must be informed. (Hepworth and Dean 2006) Another important issue relates to the production of a culturally competent assessment. The social worker must therefore demonstrate knowledge of cultural norms, acculturation, and language differences, the ability to differentiate between individual and culturally linked attributes, the initiative to seek out needed information so that evaluations are not biased and services are culturally appropriate; and an understanding of the ways that cultural differences may reveal themselves in the assessment process. (Hepworth and Dean 2006) There are numerous differences between cultures when it comes to forms of, for example; disciplining younger family members, selecting the most dominant group member, aiding those unable to manage for themselves, how to address one another, and many others. And because of these differences, the social worker must be wary when considering things such as; what is seen as normal behaviour in children with autism? What is seen as a healthy amount of sex in afro Caribbean tribe members? At what age is a child believed to reach maturity in China, Africa, Asia etc? The list is endless. Patterns of behaviour which may appear dysfunctional in one culture may be considered normal to another. It is important that social workers have knowledge of their clients background and if not then research it. For an error made may aggravate or offend them. It can be hard to define exactly what an assessment is, who it is intended for, and the reason it needs to be carried out. Pincus and Minaham (1973) therefore developed a model framework with the specific aim being to help social workers recognise; the reasons for their involvement, the expected goals and outcomes, which persons fit the role of agent and which fit the role of client, what needs to be maintained and what needs to be managed. Pincus and Minaham labelled three kinds of resource system which people will have contact with during their lives and four mapping systems which summarise what is occurring. The advantages of a systems approach are many. Firstly, it helps the social worker to understand a situation in such a way it gives clear definitions of those involved and how they are linked to one another. Secondly, aims and goals are clearly established early on, which helps them create a formal plan with their client and also helps both parties follow any progress made. Thirdly, it removes some of the burden of work off of the social workers back, knowing that not everything depends on their selves. It also helps them to see which areas may take the most work, and which may be met with more conflict. This will help them plan their time and resources irrespectively, know when and where they should be, and how much of their attention is required at any time. By doing this, the social worker is less likely to exclude important responsibilities, or focus too much on only one aspect. Upon evaluation of the system, if for any reason another worker sees something they wish to add, remov e or change, then this can be easily done with little time consumption. It is not unlikely that things may change at a later date, for example new clients may need to be added to the system, or new targets to be met. Peoples needs are not immutable and are always changing. The social worker must recognise this and be able to identify any changes, and adjust so as to fit them into the system. There are also certain disadvantages of a systems approach. Firstly, although it helps to maintain the flow of activities, it will not provide enough understanding of a persons life without the addition of other approaches. Alone, the model is too general, and does not include a great deal of information about the relevant difficulties being assessed. Secondly, despite all its hype about ordering data, the systems approach does not maintain that data should be collected to begin with. Furthermore, it fails to recognise the importance of existing beliefs about human behaviour, so is basically starting from scratch each time. Thirdly, the natural urge to focus primarily on the clients illness, with little attention being paid on their wellness can often lower their sprits and remove their hopes of ever finding a solution to their problem. As a social worker making an assessment, it helps to understand that, since external problems become internal, and the internal affects the external, looking at just the social aspects will prove inadequate, just as looking at just the psychological aspects is inadequate.(Milner and OByrne 1998) We need to look at both, and use various approaches to complement one another. Assessments need to draw in help from psychiatrists and psychologists, those skilled at exploring the unconscious. For it may be the case that the client has certain unresolved issues that may be of relevance. A problem workers face is that the id is like a cavern, in that it is made up of large numbers of interrelated passages. Some will affect others, while others will come to a dead end. And everything inside that cavern is hidden away from the outside world and is immune to any happenings beyond its entrance. Applying a psychodynamic approach as it were is advantageous because it is able to explain away what appears to be irrational behaviour. As I explained, many of a persons difficulties may not be explicit and observable. Many individuals use defence mechanisms as a way of hiding their