Mnemonic Device

Mnemonic device is a method that is used to enhance the memory of a person. Mnemonic does not refer to an object but a method or process to aid in the memory capability of a person. The basic principle of mnemonics relies on the associations between the words to be remembered and to the easy-to-remember information and not only to the repetition of words. This is because the human mind can easily remember words with significant meanings. (Britannica, 2007) Kinds of mnemonic devices There are many forms of mnemonic devices. One is the use of acronym and acrostics mnemonics. An acronym uses the first letter of a word or group of words to remember it while an acrostic is formed from a sequence of lines from which the appropriate letters are used from a word or phrase. An example of this kind of acronym or acrostics is the arranged names of the planets. The order of the planets is from mercury which is being the nearest to the sun going to Pluto which is the farthest. To remember the order of the planets, use the acronym MVEMJSUNP.   MVEMJSUNP will mean My Very Earnest Mother Just Served Us Nine Pickles. Another is the color of the rainbow. To remember the order of color of the rainbow, the acronym ROY G BIV that will stand for red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet. In music, to easily memorize the order of lines of the treble staff EGBDF, the phrase Every Good Boy Does Fine or Every Good Boy Deserves Fudge. (Quest, 2007) Another form of mnemonic device is the use of rhyme. Rhyme is the likeness of the sound of two or more words. In remembering the number of days of each month, the rhyme 30 Days has September, April, June, and November. All the rest have 31, except February. Imagery is another form of mnemonic devices. In this form, an image is being utilized to enhance the memory of a word or group of words. An image is being created that will be associated to a word or phrase. The more vibrant the image you have created, the more likely for a word to be remembered. A good example of this is a picture showing the hydrologic cycle. In this picture or image, one can easily memorize or remember the order of the cycle of water and the processes undergoing it. The number-letter system is another good choice of memorizing a word or phrase. In the method, a group of number, which is different to memorize, are being assigned to letters. The letter being assigned to a number usually is associated with sound. Some of the list of number-letter system is shown below. (Quest, 2007) = t (there is one downstroke in the letter t) = n (there are two downstrokes in the letter n) = m (there are three downstrokes in the letter m) = r (the last letter in four is r) = l (the Roman number 50 is L) = sh (the word six has begins with an x) = k (the number seven can be turned around to look like part of the letter k) = f (a cursive f looks like an 8) = p (a p flipped looks like a 9) = z, s (think of zero) The number-letter system is good in memorizing dates, cellular phone numbers as well as telephone numbers. Example of this system is; to memorize or remember the phone number (421) 474-8657.use the word- ReNT †¦ youRCaR†¦. iF SHeLiKe. Because it is not usual to form a phrase or sentence from a given number series, the system can be inserted with vowels to create a word or phrase. (Quest, 2007) While a peg-word system is another form of mnemonic device. It is somewhat similar to number-letter system but their main difference is that the numbers are being assigned to a word that is rhyme with the number. There is a list that is used in the peg-word system. The number 1 is associated with the word bun, 2 is shoe, 3 is tree, 4 is door, 5 is hive, 6 is sticks, 7 is heaven, 8 is gate, 9 is line or shine or vine, and 10 is hen. (Quest, 2007) The Method of Loci The method of Loci is a kind of mnemonic device that was first used to enhance the memory of a person. It dates back from the Greek civilization. The method of Loci is a special kind of memory enhancement because there is a prerequisite to utilize the said method. The person must be first familiar on a given place. Then assigning the words to be remembered to the objects inside the familiar location will do the association of the words. The history of the method of loci was first observed in early Greek. A Greek orator was scheduled to have a speech at a banquet. Before his speech, he went out to take delivery of a message whereupon the hall collapsed, leaving no survivors inside. Though the remains of the body of the dead people cannot be recognized anymore, still the orator was able to identify the people who died in the hall. He based it from the location of the people where he had last seen them sitting or standing before he left from the hall. Many Greek orators used the method of Loci in remembering the words of their speeches as well as the organization of their speeches used this method. (Quest, 2007) Analysis of the Mnemonic Device To analyze carefully the effectiveness of the mnemonic device, one must first study the components of mnemonic device. First, a mnemonic device has a list of cues. These cues can be memory images of graphical locations. When the lists of cues are being studied, the cues must be assigned to a word, number or images. And the assignment must be one to one relationship. The relationship or the pairing of cues to their corresponding partners must be unambiguous and clear. The components of mnemonic device clearly shows that to have an effective use of this system in enhancing the memory of a person, there must be a formation of imaginal relationship or association to a known cues and unknown list items. Effectiveness Many psychologists found out that mnemonic devices are effective in enhancing the memory of a person. In evaluating the effectiveness of mnemonic devices, a person is evaluated if his memory on given information had retained. A person named S, who was observed by A.R. Luria for many years, concluded that the person using mnemonic devices has been successful in retaining his memory. The study showed that S could easily remember volumes of information. S retains this information by associating these informations in to images that can be easily remembered. The system that is being used by the person was somewhat similar to the method of loci where the method of remembering things is related on the orientation and location of the objects in a given place. When S reads a long series of words, at least each word will be associated with an image. And because there is a long series of words, S finds a way to remember the series of words by distributing the images in to a mental row or sequence. He often uses a long street in which he is familiar with that roadway. The words will be assigned to the image of the roadway as he walks on to the street. This method made S easily recognize the sequence of the words in series by just walking to the street. (Luria, 1968) A good characteristic of an effective mnemonic device is the organization of information or thoughts. Making an organization on the words to be memorized is difficult and critical in understanding the information. The main concern of organization of the thoughts depends on the grouping of information to categories and this grouping needs a deep analysis to further understand the organization of the information. A good organization or grouping of information is necessary because it lessens the words to be associated to the words being remembered. Organization is useful is when a person is required to memorize a 100-digit number. To easily memorize the given number, the person must group the numbers so that it will lessen the problem in memorizing it. Chunking or grouping the numbers in to two or three groups can do this. (Quest, 2007) Studies showed also that enhancing the memory of a person by associating a word or phrase to an exaggerated, strange, illogical, humorous or sexual connotation are easily to be remembered than normal words. This is because the human minds remember these kinds of words easily because of the interesting nature of the words. These words are usually the talk of the people. Arbitrariness of mnemonics Though mnemonic device is considered effective in enhancing the memory of a person, there is somewhat arbitrariness of the system. Some psychologists consider the mnemonic device to be illogical and arbitrary in nature. Example of this arbitrariness is the acronym Roy G Biv. The said acronym is used to remember the order of the color of the rainbow. Roy is a legal name but the surname Biv is not actual or usual and the middle initial B. is arbitrary. There is a rising question why a person can easily remember the acronym Roy G Biv. (Brown, 1977) References: Britannica, E. (Ed.) (2007). International Publishing. Brown, M. (1977). Memory matters: David & Charles, New abbot. Luria, A. R. (1968). The mind of a mnemonist. Retrieved June 23, 2007, from http://www.castleton.edu/bergen/mnemonic.htm Quest, T. (2007). Mnemonic Devices [Electronic Version]. Retrieved June 23, 2007 from http://library.thinkquest.org/C0110291/tricks/mnemonics/index.php.      

Proper Conduct in a Classroom Essay

Being respectful in class is important to the social structure of the educational environment. Without a certain degree of respect it would distract a lot of our valuable attention, and direct it away from our daily learning. This greatly would hinder our learning abilities and minimizes our educational benefits. The dilemma that we face is that a lot of student to not know how to present the proper behavior in class. The good thing is good classroom educate is an easily obtainable skill, but a perishable skill as well  before we learn how to demonstrate good classroom behavior; we must first learn the benefits of good behavior. Disrespect in class causes havoc and disorderliness. For instance If one were to speak out of turn not only would it upset the follow class mate because they did not get a fair chance to speak, but it would give the impression that other people can speak out of turn as well. If ever one spoke out of turn there would be no way to accomplish any thing. There will be too many interruptions, and some students will miss the opportunity to express their ideas. Respecting other and proper educate is the only way to keep order in the classroom. So how do we establish order in the learning environment? It is too simple. It is vital to speak when called upon, so students can get a fair chance to express their ideas, and solution. Plus this helps to alleviate distracts and annoyances. Talking out of turn is not the only distraction. Students should not get up, or leave on their own accord as well. However it is acceptable to ask to be excused. It is also important to be mindful of other pupil’s thoughts, ideas, emotions, and feeling. Spite, and animosity just agitates the concept of learning. Students should give each other constructive criticism, and listen to each others thoughts. It is also important to address the instructor by title (Mr., Mrs., Ms., Miss., Dr., Prof., Sir, Ma’am.), and address all your comments, concerns, and questions towards the instructor in a polite manner. Respectful behavior in classrooms is easy. However just as easy as it is, it is even easier to forget to utilize this skill. One must make a habit of  being respectful. It is a system you must employ on a day-to-day basis. If followed the method and example of classroom educate I have previously displayed will help make a more relaxing, and less stressful learning environment.

