Enhancing the Quality of Education Provided by School Teachers Essay

Enhancing the Quality of Education Provided by School Teachers - Essay Example The association of teachers’ educators widely acknowledges that the most efficient way to upgrade students learning outcomes depends highly on the quality of teaching. The research that was conducted by the same association indicates that the teacher quality is positively and significantly correlated with learners’ attainment. The same result is also important within-school aspect since it can be used to analyze student results. Education is an essential tool not only for the cultivation of values in students but also thriving and innovative society. This is the primary reason teachers are instructed to encourage self-motivation and proper way of studying among learners and to be a good role model for the students. The quality of education is not only restricted to the class work alone, but it extends further up to economic development. As the competition among nations intensifies due to rapid growth in the global market, the imperative role of education as the key to future success can greatly be felt. Above all, following the structural changes from manufacturing to the service-oriented economy in the past years, it will force educators to establish substantial and genuine human capital to central the top rank of competition. However, this will be influenced by the quality of education offered by the existing schools and teachers. Some of these changes can achieve through enhancing Teacher Education Programmes in order to produce highly trained and qualified teachers.

Special Educational Needs Sen Education Essay

Special Educational Needs Sen Education Essay The term inclusion is difficult to define, with many professionals having their own theories on what inclusion is .One of the most controversial but perhaps true definitions of inclusion comes from the Salamanca Statement whereby educational accomplishment is perceived as being secondary to the development of the self through personal choice(Hodkinson and Vickerman, 2009).This statement and definition relates directly to the rights-based model and discourse(Dyson,2000) this reinforces the rights of a child and their entitlement to an education . To implement this type of inclusion both schools and society needs to recognise and disable the obstacles that constrain a childs choices and their capability to reach their full potential (Hodkinson and Vickerman, 2009). The term SEN was devised in the 1970s by the Warnock Report (DES, 1978, cited in Hodkinson and Vickerman, 2009). Lady Warnock states in her report that authorities should consider the idea of including all children into mainstream schooling if that is where they will learn successfully (Kent, 2005). The 1981 Education Act came after the Warnock report .This new piece of legislation affected the entire education system, and was seen to have a positive influence on the education of children with SEN (Potts, 1995). The Act prohibited any child from being deprived of an education, and effectively reinforced inclusion whenever it was possible (Kent, 2005). The Education Act describes a child with SEN as someone who has a learning barrier which appeals for special educational conditions to be made for them. This includes any child below the age of 19 who is a recorded pupil at an educational institute (DfEE, 1996 and SENDA, 2001, cited in Hodkinson and Vickerman, 2009). Frederickson and Cline (2007) suggest that many people misperceive special educational needs with special needs. They propose a child has a special need if they originate from a community whose conditions or upbringing is dissimilar from the majority of the school populace. Thus meaning that a special need does not necessarily manifest itself as SEN (Frederickson and Cline, 2002, cited in Hodkinson and Vickerman, 2009). The Education act calls for an official assessment of all alleged SEN children, a provision upheld by later legislations. A statement of Special Educational needs is formed and complied by educational authorities, who are accountable for outlining the extent of the childs needs and recommending educational strategies and resources to suit the child. The SEN statements are used to situate children into mainstream schools if; the childs requirements can be met, they do not restrict or hinder other childrens learning and is an efficient use of the authorities resources (Kentworthy and Whittaker, 2000). In 2003, within the UK there was anticipated to be over 1.7 million children with possible SEN and of these children around 250,000 of them had a formal statement (Russell, 2003). It could be argued that the statement process and the use of the term SEN is negatively associated to the medical model opinion of disability (Hodkinson and Vickerman, 2009). Frederickson and Cline (2007) maintain that the process of assessing a child with SEN is completed by scrutinising the individual child. It is expected that the foundation of the problem is within the child and that they must be afflicted with a disability or a learning impairment. The assessment process is thought to be comparable to a medical diagnosis by establishing what classification of disability the child suffers from. It has been advocated that this method of labelling, is disrespectful and distressing to the specific child and also has an impact on the way in which their learning is sustained (CSIE, 2005, cited in Hodkinson and Vickerman, 2009). Segregation, due to the labelling process is a normal experience for a child with SEN .Children may be excluded from mainstream schools and placed in a special school or within a mainstream classroom children may miss out on lessons to be educated by the special needs expert or more commonly the designated teaching assistant. The medical model has perhaps lowered anticipations of a child with SEN. Some consider handicapped children as abnormal, because they are constrained to what they can accomplish. Frederickson and Cline (2007) state that being handicap was defined by society in terms of defect, physical and emotional deficiencies were believed to inflict limitations on cognitive advancement. As a consequence obstructions to achievement and social development were forced upon children with SEN (Frederickson and Cline, 2007, cited in Hodkinson and Vickerman, 2009). Law (1993) suggests some parents of children with SEN would prefer a diagnosis, as they feel it helps them comprehend and prepare for the problems their child may be confronted with. Parents also feel that a statement can help to gain access to expert help and advice and secure a place in a special school. Hanson et al (2001) argues that the majority of parents welcome inclusive locations for their children with SEN, although parents did have apprehensions about the teachers level of training