emotions. And so by combining aspects of psychology (cognitive, psychoanalytic, humanistic etc.) it will allow the worker to delve deep into their clients personality and learn more about their associations with the world around them. This approach has imposed a caring, considering, communicative attitude amongst assessment workers and gets them to gain more of an emphatic relationship with their clients. Rather than applying a tick box assessment and using the same set of questions for each person, the worker now has a set of guideline questions allowing them to go off on a tangent basing each new question on the previous answer. The psychodynamic approach does indeed contribute greatly to the advances in social work assessment; however it has a number of issues of concern. First and foremost, the main interest is on the individual and so social factors are often neglected or disregarded. Secondly, abnormal human behaviour or behaviour that does not fit with the norms of society is grounds for a referral. Homosexuality for example is put down to Oedipal conflicts, homosexuals are not treated as a typical male and this causes much oppression and discrimination. Furthermore, the guidelines for communication are based on a middle class Caucasian male. Although certain groups will see equal gain from this method of practice there are many from other cultures that will react differently. And so to make an effective assessment the social worker must be able to relate their skills across cultures. Thirdly, when dealing with children, psychoanalysis may prove ineffective or even destructive. For example in cases of child abuse the sexual wants of an adult are transferred into the childs want for their parents. The child becomes the culprit and the blame is put towards the mother for being neglectful. When it comes to the ideas of Freud, the population of workers is split, half of them opposing entirely and half of them supporting entirely. As with all other approaches, the psychodynamic approach works best when in conjunction with others. An assessment which includes a descriptive evaluation of client behaviours will prove more effective than one without because the worker is then able to look at how those behaviours have come to be part of their clients being and why they continue to exist. Behavioural assessments see behaviours as being learned, and therefore can be unlearnt through training. All behaviours have an underlying cause; the point of the assessment is to therefore find the route of the problem and find ways to negate its effects. There are often however misinterpretations. For example, what is a negative reinforcer? (strengthening a particular behaviour by removal of something undesirable). Punishment is not a negative reinforcer although it is associated with something undesirable. But rather than extinguish the problematic behaviour, it is often the case that it causes resistance. And so the behaviour has become strengthened. The problem is that there are no clear definitions of positive and negative reinforcers, seeing as what is considered desirable or aversive will vary between people. What may be pain to one man may be seen as a challenge to another who will welcome it. To work around this social workers must ensure they work with their client to determine what they perceive as basically good or bad. It is important the worker be consistent when making visits (reassessments), for example if they always turn up at a foster home when they get a call the child is misbehaving, yet they rarely turn up when the child is behaving reasonably they may inadvertently be making their misbehaviour more appealing. Many behaviours, be they positive or negative, helpful or hindering, are learned during the course of life and are influenced by our life experiences. Behaviourists believe that when conducting an assessment it is important for the worker to understand where problem behaviours have come from and what reasons there are for their manifestation. Once the underlying routes have been established the worker then helps the client to unlearn those behaviours and get back on track to healthy living. An effective assessment is therefore one that considers the ABCs; the antecedents, behaviours and the consequences. Anything that causes the unwanted behaviour should be removed, whereas anything that promotes desired behaviours should be encouraged. The client should then learn to associate these positive behaviours with pleasant experiences; this way they will want to repeat them. Assessments should look at a clients history thoroughly. It is easy to miss parts out, yet everything needs to be ex amined for even something seemingly irrelevant may hold the key to a persons problem. Of course it is unrealistic to look at absolutely every aspect of a persons life, especially the elderly who have an extremely long history to cover. And so it has been argued that behavioural approaches lack validity and are unattainable. This aside the behavioural approach is still useful because it provides clear definitions of; the aims, goals and the plans for intervention. Furthermore, the approach, more so than other approaches motivates the client to have a say in the overall structure of the assessment. Sheldon (1982) believes there is the advantage that it does not manipulate the data in any way so that the client can be placed in a particular category or theory. People are seen as