A Study Of Society Detachment In Henry David Thoreaus Life Without Principles

A Study Of Society Detachment In Henry David Thoreau's Life Without Principles In Henry David Thoreau’s â€Å"Life Without Principle,† Thoreau talks about separating ourselves from society as a whole and living life according to our own standards, not society’s. I believe that Thoreau’s thesis statement is, â€Å"If I should sell both my forenoons and afternoons to society, as most appear to do, I am sure that for me there would be nothing left worth living for.† Thoreau speaks of the ways people earn their living and the many trivial things people will do just to get more money. He believes that we should not get caught up in the ways of money and society. Personally I agree with the points that Thoreau makes in â€Å"Life Without Principle.† After all, what is the point of having money if you are not happy? Today, society paints an image of what the perfect life should be. However, the reality is that the average person would never achieve that portrayed lifestyle. Yet, people still strive to accomplish it. People work day in and day out, some methods more controversial than others, to make more and more money. At the end of the day, are those people truly happy? I believe that wealth does not equate to happiness. If all I have is one hundred dollars in my bank account, I am no less happy than when I have a thousand dollars in my account. Don’t get me wrong; money is a nice thing to have, and a very fun thing to spend. However, material things are just that, material. I would much rather spend money hanging out with my friends or taking a trip with my family than buying a two hundred dollar pair of shoes. Material things wear out, but memories last a lifetime. I believe that this mindset would be achievable in an ideal world. One in which no one truly cared about what others or society in general thought about them; a world in which we did not base our happiness on our bank accounts. But we do, and it is a very sad thing. Which is why from a generational standpoint, Thoreau’s ideas/beliefs in â€Å"Life Without Principle,† We live in a society in which everyone has principles. However, not everyone’s principles are the same. We all come from different backgrounds, religions, and families and each of those aspects influence what each of our principles may or may not be. I do not believe that my generation would ever fully agree with Thoreau’s thesis statement. We are a generation that is constantly competing against one another, and constantly wanting the newest versions of things. For example, I know many people who just bought the Samsung galaxy s6, but are already waiting for the s7 to be released so they can bye it. For no other reason than to say that they have the newest phone. Social media and television play a large role in this also. We spend so much time wanting to be just like our favorite celebrities, and wanting to have what they have. We forget to stay true to ourselves, and do what we enjoy doing. It is for those reasons that although I agree with Thoreau, that my generation would never be able to achieve his ideal way of living one’s life.

The Middle East in World Affairs Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Middle East in World Affairs - Research Paper Example On the other hand, the increased freedom of movement present a number of challenges most of which have stifled the growth and development of most of the countries in the Arab region key among which include. The increased infiltration of organized terror groups, the Al-Qaida the most feared terror organization in the world managed to increase its membership in most countries within the Arab continent thereby presenting a major security threat to most of the Arab countries. This has made most of these countries un-governable making them more susceptible for foreign influence. Such terror gangs took over major businesses in the country thereby having exclusive control of the economy (SalameÃŒ  43). This has stifled the economic growth in the region besides spoiling the diplomatic relations between most Arab countries and most of the western countries that feel threatened by the increased terrorist activity in the Arab peninsula. Seclusion of the Arab culture, the increased interaction within he Arab community resulted in the development of more cohesive community that did not necessarily require foreign influence from either the west or other eastern countries. The Arab communities therefore limited their interaction to themselves thus fostering the development of the Islamic culture in the region. The countries have Islamic legal mechanisms while the markets have Islamic economic legislation thereby making it extremely difficult for other more liberal cultures and enterprises to thrive in the regions. Most of the Arab countries have oil as the only natural resource; fortunately, the oil is in sustaining quantities and most of them survive in proceeds from oil alone. However, instead of having prosperous economies, the countries face economic and security challenges all arising from the trade in oil.

Business Proposal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Business Proposal - Essay Example The benefits involved with training employees are more than the costs incurred. A variety of training programs are available, including, employee diversity training, employee orientation, team building training, workplace safety and development training. Many organizations view the training process to be a waste of the resources and time of the company. The training is a long process that requires the dedication of the parties involved. Training of the employees of an organization should follow a proper laid out procedure. It should be the responsibility of the management to plan for this process. The first step in this process is setting clear goals of the program so that the management can assess the importance of the training process. Guiding principles that support the values of the company needs formulation. It will help in maintaining the focus of the training group. A strategic training plan should fundamentally highlight the impacts it has on the goals and missions of the organization. The management should support the training process (Adegoke, 2013). After the training, the staff should be involved in a new activity they learnt in the training. The assignment of the new duty will demonstrate that the management is interested in the training program. A measurement of performance of the training process is an important aspect. Professionally monitoring of training and the results evaluated for purposes of establishing, whether they achieved the targeted results, is a vital part of the process. A training budget should exist, according to the time schedule the process is expected to extend. Proper utilization of the resources of the business is necessary, and assessment of the utilization of the finances used in training is mandatory. The assigned period will depend on the technology used and the specific workplace. Time is an

Purchase profile Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Purchase profile - Essay Example Initially, the internal emotional appeal of buying a nice sporty car was on his list. Especially when his friends talk about how this brand performed and how handsome a particular brand looks. But as he spent more time pondering, the emotional appeal loses its weight and his focus is now turned to logical appeals. He begun browsing the internet for the specification of the cars, its performance, fuel consumption, etch related to cost. The recent increase in gasoline pump prices also made him think about his options seriously. During the process of logical consideration, external influences played in. He realized that it is not practical to have a sports car and concluded he needs a larger car that could fit the whole family for car pooling, outing etch. This is the Household Life Cycle factor at play where consumer’s choices reflect what particular life stage the consumer is. In the case of my father, he is a family man and that segment usually prefers big cars, houses etch. His motivation of buying a new car was practical. It will save him the inconvenience and cost of going to the repair shop which became more frequent. He also realized that he incurs opportunity cost every time he sends the car for repair. Culture and values also came into factor in deciding to buy a new car. Private vehicles are a necessity and public commuting is not in vogue in America. It could be attributed to impracticality also because there a lot of areas in the US which are not accessible by public transport. Emotional appeals in advertisements may hold sway in my dad’s decision making process but ultimately, it will be the logical appeal that will prevail because of his stage in the household life cycle where he is a family man, who needs a larger car that performs well and does not cost that much to purchase and maintain. Finally, the strongest influence in my dad’s decision making process of what particular car and brand to

Enveloping and PeakVue Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Enveloping and PeakVue - Research Paper Example Due to its high precision, the method is able to detect the emission of stress waves caused by direct contact of adjacent metallic surfaces at an early stage. Generally, through spectral analysis the frequency of repetition of the stress waves is availed. By peakvue, the resonance zones are isolated through use of filters. Capturing the peak values for particular intervals of the selected sampling time is done through the application of high frequency clustering of signals with over one hundred kilo Hertz. The method goes through four stages The initial stage in which the low frequency signals are eliminated by taking the entire signal through a high pass filter. The amplitudes are run through the accelerometer which detects the measurements and is able to classify them according to the initially specified cut-off frequency level. All the measurements reading below the designated cut-off level are classified together. They are effectively eliminated which implies that only the high f requency readings- those above the cut-off level, proceed to the second phase of the analysis procedure. By elimination it means that such values are truncated from the recorded measurements such that their consideration ends at that phase. The second phase that involves the digital conversion of frequency. The high frequency signal is changed from its initial analog form to digital form in order to begin the spectral 0246analysis. Normally, high frequency values will be recorded for particular sections along the surface of the bearing. Therefore whenever the metallic surfaces come into contact during the rotation, the frequencies hit a peak. If special readings were availed at phase two for any specific time duration, it will be analyzed here. If for specified time duration the amplitude levels of the converted signals read beyond a predefined threshold it is then matched to a digital value. The essence of this matching is that it is not always possible to produce signals with equa l frequencies, even when the components are running on a fairly flat or even ground. This could be the result of instantaneous change in the position of the load, continued distribution of the lubricant along the colliding surfaces, and varying positioning of the emerging fault. Therefore, the simplest way to conclude that the frequencies were derived from a ‘certain’ spot along the surface of the bearing is to cluster all measurements within a certain range. These measurements clustered together are then assigned a specific digital value, which identifies them together. The display is rendered once the digital value corresponding to the particular time interval is processed using the Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) algorithm. The FFT algorithm works out the Discreet Fourier Transform and the corresponding inverses. To obtain the Discrete Fourier Transform, a sequence of amplitude values is decomposed to form components of varying frequencies. The frequencies so formed are categorized according to their closeness, that is, according to pre-determined intervals. The classification is done with reference to how often a specific range acquires numerical frequency. For example if the outlier frequency is too scarce, the measurements thus classified can be overlooked and ignored. If there is higher consistency in the numerical frequency of measurements with

Relationship Marketing in the Car Industry Essay

Relationship Marketing in the Car Industry - Essay Example This project is worth doing because of a series of reasons. First of all, the automobile company is one of the most important sectors of the UK's economy. Consequently, there is a need to look for ways in which this industry can be improved in order to boost the economy. Additionally, by examining the role that trust plays in relationship marketing, then car companies can understand the underlying factors required to make relationship marketing work for them. This project will also be significant in providing information about various tools and approaches in relationship marketing from automobile companies. (Jackson, 1985) Previous work in relationship marketing has focused on its core functions. Levitt (1983) explains that relationship marketing is a form of marketing that centres on consumer satisfaction and retention. This is a shift from traditional approaches that mostly emphasised on transactions made at the point of sale. Some authors have looked at application of relationships to the automotive industry. Nilsson (2004) examined a case study of an automobile company in the US and looked at how this company's success had been enhanced though relationship marketing. Other authors such as Kotler (2005):- DeYoung and Boldt (1988) & Berry (1983) Examined ways in which relationship marketing can be integrated with other m... (DeYoung, 1987) RESEARCH QUESTIONS AND OBJECTIVES The major objective that the research will be trying to achieve is to determine what the link between company image and relationship marketing is in the automobile industry. This will be determined through four specific objectives 1) What role does trust play in boosting relationship marketing in the automobile industry 2) What role does loyalty play in enhancing relationship marketing 3) How can automobile companies apply relationship marketing in their marketing mix 4) What is the value that relationship marketing brings to automobile companies Through these research objectives, it will be possible to understand what makes automobile companies successful in terms of relationship marketing and that can then be linked to company image. When companies are regarded as successful by their current or future clientele, then it is likely that they have a good image or vice versa. (Jackson, 1985) METHOD; RESEARCH DESIGN The research will dwell on the automobile industry in the United Kingdom. This will be done through a combination of approaches. Some leading automobile manufacturers like General Motors will be identified and asked about their implementation of relationship marketing. This will be analysed through personal interviews with their sales members. Additionally, the customer lifetime value added to a company through relationship marketing will be calculated for those chosen organisations. Customers will also be included in the research because they will be instrumental in assessment of how successful they perceive certain companies hence reflecting on the company image. (Envision software, 2007) Personal interviews will be utilised when dealing with company representatives owing to the