and experience. Corbett (2001) claims teachers are enthusiastic to support inclusion when dealing with children who have a mild disability. There is nevertheless the proposal that teachers do not have the similar inclusive idea in relation to those children who show severe behavioural problems (Wedell, 2005).Inclusion for certain children is being deferred because the educational system is not fit to include them because of the obstructions of lack of knowledge, lack of will, lack of vision, lack of resources and lack of morality (Clough and Garner 2003; 87 cited in Hodkinson and Vickerman, 2009).Study in this topic establishes that for these children, teachers consider that exclusion is essential due to their experience within the classroom (Corbett,2001). The previous Government, encouraged teachers to improve personalised learning for all students (Milliband, 2004, cited in Wedell, 2005).This was intended to inspire a more receptive approach to teaching. While the majority of teachers no doubt aspire to do this, the difficulties within whole-class teaching stipulate how difficult this is to accomplish. Additionally, such targets require understanding and time to apply. David Hargreaves (2004) states traditional teachers are not educated adequately enough to deal with the varieties of responsibilities now outlined for them (Wedell, 2005). The quality of teaching for pupils with different needs has been an concern that has prevented the effective application of SEN and inclusion strategies .The Programme of Action(DfEE,1998)specified the need for teachers to undertake detailed training in special educational needs and the previous Government also agreed that effective practice is being obstructed by the same issue(DfES,2004).There seems to be a common opinion amongst educational professionals that the training they receive to prepare themselves for the teaching and accommodating of children with SEN is woefully inadequate'(Corbett,2001;22). To aid teachers, the process of grouping pupils is still commonly used in the classroom. This technique was introduced so that teachers could prioritise and plan differentiated lessons. The tensions this inflicts on children and the complications it creates for teachers have been extensively acknowledged. David Hargreaves stated; Pedagogy in schools is about mastering the art of controlling the behaviour of some thirty young persons of the same age, who are reluctantly enclosed in a room of modest size and who can be easily managed as thirty kittens can be herded. (Hargreaves, 2001:2 cited in Wedell, 2005) Hartley also mentions; If the government retains a bias towards whole- class, traditional pedagogy, then the costs may be reduced, teachers may be tamed, high-stakes scores will rise, and procedures may be standardised. But the economic benefits are likely to be few in the long term. (Hartley, 2003:91 cited in Wedell, 2005) These interpretations specify how features of the structure of schooling present difficulties for children with SEN in general. The government has introduced a mass deployment of teaching assistant(TAs)to aid teachers in these dilemmas , but class grouping still exists within a classroom .The provision of learning support assistants(LSAs)for pupils with special educational needs is perhaps a method of softening the blow for teachers who are in mainstream classes. It is recognised that the velcro-ing of LSAs to pupils occasionally becomes a system of within-class segregation (Wedell, 2005). The Pragmatic discourse states that for schools to achieve a more inclusive ethos, support will be needed to develop polices and practice(Dyson,2000) that not only allows all children to be supported but also convey the needs of the teachers as well (Hanko, 2003 cited in Hodkinson and Vickerman, 2009).Frederickson and Cilne (2002) declare that for schools to develop inclusion they must scrutinise how they might encourage involvement of the diversity of pupils that they assist within the community (Hodkinson and Vickerman, 2009). The Political discourse discusses the struggle (Vlachou, 1997, cited in Dyson, 2000) between views of teachers, parents and MPs. These conflicting opinions cause national education policies and legislations to frequently aggravate each other in their execution. The Audit Commission (2002) noticed that the application of the Statement process proceeded to pull finance away from local education authorities(LEAs).Funding for pupils with a statements ran at ten times the funding available for children with mild to moderate SEN without a statement. The 2004,OFSTED report on progress in inclusion found that for some schools inflexible timetabling ,staffing and non-existence initiative were handicaps to successful progress. Whereas The Audit Commissions (2002)refer to the predicaments faced by schools ,as they are put under pressure to achieve better academic results and to become inclusive(Wedell, 2005). In England, educational requirements for children with SEN are administrated by the Special Educational Needs Code of Practice (DFES, 2001a, cited in Hodkinson and Vickerman, 2009).Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales have similar Codes. The Code was launched in schools in 2002.The Code of Practice details the standards for the management of SEN provision (Soan, 2005, cited in Hodkinson and Vickerman, 2009). The Codes key objectives are that a child with SEN: should have their needs met, their needs will ordinarily be met in mainstream schools, the views of the child should be considered and children with SEN should be offered a diverse and significant education. The principles within the Code work alongside the statement of inclusion that exists within the National Curriculum (Soan, 2005, cited in Hodkinson and Vickerman, 2009).The National Curriculums principles of inclusion maintain that teachers will: set appropriate learning tasks for all children, respond to childrens varied learning requirements and overcome possible barriers to learning. It is evident that these two statements, conflict with each other ,due to the fact that they link to different models. Within the Code the childs difficulties are perceived to be the focus which associates the Code to the medical model, .(Soan,2005, ,cited in Hodkinson and Vickerman, 2009).Whereas the statement of inclusion expresses links to the social model as it looks at improving factors such as the learning environment (Alcott,2002). If the hurdles of implementing inclusion are to be weakened it would seem obvious that †¦.. individual pupils†¦. must be at the core of all we do'(Coles and Hancock,2001, cited in Hodkinson and Vickerman, 2009:88). A common issue with implementing inclusion is that perhaps to much time is spent over concerns about inputs and settings when perhaps more time should be spent on developing experiences and outcomes for the pupils.