individuals, individual factors are considered, and client perspectives are used to shape the approach. Task centred theory makes a good starting point for new workers because it is possibly the simplest approach. Assessments can at times be overcomplicated and so it may do workers good to sometimes go back to basics and look at the most obvious action to take. Actions should depend upon ones values rather than any policy one is obligated to follow. Previous experience should be used to improve practice, even the negative ones. Difficulties are inevitable but they will only get worse if the worker continues to make the same mistakes again and again. When there is time pressure to get a job done, rather than crumble the worker should use the pressure as motivation to get things done efficiently. That way they will have to make fewer reassessments. The first task is to determine their clients needs (what it is they want). The next step is convincing the client to accept ones help, firstly recognising they have needs and secondly wanting to do something about it. Epstein (1988) calls this the Start up phase, as it gets the ball rolling so to speak. Next, the wants require their own assessment, to determine what should to be done to meet them, how long it will take and who should be involved. The assessment process is a time to give order to the persons needs, generally up to three of them. It would be helpful to consider not only what changes need to be made, but also what might get in the way of these and what further changes could be done to make the initial changes possible. It would also be helpful to find out how individual problems relate to one another, if at all. If they are then able to tackle the main problem, others may follow suit accordingly with little/no effort on the social workers account. A useful strategy for social workers is to get their clients to firstly write down their problems and secondly assign them a score ranging from no problem at all to highly serious. It is vital that needs are set out from the start and fully understood by both worker and client. Failure at this stage will lead to difficulties come the evaluation. When conducting an assessment on two or more people (such as two partners in a relationship) the worker would be advised to look toward the Want Sheet for support (Masson and OByrne 1984). This gives detailed descriptions of different wants and can be used to help service users explain what they feel. So far, no approach has come up with a solution to this problem, making the task centred approach unique. The Want Sheet can be administered to couples/groups and this way can be used to compare different ideas. Through this stage alone, it is possible for a group to resolve any issues without any need for an intervention scheme. This is most unlike other approaches , which see the social worker as an agent coming in to help the needy, an approach not unlike the medical model of mental health. It is important when assessing individuals, not to mistake the clients as abnormal people just because their behaviour may suggest so, or because they appear difficult or un-cooperative. Doel and Marsh (1992) call this shooting the reflective parrot for what they are doing is making false judgements based on observation, without getting down deep to the underlying issue. Before any interventions, it is important for any decisions to be met together, all other options have been considered, and the client is satisfied with how things are being dealt with. Once a decision is reached, there is still time for one final review. This is a useful step because at this late stage, it is still possible to change ones mind; nothing is yet set in stone. If no changes need be made, the review is still beneficial as it helps to reduce any doubts or anxieties before progression. The task centred approach to assessment seems full proof. Reid (1978) commented that it holds particular value in situations whereby the service user is able to contribute to a moderate degree. It holds the advantage over other approaches because it considers not only the client, but their interactions with the outside world. They get a fair hearing, and communication between them and the social worker is mutual, leading towards a more accurate evaluation. There have been arguments that giving too much leeway can leave the worker vulnerable to misinformation. More so with children, there are cases where the client is not responsible or trustworthy enough to be given a shared role in the assessment. In conclusion, there are numerous positives and negatives of any approach to assessment. Every worker will have a preference on how they will deal with a situation; however it need be emphasised that no two situations are alike. And so workers must be able to think on their feet if they are to become competent social workers. Those who are open minded will reap the most success, for the key lies within managing all the different approaches, integrating them into a whole. Care should still be taken, for within the approaches lie numerous contradictions. There will always be a degree of uncertainty, but what makes the difference between good and average work, is the confidence to give an opinion, whilst at the same time welcoming the views of others. In conclusion, why is the assessment process vital? Because it forms the foundation for understanding ones client, and gets the ball rolling when