Leadership Effectiveness Report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Leadership Effectiveness Report - Essay Example If we were to look around ourselves, there are millions of examples that make an attempt at essaying the characteristics that make an ordinary person a leader - a hero for a lifetime. Whether it is in our movies, art or literature - there have been constant portrayals of leaders and their qualities. Such qualities are singled out as the most effective when it comes to possessing a commanding personality, understanding and harnessing the dynamics of human behaviour and finally, as well as performing under high pressure and trying situations. These leaders have been inspiration for the masses and their leadership skills have entire theories dedicated to the same. In this context, it is extremely important to understand that no leader is perfect and that his or her result orientations will not always reap the accurate benefits owing to unforeseen circumstances or even certain personal flaws. This has a strong implication in the realistic analysis of the leader and his or her leadership skills. On this basis, we will carry out a study of optimum effectiveness in a particular leader in a typically corporate setting. The person in question is Chief Executive's CEO of the year for the year 2006 - A.G Lafley of Procter and Gamble. This choice has facilitated analysis on the basis of a competing values framework where we will study the situational leadership theory and the five models that form its elements. Also, we will start by emphasizing on the election issues that face the criteria managers when working on such a framework. In doing so, we will set a context for discussion of Lafley's traits and effectiveness of the same as core leadership values where Procter and Gamble's basic policies are concerned. Competing Values Framework As a company that took off on the strength demonstrated by a candle maker named William Procter and a soap maker called James Gamble in 1837, Procter and Gamble was a company that started out by producing soaps and candles, only to deviate and set up factories producing a plethora of products like radio programs, fabric softeners and the very popular Pampers for babies, among many others. Caught in the midst of various battles revolving around issues like animal testing, downsizing, logo controversy and toxic shock syndrome and tampons, this company was at the receiving end of several critical lawsuits. In 2005, it suffered $12 million due to these reasons. Most were of the view that Procter and Gamble was over - a dysfunctional company. Most but one - A G Lafey as the CEO of the company delivered it back to its original splendor and how. (www.pg.com) This shows a nuance of putting the right man in the right job - in other words, a foolproof selection process. A.G Lafey is a man who has defied the barriers that come in the way of an effective election process. In distributed systems, leader election is a dynamic concept that can cause various interrelated processes to participate and crash at the same time. In this context, the usual point to point communication is replaced by buffered broadcasting to replicate effective process communication. To study Lafey's contribution and his effectiveness more critically, I will resort to a leader election protocol design's blueprint that is set in a dynamic context so as to study his effectiveness as a leader in terms of the

Ethics, values, and morals Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Ethics, values, and morals - Essay Example For Rand’s line of reasoning, if one is to follow his or her hierarchy of values, then there would be no chance to lose one’s self-esteem by saving anything of lesser value or helping one’s neighbor. Even love was merely defined as à ¤ validation of loving one’s self as â€Å"an expression and assertion of self-esteem, a response to ones own values in the person of another†. For Rand, charity does not exist because one should only act in accordance to one’s self-interest which personally thinks to be wrong. In fact, true benevolence or act of charity or goodwill is being destroyed by altruism because it indoctrinated men that to value another which is just a license to sacrifice oneself and that love, respect or esteem held for other people is not a source of one’s enjoyment. Rand did not differentiate altruism whether it is ideal or reciprocal. For Rand, altruism by itself makes the doer suffer the consequence of lack of self-esteem and lack of respect for others. To quote Rand on this, she elaborated that â€Å"Many well-meaning, reasonable men do not know how to identify or conceptualize the moral principles that motivate their love, affection or good will, and can find no guidance in the field of ethics, which is dominated by the stale platitudes of altruism.† In effect, Rand is implying man cannot distinguish what really altruism because its platitudes are unrecognizable. Rather, she made a sweeping generalization that altruism whether ideal or reciprocal reduces man to a beggar and that the giver in fact lacks self-esteem. She describes altruism as an act of betrayal of one’s values because it demands the surrender of a greater value for the sake of lesser or non-value which is not consistent to the ideal actuation of acting according to the hierarchy of one’s values, that is, never to sacrifice a greater value to a lesser value. This hierarchy of values is

Comparing the Republic to the Modern Society Essay Example for Free

Comparing the Republic to the Modern Society Essay The relevance of The Republic to our modern society In Plato’s The Republic, Plato illustrates what his ideal city would look like. He describes the educational systems, ideal legislators and the purposes of democracy. The republic influenced many people to understand the purpose for democracy, and it led to new philosophical schools of thought. Although this work was written hundreds of years ago, it still affects our modern world today. One of the most important things that Plato stresses is the importance of education. Without education of the masses, democracy would cease to exist. When Plato was forming his ideal society, he stressed the importance of education for several reasons. Most importantly, educating citizens led to a peaceful, well-run republic. For Plato, education was not about information intake and data storage. Rather, education was drawing out the knowledge that was already in the student. He said that â€Å"the power and capacity of learning exists in the soul already† He gives an allegory of prisoners in a cave, who have never seen light before. They become free, come out of the cave and see the light. They understand that the shadows are just reflections of real things; they are not the real things themselves. They ascend up to a mountain and see the world for what it really is. Plato uses this story to illustrate what education does for the human soul. We are all born in a dark cave, chained to a wall and cannot see the light. We still around all day looking at shadows, which appear to be so real to us. Education breaks the chains of ignorance. We can ascend to the top of the mountain and look out onto the beautiful world. According to Plato, after the prisoners’ ascend all the way to the top of the mountain, â€Å"they must be made to descend again among the prisoners’ in the den and partake in labors and honors, whether worth having or not. † Plato notes that once a person is educated and has received knowledge and truth, they should go back and teach those who do not know. This still relevant today because we need to not be so focused on how high we climb up the ladder, but we need to be concerned with how we help others achieve their goals. This allegory is also used to describe justice. The prisoners’ in the cave do not know what real justice looks like. The people on the mountain tops must come down and give understanding to those who are lacking it. Plato goes on to describe the type of leader that would be perfect to run the ideal city. The type of leader that Plato describes is someone who is â€Å"wisest about the affairs of the state, and by whom the state is best administered and who at the same time have other honors and a better life then that of politics. â€Å" The ideal leader in Plato’s time is not much different from the ideal leader in our time period. We still want someone who knows and understands the problems of the state or country, who will be a good leader, and will be able to put the welfare of his people before his own. These characteristics are still what many people look for in a dependable leader. Plato describes that a good leader should not be caught up in their own wealth, they should care about their people. This is a very foundational idea that is still important in America today. We desire to have a leader who will be humble and care for us, instead of one that has a hidden agenda. According to Plato, economic self-interest and political power must be kept separate and not be allowed to work in combination to the disadvantage of the state. In mapping out his utopian society, Plato stresses the importance of democracy. In a short piece called democracy considered, Plato talks about how oligarchies decay into democracies and democracies decay into tyranny. Tyranny is formed from pursing one’s pleasures and appetites. Plato claims that â€Å"a man who is deranged and not right in his mind will fancy that he is able to rule, not only over men, but also over gods â€Å"He describes here that a man can not be a leader if he is deranged and thinks that he is the center of the universe. Plato then shows how democracy and tyranny differ. In describing the differences, Glacon says â€Å"They are the opposite extremes for one is the very best and the other is the very worst. † The republic shows many similarities to today’s society. We still have many of the same ideals in education and in government. This piece of work was criticized at the time it was written by is now honored and very influential. It was one of the first writings that began western thinking and formed many new beliefs that influenced the renaissance.

Defining Race and Ethnicity Essay Example for Free

Defining Race and Ethnicity Essay The use of the terms race and ethnicity is varied. The two terms are misused as if they are identical. The casual and common appearance of the terms side by side in the public discourse may discourage people from regarding them as distinct terms. Race is based on the premise of biological and physical differences. the concept of race included any essential zing of groups of people which held them to display inherent, heritable, persistent or predictive characteristics, and which thus had a biological or quasi-biological basis. Ethnicity is an embodiment of values, institutions, and patterns of behavior, a composite whole representing a peoples historical experience, aspirations, and worldview. Ethnic classification, either externally imposed or intrinsically engendered, often defines peoples membership to a group. Aside from social constructs, ethnicity is innately more central to human experience and identity than race. I do not believe that these concepts should be important to society. Racial and ethnic categories are neither fixed across societies nor within a society. Racial and ethnic categories are fluid and changing depending on the socio-political context of a society at any given time. Ethnic and racial differences do not inherently lead to conflict. Instead, these differences can take on a social meaning of hierarchy leading to conflict when divided groups fail to negotiate. In such cases, the imbalance of power, not the racial or ethnic differences per se, is the underlying cause of the conflict. In each of these cases, it is critical that the topic of race and ethnicity receives continual examination. The ideology and myth of racial and ethnic differences cannot be validated to support or legitimate superiority, privilege, or conflict as has often been the case in both historical and global contexts.

