What’s the Difference: a Review of Contemporary Research on the Effectiveness of Distance Learning in Higher Education

Journal of Distance Education/ Revue de l'enseignement a distance Spring/Printemps 1999 Vol. 14, No. 1, 102-114 What’s the Difference: A Review of Contemporary Research on the Effectiveness of Distance Learning in Higher Education Ronald Phipps and Jamie Merisotis American Federation of Teachers, National Education Association, 1999, 48 pages Available online at http://www. ihep. com/difference. pdf Mark Bullen With the increasing popularity of web-based instruction, it seems there has been an explosion of published research, evaluation, and other literature related to distance education.For some time now I have found it increasingly difficult to stay on top of this growing body of literature. So when this report first came across my desk (or screen), I felt a sense of relief that finally somebody had taken the time to synthesize and evaluate some of this growing body of distance education research. The stated purpose of this 48-page report is to examine the research on the ef fectiveness of distance education in order to inform public policy. The specific questions the report sought to answer were: 1. What are the findings of the research on the effectiveness of distance education? 2. Are they valid? . Are there gaps in the research that require further investigation? 4. What does the literature suggest for the future? The report is divided into four main sections: 1. What Does the Original Research Say About the Effectiveness of Distance Learning? 2. What Are the Key Shortcomings of the Research? 3. What Are the Gaps in the Research that Require Further Investigation and Information? 4. Implications. It is important to note that the review is limited to material published in the 1990s that dealt with two-way interactive video, one-way prerecorded video, two-way audio/oneway video, and computer-mediated learning.No definitions of these technologies are provided, which is particularly problematic for computer-mediated learning because it could refer to on line technologies as well as stand-alone computer-based technologies, multimedia technologies, text-based computer conferencing, and both synchronous and asynchronous technologies. Not surprisingly, the chapter that reviews the original research concludes that the experimental studies tend to show that distance students perform as well as or better than campus-based students and that the descriptive and ase studies show generally positive student and faculty attitudes. The authors say they analyzed 40 of the â€Å"most important and salient† research studies of the 1990s and that they collected â€Å"several hundred articles, essays, and other writings published in major journals on distance learning. † However, only five journals appear to have been consulted. The list includes one journal that ceased publication in 1993 (Research in Distance Education) and does not include one of the most highly regarded journals in the field, Distance Education. In the review chapte r, only 10 studies are cited.Three of these are from the American Journal of Distance Education, one is from the Journal of Distance Education, four are papers from a regional American distance education conferences, one is a paper from the national American conference of the Association for Educational Communications and Technology, and one is a case study prepared for the California State University system. The limited research on which this review appears to be based is critically important to bear in mind when reading the chapter on the key shortcomings of the research.This chapter concludes that much of the research is flawed and therefore of questionable value. Specifically the report suggests: 1. Extraneous variables were often not controlled for; 2. Researchers failed to use random assignment of subjects to treatment and control groups; 3. The validity and reliability of measurement instruments are suspect; 4. Reactive effects of subjects were not properly controlled for. Tw o studies not cited in the review chapter are cited here, which brings the total number of studies cited to 12.One of the additional studies is from a paper presented at a regional American distance education conference, the other from a meeting of the National Association for Research in Science Teaching. What stands out clearly in this chapter is the objectivist/quantitative frame of reference from which the research is critiqued. There is no allowance for research informed by subjectivist epistemologies that use interpretivist/qualitative methods. In fact, earlier in the report only four research approaches are described: descriptive, case study, correlational, and experimental.I suspect the criticisms of the research in the report are not far off the mark. Several years ago I conducted a similar review and reached similar conclusions (Bullen, 1990). However, the answer does not lie in tightening the methodological screws, but in rethinking the whole research approach. Ethical an d practical considerations make it almost impossible to conduct truly experimental studies in education. Students cannot be randomly assigned to control and treatment groups in these kinds of situations.Controlling extraneous variables means that technologies cannot be used in ways that take advantage of their unique characteristics. For example, imposing this kind of control when comparing video with classroom instruction would mean simply producing a videorecording of the classroom presentation for the distance students instead of exploiting the unique symbol system offered by video. Another implicit assumption underlying this report is that classroom-based instruction is the norm and that any new technology must measure up to this.The report suggests that the research on the effectiveness of distance education places too much emphasis â€Å"on the utopian possibilities of the technology and its potential to do as well as classroombased instruction. But not enough pragmatism has been applied to allow for a discussion of distance learning’s practical implications as a supplement to enhance teaching and learning† (p. 30). In fact there is probably far less research on the effectiveness of traditional classroom-based instruction at the higher education level than there is research that focuses on distance education.The two chapters that deal with the gaps in the literature and the implications are probably the most useful, even if they are based on a rather weak foundation. Among the more useful recommendations for further research are the following: 1. More emphasis should be placed on the evaluation of whole programs rather than single courses; 2. There needs to be more emphasis on individual differences such as gender, age, educational experience, motivation and learning style; 3. Research should focus on the interaction of multiple technologies rather than the impact of single technologies.The report concludes with three broad implications: 1 Access is more than a technical issue: it depends on quality and student skills to use the technologies; 2 Faculty roles will change from content expert to a combination of content expert, learning process design expert, and process implementation manager; and 3 Technology is often not nearly as important a factor as issues such as learning tasks, learner characteristics, student motivation, and the instructor. Reports that thoroughly review and analyze different strands of the literature help usy distance education practitioners immensely. Although this report makes some valuable recommendations for future research, its narrow scope, limited reach, and epistemological bias mean it does little to help us stay on top of the literature. Reference Bullen, M. (1990). Learner responses to television in distance education: The need for a qualitative approach to research. In B. Clough (Ed. ), Proceedings of the ninth annual conference of the Canadian Association for the Study of Adult Educ ation (pp. 48-53). Victoria, BC: University of Victoria.Mark Bullen Mark Bullen is Assistant Director in the Distance Education and Technology division of Continuing Studies at the University of British Columbia. He assists in the planning and management of the unit, participates in the strategic planning for the development of distance education and distributed learning programs and courses, and provides leadership in the application of educational technology to the design and development of distance education and distributed learning courses and other educational materials (email: mark. [email  protected] ca).

Qualitative research methodology Essay

Qualitative research looks at people with an objective to understand them, to interpret their information from the point of view of the subject being studied. It looks at themes or emerging patterns. Occasionally qualitative research uses a system known as the grounded theory which collects data first and then examines the data for the problems that it is looking for. Unlike a quantitative researcher a qualitative researcher could assume a partial position, and engage in the study himself. It studies people in what could be considered a complex situation or environment. Researchers can actually put  in their own structure, and could be involved in the research. Unlike quantitative research, qualitative research is not number intensive, it tends to focus on observation in order to understand important themes or patterns. It wants to build its own social realism with superimposed variables that are usually difficult to measure. The system is naturally inductive, and again focuses on multiplicity and complexity. ( Polit 1989). The researcher can get involved personally, and can use numerical information, but only minimally. Qualitative research assumes that many realism can be present in a  given situation, meaning that its acceptable for the researcher, the subjects being studied and maybe the audience to be part of the study. (Polit 1989). The researcher is actively involved with his study subjects, and actually tries to limit separation between him and subject of study as much as possible, because he sees the subjects as very valuable. He can actually verify his information by collecting information from various sources including informants. Qualitative research is use for such researches as descriptive research. It is used to develop hypothesis and to explain of illustrate the reports of quantitative research. It is difficult to use quantitative research to show cause and effect relationships. Because qualitative research is often comprehensive and intense, their result are more holistic and could produce more insights. However it is not easy to replicate or duplicate qualitative research results, so it is rather difficult to use qualitative research results as an objective instrument. It could also be very expensive and as well as time consuming. They other types of qualitative research include ethnography, ethnomethodology, sociometry, and unobtrusive measures. TRIANGULATION RESEARCH: Because of the inability to use qualitative research as an objective source of valid research results, some have argued that using triangulation, or the use of many research sources to arrive at an objective answer as the solution. (Polit 1989). By combining more than one source of research, the result will be more accurate. So the effort really is in double checking one research application with another research application, in order to make sure that there is validity in the result that has been reported. There are many types of triangulation research: Data triangulation uses many data sources , such interviews of  many informants for one study. So instead of simply depending on one sample, it uses several samples during the study. Investigator triangulation uses more than one researcher in its research. It employs more than one person to collect the data, analyze the data, and to interpret the data. The theory triangulation uses more than one theoretical point of view or to interpret one research view point. The methodological triangulation uses many research methods in solving a research question. By using triangulation the researcher is seeking to give his research objective look, and validation.