planning actions for change. It forms a record which can be referred to when evaluating said changes, and can also be used as evidence in court. What makes an effective assessment? One which investigates all relevant factors rather than stick to anything specific, which matches with individuals aims and goals, which is centred on the tasks at hand, which draws from multidisciplinary agencies, which forms a partnership between agent and client, and which is anti oppressive or discriminatory. What barriers do workers face? They can be time consuming, workers are under pressure to get through their work load and may be unable to spend time getting to know their client, groups who are often the target of oppression may seem uncooperative and resistant to change, and all assessments are in some part vulnerable to bias. How can these be overcome? It is imperative that when conducting an assessment one shares thoughts and ideas with not only other workers, other agencies and welfare authorities, but also with the client themselves, thus spreading out the work load, and reducing the likelihood of any errors going unnoticed. Furthermore it helps to be self aware. This way one picks up on any fool hardy assumptions they may be making. One should not be afraid to challenge higher authorities and understand that personal values and the law will often conflict. And finally, every assessment should be instigated with care and precision, frequently asking why one has come to that conclusion and what other alternatives are there. References Ahmad, A. Practice with Care, London, Race Equality Unit/National Institute for Social Work, 1990 Challis, D., Chessum. R., and Chesterman, J., Luckett, R. and Traske, K. Case Managementin Social and Health Care , Cantebury, Personal Social Services Research Unit, 1990. Department of Health. Protecting Children: A Guide for Social Workers Undertaking a Comprehensive Assessment, London, HSMO, 1988. Doel, M. and Marsh, P. Task Centred Social Work. London: Ashgate, 1992. Epstein, L. Helping People; The Task Centred Approach. Olumbus, OH: Merrill, 1988 Forder, A. Concepts in Social Administration: a Framework for Analysis, London Routledge Kegan Paul, 1974. Hepworth and Dean, H. Direct Social Work Practice: Theory and Skills, p. 179-205, London: Thomson/Brooks Cole, 2006 Jones, C. State Social Work and the Working Class, London , Macmillan, 1983 Masson, H and OByrne, P. The Family Systems Approach: A Help or a Hindrance, in Violence Against Children Study Group. Taking Child Abuse Seriously. London: Unwin Hyman, 1990. Milner, J., OByrne, P. Assessment in Social Work: Chap 7; Psychodynamic Approaches, Macmillan Press LTD, 1998 Pincus, A. and Minahan, A. Social Work Practice: Model and Method. Itasca, Il: Peacock, 1973. Reid, W. J. The Task Centred System. New York: Columbia University Press, 1978. Sheldon, B. Behaviour Modification, Theory, Practice and Philosophy. London: Tavistock, 1982. Thoburn, J. Child Placement: Principles and Practice, Aldershot, Wildwood House, 1988

Aids: Epidemic Of The Century :: AIDS Essays

INTRODUCTION There is no doubt that AIDS is indeed the epidemic of the century. Not only are there many supporting facts and data, visiting urban cities and third world countries prove this point. Furthermore, AIDS is not only highly infectious, it is also the first major incurable epidemic throughout this biomedical revolution that mankind is going through. This epidemic might actually be the one that will completely wipeout the third world. Scientists, government agencies and pharmaceutical companies are scrambling to find a cure to this epidemic but in the mean time we have to find a way to deal with it, if possible. As we continue into the next millennium with all sorts of problems facing humanity, the choice with regard to AIDS is simple, evolve or die! INFECTIVITY The Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) has two different types of strains. HIV-1 is the North American strain while HIV-2 is the African strain. The only real difference between the two is that HIV-2 has the vpx gene while HIV-1 does not. As you can tell by the name, the virus works by gradually deteriorating the immune system. The virus can infect any cell with CD4 molecules on the cell’s membrane. It seems to specifically destroy or disable the CD4+ T cells. These cells are sometimes called "T helper" cells. They work by signalling other cells to perform their special functions. A normal healthy person usually has a CD4+ T cell count of 800 to 1,200 per cubic millimetre of blood. Once a person’s CD4+ T cell count falls below 200/mm3, a person is diagnosed with Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS). A person diagnosed with AIDS will usually die of an opportunistic infection, not of HIV/AIDS itself. HIV is a virus and a virus is basically a microscopic bag of protein filled with a strain of DNA or RNA. To be more specific, HIV has a diameter of approximately 1/10,000 of a millimetre and is spherical in shape (see Figure 1-1). The viral envelope consists of two layers of lipid molecules and contains proteins taken from the host cell. There are 72 copies (on average) of a complex HIV protein called Env. Env is made of three or four molecules of a glycoprotein, gp120, that form a cap and a stem consisting of gp41 molecules that anchor the structure to the surface of the viral envelope. HIV belongs to the class of viruses known as retroviruses.