Benefits of Employer Sponsor Childcare

Benefits of Employer Sponsor Childcare Purpose In this paper, I will explore whether employer-sponsored childcare has any effect on attracting and retaining employees in order to make recommendations to organizations that provide employer- sponsored childcare benefits. Significance One of the primary goals of companies is to attract, hire, and retain the most competent employees. Employers are constantly researching for benefits that will attract employees, and produce a return on their investments. With the ever changing demographics of the workforce, employers are faced with the challenge of providing benefits that are attractive to their target demographics. Over the years, there has been an increase in single parent households, dual income households, and the number of women entering the workforce. Thirty years ago, just 34 percent of married couples with children younger than six were dual income households; today the figure is almost 60 percent (McIntyre, 2000). With the increase of women, and dual income households, there are more families in need of childcare. There has also been an increase in childcare expenses over the year, and employees are constantly searching for affordable childcare. Employers recognized the need for inexpensive childcare, and h ave found creative ways to provide opportunities for childcare that are affordable, accessible and available to employees (Oekerman, 1997). One of the benefits that employers are providing in response to this need is on-site childcare. By providing employer-sponsored childcare such as worksite daycare, employers are setting themselves apart from their competitors. An on-site childcare is one that is funded by the employer and the company usually pays for the start-up cost, initial operation losses and portions of the ongoing cost (Oekerman 1997, Miller 1984).. It is estimated that businesses lose nearly 3 billion dollars due to childcare- related absences (Harper, Densmore Motwani, 2001). Those who support on-site childcare claim that it increased the ability to attract employees, lowered absenteeism, improved employee attitudes, generated favorable publicity about the employer, and improved community relations (Miller, 1984). Miller (1984) also states that critics of on-site childcare argue that there is not enough documentation of savings available for the cost associated with starting and operating an on-site childcare center. Nevertheless, with an increase in single parent households, there is definitely a certain way to attract women and a diverse workforce. Yet, there are not many employers that have taken the initiative to include this as one of their benefits. As small business owner in the home healthcare field, I am interested in learning about the benefits of employer sponsored childcare. Some of the challenges home healthcare business are faced with are high turnover, and absenteeism. The workforce demographics for home healthcare companies are predominantly women, and I want to research if this will be an attractive benefit for home healthcare companies to offer. I am also interested in finding out the return on investment associated with employer-sponsored childcare, as well as other benefits that are not easily measured. As a single mother, I am interested in knowing the pros and cons of employer sponsored childcare, to aid my decision in future career endeavors. I hope to discover solid evidence that employer-sponsored childcare is effective in attracting and retaining qualified employees. If there is contrary evidence, I want know what the limitations are, and what further research is necessary in this subject matter. Scope This paper is going to explore whether employer-sponsored childcare has any effect on employees. I am going to be looking at companies that have successfully implemented this program, and how it has affected their bottom line. There are also those who believe that the absence of a childcare was not the leading cause of absenteeism, but the sickness of a child was more likely to lead to higher absenteeism (Miller, 1984). For the purpose for this research, I will focus on on-site childcare. I will touch briefly on sick-childcare. I will also be researching employer-sponsor childcare benefits from the employees point of view, and how it is valued by employees. I will not be discussing pre-paid care, such as employees childcare account benefits. I am focusing on childcare that employers are directly involved in the process. Terms Direct Care. Business provide on-site or nearby care centers for daily care, after-school programs, and summer camps (Oekerman, 1997). Indirect care. Companies contract with existing centers which provide care for employees children (Oekerman, 1997). Emergency care. Businesses arrange care for emergency care in a short time frame including care for sick children (Oekerman, 1997). Prepaid-care. Companies institute special accounts into which employees contribute pre-tax income to be used toward child care (Oekerman, 1997). Referral care. Employers contract with referral services that maintain up-to-date information on child care available in the area (Oekerman, 1997). On-site childcare. An on-site childcare is one that is funded by the employer at the job-site or at another location, and the employer usually pays the start-up and operational cost ( Oekerman, 1997). Worksite childcare. See Onsite Childcare. Absenteeism. Back-up care. Afterhours care. Are childcare services that are provided outside the normal business hour of nine to five PM. Near site. Chapter Two: Literature Review This chapter will review literature on the effect of employer sponsored childcare on employees. This section will begin with a brief overview of employer sponsored childcare, and then provide research on some of the problems identified by employees. Research on the effects of employer sponsored childcare on retention, recruiting, absenteeism, and productivity is presented next. Findings from studies on employers commitment are covered in this session, and the last session is about ethical consideration followed by a brief summary. Issues affecting employees in childcare Contrary to popular belief, employer on-site daycare is not a new phenomenon. Evidence has shown through research that employer-supported childcare extends at least as far back as the Civil War, when on-site childcare was offered to the women who sewed for soldiers (Miller, 1984, McIntyre, 2000). As more women entered the workforce in the 70s, the idea of on-site childcare expanded to hospitals, government, and private companies (McIntyre, 2000). As the country experienced labor shortage in the 90s, employers were compelled to offer benefits like on-site childcare to encourage nonworking women to join the workforce (Keyser Hartley, 2002, Connelley, Degraff, and Willis, 2004). In 2000, it was estimated that approximately 80 % of children six and under were spending an average of 40 hours weekly in some type of non-parental care (Marshall, 2004 as cited in Sphancer Burnett-Murphy, 2006). However, quality childcare is still a major a concern for majority of parents today (Keyser Hart ley, 2002). Childcare crisis. Childcare is listed as one of the major crisiss that businesses, government and human resources department are faced with (Zampetti, 1990, Duncan, Edwards, Reynolds Alldred, 2004). However, on-site childcare is still lagging in its growth, and it has not grown as much as anticipated (Oekerman, 1997). Nevertheless, the demand for childcare has increased significantly, with the increase of women in the workforce (Keyser Hartley, 2002). It is also projected that over 85% of the workforce in the next five years will be working parents, and there has been a significant increase in the number of single parents households in recent years (Keyser Hartley, 2002). Employees are often faced with the challenge of finding quality childcare that is also convenient (Durekas, 2009). Employers on the other hand, are faced with the challenge of developing a childcare program that will work effectively for all employees, given the diversity in todays workforce (Zampetti, 1990). A s urvey conducted in 2000 showed that only nine percent of the 1000 companies with 100 or more employees survey had on-site childcare (McIntyre 2000). While this number is significantly greater now than 20 years ago, this still lags behind the demand created by the approximately nine million families with children under six years old that are in the workforce today (McIntyre, 2000, Oekerman, 1997). Childcare-related issues can hinder an employee from working at their full potential, and has led to employers losing millions of dollars due to absenteeism, decreases in productivity, high turnover, and increased training costs (Oekerman, 1997). Some of the problems cited by parents about childcare are cost, quality, availability and flexibility (Oekerman, 1997; Keyser Hartley, 2002). Research has shown that childcare issues can cause stress, tiredness, lack of motivation and loyalty, reduced productivity, unauthorized absences and accidents (Connelley, Degraff, and Willis, 2004; Oekerman, 1997). Researchers believe that some of the problems created by childcare crisis can be eliminated or minimized by employers offering on-site childcare (Connelley, Degraff, and Willis, 2004). Supporters of on-site childcare argue that well-designed programs can positively influence parents behaviors towards work, improve the wellbeing of children, and positively influence parents attitudes toward s their job, and life as a whole (Milkovich, 1976). Cost. The number of parents experiencing childcare crisis has significantly increased over the years (Durekas, 2009). The cost for childcare is significantly high and most low income and single parents cannot afford childcare without assistance (Harper, Densmore Motwani, 1993). Parents with more than one kid are often faced with the challenge of finding childcare programs that does not cost more than the monthly income of one of the parents (Harper, Densmore Motwani, 1993). With the current state of the economy and the increasing cost of childcare, the affordability of childcare has created a struggle for many parents (Durekas, 2009). Lack of quality and affordable childcare serves as a major barrier for women returning to the workforce (Skinner Finch, 2006). Many families turn to informal childcare options, by using family members, however, while this method is cheaper or cost effective, some researchers believe that is not as reliable as a formalized childcare facility (Hughes Gary, 2005). On-site childcare is advantageous to employees; employers often offer rates that are lower than what other childcare facilities charge in the community (Harper, Densmore Motwani, 1993). Employers usually pay for the start-up and operating cost, thereby minimizing the overall cost to employees (Oekerman, 1997; Miller 1984). Quality. Parents are interested in childcare facilities that are of high quality, to ensure the proper growth and development of their children (Abraham Bowdidge, 1990, Sphacer Bennett-Murphy, 2006). Quality is a paramount concern for parents, because studies have shown that children who attend quality preschool are more likely to graduate from high school, less likely to end up in jail, and are more likely to pursue advanced education, providing employers with a more highly-qualified workforce (Durekas, 2009; Langland-Orban Malsbary, 1990). The quality of on-site childcare is viewed by employers as a driving force in attracting and retaining talented employees (Miller, 1984). Employees are attracted to such a company, because of the convenience and peace of mind that on-site childcare offers. Employees are confident that their employers will hire competent, trustworthy staff members that will deliver quality education to their little ones (Durekas, 2009). Parents are demanding hi gher quality childcare from employers, and companies that are unable to provide such options will seem less attractive to the workforce (Langland-Orban Malsbary, 1990). Some employers are responding to the demand of offering quality on-site childcare benefits to their employees, by gaining accreditation from nationally recognized institutions and boards (Oekerman, 1997). Employees are no longer satisfied with the minimum standards for childcare, employees expects employers to provide a facility that is on par with other quality programs in the area (McIntyre, 2000; Cohen, 1991). Employers also see on-site childcare as a reflection of their image, and are determined to run a facility that reflects their value (Cohen, 1991, McIntyre, 2000). Running a lower quality on-site childcare can serve as a deterrent for employees to join a company (McIntyre, 2000). Availability. As more women entered the workforce, the demand for childcare has exceeded the supply (Harper, Densmore Motwani, 1993). Parents are looking for a program that is high quality and affordable (Miller 1984; McIntyre, 2000). There is also a need for childcare arrangement that is close in proximity to the parents worksite, and a facility that provide options for those that do not work during the regular business hours (Leask, 1999). Overall, parents are concerned about the location of the childcare center, the hours of operation, and the availability of space in quality childcare centers (Durekas, 2009). The demand is even higher when it in regards to on-site childcare (Miller, 1984). There are not many companies that offer on-site childcare, there by creating a greater demand for the service (Miller, 1984). On-site childcare helps to decrease the demand by providing a childcare center that operates during the companys regular business hours, and having a facility that address the needs of their current work force (Leask, 1999). Some employers offer 24 hours facilities, in direct demand of their current workforce (McIntyre, 2000). Flexibility. With the increase in single parent households, mostly run by mothers, single mothers find on-site childcare, and emergency childcare as an important tool in assisting them to find balance in their lives (Schandl, 1992). On-site childcare centers save parents time and provide flexibility, because parents do not have to drive to separate locations during their commute to work thus saving them time (Oekerman, 1997; McIntyre, 2000). On-site childcare also provides the flexibility for parents to work longer, because parents are not in a hurry to pick-up their kids before the daycare closes (Kiger, 2005). The flexibility of parents having their kids close by benefits employers, because employees are still focused on their task at hand at the end of the work day, instead of being concerned about getting to their kids childcare on time (Zampetti, 1991). It is believed that the flexibility enhances the overall productivity of employees, because flexibility reduces the overall str ess of employees which assist employees in finding a balance in their work and personal lives (Robinson, 2005). Employers response to the childcare crisis Research has shown that as the country continues to experience an increase in single parent households, most which are headed by women, the type of benefits desired by the new workforce has changed (Zampetti, 1991). Employers are searching for ways to respond to this new demand (Elskick, 2001, Durekas, 2009). Some employers have responded by offering flexible work schedules, providing daycare vouchers, reserving spots in daycares for their employees, and pooling resources to provide appealing daycare options (Hartley Kelsey, 2002, Kiger 2005). Other companies have gone above and beyond by offering on-site childcare option. Employers who have taken the initiative to provide on-site childcare state that they are seeing results in lower absenteeism, increased in productivity, higher retention and increased employee morale as well as good corporate image (Oekerman, 