International baccalaureate primary-year-program Essay

International baccalaureate primary-year-program - Essay Example My first very exposure to the curriculum of International Baccalaureate was at an information morning, when I was a part of a seminar held in a good infrastructure school in the suburbs of Mumbai, India. Currently, I have an experience in an IB school, teaching the PYP: thanks to my education. The International Baccalaureate (IB), formerly known as the International Baccalaureate Organization, is a nonprofit institution which provides educational products to the international community. Founded in 1968 in Switzerland, IB's original mission was to provide curriculum to schools; catering for children of Western diplomats who traveled frequently. The idea was to keep the curriculum consistent between schools in order to serve the needs of these students as they moved from one country to another. Today, the organization administers three programs, which are available for purchase by interested schools. The three programs of the IB schools are as follows: Primary Years Program(PYP) founde d in September 1997 caters 3 – 12 years Middle Years program(MYP) introduced in 1994 caters 11 – 16 years Diploma Program ( IBDP) introduced in 1969 caters to 16 – 19 years I chose the IB PYP board as I was impressed by the breadth of study, the potential for individual choice, the opportunity to develop and follow my passion as stated early on and the inclusion of CAS (creativity, action and service). With respect to this module and my experience, IB PYP has really taken full of my attention. I hope I will be able to instill my essence of thoughts on paper and do proper justice to this module without being too bias or critical. Key words: Curriculum, International Baccalaureate Primary year program(IB PYP). Introduction The International Baccalaureate Primary Year Program is one of the many educational programs of the International Baccalaureate (IB) system. The program caters for students who are 3 to 11 years of age. Its primary goal is to prepare the student s for the middle year’s program of the IB system (IBO.org 2009). Like any IB program the primary year program was carried out in order to enhance the skills of young children to make them knowledgeable, caring and inquiring. The primary goal of the program was to produce young people who have intercultural understanding and respect so that they will be able to help create a better and peaceful world. This goal was to be achieved because the program was a transnational program that inculcated the cultures and background of several nations and people without any discrimination whatsoever. Another goal of the program is to produce students who understand the differences of other people. These students will be encouraged to become active, compassionate, and lifelong learners. Â  There are ten traits that the Primary years program (PYP) aims to enhance or develop and these are:Â  Inquirers, Knowledgeable, thinkers, communicators, principled, open-minded, caring, Risk takers, bal anced, and reflective. As said early on, the International Baccalaureate aims to develop inquiring, knowledgeable and caring young people who help to create a better and more peaceful world through intercultural understanding and respect. To this end the organization works with schools, governments and international organizations to develop challenging programs of international education and rigorous assessment. These programs encourage students across the world to become active, compassionate and lifelong learners who understand that other people, with their differences, can also be right. But how effective is the PYP? Have the aims and purposes of the PYP program really been achieved in practice? Are there theories or studies that support the efficacy of the PYP program? This essay evaluates and analyzes the aims and purposes of the PYP program and how likely these programs are achieved in pract

Hot Potatos Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Hot Potatos - Essay Example The chief analyst raised three main issues in the company’s management. A brief summary is given below: He said that the company is facing a tough competition and the main issue is that the competitors are using advanced technology now available in the market. This advanced technology enables the other companies to increase their sales through immediate advertisements and through the technology and receiving instant feedback enabling them to take prompt measures to enhance product quality and policy making of their companies. This advanced technology also ensures production at a comparatively low cost which results in their ability to introduce their products at fairly low prices in the market. This comparatively reduces the sales of the company as customers are always attracted towards low prices for same products in the market. Secondly, the competitors have employed some extra labor skilled in proper use of the company’s software and websites. These are IT experts properly trained in making quick decisions to meet demand in software changes and also quick production of its products. The company needs to ensure that the company makes sufficient advancements in its software in order to cope with the demands requirements of the customers. It is always very important for a company to meet the orders placed by customers in time as it is quite obvious that sales orders if maintained poorly and not responded to properly will make the company lose existing customers looking as well as new customers attracted by the quality of our products (Anthony Tarantino, 2006, p. 248). After the chief analysts’ report, the CEO decided to take some measures to overcome the problems that may be faced by the company in the future. He assigned the CFO of the company to determine the total costs of introducing new technology to the production sector of the company as well as the costs to hire skilled labor in order to operate that machinery. The decision to

ICI Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

ICI - Essay Example This approach was considered a leader in IT delivery projects. They were broken down into different components and distributed to onsite, near shore and offshore sites, to deliver them at maximum value and the most cost efficient way. This cut their costs by 30%, because their time to market using the world wide teams made working 24 hours a day a reality. Infosys had a different approach to implementing their technology. Instead of analyzing the firm’s processes and redesigning them, ICI looked at the process requirements, not the functional requirements. They found that inefficiencies could be found better through horizontal processes rather than vertical functions, like sales and marketing. They also looked at process metrics. The idea was that everything ICI did needed to impact their client’s performance and thus increase shareholder values. ICI used the GDM to employ an onsite team that worked with the client to see how the company operated and was organized. Most companies had five to ten level processes used to develop a product from an idea into a reality. ICI was able to identify these, and organized their team accordingly. The onsite team used process experts and SAP experts. At night, the offshore teams turned the templates into a configuration. Then, the next day, the onsite team would test the configuration with the client and create a second iteration. That night, the offshore team would develop it. Typically there were four or five iterations for each process object. Under typical circumstances, each one would take a week. In the case of 200 process objects, the configuration for all of them would take approximately six months using ICI’s methods, whereas traditional methods could take up to a year. This also resulted in higher client satisfaction, because it could be tested during the design and config uration processes. ICI also created a 1-1-3 model for cost reduction. What this does is allows business consulting resources at the market rate, an onsite IT implementation resource at a lower than average rate, and three offshore developers at lower than market rates. What this did was allowed ICI to conduct major engagements for about $100 per hour, versus market rates having an average combined rate of $300 to $400. ICI followed Infosys in its philosophy of measure everything. InfoSys created a high awareness of quality of work using its Capability Maturity Model (CMM). This model judged the maturity of software processes currently in use and identified what was required to increase the maturity of them. ICI’s ideas from a broad service stance were assisting clients in dealing with their technology related issues in customer, product and corporate operations. ICI found that the best way to deliver value was to make marked improvements in the process metrics in the clients operation through its engagement with ICI. So, every transformation and consulting engagement resulted in a concerted effort on the part of ICI to deliver as much improvement in process metrics in the hope of creating a positive shareholder value. ICI would analyze their current operations, assess process metrics of each process and design changes in the structure that enabled the technology to deliver marked improvement in the process metrics. In the quote-to-cash process, they measured the time between the quote submission and time of payment. Their capacity fro processing those orders in a certain timeframe. What percentage of orders had zero

Business in Literature Thesis Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Business in Literature - Thesis Example Some people confuse ethics to morality but the two terms are quite different. For instance, Mauss and Gans (155) states that â€Å"the proper attitude toward history should be not moral but ethical.† There is need to identify the role of ethics in the market through the study of various scholarly works written by renowned intellectuals. In the novel The Rise of Silas Lapham, there is an outline of ethical responsibility where Lapham would not sell his depreciated mill property to the English agents brought to him by his former partner and informed the investor about his failing position in the market (Howells 35). This goes contrary to the economic rationality concept of self-interest where a person will only seek their profit maximization. The fulfillment of self-interest will contribute to the common good in the market according to John Stuart Mill; the Mauss theory acknowledges that the market cannot ignore the ethics of self interest in the market. His anthropology is based on the aspect of giving and receiving in the market as a basis for social integration that is important in the economic interactions. Lapharm honest in giving truthful information acknowledges the morality of exchange and interdependence of social relations in the market. Mauss anthropology emphasizes that responsibility is a fundamental con stituent of ethical subjectivity therefore responsibility for other human beings legitimizes economic actions and further stressed by Hans who states that responsibility should be extended around the world in time and space to include all of the future humanity. This is to further the utilitarianism theory in the market. The distribution of economic opportunity does not involve questions of blame and responsibility. Self-sacrifice in the face of economic dilemma leads Silas in an attempt to balance things out so as not to feel in anyone’s debt, he must uphold his image as a self-sufficient, self-made man and this depends on keeping

IBM Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

IBM - Assignment Example Additionally, the change of design will increase the company’s market relevance. This is based on that the company has spent many years practicing in technology and hardware production. Regardless of the fact that it has become the company trademark, it would be beneficial for the organization to create make their customers have a new interest in it. However, this quest may be disastrous for the organization (Kerzner 44). The transition to switch its business operations may not be well perceived in the market. This is based on that the company has been in the hardware industry for numerous years thus making it a reliable practice in the industry. The market acceptance of a new venture may not be positive. Additionally, technology and hardware creation industry is developing significantly. Exiting from the industry may not be a great strategy considering the high consumer consumption level. On an internal basis, the transition may require major internal changes to ensure effect ive and comfortable move to a new business design plan (Kerzner 49). Outsourcing refers to the ability of seeking an external source for partaking of company practices. For instance, a company may seek marketing services from another company. In regards to IBM, provision of outsourcing services would change the organization’s exposure and approach to risk. When an organization seeks outsourcing services, they seek to minimize their exposure to risk as well as means by which they share the risk (Kerzner 66). For an organization providing the services, they would be required to share the risks presented to them. In addition, risks experienced when conducting business on behalf of the organization may not be shared by the customer. This would be the same in IBM. The organization will be exposed to numerous risks on business it does not own. However,

Platos Apology Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Platos Apology - Assignment Example Chaerephon, Socrates’ loyal friend went to the oracle and inquired the god Apollo if there was anyone wiser than Socrates; the Oracle’s answer was none. Socrates took this as a riddle and wanted to solve the paradox that an ignorant could be the wisest. And so this was his divine mission in light of the Oracle of Delphi’s pronouncement. The Socratic Method or the Elenchus is a Socratic technique of exposing false beliefs and eliciting the truth. It is a discussion or dialogue as a method of intellectual investigation (Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary). It typically involves two speakers discussing a central issue by a series of questions, one leading the discussion and the other answering the questions or agreeing to certain assumptions laid before him for his acceptance or rejection. The best way to win in the discussion or debate is to make the opponent contradict himself in a way that proves the point of the inquirer. In the dialogue Euthyphro, this method is manifested in the main part of the dialogue which is the argument of the definition of piety. Here Socrates asks Euthyphro to put forth a definition of piety which Socrates rejected because it was not a definition but an example of piety. The second definition by Euthyphro was criticized by Socrates. The third definition by Euthyphro was an amendment from the second. Here Socrates made Euthyphro contradict himself without him realizing. Socrates often used the Elenchus in bringing out insufficiencies and contradictions of the opinion of others.