Hakim Bey, Chaos: The Broadsheets of Ontological Anarchism :: Essays Papers

Hakim Bey, Chaos: The Broadsheets of Ontological Anarchism Such is the fast-paced world and style of Hakim Bey’s writings. Sporadic and rarely rounded up for interrogation, Bey’s Ontological Anarchism pervades all his writings, on topics as varied as â€Å"Islam and Eugenics†[1], â€Å"The Information War†[2], â€Å"The Evil Eye†[3], a critique of multiculturalism[4], and Celtic-African entheogens[5]. Hakim Bey’s zine writings and early 90’s hipsterism have made him known to some as â€Å"The Marco Polo of the Subunderground†[6] and a counter-cultural guru to many more. With information becoming more firm only in the last few years, Hakim Bey has been identified as a pseudonym for Peter Lamborn Wilson, a New York based translator and author. Drawing on his experiences wandering India, Asia, and North Africa, Hakim Bey authors (what offer to be) outrageous manifestos and leftist anarchist essays primarily for zine publication and distribution or for lectures and performance. He draws explicitly on a Moorish and sufiist intellectual heritage with occasional references to contemporary philosophers and cultural theorists. He situates himself as a post situationist anarchist informed by critical theory, and has written in both ctheory and Trip. Bey’s writing is ultimately so fascinating precisely because it does not fit neatly into a schools of thought, academic discipline, or a relation between the major figures of contemporary theory (eg loves Baudrillard, ignores Lacan, sometimes uses Foucault). As such, his writings are rather esoterically his own, and not only do not make their ties with other theorists explicit, but also cannot be immediately connected to theirs (because Bey’s assumptions are so different on account of his background’s differences from western academic philosophy). His work, as a theorist of media (and everything else), operates at a straightforward and accessible level, filled with obscure references that don’t point towards an expertise in his readership so much as an explosion of it. For some, his writings are meaningless babble on the level of Principia Discordia[7]. He does not get much mainstream citation except in regards to his concept of PT and the TAZ[8], but he does get plenty of crap. This disdain culminated in the publication of a ‘fake’ Hakim Bey book, actually written by â€Å"Luther Blissett†[9]. Hakim Bey is a persona. His behaviors and secrecy are all a part of the body of work of which he is accredited with authorship.