1997). Others argued that on-site childcare is not the only solution to the childcare issue, and actual benefits associated with on-site childcare are difficult to quantify, and many reports that these benefits have been achieved are based upon poorly designed studies, using such data as employee opinions (Lang-land Orban Malsbary, 1990). Advantages of on-site childcare Recruiting. Researchers agreed that on-site daycare is a way of attracting qualified and more diverse workforces (Connelley, Degraff, and Willis, 2004). Quite often, companies that offer on-site childcare are on the top of the list of Best Place to Work, which make such companies attractive to jobseekers (Durekas, 2009). Publicity about a company offering on-site childcare has made companies attractive to employees, and companies are being contacted by potential employees, thus saving the company money in recruiting advertisements (Oekerman, 1997). On-site childcare has in some cases has led to companies saving money in recruiting and having a larger pool of applicants to choose from. According to Connelley, Degraff, and Willis (2004) not only can employer sponsored childcare act as a direct incentive for women to enter the labor market, but it also has the potential to attract and retain fathers of young children who seek to facilitate their wives employment or who are single parent s. Women and young families are often attracted to such companies, because it offers employees peace of mind (Schandl, 1992, Connelley, Degraff, and Willis, 2004). The idea of having their kids only a few feet away in a safe environment creates security, which is an incentive for potential employees to be drawn to a company (Schandl, 1992). A 1997 study that was conducted by researchers at Simmons College in Boston discovered that companies with on-site childcare had 42 percent of employees named childcare as the reason they had joined the company, and one out five stated they would passed up an opportunity at another company because their desires to keep their kids at the companys child care center (Kiger, 2005). Some companies believe that without on-site childcare, they wouldnt be able to compete in a tight labor market, especially when it comes to recruiting female employees in the high-tech industry (McIntyre, 2000, Schandl, 1992). These employers believe that on-site care is a significant tool for recruiting and retaining high-tech workers (McIntyre, 2000). On-site childcare gave companies a competitive advantage against their competitions, because on-site childcare is different from traditional benefits, and it is been offered by few companies (Schandl, 1992). On-site childcare also shows an employers commitment to their employees, which sends a message that the company is invested in the wellbeing of their workforce (Durekas, 2009). On-site childcare also enhances the companys image, which make the company attractive to new and diverse talents (Durekas, 2009) Retention. There are many employers who have benefited from higher retention and performance due to on-site daycare (Connelley, Degraff, and Willis, 2004). One such company is Abbott Laboratories, where employees with children in the on-site childcare center have a retention rate three times higher than the norm (Kiger, 2005). Employers are seeing an increase in retention, because of the flexibility and peace of mind that on-site childcare provides for parents (Casey Grzywacz, 2008). Knowing that their child is only few feet away in a quality facility, serves as a motivation for parents to remain with an employer (Friedman, 1986 as cited in Oekerman). Companies such as Procter Gamble has taken proactive steps by opening a 24 hour childcare facility to accommodate night shift workers that are unable to leave their kids home and Trout Blue Chelan Inc, has taken the initiative to run an on-site childcare facility outside the normal business hours (McIntyre, 2000). According to the manager at Procter Gamble, their new facility is demonstration of their commitment to their employees and has served as an incentive for employees to remain with the company. She further explained that it conveys a message that the employees are cared about, and this has in turn increased employees loyalty (Leask, 1999). Companies who offer on-site childcare are starting to see their employees rejecting offers from other companies, and employers are starting to view on-site childcare as a way to remain competitive in the future (Connelley, Degraff, and Willis, 2004, Zampetti, 1991). Productivity. Researches believe that childcare-related issues can bring about stress and concerns that affect the overall productivity of an employee (Hartley Kelsey, 2002). Studies also show that companies who offered on-site childcare are experiencing an increased in productivity (Leask 1999, Zampetti, 1991). Managements at such companies believe that on-site daycare creates an environment in which employees can focus their task at hand, alleviate those concerns that serve as a distraction, and affect productivity (Zampetti, 1991). On-site childcare has led to increase in productivity because employees can now concentrate fully on their work, because they trust that their child are been taken care of my competent staff (Leask 1999; Zampetti, 1991). An example is at SAS, where parents are allowed to visit their children during the day or join them for lunch in the cafeteria. According to the company, this has enormously increased morale and performance, and the overall productivit y of employees (Leask, 1999). Absenteeism. The National Child Care Survey reported that in 1990, 15% of all employed mothers missed work due to child care problems (Hofferth, Bayfield, Deich, Holcomb, 1991 as cited in Oekerman, 1997). Employers lose millions of dollars each year due to absenteeism caused by childcare- related issues (Hartley Kelsey, 2002). According to Durekas (2009), some large employees can lose close to a million dollar each year, because of absenteeism. Absenteeism is a major concern for employers, because it affects overall productivity, and morale on the job (Miller, 1984; Hartley Kelsey, 2002). By providing on-site childcare, employers will reap the benefits of decrease absenteeism in the company as a whole (Hartley Kelsey, 2002). Employees will take fewer unscheduled days off as a result of lack of childcare (Milkovich, 1976). Employers also believe this has led to decreases in absenteeism, tardiness, accident rates, turnovers, and employee stress (Milkovich, 1976). Several studies have suggested that employers felt absence of childcare was not necessarily a cause of absenteeism among women workers, but the sickness of a child was (Miller 1984, Milkovich, 1976). Parents are more likely to take days off to tend to the well being of a sick child (Langland-Orban Malsbary, 1990; Herman, Koppa Sullivan, 1999). Also, most childcare facilities have straight rules about sick children coming to childcare, because of fear of other children becoming infected (Herman, Koppa Sullivan, 1999; Langland-Orban Malsbary, 1990). In those cases, parents are left with no other alternative, but to stay home with their sick child. Various companies have arranged for back-up child care, and offer emergency childcare option to help address this issue. It is believed that with backup care, a far greater number of people can be covered than conventional on-site care because it is not being used daily (Kiger, 2005). Other companies have resorted to reserving spots in lo cal child-care centers for employees emergency use (Kiger 2005). Emergency childcare has led to employees taking fewer days off, due to less severe illnesses of their children (Schandl, 1992). Some employers have addressed the absenteeism problem by providing afterhours care (Cohen, 1991). One study concluded that by providing afterhours care; companies could minimize absenteeism by 20 percent and recover the cost of an on-site center in five years (Connelly, Degraff Willis, 2004). The director of Childcare at one company describe on-site childcare as a way to create good morale, bring in younger to middle-age workers that need a second income and have a more stable attendance at work (Leask, 1999). In some cases, onsite childcare has also encouraged women employees to return to work sooner after the birth of a child, because of the companys infant daycare (Aschbacher, Burud, 1989 as cited in Oekerman 1997, Leask 1999). Women are more comfortable having their infant closer to their job, then leaving than in a childcare somewhere across town (Oekerman, 1997). She explained that parents are more secured, because if there is a problem or concern, they are only a few feet away from their little ones. Others argue that employers flexibility has an even greater impact on absenteeism, compare to on-site childcare (Miller, 1984). In a study conducted by Casey and Grzywacz (2008), the result show that an increase in perceived flexibility was associated with a decrease in sickness absences and work-related impairment and improved job commitment. Employers Image Supporters of on-site childcare see on-site benefit as a significant demonstration of the companys investment in their employees, and what result their policy on childcare will have on employees, and their overall standing in the community (Hartley Keyser, 2002). Companies that offer on-site child care argue that it is not about breaking even or quantifying the benefits. These employers believe that the savings and benefits obtain from on-site childcare programs are not necessary shown in the numbers but in things such as morale and performance, which are difficult to quantify (McIntyre, 2000; Connelley, Degraff, and Willis, 2004). Companies that sponsor child care programs believe that benefits can be seen in increased recruiting potential, morale, productivity, and quality. It is more of a moral dimension to the company, companies that provide on-site childcare believe that it not done because of profit, but providing on-site childcare is the right thing to do (McIntyre 2000). Acc ording to Kiger (2005), companies are utilizing child-care programs to mitigate one of the most painful and destructive ills of the 21st century economy: parents decreasing contact with their kids and increasing alienation from family life. On-site childcare is a way of helping to strike a balance between work and personal life and a social responsibility of employers that also creates a competitive advantage (Elswick, 2001). Employer sponsor childcare benefits is viewed as a demonstration of an employers commitment to employees and leadership in the community, which has resulted in enhanced morale and company image, as well as an increased the companys ability to attract talents (Durekas 2009). Supporters of daycare emphasize that not only is it the employers social responsibility to provide day care services, but also the employers responsibility to properly staffed and designed program (Milkovich, 1976). Disadvantages Financial. With all the benefits associated with on-site child care, such as higher retention, lower absenteeism, improved performance and high morale, there are not many companies are jumping to offer this benefit (Morrissey Warner, 2008, Kiger, 2005). A study conducted in 1998 found 8000 firms on-site or near-site care (McIntyre, 2000). Most companies are afraid to underwrite the cost of starting a new facility because onsite childcare is expensive to start and operate (Land-Lang Orban Malsbary, 1990). Although there are numerous benefits from opening an on-site childcare, many companies are not willing to commit a substantial amount for start-up cost (McIntyre, 2000). Companies also have to take into consideration the investment in land, buildings, operation of the center, and potential liability issues (Langland -Orban Malsbary, 1990). Quality childcare centers are likely to operate at a loss. The capital requirements are substantial, and actual losses and capital requirements have the potential to exceed forecasts (Langland-Orban Malsbary, 1990). For example, one accounting-firm executive estimates that most hospital-sponsored childcare centers lose $250,000 to $500,000 annually (Lutz 1987, 46, 48 as cited in Langland-Orban Malsbary, 1990); and another hospital-owned childcare center reports that fees cover only 75 percent of operating costs (Wayne and Burud 1986, 83 as cited in Langland-Orban Malsbary, 1990). So even though state and federal government offer tax incentives, it still has not been enough to overcome companies fear of the added cost and responsibility associated with operating an on-site childcare (Kelley, 2000; McIntyre, 2000). Onsite child care centers are not viewed as money makers, in many instances companies have to subsidize the budget for the operation of one (McIntyre, 2000). Management. Many employers are not equipped to manage an on-site childcare and some authors (Langland-Orban Malsbary, 1990) suggest that employers can use many strategies to respond to employee requests for quality childcare that do not require entry into the unfamiliar childcare business or incur a substantial capital investment or operating loss. The management of on-site childcare entails different levels of expertise that companies are not necessarily equipped with (Keyser Hartley, 2002). Supporters of on-site childcare claim it is the social responsibility of employers to provide a childcare facility that is well-managed (Milkovich Gomez, 1976). Some companies hired competent childcare aides, but such individuals are not necessarily equipped to manage the day to day activities of an on-site childcare center (Keyser Hartley, 2002; Milkovich Gomez, 1976). Some Langland-Orban Malsbary (1990) further emphasized that providers of on-site childcare centers may encounter conflicts with employees, particularly regarding annual rate increases, assessing penalties to parents who are late in picking up children, or the decision to terminate the center operation. On-site childcare program is a direct reflection of employers commitment to their employees, and without effective management of on-site childcare programs, employers will be faced with dissatisfaction, and complaints from employees which will have adverse impact on recruiting and retention (Keyser Hartley, 2002; Langland-Orban Malsbary). Critics however recommend that some employers should stay away from managing on-site childcare programs, because employers that have no expertise in managing child daycare centers increases their companies financial risks. Although child-development specialists are often employed, they do not have the expertise to manage an on-site childcare (Langl and-Orban Malsbary, 1990). Return on investment. The potential to enhance employee recruitment and retention through child daycare exists, but potential savings are difficult to quantify accurately (Segal 1984 as cited in Langland-Orban). There are little to no research on the actual dollars a company saves from offering on-site childcare (Durekas, 2009; Miller 1984). Some researcher argued that a company can attract and retain employees, by offering other childcare benefits instead of investing in an on-site childcare (Zampetti, 1991). Those who support on-site childcare stressed that, the return on investment is can be found in areas such as good public image, decrease in absenteeism, increase in productivity, and employees commitment (Kelley, 2006). While the benefits are difficult to quantify, company are gaining competitive advantage which is a substantial return on investment (Zampetti, 1991; Leask, 1999). According to Durekas (2009), research has also shown a childcare center could save a business as mu ch as $500,000 annually in turnover costs-10 retained workers at $50,000 per worker. Ethical Issues Some of the ethical questions surrounding on-site childcare are: Is on-site childcare in the interest of the child? (Oekerman, 1997) and is on-site childcare fair to everyone