Healthcare proposal Research Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

Healthcare - Research Proposal Example The major problem is the financial crunch which has forced the authority to think about the operations of the hospital in short and in long run. The basic objective of this study is to find out ways in which the hospital can be in operations in short as well as in long run. There is a need to find a way out of the present prevailing problems and the study will look to resolve the crisis. Developing ways or models that will make the hospital sustain and grow is also a significant purpose of the study. The problem is the rising health care costs for the past few years and it has become a problem in the recent times as there is an economic slow down or downturn. The question is how the hospital will sustain in this situation with a deficit budget for past three years. The health reform measures are found out not to be sufficient enough in solving the financial problem. It might help to a certain extent but it can't become a full proof worked out plan to the recent financial problem. Previously there were sources that helped it out to certain extent. The problem of infant and also asthma mortality is high in the entire adjacent neighborhood and it was managed through different sources. But due to the economic downturn even these sources have been forced to cut off their expenditures and consequently the hospital funding has also turned out to be in that expenditure. Even if funds are generated to solve the current situation ... But due to the economic downturn even these sources have been forced to cut off their expenditures and consequently the hospital funding has also turned out to be in that expenditure. Even if funds are generated to solve the current situation the question of future sustainability comes. For this purpose a model or approach is to be formulated to solve problem related to the financial matter of the hospital with the intention that it can serve the people for longer period of time. There are many factors such as deficit financing, allocation of funds to hospitals from the government, political influence, human resource and many more problems that are to be addressed in developing an effective system with a proper financial backup plan to run smoothly the business of the hospital. It is not only to develop the strategy that will meet the financial purpose but the focus is upon the quality of the service with proper integration along with other departments and reorganizing the hospital operations to make it more effective in serving the surrounding people. Proposal The proposal is of developing a new system or a model which will serve the financial as well as the service providing capacity in accordance to the norms set up by IOM and maintaining of the quality in guidance provided by NQF. The Organization of the Health Services In any health centers, team work along with proper integration of the entire department is essential for achieving the objectives of the health center. The integration is necessary especially with the IT and Human Resource Department. The main objective is to provide an enhance service to everyone. Therefore

Business and the business environment of Starbuck Essay

Business and the business environment of Starbuck - Essay Example Strong and persistent focus on international sales led to significant growth and expansion of this company during the subsequent years. During the second quarter of 2010, for instance, Starbucks’ profits increased eightfold to $217.3 million (Starbucks, 2010a). Currently, this company has more than 1700 stores in various locations in the world. It distributes its products in terms of stores and does not sell franchises. Apart from specialty coffee, this company owns other two brands namely; Tazo Tea and Seattle’s Best Coffee. This paper examines the external and the internal environments affecting the performance of this company. It also analyzes the key stakeholders of this company and their relationships to the company. PESTEL Analysis The following PESTEL analysis will examine in brief the factors of the external environment that affect the performance of this Starbucks namely economic, environmental, political, legal issues, social and technological factors. Politic al Environment One of the political factors affecting the performance of Starbucks is trade restrictions in terms of tariffs and other non-tariff barriers placed by various countries across their international borders. Strict and coercive trade barriers may adversely affect the ability of this company to source the best beans and to export its output to over 50 countries in which it operates (Anon, 2010). In addition, this may adversely affect its reputation, sales and competitiveness in the global market. Secondly, political stability in the countries where Starbucks operates is an important issue. In Israel, Starbucks was forced to put off all of its operations due to political hostility between the Palestinians and Jews (Starbucks, 2012). This adversely affected its strategy for expansion into the international market. Generally, political environment is unfavourable to some extent and presents threats to this company. European Union recently expanded to include Hungary, Slovakia , Poland, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Slovenia, Latvia, Lithuania Cyprus and Malta (Kole, 2011). This makes trade across the borders of these countries more liberal and opens opportunities for Starbucks to expand its operations into those markets. Finally, Starbucks has in the past been evading paying corporate taxes in various countries in Europe and this issue has adverse effect on its reputation in the European market (Kole, 2011). Recently, this company has bowed to pressure from the UK government authorities to pay taxes from 2013 henceforth. It is vital for Starbucks should be compliant to such government requirements in all countries where it operates to avoid damaging its image. Economic Environment The stability of the US dollar is a vital issue to the operations of Starbucks. Weak monetary policies, for instance may lead to a decline in the dollar rates in comparison to other currencies (Oxford University Press, 2010). The company may as a result incur higher costs of vit al inputs such as coffee, milk and sugar. This may force the company to pass the extra cost to the consumer, which may put at risk its reputation, sales and competitiveness. The recent economic crisis that peaked in 2007 and 2008 led to increased unemployment rates in many countries. For instance, the number of unemployed persons in Britain rose three-fold to 2.5 million by 2010 (National Coffee Drinking Trends, 2011). This also adversely affecte

The Waste of Time Essay Example for Free

The Waste of Time Essay Sonnet 18 is a typical Shakespearean sonnet that hardly departs from the â€Å"classic† rules of an English sonnet. It has fourteen lines in a simple iambic pentameter; although, there are a few strong first syllables in the poem and some lines have eleven syllables instead of just ten. None of the lines flow into the next one. All of them have a distinct stopping place except that of line 9 (as far as punctuation goes.) There are three quatrains in the poem, the third one changes the tone of the poem, that are followed up by a rhymed couplet that ends the poem. The poem also has a typical rhyme scheme of ABAB CDCD EFEF GG. Sonnet 18 is considered to be the first of the group of 108 sonnets written about a young man, however one could easily presume that the person being talked about is a woman, so since there is no suggestion in this poem of a particular sex the anonymous person will be addressed as Shakespeare’s â€Å"beloved.† Shakespeare in Sonnet 18 compares his love to a summers day in a twist, instead of saying how his beloved is like the sun, he tells of how his love is not like what he describes.. In the first line of the poem, the author is asking or just wondering out loud if he should compared his love to a summer’s day. The second line Shakespeare jumps right into answering the question describing his love as â€Å"lovely† and â€Å"temperate† (ln 2.) The word temperate has a few different meanings. It could mean self -restrained, a mild temperature, but also in the time of Shakespeare people would have thought the word meant a balance of the humours. This pretty much means that they believed human behavior was decided by the amount of certains types of fluids in the body. So temperate meant someone had the right amount of those fluids. In the third line it literally is saying the rough winds of the summer can destroy the flower buds, which means his love does not have this particular trait. The fourth line uses the word lease as in a agreement. The point he is making is that summer is destined to end unlike his loves beauty. Lines five and six continue to describe the sun and how it can be too hot at times and how it also can be dulled by the covering of the clouds. The word complexion generally means the look of the faces skin, but here it also goes back to a balance of humours as did the word temperate. Shakespeare contiues on in his speaking of his love but in broader terms  now. He declares that fair (beauty) fades away, eventually, by chance or in the face of natures changes. The word untrimmd (ln 8) referes to beautiful things trimmings being lost or the fading of beauty. However, it could also refer to a term from sailing, meaning adjeust. That would change the meaning of the word completely. It would mean in the face of natures changes beauty of his lover remains unchanged. The ninth and tenth lines of the poem is the turning point in the sonnet. He begins to argue that his love will never go away or lose its beauty. Owst (ln10) means owns and owes back. It means that either the love wont lose their beauty they own or that they would not have to give back the beauty owed that was given from nature. It sort of goes back to line four when Shakespeare speaks of the summer being a lease, or a temporary ownership. Sonnet 18 has many technical devices that lie within the poem. It has repetition of words like â€Å"more lovely and more temperate† and â€Å"every fair from fair† that are used to emphasize the point being made. Shakespeare also put in the poem contrasting words in the poem such as those in lines five and six: â€Å"shines† and â€Å"dimmed.†