The House on Mango Street Essay example -- The House on Mango Street E

As a young girl, Esperanza is a young girl who looks at life from experience of living in poverty, where many do not question their experience. She is a shy, but very bright girl. She dreams of the perfect home, with beautiful flowers and a room for everyone. When she moves to the house of Mango Street, reality is so different than the dream. In this story, hope (Esperanza) sustains tragedy. The house she dreamed of was another on. It was one of her own. One where she did not have to share a bedroom with everyone. That included her mother, father and two siblings. The run down tiny house has "bricks crumbling in places". The one she dreamed of had a great big yard, trees and 'grass growing without a fence'. She did not want to abandon where she came from, but she knew she wanted to be free of everything that life on Mango Street brought. "They will not know I have gone away to come back. For the ones I have left behind". She is committed to her roots on Mango Street. We witness Esperanza blossoming from a innocent, shy girl to one who witnesses much, but all of this makes her strong and clear about her desires for her life. What she sees is the male domination (machismo), violence and rape. The violence in the home was ordinary to those that lived there and Esperanza knew this. It didn't make Sally stronger. Sally is abused by her father "He never hit me hard", as her mom tends to her wounds. Sally eventually leaves home and gets married at a young age. She ends being ...

Cervantes Motivation for Writing Don Quixote Essay -- Biography Biogr

Cervantes' Motivation for Writing Don Quixote  Ã‚   Miguel de Cervantes' greatest literary work, Don Quixote, maintains an enduring, if somewhat stereotypical image in the popular culture: the tale of the obsessed knight and his clownish squire who embark on a faith-driven, adventure-seeking quest. However, although this simple premise has survived since the novel's inception, and spawned such universally known concepts or images as quixotic idealism and charging headlong at a group of "giants" which are actually windmills, Cervantes' motivation for writing Don Quixote remains an untold story. Looking at late fifteenth- and early sixteenth-century Spain from the viewpoint of a Renaissance man, Cervantes came to dislike many aspects of the age in which he lived, and decided to satirize what he saw as its failings; however, throughout the writing of what would become his most famous work, Cervantes was torn by a philosophical conflict which pervaded the Renaissance and its intellectuals--the clash of faith and reason.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   When Cervantes began writing Don Quixote, the most direct target of his satirical intentions was the chivalric romance. He makes this aim clear in his own preface to the novel, stating that "..[his] sole aim in writing..is to invalidate the authority, and ridicule the absurdity of those books of chivalry, which have, as it were, fascinated the eyes and judgment of the world, and in particular of the vulgar.† Immediately after the beginning of the novel, he demonstrates some of the ridiculous and unbelievable writing of these books: as Alonso Quixano--the man who decides to become the knight Don Quixote, after going mad from reading too many of these romances--sits in his study, tirelessly poring over his belo... ...r (Magill 330). In Part II of the novel, however, Don Quixote becomes less of a sadly comic figure, and more heroic (331) after he stoically faces down a lion, leading Sancho to change his master’s previous title--†Knight of the Rueful Countenance†--to â€Å"Knight of the Lions†.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Although the tale told in Don Quixote, the account of an idealist who embarks on a seemingly impossible quest to rid society of injustice, â€Å"[has] assumed archetypal importance for what [it reveals] of the human mind and emotions (Person 81),† there is another story which remains hidden between the pages of the novel: what was Cervantes’ original intent in writing, and how that simple goal--a humorous parody of chivalric romances--eventually led to the literary embodiment of a tremendous philosophical debate: whether to let the perception of truth be dominated by faith, or by reason.   

Diffusion Coefficient Apparatus Essay

General Start-up Procedure: ïÆ'Ëœ Prior to running an experiment, students are advised to perform the following startup procedure. ïÆ'Ëœ Fill the water with clean (preferably filtered) water to approximately 20 mm from the top. ïÆ'Ëœ Plug the main cable to the electrical supply. Be sure that the voltage of the supply is correct to suite the equipment. ïÆ'Ëœ Switch on the main power on the control panel. ïÆ'Ëœ Adjust the set-point value on the temperature controller to 500C. Warning!! Do not set the temperature controller beyond 700C. Switch on the heater. Observe the water temperature heats up to 50 0C and remain constant. The equipment is now ready for experiment. Priming procedure for capillary Tube: Before using the capillary tube in an experiment using acetone, students are advised to clean the inside of the tube. ïÆ'Ëœ Prepare a weak solution of detergent. ïÆ'Ëœ Use the Hirschman pipette to fill the tube with the solution. Tapping the of side of the