Easter Uprising :: Essays Papers

Easter Uprising People strive for independence and will do anything for it. In 1916 many of the Irish strongly wanted to take hold of Dublin, with the purpose to wipe out the British rule in Ireland, and hoping to become entirely independent. The Irish wanted to have a republic, and become free from the British rule. The leaders before the Easter Uprising started to realize that the public would show their support against the British. The leaders of this rebellion came together to fight for what they believed in. The independence of the Irish was very important and showed throughout their struggle how hard it was to achieve their goal. The Uprising was supported by a group of nationalists that wanted independence for Ireland. "Around 1,250 people started the rebellion" (Ireland). The instigator of the Easter Uprising was a man named Thomas Clarke who brought in two other men to support him. The Easter Uprising was strongly influenced by two men named Patrick Pearse, and James Conolly. On t he morning of the Uprising, Patrick Pearse labeled the movement, "an all but suicidal mission" (Newman). Major changes in Ireland happened because of the Easter Uprising. The effects were extremely important in the future of the Irish. People of a political group called the Sinn Fein declared the independence for the Irish. The statement started the guerilla ware fare of the IRA on English forces. On Easter Sunday 1916, a group called The Irish Republican Army (IRA) changed the way of the Irish. "The IRA rebels seized buildings in Dublin as a start of an uprising" (Coffey). The British troops quickly defeated the rebels, and many were taken prisoner and were put on trial to be executed. The IRA shot many of the Irish without any warning. The people were very angry with everything the IRA was doing to them. The civil war of 1922, and the Irish Republican army was formed and grew very violent towards everyone. "In 1919, the IRA shot two Irish policemen in county Tipperary, and this marked the beginning of what is now known as the war of Independence" (History of Ireland). The Civil War was the only conflict in Ireland during the twentieth-century that involved for an extended period of predictable fighting a nd it certainly did not serve as a representative for improvement.

Easter Island :: essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Stony sentry’s, carved years ago by Polynesian craftsmen, gaze over one of the most remote places in the world. With their land enlarged by overuse, islanders now draw on a revival of their culture to attract visitors. I intend to tell about this small island off the coast of Chile named Easter Island.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Easter Island, submerged volcanic mountain range in the eastern Pacific Ocean, is located 500 miles South of the Tropic of Capricorn, and 2,200 miles West of Chile. This area is located were it is swept by strong trade winds. Because of his, the island remains warm through out the year. As you know, Easter Island is small. To be exact it has an area of 64 square miles about the size of Washington D.C. Easter Island’s population as grown a lot since diseases spread to most of the island in1877. Some of the remaining people left for South America, and the island was left 110 people. The population grew throughout the years in 1955 it was 990, in 1980 it was 1,842 and in 1989 it was 2,095.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  As many people have traditions, at parties and other celebrations, Easter Island has its own. They paint their bodies, the chant, they dance and the sing songs of their forbears. Each September, flocks of sooty terns come to nest on tiny islets about a mile off the shore. Since ancient times, there have been ceremonies to celebrate the birds’ arrival and to choose the birdman. The birdman competition is where each clan selected a representative to swim to the islets where the birds nested. They are to find and egg and swim back the first one back with an unbroken egg becomes the birdman. Another competition is during Tapati Rapa Nui - Rapa Nui is where guys race with heavy loads on their backs to try to win points for a girl, out of many girls, who want to be crowned festival queen. Some islanders practice the custom of elongating their earlobes. This was done by piercing the ear and gradually enlarging the hole.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Today most experts believe that Easter Island was first settled by Polynesians looking for a new homeland. About 1680 A.D, the quality of life on the island began to decrease. At this time, clan rivals erupted in a bloody battle between long ears and shorts ears. This destruction of the islands natural resource undoubtedly contributed to its decline.