A Study About TK Maxxs Commerce Essay

A Study About TK Maxxs Commerce Essay The first T.K. Maxx opened in Bristol in 1994.[2] T.K. Maxxs United States parent company, T.J. Maxx, adopted the name T.K. Maxx to avoid confusion with the existing but separate discount chain T J Hughes[citation needed]. TK Maxx is part of TJX Europe headed by Paul Sweetenham as SEVP Group President. TJX Europe is split into four divisions: TK Maxx UK Ireland headed by Susanne Given, TK Maxx Germany headed by Gino Barrera, and HomeSense UK headed by Dave Alves. The fourth division is Shared Services which as the title suggests consists of shared services between the three trading divisions such as distribution, logistics, buying and finance. Each trading division has their own Human Resource, Marketing Loss Prevention departments to meet the individual needs of each division. In 2007, TK Maxx began a slowing down of new store openings within the UK. Focus was given to revamping older inner city stores or relocating them. Some of the chains first stores such as Bristol and Reading have been expanded and extensively refurbished while others such as Southampton, Cardiff and Hull have been relocated to bigger sites. As part of the businesses slow down of new stores, TK Maxx confirmed that they were only interested in opening stores averaging 30,000 sq ft. This decision saw the creation of the Maxx Maxx concept, a new department store format that saw TK Maxx get away from its pack it high, sell it cheap reputation into a large store format that sees a much larger product offer. Examples of Maxx Maxx store are Leeds The Headrow, Cardiff, Birmingham Bull Ring, Hammersmith, Manchester Market Street, Dundee Cork. We make daily deliveries to our stores and its essential that our fleet of trucks is as efficient and environmentally responsible as possible. Were working hard on innovative solutions to make our delivery process as green as it can be and here are just some of the ways were doing this already. For the first time ever, we have joined forces with Sainsburys to sell the exclusive Sport Relief T-shirt designed by the whole Beckham family and yes, that includes Brooklyn, Romeo and Cruz. So far, over our 5 year partnership weve raised  £6.3 million for Comic Relief through Red Nose Day. Supporting Sport Relief through selling the T-shirt gives us both another opportunity to contribute financially to this fantastic cause and to grow an even stronger partnership. Half of the money from each T-shirt goes towards helping some of the most vulnerable people in the world so please visit us instore or online to buy your very own fantastic Sport Relief T-shirt. Welfare to work is a scheme designed to get people who have been out of work for a long time back into the workforce. Weve had an initial Education to Employment trial with Action for Children and we are now in the early stages of rolling out a specific programme to further develop this. Weve also extended our five year relationship with Remploy and continue to remain committed to making our own workplace more accessible for people with disabilities. P4 The fundamental economic problem in any society is to provide a set of rules for allocating resources and/or consumption among individuals who cant satisfy their wants, given limited resources. The rules that each economic system provides function within a framework of formal institutions (e.g., laws) and informal institutions (e.g., customs). What and how much will be produced? Literally, billions of different outputs could be produced with societys scarce resources. Some mechanism must exist that differentiates between products to be produced and others that remain as either unexploited inventions or as individuals unfulfilled desires. How will it be produced? There are many ways to produce a desired item. It may be possible to use more labor and less capital, or vice versa. For whom will it be produced? Once a commodity is produced, some mechanism must exist that distributes finished products to the ultimate consumers of the product. The mechanism of distribution for these commodities differs by economic system. P5 Until ten years ago the term Welfare Work was a phrase without meaning in the industrial world. Today it stands for a definite policy on the part of employers which may bring about the solution of many of the vexed problems of labor and capital. The leaven of this policy already has begun to work. A branch of welfare work through which the company has had a great influence on the people and the surroundings of the neighborhood is that of landscape gardening. At the time when welfare work was started the surroundings of the factory were like those of most industrial plants—anything but attractive. After the company has made its own property beautiful with lawns, shrubbery and vines, it taught the people of the neighborhood, by lectures and demonstrations, the principles of landscape gardening. As a result of this campaign of education the factory neighborhood has been change from a region of tumble-down houses, ash heaps and tin cans to a neighborhood of beautiful homes and well kept yards. P6 The impact of Macro-economic (Monetary and Fisca)l Policy on the economy There are some differences in the economic effects of monetary and fiscal policy, on the composition of output, the effectiveness of the two kinds of policy in meeting the governments macroeconomic objectives, and also the time lags involved for fiscal and monetary policy changes to take effect. We will consider each of these in turn: Effects of Policy on the Composition of National Output Monetary policy is often seen as something of a blunt policy instrument affecting all sectors of the economy although in different ways and with a variable impact. In contrast, fiscal policy can be targeted to affect certain groups (e.g. increases in means-tested benefits for low income households, reductions in the rate of corporation tax for small-medium sized enterprises, investment allowances for businesses in certain regions) Consider as an example the effects of using either monetary or fiscal policy to achieve a given increase in national income because actual GDP lies below potential GDP (i.e. there is a negative output gap) Monetary policy expansion: Lower interest rates will lead to an increase in consumer and business capital spending both of which increases national income. Since investment spending results in a larger capital stock, then incomes in the future will also be higher through the impact on LRAS. Fiscal policy expansion: An expansion in fiscal policy (i.e. an increase in government spending) adds directly to AD but if financed by higher government borrowing, this may result in higher interest rates and lower investment. The net result (by adjusting the increase in G) is the same increase in current income. However, since investment spending is lower, the capital stock is lower than it would have been, so that future incomes are lower. In UK lots of multinational organization are operating, Many people from different part of the world also visited in UK for different purposes, if the global economy fall the business of UK based company also fall down. As a result they faces difficulties to earn profit and ultimately the shareholders suffer. P7 Perfect Competition: A market is said to be perfectly competitive when firms perceive that they individually have no noticeable influence on market price. The outcome in such an industry is efficient in the sense that the cost of the last unit of output (marginal cost) would just equal what consumers would be willing to pay for that unit. Perfect competition is a regarded as a benchmark market structure for evaluating other market structures. Market Structure and Competition: The market structures tells us about the environment within which an enterprise functions and the nature of external pressure on the enterprise. The elements of market structure that we look at are concentration ratio, stability of market shares, conditions of entry and exit of firms. FDI Policy Stability of Markets Shares A limitation of the above summary measures of concentration is that they ignore the dynamic changes in the market shares of individual firms. Market shares of dominant firms may increase or decline over time. Greater churning of market shares in given market suggests greater intensity of competition. P8 Market forces and organizational Response: Organizations always responses positively toward market forces. P9 Company Summary: This section presents the key facts figures, business description, and products services offered by the company. Major Competitors: This section first selects the competitors based on assets, sales, focus of business, or geographic reach. Then all the competitors are profiled. Key Business Strategies of Each Competitor: It talks about the current and future strategies of each company. All business, marketing, financial and organizational strategies are discussed here. Comparative SWOT Analysis: Our comparative SWOT analysis is a valuable step in assessing your companys and you competitors strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. It offers powerful insight into the critical issues affecting a business. Comparative Financial Analysis: This section compares the recent financials of the company and its competitors. The financial performance of each segment of all the companies is also discussed here. The objective is to evaluate the financial health of the company vis-à  -vis its competitors. The stock price comparison helps us in evaluating the performance of the company position versus its competitors from an investors viewpoint. There is an important role for tobacco control advocates in the policy development process in regulatory agencies. P10 The buying and selling of goods and services across national borders is known as international trade. International trade is the backbone of our modern, commercial world, as producers in various nations try to profit from an expanded market, rather than be limited to selling within their own borders. There are many reasons that trade across national borders occurs, including lower production costs in one region versus another, specialized industries, lack or surplus of natural resources and consumer tastes. One of the most controversial components of international trade today is the lower production costs of â€Å"developing† nations. Both the United States and the European Union have imposed severe restrictions on imports from Asian nations to try to stem this tide. Clearly, a company that can pay its workers the equivalent of dollars a day, as compared to dollars an hour, has a distinct selling advantage. P11 Consultation with UK SME representative bodies on domestic and European matters consistently shows that the main issue for their members is regulation. The 2007 EU Observatory Survey found that 36% of SMEs within Europe reported that regulations acted as a constraint or had presented difficulties in the previous two years. Whilst progress has been at the EU level, for example on the promotion of the â€Å"Think Small First† principle and the European Commissions commitment to reduce administrative burdens by 25%, we believe a much more ambitious set of measures should be introduced Another important issue is access to finance, where we believe action should be focused on improving the demand side, in particular investment readiness, and the supply of modest amounts of finance for entrepreneurs who, for various reasons, are deemed to be a higher risk. In order to grow, SME must also have access to new markets. Generally, exporting firms have been found to benefit from greater productivity growth than non-exporters. P12 The UK has to make a decision on membership of EMU in the next two years. The monetary and fiscal regimes in the Euro Area and in the UK do not differ greatly. However, we argue that membership of EMU will increase the stability of the economy and the credibility of the policy framework, and hence will enhance the prospects for growth and higher incomes and employment.