tube may be necessary if the solution is trapped and does not flow down. ïÆ'Ëœ Turn the tube upside-down and shake. Empty the tube. ïÆ'Ëœ Repeat steps 2 to 3 with acetone. ïÆ'Ëœ The tube is now ready for student experiment. General Shut-down Procedure: ïÆ'Ëœ After the completion of an experiment, students are advised to shut down the equipment as follows: ïÆ'Ëœ Switch off the heater and air pump. ïÆ'Ëœ Adjust the set-point value of the temperature controller to approximately 5 degree below the room temperature. ïÆ'Ëœ Allow the water to cool down until it is safe to touch. Open the drain valve and empty the water tank. ïÆ'Ëœ Detach the flexible tubing and clean the capillary tube for next use. (Refer to priming procedure) ïÆ'Ëœ Switch off the main power. Unplug the main cable if the equipment will not be used for a long period. EXPERIMENT OBJECTIVE: To determine gas diffusion coefficient of acetone using the established Winkelmann’s method. Procedure: 1. Perform the start-up procedure. 2. Partially fill the capillary tube with acetone to a depth of about 35 mm. 3. Carefully insert the capillary tube through the fitting on the top of the water bath cover. Do not over-tighten the fitting. 4. Observe the initial level of acetone through the telescope. Record the level of acetone. 5. Connect the flexible tubing from the air pump line to one end of the capillary tube. Switch on the air pump. 6. After 30 minutes, switch off the air pump. Disconnect the flexible tubing and close the two capillary tubes ends with the cap provided. Observe and record the level of acetone. 7. Repeat steps 4 to 6 at 30 minutes intervals. ANALYSIS & DISCUSSION: Plot t/ (L-L0) against (L-L0).Determine gas diffusivity, D from the obtained slope, S. Compare the experimental value with the theoretical value that can be predicted from empirical equations (e.g. modified Maxwell’s equation by Gilliland).

An Ethical Dilemma Essay

on that point exists a blind drunk link between the way and curtilage of life in a auberge and eating dresss of the individuals. No matter how respective(a) and sophisticated the cuisine of a true conclusion might be, todays hyper moving tempo necessitates cheaper and turbulenter sustenance. That is where the truehearted fodder sector steps in, economy the day. At first glance, they appear to be life savers with their affordable menus. However, when we take a closer look and observe the semipermanent effects of troubled solid nutriment for thought on individuals, we ar faced with health problems such(prenominal) as obesity and heart diseases.Nevertheless, betting aliment firms also do a precise good job in market their products to carefully targeted audiences, especially children. This motif entrust focus on the caseful of McDonalds and argue how ethical it is for them to communicate for children directly, examining the issue from the perspective of sociable responsibility. The disperse of McDonalds in other dowry of the world creates mixed obtainings in a couple of(prenominal) countries, and people correct claim that the McDonalds and the distorted image of Ameri ejectization is harmful for their culture and societies. This opinion is especially valid in Europe, but surprisingly McDonalds is take in in Asia.What is a common reply in all countries hosting McDonalds, including its homeland America, is the spatial relation taken towards the effects of McDonalds on eating habits and the following negative consequences. There are plenty of fast food advertisements in North America and this patience has especially travel a part of the life of families with children. Starting from very small-minded ages, children are used to eating this good-tasting, well-marketed and frolic menus which usually come along with a toy for free and their tastes and eating habits are influenced.Even though fast food companies comport started to off er light menus and food with less fat and calories, they do non offer the best menus for children. They continue the habit of eating fast food as they go into adolescence and adulthood, and become a nonher vista for an round person with various diseases resulting from macrocosm overweight. heavy(a) children do tend to become obese adults, putting themselves at a much greater risk, and at a much earlier age, for chronic illnesses such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease (Dalton, 2004, p. 2). unmatched out of three children in the unify States is either overweight or at serious risk of becoming so. The total of overweight children ages six to nineteen has tripled deep down three decades the rate of overweight preschool children is roughly as great. The accelerating rate indicates that the current times of children impart grow into the most obese generation of adults in history. (Dalton, 2004, p. 2) Although parents are conscious that food sold at McDonalds is non very sanitary, they are misled by the fact that it is affordable and makes their children happy.What is much, both(prenominal) parents do not have very healthy eating habits either so maven should not be surprised in seeing their children liking McDonalds menus. Moreover, it is not easy to resist the tempting advertisements. whatsoever might say that no oneness is forcing parents to buy these products or foods for their children. But, these ads position the products as must haves. Even if their parents