Shakespeares The Winters Tale :: Shakespeare Winters Tale Essays

The Characters of Hermione, Perdita, and Paulina in The Winters Tale  Ã‚  Ã‚   Although Hermione is one of the main characters, we see very little of her in the play. She is horribly betrayed by her husband, but we never really see her feelings on the subject. In many other plays, Shakespeare uses asides and soliloquies to give insight into the characters mind. Hermione must be having complex and very troubling thoughts, but we never see them. Hermione is in Act I Scene ii where she plays the perfect royal hostess. In Act I Scene iii, she is accused of adultery with Polixenes by Leontes and taken to prison. She is not seen agian until Act III Scene ii, where she stands trial for her treason. Immediately after this scene, she dies, or appears to die, offstage. The audience is given no indication that she is still alive until Act V Scene iii, where the statue becomes flesh. Hermione is portrayed as an innocent victim throughout the play. When her husband fist becomes jealous, she is puzzled by his behavior and wonders if affairs of state are bothering him. Her lack of knowledge about his jealousy gives credit to her plea of innocence. She had obviously never been an unfaithful wife, therefore she had no reason to worry that her husband would suspect her. Polixenes flees in fear of death, but he leaves Hermione behind. If she had known that she was guilty and was facing punishment, she could have left with Polixenes. When she comes back to life as a statue, she says that she has preserved herself in the chance occurance that Perdita was alive. The audience is never given any further explaination, so we cannot conclude that she even saved herself in an illegal or false fashion. The character of Perdita is a wonderful study in the sociological theories of nature versus nurture. She leaves the royal court when she is only days old and is raised by and old shepherd and his son, the Clown. Although the family found a great deal of money when they found the baby, the upbringing she recieved could not have been equal to a traditional royal upbringing. Nevertheless, Perdita seems to be endowed from birth with a royal manner. She has been crowned Queen of the sheep-shearing feast when we first see her again, and she has won the deep love of a prince.

Oedipus Rex Pgs. 159 †198

Oedipus Rex pgs. 159 – 198 a. Characters The major characters are Oedipus, Creon, and Tiresias. Oedipus, the king of Thebes, is completely stubborn. He doesn't want to listen to Creon or Tiresias about the truth of who he is. Creon, Oedipus's brother-in-law, is businesslike. When he brings the news from the oracle, he suggests that they should go into a more private place to talk. He also makes a lot of deals to reason with Oedipus's rage towards him. Tiresias, the blind prophet, is secretive. He doesn't tell Oedipus his knowledge at first, keeping the truth away from Oedipus. . Events The first event is when Oedipus and the priest are talking. I think this event is included because it signifies how much the city relies on Oedipus. Since he stopped the plague once, they believe he can stop it again, which shows their faith in their king. When Tiresias is trying to tell Oedipus that he is the cause of the plague, Oedipus snaps back, not believing a single word. I think this sho ws that Oedipus really doesn't know how his past connects to the present problems. Also, we get a better insight on Oedipus as a person. . COG Blindness is a big idea throughout the reading. Tiresias is literally blind in his eyes, which allows him to â€Å"feel all the more what sickness haunts [their] city,† (l. 342 – 343). Oedipus is also blind. Not literally blind like Tiresias, but mentally blind to â€Å"the corruption of [his] life,† (471). Truth is another big idea in this section. Throughout this reading, the characters are constantly trying to tell the truth apart from the lies. Oedipus doesn't think that Creon and Tiresias are being truthful with the prophecy.Oedipus doesn't seem to know the truth about his real parents, which is causing him to deny the truth of the prophecy that Creon and Tiresias bring. d. Chorus The chorus is a summary of what happened. Also, the chorus is like the voice of the audience. Near the end of the reading, when the chorus comes in, the chorus and Oedipus seem to have a conversation. The chorus is also trying to convince Oedipus to stop this outrage towards Creon. That reflects the feelings of the audience because we, the audience, feel sympathy for Creon. e. Observation and inferenceObservation: Oedipus: â€Å"I'll rid us of this corruption. / Whoever killed the king may decide to kill me too,† (157 – 158). Inference: Oedipus doesn't make any connection between him saving the city and the story that Creon tells. To save Thebes, Oedipus solved the Sphinx's riddle and in Creon's story, the Sphinx was the one who told them to forget about the mystery of the death of the king. Oedipus tells Creon that this killer â€Å"may decide to kill [him] too,† (158). This proves that Oedipus has no idea that he is involved in the mystery.

Christopher Columbus a Villain Essay

Should a man whose actions created a wave of genocide and killed thousands of innocent natives be considered a hero? In today’s time, Christopher Columbus is known through the United States as the one who found the country we currently live in. But is that actually true? Over many years, his history has sparked a day that is a remembrance of his â€Å"discovery†. I believe that he is the mastermind behind the genocide of over 250,000 Native Americans, while others believe that he was only a man with a passion for exploring. I personally believe that Christopher Columbus had not a single good intention when he first stepped foot on the Americas back in his time and showed negative glory for his nation, discovery and personal glory. Christopher Columbus found the Americas, but today he takes credit for discovering a new world. Native Americans had been living in civilizations across North and South America long before Columbus had â€Å"discovered† it. This journey has now ruined many of those enslaved, and impacted as well as his precious reputation. With his expedition, he exposed countries to new disease, violence, and slavery. His â€Å"discovery† led him to ruin the America’s of its natives and its resources. These horrible actions should be added to Columbus’s reputation, which shows him to be a villain in American history. Christopher Columbus had evil intentions from the start of his voyage when he promised to repay, Spanish monarch and founder of Columbus’s travels, with gold, spice, and other servants. When he first arrived in what he thought was Asia, he quickly gathered the natives and introduced them to slavery. He also returned to Europe with the Native American’s possessions. In a resource I studied clearly and bias freely I read the following:† †¦, a sailor called Rodrigo saw the moon shining on white sands, and cried out. It was an island in the Bahamas, in the Caribbean Sea. The first man to sight land was supposed to get a large reward, but Rodrigo never got it. Columbus claimed that he had seen a light the evening before. He got the reward. We humans today know that when something new comes into the picture, something old must come out. No matter which side people choose, they all agree that Columbus made a major impact on the Americas.

Do violent media desensitize children

Do violent media desensitizing younger audiences ? In my opinion media shouldn't be held responsible for corrupting the society because there are many other factors which contribute to the corruption of younger kids in a society. Television, Music and video games are held responsible all the time when something goes wrong in a society regarding the kids. Factors like personal issues and lack of understanding and also the miscommunication between kids and the adults are other reasons which add up to the reasons for the â€Å"desensitizing† of younger audiences.Regardless, media does have a negative impact on the society, specially the children ‘s, due to the popularity of media that is presented and promoted in our everyday life's. It allows younger viewers to believe that the media is more genuine than actual reality, therefore creating aggressiveness and attitude changes in youngsters, creating major impacts on the future of the society. There is are two opposite sides arguing against and for † violence in entertainment†. The side which is † for † are the marketers who promote media with violence involved. Consumers enjoy violent forms of entertainment which allows businesses to ascend.Research proves that violence is something expected and sired by the consumers, which allows companies to make more profit. The side that is â€Å"against,† argue that violence corrupts the society because it allows the promotion of violence. Research also proves that media incorporated with violence is associated with aggressive behavior found in children and young adults, aggressive behaviors such as lack of remorse for the consequences, violence against others, show signs of hostility, decreased emotional responses to violence and injury are the reasons why violence in media is arguing against.The violence presented by the media up till now are mostly targeting the younger rowers more than adults. Concern for younger viewers has inc reased significantly over time ever since television came onto the screen until the 1920 ‘s, since it is considered that the first two years of a child's life is important due to it being a very important because their brain is still at the stage of development, but media is introduced to children before they even go to school which affects their ability to learn.The extent of the impact media such as television has on children is outrageous as it has the ability to interfere with their development. These days hillier are not playing, exploring, learning and interacting with their peers instead they are locked up in their homes watching, playing or listening to the media, this discourages children from preventing them from participating in healthy physical and social activities for their development. It is always encouraged for a child to learn to develop social skills and well as to keep fit and healthy but media prevents that.Parents and positive guidance at home can help pr event violence in children from occurring. A home is always the first place a child begins to learn things, if there is no roper and positive guidance at home than children automatically turn out to be ignorant and more dependent on the media, but if they were properly and positively guided at home, children will have the ability to understand the difference between acceptable and unacceptable.There are many ways parents can prevent such catastrophes from occurring in their children. They could monitor the children shows, they could watch the shows with their children so parents will have an idea of what their children watch, parents can Join their children in extracurricular activities; which will help them stay active and involved with their peers. Regrettably violence is a popular form of entertainment, over 60% of the shows on television consists of violence.Research conducted by the Media Awareness Network has shown that kids who consistently watch violent shows, games or other form of media that consists of violence have higher chances of showing signs of aggressiveness and violence as they hit adulthood. Children who are familiarized with the violent acts have increased need for the adrenaline rush they get from watching such acts, and if they do not get the adrenaline rush there are possibilities f them are taking actions in their own hands by partaking in real life violent acts.An example of violent televisions shows corrupting a viewers mind could be the show Jack Ass. There has been reports on how people try imitating stunts that were performed on television in real life, this causes injury and danger to the society. Overall media do have a negative impact on the society. It does have the ability of † desensitizing† young viewers as they continuously watch, play, and hear violence being socially accepted in the society, but it also depends on how the child is being aided at home, a proper and improper guidance at home always initiates wh ether the child is properly taught or not.