Is Graffiti Art Or Vandalism Cultural Studies Essay

Is Graffiti Art Or Vandalism Cultural Studies Essay I am intending on exploring whether graffiti is art or vandalism. By exploring this research topic I will be breaking it down into different sections. The first section I will be defining what vandalism is, the perspectives of other researchers and the actions of vandalism. In the second section I will be defining art. I will also define graffiti and discuss its history and development. Researching about a well known graffiti artist will also be included to make my research more effective. This debatable question is addressed to people with limited knowledge about graffiti. People claim that graffiti is an illegal act without getting their facts straight. I am hoping that my research would widen ones horizon of knowledge once they read my essay. At the end I will conclude and give my own opinion to this subject matter. Introduction Graffiti is an interesting topic because it sparks conflict and debate all over the world. It is important or worth studying graffiti because to many people around the world graffiti is not a good sight to see, mainly because it is not normal to them, foreign, unknown and a problem to everyday organised living. The disliking of the writing on the walls by ordinary people has allowed for anti-graffiti laws to be created by politicians with little fuss and usually with the publics support. In turn, the creators of the writing have become outlaws, simply because of the criminalization of the public act of getting up their names and messages. Vandalism Vandalize is to deliberately damage things, especially public property (Longman Active Study Dictionary- Elizabeth Manning). Not deliberately destroying things or damaging private (your own) property may not be considered as vandalism. Vandal is someone who deliberately damages things, especially public property (Longman Active Study Dictionary- Elizabeth Manning). Someone that damages their own private property cannot be classified as a vandal because he is not destroying it deliberately or destroying someone elses property. A person damaging another persons property with that persons authorization can also not be classified as a vandal because he/she got the approval. The term vandalism was invented in 1794 by Henri Gregoire, the Bishop of Blois, to describe the destruction characteristic of the extreme phase of terror .The statement is correct because it is almost similar to the meaning in the Longman Active Study Dictionary. Destroying or damaging property is one of the destruction characteristics. The term vandalism takes its genesis from the Vandals (an ancient Germanic people) who developed mailed cavalry and who were armed with long spears and bows. They are associated with unnecessary destruction as a result of their taking over of Rome under King Genseric in 455. The term was quickly adopted across Europe. Around AD 1700 their name became notorious with the idea that they were a barbaric group with a lack of culture, with rude behaviour and with the ruthless destruction or spoiling of anything beautiful or venerable. There are reasons why people commit vandalism. Stanley Cohen has typified and outlined reasons why people execute vandalism. The six types of vandalism are ideological vandalism, acquisitive vandalism, tactical vandalism, vindictive vandalism, play vandalism and malicious vandalism. Ideological vandalism: property to gain publicity for a particular cause and is justified by long-standing grievances or political beliefs- Perhaps one of the most famous historical cases of ideology. Acquisitive vandalism: to acquire money or property. Tactical vandalism: a means of achieving some other end. Vindictive vandalism: to get revenge. Play vandalism: fun or high spirits. Malicious vandalism: the category which people fail to understand because it appears to be vicious, apparently meaningless. (Vandalism Graffiti: The state of the art- Frank Coefield Pg. 32-33). Vandalism as Crime Citizens commit vandalism when they damage or spoil the property of others on purpose. Some vandalism may qualify as culture jamming or sniggling. Culture jams changes logos, fashion statements and product images to challenge the idea of whats cool, along with assumptions about the personal freedoms of consumptions. Sniggling is a prankish act of social commentary, art, disruption, or protest (Wikipedia 02/08/10): it is thought by some to be artistic in nature even though carried out illegally or without the property owners permission. Criminal Vandalism takes many forms. Graffiti is more common in many inner cities as part of gang culture on public property: however, other more serious forms of vandalism that may take place during public unrest such as rioting can involve the wilful destruction of public and private property .I believe a person without legally recognized excuse of destroying or damaging any property belonging to another should be punished or charged for their appall ing behaviour. Vandalism as art Though vandalism in itself is illegal, it can also be an attraction or art to some people. According to Colin Ward (1990) The vandalism of the last centaury becomes todays tourist attraction (Discussion Paper on Vandalism and Graffiti, Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, London, 18 June, 1-10). What he means by this is that, the vandalism that had happened in the past will be a historic moment and some people may agree. Some people may oppose to this statement because deliberately destroying property on purpose is not a good idea to them or art to them. What is Art? To a historian trying to study at, growth of art, the knowledge of it and the history of it, it will leave him confused. Art doesnt have logic. In science there is a progression but in art, you will keep going backward and forwards. To understand Art we have to look back at art history. If you apply logic to art, it is artificial. The philosophy of art is how you view the world visually. What is Art? Is a frequently asked question of the evident world by the visual sense, and the artist is simply the man who has the ability and the desire to renovate his visual perception into a material form. The first part of this action is perception and then you express what you perceived. The entire history of art is a history of modes of visual insight: of the diverse ways in which man has seen the world. The inexperienced person might not agree that there is only one way of seeing the world- the way it is presented to his/her own immediate vision. But this is not true-we see what we want to se e, and what we want to see is determined, not by the unavoidable laws of optics, or even (as may be the case in wild animals) by an instinct for survival, but by the desire to discover or construct a realistic world. What we see must be made real. Art in that way becomes the construction of reality. Art is the process or product of deliberately arranging elements in a way to affect the senses or emotions. It encompasses a diverse range of human activities, creations and modes of expression including music, literature, film, photography, sculpture and paintings. The meaning of art is explored in a branch of philosophy known as aesthetics.(Wikipedia 09/08/10) Since art is a very broad topic, breaking it down will make it easier. Visual art Visual art is a visual object or experience consciously created through an expression of skill or imagination. The term art encompasses diverse media such as painting, sculpture, printmaking, drawing, decorative arts, photography, and installation. (Encyclopaedia Britannica Online) Graffiti Graffiti is a form of visual communication, usually illegal, involving the unauthorized marking of public space by an individual or group. Although the common image of graffiti is a stylistic symbol or phrase spray-painted on a wall by a member of a street gang, some graffiti is not gang-related. Graffiti can be performed in order to gain attention or as a form of thrill seeking (antisocial behaviour), but it also can be understood as an expressive art form.(Encyclopaedia Britannica online) Graffiti and graffito are from the Italian word graffiato, meaning scratched. Graffiti is applied in the history of art to works of art formed by scratching a design into a surface. A related term is graffito, which involves scratching through one level of a pigment to reveal another underneath it. This technique was primarily used by potters who glaze their wares and then scratch a design into it. In ancient times graffiti was carved on walls with a sharp object and sometimes chalk or coal was used. The term graffiti originally referred to the inscriptions and markings found on the walls of ancient sepulchre or ruins, such as in the civilizations of Greece and Rome (as in the Catacombs of Rome or at Pompeii). The most primitive forms of graffiti date back to 30,000 BCE in the form of prehistoric cave paintings and pictographs using tools such as animal bones and pigments. Graffiti was done by the ancient Egyptians, the Vikings and even the Mayans. These people communicated with each other about daily life, current events, etc: offering us a direct look into their ancient street life. It is tradition of communication. Even before this, there were caves in France where prehistoric man left markings on the walls to let us know who was there. Modern-style graffiti In the ancient Greek city of Ephesus (in modern-day Turkey) is where the first known example of modern style graffiti survives. It is positioned near a mosaic and stone walkway, the graffiti shows a handprint that vaguely resembles a heart, along with a footprint and a number. The ancient Romans engraved graffiti on walls and monuments, examples of which also survive in Egypt. Prehistoric graffiti displayed phrases of love declarations, political rhetoric, and simple words of thought compared to todays popular messages of social and political ideals. Modern History Modern graffiti art originated in New York City, and it was known first as New York Style graffiti. This art movement began in the late 1960s when adolescents used everlasting markers to tag or write their names, followed by the number of the avenue on which they lived and in subway cars. This style originated with the emergence of Taki 183 which was the label of a Greek American boy named Demitrius. After an interview with him was published, hundreds of children began to write their names all over New York. This was a start of getting recognized, when writers used their signatures to become heroes in their own communities. Tagging soon became a way to get ones name known throughout the town. However, tagging appeared in Philadelphia before New York. The monikers, Cornbread and Cool Earl were well known in Philadelphia. They gained a lot of attention from the Philadelphia press and the community by leaving their signatures everywhere. As graffiti became more and more popular and more noticeable, writers formed new styles and thought of new ways to write their names and make their tags only one of its type. Writers created many new scripts and scrawl styles and improved their tags with flourishes and symbols. Some symbols were strictly for visual impact while others had meaning, such as crowns, which writers used to proclaim themselves kings. They used arrows to show movement and underlining to show importance. Quotation marks and exclamation points became essential design elements. This time, between 1969 and 1974, is referred to as the pioneering era, when graffiti experienced a surge in styles and popularity. But it was still strictly tag- based. The next major progress was scale. In addition to the growing difficulty and creativity, tags grew larger as writers increased letter size and line thickness and outlined their work. This was the beginning of the piece, short for masterpiece. It is difficult to be certain who did the first true piece, but it is commonly credited to SUPER KOOL 223. The thicker letters provide the opportunity for writers to further improve the name and to colour the interiors of the letters with patterns and designs. Around 1974, writers like TRACY 168 and BLADE created works that had serious backgrounds, incorporating characters, scenery and other illustrations on subway cars. This formed the basis for the mural whole car, called the burner, when the entire car is covered. By the end of 1974, the foundations were laid, allowing styles to develop that departed from the tag-styled pieces. This was a turning point in graffiti history, when graffiti made the leap from tagging to style-driven pieces. Soon arrows, curls, connections and twists ran all through the letters. These additions became the basis for