do not buy them the products, children are influenced (How to Prevent childishness Obesity. com, 2009).Experts name beam Kroc, founder of McDonalds franchise and Walt Disney as the pioneers of child-focused marketing, since they first recognised children as a separate marketing demographic from adults in the 1960s (Veracity, D. , 2008). Today, we butt jointnot swear out but wonder how the managers of McDonalds feel more or less the harsh criticisms that the company gets for ad vertize and promoting unhealthful food for children. From a transaction point of view, the company has done a great job since it was founded by Ray Kroc in 1955, generated enormous profits and even became a better known notice than Coca-Cola (Veracity, D., 2008). Competition in the fast food sector is harsh, so McDonalds heavy invests in proud quality advertisements aimed at targeting the right audience, using celebrities and partnerships with other brands, or car toon characters in their campaigns if possible. They build playgrounds in their stores, which serve as a socialization place for children to meet other kids and have fun. McDonalds not only influences Ameri posterior children and families, but also exports its food, image and advertisements to the pillow of the world.They have opened branches in about all parts of the world, and keep expanding in spite of the economic recession. They are optimistic about business prospects in chinaware and visualise to open abou t 500 stores in the country in three old age (Yan, F. & Li, H. , 2009). This gives an important hint about the tastes and habits of the emergence generation of children and it is not difficult to fancy that the global influence of McDonalds will intensify in the coming years, condescension all criticisms that it is unethical to promote unhealthy food to children. How ethical is the advertising outline of McDonalds really?Are the managers of McDonalds actually guilty, or is everyone being too harsh and oversensitive? Even though it is normal for a company to make believe its own rights and benefits before everything, if it is as authoritative and global as McDonalds, it also has some moral and ethical responsibilities and should consider the social consequences of its actions as well as make profits and opening new stores. maven of the most important causes of childhood obesity is lack of exercise, so it might not be totally fair to censure McDonalds and other fast food cha ins for obese children.On the one hand, the McDonalds culture heavily contributes in a bad way to development irregular eating habits. But on the other hand, they cannot be the only ones to blame, as children and their parents are increasingly becoming calculating machine and TV addicts, engaging in very little physical activity. When coupled with fast food consumption, health problems become inescapable. What is the answer to this moral problem then? It is provable that a company this successful will not quit this business or abandon its strategy.However, McDon can at least modify its advertising approach slimly and recommend doing exercises as the underlying core after having a good McDonalds repast. They can include famous sportsmen in their advertisements and encourage children to engage in sports. They can give out toys touchd with sports brands, even cook sports competitions for children with awards, sponsored by major brands like Nike or Adidas. These are just a few s uggestions, and there is no doubt that professionals conception McDonalds marketing strategy can work wonders with this idea if they want to.This way, children can learn to associate the consumption of fast food with exercise in their minds and be convinced that they must be physically active in order to thin those calories taken at McDonald and be healthy. In conclusion, if McDonalds and other fast food chains would alter their advertisement campaigns so as to include the theme of more exercise and sports, they would have been more socially responsible. This way, even though they do not sell the most healthy meals, their customers, especially children would know that they have to pay a price for eating a high calorie and high fat meal by doing more exercise.They would also associate fast food meals with the energy and dynamism of sports, which also makes individuals happy. Therefore, this can be a very good formula for McDonalds to keep its happy customers all over the world and appease an angry clump of protesters who argue that McDonalds advertisements are unethical.ReferencesDalton, S. (2004). Our Overweight Children What Parents, Schools, and Communities Can Do to Control the adipose tissue Epidemic. Berkeley, CA University of California Press. Should there be Ethical Issues with Fast viands Companies advertising to Children?How to Prevent Childhood Obesity. com. Retrieved March 25, 2009, from http//www. howtopreventchildhoodobesity. com/ethicalissues- fastfoodadvertisements. hypertext mark-up language Veracity, D. (2008, July 13).Americas Fast Food Giants Perfect the Art of Selling debris Food to Children. Organic Consumers Association. Retrieved March 25, 2009, from http//www. organicconsumers. org/ words/article_1092. cfm Yan, F. & Li, H. (2009, February 18). McDonalds eye 500 stores in China in 3 years. Reuters. Retrieved March 25, 2009, from http//www. reuters. com/article/ousiv/idUSTRE51H13F20090218