Early Christian Writings Essay

In the beginning of IV century Arius announced that the Father is the only one veritable God, and the Son is His creation. Son was created from nothing, but He has an advantage over the other people, because He was created before time and centuries. Arius teaching is one of the forms of subordination, – a teaching about subordination of the Son to the Father, and the Saint Spirit to the Son. Arius has the following positions: 1. Logos had the beginning of his being ( , erat, quando non erat), because in other case there wouldn’t be any monarchy. In such case could be possible a diarchy (two principles), because He wouldn’t be the Son, – the Son is not the Father. 2. Logos started his existence not from the essence of Father – this could lead to division or partition of Divine Creature, or to sensual concepts, which could bring down the God to human world, – but He was created from nothing by his Father’s will ; 3. He has existence before-time and before-world, but it is not eternal existence; so He is not the veritable God, but he is different from God-Father by his essence, he is a creature ( , ) and Testament uses such expressions about Him; 4. Although the Son is a creature by essence, he has advantage over other people, because he have supreme qualities after the God. The God created everything through Him. First of all God created Him, as the beginning of all paths; 5. In case they call the Son equal to the God you should understand that He is equal by His Father’s will. 6. His will, as it was created, primarily was changeable – equally inclined both for good and to evil. Alexander tried to convince Arius that he was wrong by admonitions, although without success. After fruitless attempts Alexander invited bishops from Egypt and Lebanon and by will of Council expels Arius from Alexandria as well as his followers. There was found ‘The Synodal Letter of the Council of Antioch’, which condemns principles of Arius, but not strictly. Almost all bishops signed this letter (except of three bishops). Alexander tries also to warn other bishops about danger of heresy and, finally, writes a letter to Emperor Constantine the Great. The emperor regrets about quarrels in the Church and asks to make peace. It was impossible, and a little bit later the Church calls Nicaea Council, where after long debates the Church wrote ‘Symbol of belief’ and adopted it. Arius didn’t agree (his followers also protested to symbol of belief and pretending that they agree, changed a letter in word ‘omousius’ (‘similar’, ‘like’ instead of mono-, uni-) and signed the document. The Church discovered falsification, condemned teaching of Arius and expelled him. .

Income Tax Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Income Tax - Coursework Example 2. Wages and salaries was composed of: †¨Salary taken by Ronni,  £25,000 †¨Wages paid to Bryn (Ronni’s father) for work done to repair bicycles, at a rate of  £20 per hour (30 hrs x 48 weeks) =  £28,800 †¨Wages paid to assistant bicycle repairer at a rate of  £15 per hour (30 hrs x 48 weeks) =  £21,600 †¨Casual help in shop,  £5,400 †¨Ã¢â‚¬ ¨ 4. Repairs and renewals was composed of: †¨Repairs to warehouse floor  £850 †¨Repairs to flat above shop  £750 †¨Cleaning materials  £300 †¨Cleaning contract for shop and workshop †¨Ã‚ £500 †¨Sundry small items  £250 †¨Ã¢â‚¬ ¨Ã¢â‚¬ ¨Ã¢â‚¬ ¨ 5. Motor Expenses mainly for the cost of running Ronni’s estate car used for collecting/delivering broken/mended bicycles and for transporting items for the shop from the cash and carry outlet. Private use of the car had been agreed at 30%. †¨Diesel fuel, car  £8500 †¨Insurance for car  £1200 †¨Repairs, car  £350 †¨Road fund tax, car  £375 †¨Rental of van  £600 †¨Ã¢â‚¬ ¨ 7. Sundry expenses of were composed of: †¨Subscription to magazine, ‘Cycling Today’ †¨Ã‚ £100 †¨Subscription to Green party  £50 †¨Subscription to ‘New Transport Systems’ †¨Ã‚ £24 †¨Sponsorship of local junior school cycling proficiency awards  £50 †¨Donation to Green party  £25 †¨Donation to local hospital A&E department (Ronni had an accident and broke her arm)  £100 †¨Ã¢â‚¬ ¨Postage, stationery and telephone expenses  £100 †¨Ã¢â‚¬ ¨Accountancy charges  £80 †¨Sundry other items  £100†¨Ã¢â‚¬ ¨ Calculate the taxable trading profit for Ronni’s business for the year ended 30 September 2011. †¨You should provide your own data where none is given, ensuring that you retain a taxable trading profit (i.e. not a trading loss) and should ensure that you choose data that will fully demonstrate your knowledge of taxation. Calculate the Income tax payable by Ronni for the tax year 2011/12, providing your own data where none is given, to fully demonstrate your knowledge

Divorce from Different Perspectives Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Divorce from Different Perspectives - Essay Example This paper will provide a platform for the analysis of the topic of divorce by first understanding their rationale on the subject. Some of the major contributors to the increased divorce cases will be identified and will finally conclude by establishing some of the ways the different parties propose for tackling this problem. According to Browning, the major causes of the change in family patterns such as increased divorce rates are modernization and globalization. This further raises a vital question such as should the changes be embraced and seen as the norm? The other important question that arises is what are the changes indicative of dynamism in family life or are they part of a wider problem or crisis? Browning notes that since the 1980’s there has been a significant change in the worldwide perception of family changes such as divorce. Studies conducted by sociologists, psychologists and economists point to these changes as to having detrimental effects on most people. D ivorce has been found to bring about immense emotional, social and financial consequences. Changes in the family patterns caused by practices such as divorce have been linked to declining well-being of children who are involved in the process. Studies into the effects of divorce have pointed out that children from families where divorce has happened have a high rate of delinquency. They were also found to exhibit low self-confidence and faced a higher risk of leading unhappy marriages in the future. It is critical to understand that each branch of Christianity views divorce in its different way. Since its commencement over two thousand years ago, the Catholic Church has maintained its stand on the indissolubility of marriage. The church holds a conservative view on the dissolution of a marriage. According to the Catholic Church teachings, marriage is a covenant not only between two consenting adults but also between the parties and God.  

Monitoring our home planet Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Monitoring our home planet - Research Paper Example This paper will analyze the identified phenomenon that leads to natural disasters through a critique on the available web based monitoring resources. Earthquakes Earthquakes are sudden tremors that result from sudden release of energy from earth crust. The energy produces seismic waves that are experienced as earthquake. The magnitude of earthquake is determined by the degree of frequency of the resultant seismic waves. It is estimated that 500, 000 earthquakes occur annually and they are detectable with the current monitoring instruments. However, only 20% of the detectable earthquakes cannot be felt or experienced. Distribution of earthquakes around the globe is closely associated with tectonic stability. Regions with active geological activities such as volcanoes, and faults lines are more prone to earthquakes than more geologically stable regions. However, this does not restrict earthquakes to certain areas since areas that have never recorded cases of earthquakes such as New York often experience earthquakes that are below the detectable magnitude. The main earthquake zones around the world are closely associated with regions that have h istory of active volcanic activities, strong tidal waves, areas with natural fault lines and regions within tectonic plate interfaces. Seismometers are used to monitor seismic waves in the earth crust and predict earthquakes. Countries such as Japan, Haiti, Indonesia, and Turkey have experienced severe cases of earthquake in the recent past. Various resources have been set to monitor trends of seismic waves and the possibility of earthquakes. IRIS Seismic Monitor, Live Earthquakes Map and GeoNet – Quakes are some the main earthquake monitoring websites. The web based monitoring technology provides up-to-date information and data on earthquakes. However, the websites have a geographical bias and usually assume the welfare of developing countries. It is evident that the current geological system that depicts seismic hotspots is not accurate. However, the websites are restricted to availability and distribution of earthquakes monitoring infrastructures around the world. Politics plays a significant role in the recording and reporting of earthquakes and related information. Most of the global earthquake monitoring infrastructures such as satellites and seismic wave monitors are controlled by major world powers (Ollier, 1988). This indicates that availability of information concerning earthquakes is closely linked with global politics. In addition, data collection is mainly carried out in area that are of political interest. The seismic monitoring resources do not cover less developed countries or regions of less political interests. However, web based results can be used to predict occurrence of earthquakes in less developed countries through extrapolation methods. Global economics plays a critical role in monitoring and

7. The prospect of Turkish membership in the EU has led to the Essay

7. The prospect of Turkish membership in the EU has led to the emergence of increasingly stringent conditions for membership. Discuss - Essay Example Expansion has largely been carried out in the countries of the former Soviet Union and this organization continues to come under pressure to expand eastward. Accordingly Turkey, a predominately Muslim country straddling the border between Europe and Asia, is seeking membership into one of the most exclusive multilateral clubs in the world. Undertaking an analysis the candidacy of Turkey for membership in the EU, the following will discuss the major obstacles to the inclusion of Turkey within this exclusive multilateral club. This essay will begin with a concise overview of the European Union and will address the evolution of the EU following the collapse of state-led communism in Eastern Europe. This led to an increased desire for the EU to expand and the ramifications of this incredible and for some, unimaginable, fact will be analyzed with respect to the EU. We then turn to an analysis of enlargement, the ever-increasing demand for growth, the trajectory in which the EU has grown and finally, the reasons why Turkey is not a suitable candidate for membership in the European Union. We will explore the domestic and historical factors which make Turkey a poor candidate for EU membership and will conclude with a broad overview of our overall analysis (Warleigh 13; Fierke & Wiener 1-24). The European Union (EU) is a supranational body composed of constituent member states, found largely on the European peninsula. Democracy, negotiation, and collective decision-making through multilateralism are all inherent attributes of the modern EU. Today, membership in the European Union is actively sought by nearly all countries on the European peninsula as well as by one country straddling both Europe and Middle Asia (Turkey). Although there were initially only five members of the precursor to the European Union (Belgium, France, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands and West Germany), there are presently 27 countries in the EU and they