semi-wild style and unreadable wild style lettering. Writers such as RIFF 170 too got ideas from other writers and enhanced upon them, helping the competitive atmosphere, which is a necessary aspect of graffiti. Other writers, including FLINT 707 and CASE 2, made major aid in the advance of three-dimensional lettering by adding up depth to the piece, which became the standard. Graffiti worldwide The stretch of graffiti worldwide happened during the 80s with the outbreak of hip hop subculture. Fuelled by music videos and films, images of New York street culture were channelled around the world. Almost overnight, everyone wanted to be a New York B-boy. Modern graffiti is often seen as being mixed with hip-hop culture. However, lets be clear: modern graffiti predates hip hop by at least a decade. Graffiti was here before hip-hop, graffiti will be here after hip-hop, and if it wasnt for graffiti, there would be no hip-hop. Hip-hop and graffiti reached Europe together. European writers spent years studying letters, styles and New York Street culture. They copied the early styles, and then expanded upon them. Graffiti magazines documented early movements across Europe. And the printed media proved to be an additional catalyst for the expansion of graffiti art worldwide. Also during the early 1980s, American writers began touring Europe via art galleries in cities such as Amsterdam, Barcelona and Stuttgart. There was one major difference: European writers were focused on painting walls, not trains, which led to different styles. Europeans also wanted to paint in the birthplace of modern graffiti; so many Americans hosted them in what were called Pilgrimages to Mecca. American writers went to Europe to paint and Europe writers came to American to paint. By the late 80s the European graffiti scene was in full swing. Today Graffiti is influencing the works of creative individuals worldwide in areas as diverse as graphic design, photography, advertising, illustration, and fine art and even multimedia and technology. Why are we attracted to graffiti? I believe that part of it has to do with what I call the psychology and self-affirmation. There is something inside us that wants to take up space and announce our existence. Graffiti has always been about uprising, style and observation. When you do your thing today, you will influence the people of tomorrow, and the observations they create will influence the next generation after that. And the pursuit of styles becomes a never ending expedition. We must all think about improvements, about getting better, because history will be watching. I believe everyone-taggers, bombers and pieces-needs to take their own style to the absolute limit, and then do it all over again. Is Banksy a Street Artist or Vandal? Banksy is low profiled British graffiti artist whose identity used to be unknown. According to author and graphic designer Tristan Manco, Banksy was born in 1974 and raised in Bristol, England. He was a son of a photocopier technician. He trained as a butcher but became involved in graffiti during the great Bristol aerosol boom of the late 1980s. His artworks are often satirical pieces of art on topics such as politics, culture, and ethics. His street art, which combines graffiti writing with a distinctive stenciling technique, is similar to Blek le Rat, who began to work with stencils in 1981 in Paris and members of the anarcho-punk band Crass who maintained a graffiti stencil campaign on the London Tube System in the late 1970s and early 1980s. His art has appeared in cities around the world. Banksys work was born out of the Bristol underground scene which involved collaborations between artists and musicians. Banksy does not sell photos of street graffiti. Art auctioneers have bee n known to attempt to sell his street art on location and leave the problem of its removal in the hands of the winning bidder. (Wikipedia 13/08/10) Career Steve Wright says Banksy started as a freehand graffiti artist in 1992-1994 as one of Bristols DryBreadZ Crew (DBZ), with Kato and Tes. He was inspired by local artists and his work was part of the larger Bristol underground scene. From the start he used stencils as elements of his freehand pieces, too. By 2000 he had turned to the art of stenciling after realizing how much less time it took to complete a piece. He claims he changed to stenciling whilst he was hiding from the police under a dumper truck, when he noticed the stenciled serial number and by employing this technique, he soon became more widely noticed for his art around Bristol and London. Stencil on the waterline of The Thekla, an entertainment boat in central Bristol (wider view). (Wikipedia 13/08/10) Banksys Graffiti Genuine Works of Art or vandalism? Many of his graffiti work has been cleared off surfaces and remain now only in the photographic record. However some of Banksys art pieces have been said to be to be genuine works of art. People who have removed Banksys graffiti works will come to regret these actions as the price of his works are fetching handsome prices at the auction houses. Bristol Council has allowed a piece called Naked Man which portrays a nude male dangling by one arm from a window sill, to be left in place by popular demand. His other art work Space Girl Bird has made a record  £288,000.Banksys stencils feature shocking and funny images occasionally combined with slogans. The message is usually, anti-capitalist, anti-establishment or anti-war. Subjects often include policemen, monkeys, soldiers, rats, children, and the elderly. One of the most common arguments for Banksys work as skill is that his works damage public and private property. Within the terms of the law this is absolutely correct and this simple argument does not deal with the question of Banksys work as potential art. Many of the most respected artists of the past met in their lifetimes as their art challenged common perceptions and pushed the boundaries of what people perceive as art. In effect, Banksy has taken his art out of the possession of the middle class gallery prowlers and returned it to the street and to the working class for whom it is targeted. Its important to take note that Banksys art has provoked debate in regards to whether his graffiti paintings are art or vandalism specifically, this is important because provocation and discussion are two of the most important and desirable results of art, especially in this post modern era. While many people may not like Banksys art, the fact that it encourages debate and at times affects discussion of its subject matter means the works are effective as an artistic force. Anyone can spray paint a wall and it doesnt necessarily constitute as art. Anyone can also offend public values and that also does not constitute as art. Banksys paintings are very deliberate and they attempt to affect the landscape in ways that are both supposed to be positive and subjective, thus moving his paintings into consideration as possible artworks. Not everyone will like Banksys graffiti work, although its hard to deny his work has captured and excited the imagination of many. While some people may be opposed to the idea of Banksy as an artist, Banksys popularity has arisen somewhat out of the fact that his art is offensive to some and creates controversy in certain ranks. So to a degree, the controversy surrounding his work to helps grow his success and popularity without those people who consider Banksy a vandal, Banksy would struggle to gain the notoriety that makes many see him an artist. Graffiti in exhibitions Graffiti art is an emergent art form. Today, it is influencing the work of creative individuals worldwide in areas as diverse as graphic design, photography, advertising, illustration, and fine art and even multimedia and technology-moving away from the street and into private collections and galleries. The self-taught graffiti artists turned walls of public (and sometimes private) buildings into giant panoramas and subway cars into moving murals. Later, graffiti artists began to paint on canvas, walls or large sheets of paper, attracting the attention of art dealers and collectors. One of the first dealers to buy and collect graffiti was Sidney Janis. His heirs Conrad Janis and Carroll donated almost fifty works from his estate to the Brooklyn Museum in 1999. Graffiti is drawn primarily from this gift and added extra element by material the Museums Libraries and Archives. Graffiti in exhibitions explores the ways graffiti has moved away from the painted wall into the medium of print making, creating distinctive, exciting visuals along the way. I strongly think that Governments should in courage graffiti artist to take their artistic displays into exhibitions rather than preventing them from doing what they love doing. It is pretty difficult to prevent people from doing what they love. (http://www.peeta.net/street_art_energy.html) Mr. Totem Painting Graffiti-funded by council/organization Graffiti is considered a crime in most places because of the risk graffiti artists, or writers take when they tag, and the speed and effectiveness with which they must create their pieces, have helped figure the form itself. Individuals however, in a variety of places around the world, are recognizing graffiti as an authentic art form and now grant legal spaces for it. Below are 8 places where tagging is legal, and in some cases, encouraged. 1. Hosier Lane, Melbourne, Australia Photo by BlueBec This is a famous place that is popular to tourists and other graffiti artists. This place encourages graffiti and it is also featured in travel guides and advertising campaigns. Banksy even tagged his work here. 2. Warsaw, Poland Photo by *gorolla The local police dont have a problem with graffiti here. This space provides space for writers and stencil art. 3. Queens, New York, United States Photo by rawmeyn This place is free to the public and it is almost covered by graffiti. Graffiti artists that put their work here have to be granted permission by curator Meres One. 4. Paris, France Photo by Gabriel Radic There are many legal tagging sites in France. Graffiti groups are very territorial with their space and they are not afraid of being confronted. 5. Taipei, Taiwan Photo by neogenova The police only get involved here only when the owners of the space or place complain or property is destroyed. 6. Zà ¼rich, Switzerland Photo by inthesitymad This place is independently run by graffiti artists and is left out by the city. This place is now a cultural centre and is one of the few places where graffiti is legal and encouraged. 7. Sydhavnen, Copenhagen, Denmark Photo by tobiashm Here individual pieces dont last long due to the popularity of the place. 8. Venice, California, United States Photo by jakedobkin This location is world famous for being an open and creative space for street artists Conclusion: In a nut shell Graffiti cannot be precisely considered as vandalism. Graffiti can transform a horrid location into an attractive environment. Graffiti cannot be accurately classified as vandalism because the public property is not destroyed, but made to look stunning. Graffiti is art because it is deliberately arranging elements in a way to affect the senses or emotions. Graffiti can also be thought-out as an art that vandalizes property if it is carried out without permission. But if it is carried out legally (with authorization) it can not be thought out to be vandalism. Vandalism is anti-social behaviour. Criminals carry out their anti-social behaviour during their leisure time. Graffiti artist should learn to carry out their work in places where they dont vandalise. The government should spend money and provide legal areas where graffiti artists can continue with their work. The government prefers to spend money erasing an illegal piece of art, which could be recreated in that same spot, with little cost to the artist, and arguable harm to the community, instead of spending money supporting better education, which will have long-term results, and help the entire economy, not just the immediate area. The jobs created by that money could easily have spent to enable better jobs for todays youth tomorrow. What a waste. Most of the graffiti artists are prosecuted and even gone to jail, as cities get cleaner in order to attract big retailers and big money. Others retire and go on to work in the arts, designing clothes, ad campaigns, or selling paintings in galleries. Other groups of artists continue to paint in the streets and tunnels, disregarding the laws designed to jail them. References: Elizabeth Manning: Longman Active Study Dictionary-Pg.823 Frank Coefield: Vandalism Graffiti: The state of the art-Pg. 32-33 Wikipedia Encyclopaedia Britannica Online

Polycystic Ovary Syndrome Essay example -- essays research papers

POLYCYSTIC OVARIES SYNDROME Polycystic Ovaries Syndrome (PCOS) is an ovulation disorder and infertility that occurs in many women. Polycystic ovaries syndrome dates back to 1845 where it was described in a French manuscript as being â€Å"changes in the ovaries†. It was called â€Å"sclerocystic†. Polycystic ovaries syndrome is a problem that occurs in with the ovaries. A â€Å"polycystic ovary is characterized as being a tough, thickened, shiny white covering overlying a layer of many small cysts just under the ovarian surface.† (Thatcher, 10). That was the description that was found in the French manuscript and is still being used to this day for doctors to define polycystic ovaries. A wedge resection in the early 1900’s was the first form of treatment for this syndrome. PCOS involves more than just the ovaries filled with small cysts. Polycystic Ovaries Syndrome causes infertility in women.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Polycystic Ovaries Syndrome can cause a number of symptoms. Its can cause everything from obesity to missed periods. It also causes women to have more of the male hormone in their bodies, which cause male hair growth. Not all of PCOS patients have excessive hair growth some may have other skin conditions, like acne. PCOS is the one of the most notorious cause if missed menstrual cycles and â€Å"infertility due to the lack of ovulation†. (Thatcher, 12)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   There are three main reasons women with PCOS get medical attention. The first is that they have missed menstrual cycles. A woman’s period should not be light, short, or irregular. There are steps that a woman’s body needs to go through in order for women to become pregnant. There is a normal menstrual cycle that a woman’s body   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   should go through and if it doesn’t then the women has an irregular cycle. This process the movement of an egg to a fertilizing position, developing a lining in the uterus, then the shedding of that lining when the egg doesn’t become fertilized. The second reason woman get medical attention for PCOS, is that they have worries about their physical ... ...e to me in order to try and regulate my periods. If I did not want to have a child then he would have prescribed some type of birth control pill to aid in this process of regulating my cycle. The little cysts form when my egg comes out and does not go any further than the outside of my ovary. My egg latches on to my ovary and forms into a cyst. This is what caused me irregular menstrual cycles. I am currently overweight and trying to get it under control by exercising and dieting. PCOS is something that is common among a lot of women and it can happen to anyone even the healthiest woman.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Work Cited Hammerly, Milton M.D and Kimball, Cheryl, â€Å"What to Do When The Doctor Says its PCOS†, (Fair Winds Press, 2003). Thatcher, Samuel S. M.D, Ph.D., â€Å"PCOS (policystic ovary syndrome) The Hidden Epidemic,† (Perspectives Press, 2000). Personal Experience, Christina Chivalier, Feb. 2005.

King Henry I :: essays papers

King Henry I The death of King Henry I in 1135 put Henry II on the path to the throne of England. Henry II lavish youth kept him sheltered from society only allowing him to have a couple friends. One of his life long friends soon became a burden because of differences in opinions about religion. Henry's intelligence and persistency from birth led him to be crowned King of England. The appointment of Thomas Becket to Archbishop by Henry II started the trend of conflict between the two over the separation of church and state. Henry II, the first of the Plantagents was the son of Geoffrey Plantagent and Matilda, daughter of Henry I. In 1152 Henry married Eleanor of Aquitaine, the ex-wife of Louis VII of France. With this marriage, Henry gained considerable amounts of land in France. In 1153 Henry returned to England after his stay in France and forced Stephens to name him the heir of the throne. Henry immediately appointed his long-term friend Thomas Becket, English Chancellor, to be Archbishop of Canterbury. Becket accepted the job of Archbishop in 1162 but he did it with some reluctance. Becket's unkind heart soon became a thorn in Henry's side.(Hay 107) By 1163, Becket had already defied Henry in one of his decisions. He challenged his former friend in his vehement to dismantle the ecclesiastical courts. Becket became an ardent defender of the interests of the church. Becket's hard-nosed attitude towards defending the Church of England showed just how important the church was to England. "The affairs between Henry and Becket became a highly colored by their personal relationships."("Henry II") Their life long friendship was the only thing that kept the two on the same side. Another strong disagreement came between the two on the status of "criminous clerics." These were members of the clergy who had committed civil crimes. The crimes ranged from theft to assault and even murder. This became a total embarrassment to the church. Henry sought to have the members tried in the royal court, as would others who committed such crimes. Becket insisted that they only be tried in the clerical courts. The disagreement became a heated battle between the two. Becket stood firm on his belief that the matter should not be brought to a higher court.

Liberalism in Canadian Government Essay -- essays research papers

Liberalism is the best ideology for Canada’s government and is a good combination of both Socialism and Conservatism. Liberalism takes the finer parts from both ideologies to create a better form of government. Canadians now have a choice in which ideology they like better by this compromised form of government. The centre of the spectrum and the equilibrium of government and individual ownership is the definition of Liberalism. A good example of why Liberalism is the number one choice from most Canadians is public and privatized hospitals. Right now, Canada only has public hospitals that are free for everybody in need of medical assistance but require a health care plan. Public hospitals are paid by taxes, just like public education. The only downfall of publicized faculties is that they are normally very crowded, and you cannot always get help as fast. Private hospitals appeal more to people with money. People who are willing to pay the extra couple grand for faster and, some say, of better quality care. Since normally the best doctors would be working in their own pri...

Grade 12 Chemistry Notes – History and Development

3. 1 & 3. 2 Chemistry Notes Dalton * In 1805, John Dalton reintroduced the idea to explain 3 fundamental principles Experimental Work * Atoms of different elements have different properties * Law of definite proportion and multiple compositions: atoms of 2 or more elements can combine in a fixed ratio to form new substances depending on their combining capacities (eg. H2O vs H2O2) * Law of conservation of mass: atoms cannot be created or destroyed during a chemical reaction Conclusions * All matter is composed of atoms Atoms are the smallest pieces of matter and cannot be broken down further * All atoms of one element have identical properties Problem * Development of a cathode ray tube (by William Crookes) Thompson (1897) Experimental Work * Used a cathode ray tube a vacuum tube with electrodes at both ends * Found that there were charged particles that were travelling from one end of the tube to the other (from negative end to positive end) Conclusion * Proposed that an atom was a positively charged empty sphere containing negatively charged electrons raisin scone analogy What Thompson left us with? Atoms consist of negative electrons embedded within a positively charged sphere * Analogy of raisin bun often used Milikin’s Famous Oil Drop Experiment * Determined size and charge on electron * Discovered charge on single electron was 1. 6 x 10^19 C How it worked? * Knew mass of single drop of oil, calculated gravity on one drop * Charge was applied to falling drops by illuminating bottom chamber with x-rays, exciting electrons, causing them to attach to oil. * Using a battery, electric voltage was applied to the plates.When just right, the electromagnetic force would balance out the force of gravity, suspending particles in midair. * Noticed charge was always multiples of 1. 6 x 10^19 * Q= mg/E Gold Foil Experiment * Radioactive particles (alpha radiation) were fired at thin gold sheets * Screens coated with zinc sulfide detected the presence of the alpha radiation * Vast majority of alpha particles passed straight through gold sheet, however, approximately 1 in 8000 particles were deflected Chadwick and the Neutron When calculating the mass of specific nuclei, the calculated mass did not correlate with the associated charge of the nucleus * Chadwick proposed that neutral particles must be present to make up for the missing mass * Chadwick proposed a positive nucleus containing neutral particles Isotopes * Mass spectrometers were used to discover that all atoms of the same element were not the same * Elements contained several different forms of isotopes (atoms with the same number of protons, but different numbers of neutrons) Problem with the Rutherford Model Physics – bodies are accelerating when they change speed and/or direction * And electron travelling in a circular orbit is constantly changing its direction and therefore accelerating * This acceleration would result in the electrons emitting electromagnetic radiation, lose electrons, and collapsing the atom as it continuously spirals inward because it is losing electrons Enter Max Plank * Her was studying the emission of light from hot objects * What is visible light? When objects are heated, they emit various colors of light depending on how hot the object is * Ex. â€Å"white hot† objects are emitting the whole range of the visible spectrum * â€Å"red hot† objects emit light with wavelength of the infrared – longest wavelength * â€Å"blue hot† objects are the hottest as they emit light of shortest wavelength * Hot objects emit radiation. The hotter they are, the more energetic the radiation emitted is. The electromagnetic radiation changes as the object gets hotter. * The color of light emitted reveals temperature Explaining Intensity vs.Energy – The staircase which changed physics * Planck suggested that energies of the vibrating atoms in the heated solid were multiples of small quantities of energy (energ y was not continuous) * Introduced the term â€Å"quantum† * The slope is actually more like a staircase * Each step represents a ‘quanta’ of energy * A quanta is derived from quantity and refers to the smallest possible unit of energy that can be associated with a specific sub-microscopic even * An atom has to absorb or release an entire package (quanta) of energy or none at all.There is no ‘in between’ Heinrich Hertz: the photoelectric effect * Photoelectric effect when light is shone on a metal surface, electrons are released from the surface of the metal. The number of electrons released per second can be measured by a connected ammeter * Frequency is different from intensity. Electrons will only jump off if the frequency is right, however, how many electrons jump off will depend on the intensity of the light. How fast they jump off will also increase with higher frequency * The amount of energy in a light wave is proportionally related to its fr equency.High frequency light has high energy, low frequency light has low energy (violet has the most energy and red has the least) Einstein puts 2 and 2 together * In 1905, Einstein received the Nobel Prize for applying Planck’s idea to the photoelectric effect * When light strikes metal, some of the energy is used to allow the electron to break free from the metal, the rest of the energy is left over as the kinetic energy of the ejected electron * If one electron absorbs one photon (quanta of energy), it must be great enough or the electron to be able to escape * No electrons escape at low photon energies because the energy of the single photon was insufficient for the electron to escape the metal Energy of Quanta of Energy – Photons * E = h x f, where E is the amount of energy in joules (J), h is Planck’s constant 6. 6 x 10^-34, and f is the frequency in hertz * A photon is a packet of energy, with energy values corresponding to the frequency of the electroma gnetic wave Einstein’s Proposals Light is quantized like a particle (photon) * Light exist as bundles of photons, with each photon independent of each other * This means that light has certain particle properties as well * The energy of a photon is proportional to its frequency and nothing else. * Therefore, a phonon is a small packet of energy corresponding to a specific frequency of light (E=hf) Spectroscopy The spectroscope was invented by Robert Bunsen and Gustav Kirchhoff in the 1850s to study light * When white light passes through spectroscope (containing a prism or diffraction grating), the light is divided into a continuous rainbow of colors (continuous spectrum) Bunsen and Kirchhoff (1859): invented the spectroscope * When elements were heated in a Bunsen burner flame, each element produced a flam color and a bright line spectrum that was characteristic of the element * Continuous Spectrum – a display of all colors.It comes from the â€Å"dispersion† ( refraction) of white light passing through a prism * Dark Line spectrum (absorption spectrum) – certain colors are missing from a display of colors produced by white light passing through a gas and then through a prism. These missing lines enable scientists to identify the gas that the light passed through * Bright line spectrum (emission spectrum) – when a gas is â€Å"energized† by electricity or heat or light, the gas emits light of a specific color (not white light). When this light is passed through a prism it is refracted into a pattern of a few bright lines of color.Each substance has a unique, bright line â€Å"signature†. This pattern of colored lines represents the same pattern of dark lines of missing color in the dark line spectrum] Bohr’s theory was needed to explain the bright/dark spectrum and Einstein’s photons 1. Electrons travel in an atom in circular orbits. Each orbit represents a specific energy level. All electrons in o ne orbit/energy level will have the same amount of energy, which is quantized (discrete packet) 2. There is maximum number of electrons allowed in each orbit 3. When electrons absorb a photon of light, they jump from a lower energy level to a higer energy level.This absorption of a photon of light energy results in a dark line in the absorption spectrum 4. When electrons jump from a higher energy level to a lower energy level, energy is released as a photon of light. This release of photon from the atom results in the bright line in the emission spectrum 5. When electrons are at the lowest energy level, they are in â€Å"ground state† How does Bohr’s Energy levels of electrons relate to the periodic table? * Each period represents one energy level – Period 1 1 Energy level, Period 2 2 energy levels, etc. There is a maximum number of electrons in each lever (level 1 2 electrons, level 2 8 electrons, level 3 8 electrons) Power Point 2 Problems with Planetary Model * If electrons were accelerating, photons of electromagnetic radiation should be emitted * Obviously this is not the case * The Rutherford planetary model is insufficient as a model to explain matter Quantum Theory * All electrons in all atoms can be described by 4 unique quantum numbers * Quantum numbers are used to describe the approximate location and characteristics of electrons surrounding an atom based on the energy levels of an atom * There are 4 quantum numbers Principle quantum number (n) * Designates main E level of electron * Secondary quantum number (l) * Describes E sublevels of electrons * Magnetic Quantum Number (ml) * Relates to direction of electron orbit * Spin Quantum number (ms) * Relates to the spin of an electron Principle Quantum Number (n) * n=1, 2, 3, 4 etc. * n=1 means Energy level 1 and so on Secondary Quantum number, l * (l) describes shapes of sublevels (subshells) of the main energy level * Sommerfeld looked more closely at the H line spectrum. Found t hat main lines of bright line spectrum split into more lines. The number of sublevels equals the value of the principle quantum number * Has integral values from 0 to (n-1) for each value of n * If n=3, then there are three sublevels. L = 0, 1, 2 * Each l number represents a possible shape of the orbital. (hence if l=0, 1, 2, then there are 3 possible shapes) Third Quantum Number: Magnetic Quantum number, ml * describes the orientation of electron orbital in space (therefore orbitals could exist at different angles to each other in 3-d) * For each value of l, ml, can vary from -1 to 1 Shapes of Orbitals ‘s’ (l=0) orbital is spherical, ml = 0 * ‘p’ (l=1) , ml = -1, 0, 1 * ‘d’ (l=2) , ml = -2, -1, 0, 1, 2 * ‘f’ (l=3) orbitals are much more complex, ml = -3, -2, -1, 0, 1, 2, 3 Classification of Energy Subshells * Each distinct sublevel has specific number of orbitals. * Each orbital has a different orientation The spin quantum number, ms * Pauli – each electron spins on its axis in one of 2 ways clockwise or counterclockwise * The spin quantum possesses only two values; either +1/2 (clockwise) or -1/2 (counter-clockwise) New Orbital Way Orbitals are 3 dimensional probability distribution graphs which help chemists visualize where electrons are most likely to be found Electron Orbitals * An electron orbital is described as the region of space where an electron may be found * Orbits are rings surrounding the nucleus, whereas orbitals are probability clouds or clouds of electron density * More than one orbital can be found within an energy level Pauli’s Exclusion Principle * No two electrons in an atom can have the same 4 quantum numbers!

Original Myth

The Sun, the Moon, and the Great Spirit Long ago, before there was life, before there was even a planet Earth, there were celestial entities that existed in the universe back when it was a light blue. These spirits appear to humans as large masses in space, such as the other planets and the stars. Since the beginning, there were two powerful apparitions that would become rivals until the end of time, the Sun Spirit and the Moon Spirit. The Sun was favored by the other astral entities to the isolated Moon.Not long after all of the spirits of the universe were created by the Great Spirit, their creator who cannot be seen by any life form, the Sun had become the leader of all other celestial bodies and was placed in the center of the Solar System. This angered the Moon, who despised the Sun. The Moon Spirit challenged the Sun for the position as ruler of the planets. Unfortunately for the Moon, the Sun used his superior strength to outcast the Moon to a lonely location between Venus and Mars. After 4,000 years of peace among the bodies of the Solar System, the Sun was growing old and developed a feeling that something was missing.The Sun Spirit decided that it was time for him to create a new successor since he has aged and become weak over time. The Sun found stray meteors flying across space and summoned all of his remaining power to bring them to him. The aging Sun then smashed the colossal space rocks together to create one large mass. Afterwards, he engulfed the inanimate boulder with his life-giving fire to give it consciousness. â€Å"Who are you? Who am I? † said the curious new planet. â€Å"I am the Sun, your creator and protector.You are my daughter who will one day grow up to take my place as ruler of everything in existence,† said the Sun to his newborn child. â€Å"Well, do I have a name? † the naive child asked. â€Å"I shall name you ‘Earth’,† said the Sun. For many days, the cosmos celebrated the birth of t heir beloved king’s child. Eventually, the news spread so far that it got to the Moon Spirit. The Lunar Spirit then schemed the perfect plan to get revenge on the Sun. The Moon waited until all of the other entities fell asleep to sneak out of his seal. He eventually found the sleeping solar king and his princess.The Moon then kidnapped her and brought her to where the Sun had banished him. Child Earth woke up with a loud scream, constantly calling for her father. To silence her, the Moon engulfed her in such a great amount of water that she would never be able to speak again. When the Sun woke up, he looked around for his daughter; she was nowhere to be found. The King began to panic and told every spirit in the universe to look out for the young princess. Not long after, Venus confronted the Sun and said, â€Å"I know where your daughter is. She has been taken away by the twisted Moon and can no longer speak. This news made the Sun so furious, his fire grew to be so large that it gave off the largest glow anyone had ever seen. The powerful light from the glow began to illuminate all parts of the Solar System including the Moon and Earth. The Sun was now able to see his captive daughter, but had no strength left to pull her back to him. From that day on, all of the celestial entities mourned for the loss of their future queen. To show their consolation for the Sun, they all decided to use their combined power to turn space from a sky blue color to black for the second half of every day.To make matters worse, the Moon confronted the Sun to make a proposition. â€Å"If you stand down from your position as king, I will let you have your daughter. If not, then I will force you to stand down,† explained the Moon. The Sun Spirit refused to give up his position. The Moon then declared war on the Sun, but immediately after doing so, the Great Spirit appeared for the first time since the birth of the universe. The two rivals were struck with awe. The Gr eat Spirit refused to let the universe spiral into chaos because of the Sun and Moon’s conflict.In order to please them both, he gave the Sun his daughter for half of a day, but when the Sun falls asleep, the Moon would take ownership. Whenever her father would leave and the Moon would come, the Earth would try to break free of her liquid entrapment, causing the tides to rise. In addition, the Great Spirit went to the Earth and planted a massive green tree on her that would grow from both the soil from the sun and the water from the moon. This Tree of Life would give birth to all life on Earth that we see today, from insects, to sea creatures, to humans.

Budgetary slack Essay

Budgetary slack refers to the deliberate adjustment of additional cash outlays in expectation of future cash flow. The people involved in creating a budget intentionally underestimate the amount of revenue or overestimate the amount of expenses. For example, if a plant manager believes that the cost of raw materials will be RM250,000 but gives a budgetary projection of RM300,000, the manager has built in RM50,000 of slack into the budget. Budgetary slack is most common when a company uses participative budgeting. It involves the participation of a large number of employees which gives them more chances to introduce budgetary slack into the budget. They may set budget standards that are too loose and hence, easily to achieve target. There are few reasons why managers practice budgetary slack. 1) Self-interest behavior of managers. When the top management placed heavy pressure upon lower level managers who prepare budget, they create budgetary slack to make the budget look achievable so they can avoid the burden of failure. Managers want to look successful in terms of budgetary performance by creating a lower performance benchmark relative to their actual capabilities to receive favourable evaluation and reputation in the top management. Managers have incentive to overestimate project costs that builds in budgetary slack. This allows the project manager to present the finished project as coming in under-budget. If the real cost of the project turns out to be lower than the exaggerated cost projection, the manager will be perceived as being capable to manage the project in a cost-efficient manner. 2) Information asymmetry Information asymmetry forms a favourable condition for slack creation. Managers acquire more private information because they are closer to the decision environment than their superiors. Managers present a distorted picture of business possibilities to their superiors and create budgetary slack by preventing the disclosure of all the information to the top management. From the example above, the manager may obtain information that other supplier offers a lower price of raw materials and hide the information during the preparation budget.