Addiction Counselors

Bowers, M. 2000). Young people and problem drug use : The role of attachment theory and family background. (Order No. Lull 35553, University of Leister (United Kingdom)). PACT – I-J & Ireland, Retrieved from http://search. Protest. Com/deceive/ 301 (301 545184). The findings show that the young people with drug use problems differed from the control group in that they emphasized the positive consequences of drug use and were more likely to leave school early. However, there was an absence of a direct relationship between family and related.Researches have been looking around efferent gender and match that the cases decrease among years, since there is an empty attach between family members. This research was based on different family experiences. Skillet, S. K. (2002). Causal attributions for problem drinking: Gender differences and predictors of therapeutic outcome. (Order No. Lull 58572, University of Leister (United Kingdom)). PACT – I-J & Ireland, Retrieved from htt p://search. Protest. Com/ (301 562982). Researchers at the Retrieved had identified a number of obstacles to treatment of late life depression.Based on their thesis consists of two studies to evaluate the effectiveness of a structured approach by primary care and community services to the identification and management of depression among older people. Phase One was a validation study of the short Geriatric Depression Scale as part of an annual over-75 health check by the practice nurse. Based on actual results the community services has increase among the age. Newborn, J. (2000). Dieters' experience of craving thoughts: The role of appraisal and thought control in dysfunctional eating behavior and emotional distress. (Order No. 13135627, University of Leister (United Kingdom)).PACT – I-J & Ireland, Retrieved from http://search. Protest. Com/deceive/301 545231 ? Accounted=35796. (301 545231). According to the Univac of Leister studies have shown that food cravings are a common place experience in the general population and ordinarily, are not associated with emotional distress or a lack of behavioral control. As a matter of fact some people with disordered eating, food cravings can be associated with significant distress and are implicated as a contributory factor in binge eating. So based on their recent advances in cognitive theory, I disagree since every person who crave food is eased on their state on mind.It really depends on every situation based on their needs. Reborn, L. C. (2002). Gender differences in body image dissatisfaction, eating disturbance and perception of media imagery in pre-adolescent children. (Order No. 13163247, University of Leister (United Kingdom)). PACT – I-J & Ireland, Retrieved from http://search. Protest. Com/deceive/301 554753? Accounted=35796. (301 554753). This study was to examine gender differences in body image dissatisfaction, disordered eating and drive for muscularity in pre-adolescent children based on the Edie facts.One hundred and ninety one children aged between nine and ten years participated in the study, and more than a half were or feel unhappy with their bodies. However, their expression of body image dissatisfaction differed, in that most girls wished for a thinner body shape, whereas the boys were equally split between those who wished to be thinner and those who wished to be larger. There were no gender differences in levels of eating disturbance. Researchers were inspired and extent their research based on the answers and numbers of this study.

National Jazz Hall

QSO-640 Midterm Robert Wilson Question 1 The project that Mr. Rutland is trying to manage is establishing maintaining a National Jazz Hall of Fame(NJHF) in Charlottesville, VA. The NHJF was created and has been in existence for about one year. Now, Mr. Rutland has found that the Paramount Theatre in downtown Charlottesville, which shares it’s name with a famous jazz hall from the 1930s and 40s in New York City, is about to be demolished and would like to save and renovate the building as the headquarters for the NJHF.The Paramount Theatre would be where the NJHF would be located and provide a venue for a museum, archives and a concert center. This would also allow the NJHF to sponsor jazz festivals, workshops and scholarships. The museum would be used to remember great jazz artists, serve jazz enthusiasts along with education he public on the importance of jazz in American culture and history. Question 2 The stakeholders in this project begin with Mr. Rutland himself.After tha t, some of the other stakeholders include the board of directors for the NHJF, the City of Charlottesville departments renovating the historic district of downtown Charlottesville, the consultant hired by the board, other tourist attractions in around Charlottesville and in Western Virginia, they include Monticello, James Monroe’s house, and the University of Virginia. Other stakeholders would be the contractors employed to renovate the Paramount, possible donors to the project, they could be private as well as governmental such as the National Endowment for the Arts, and the National Endowment for the Humanities.The potential jazz performers that are potential members of the NJHF are also very important stakeholders. If this is not a highly recognized and reputable hall of fame, some of these iconic jazz musicians will not want to be members of the organization. Finally, jazz fans as a whole are key stakeholders as well. Without them, there would not be a need for this type of attraction. Question 3 There are three major issues facing Mr. Rutland and the NJHF. They are: 1. Fund raising, 2. Building and leading a professional team to complete the project. 3. Marketing in order to promote the NJHF and gain national recognition.In order to successfully address these issues the following skills will be needed: Good communication skills – Since the PM will be dealing with many different type of people, groups and audiences, they will need to be able to communicate effectively on all of these different levels. They need to communicate with government entities in order to secure the necessary permits and inspections once the theatre is set to be renovated. They will have to speak with philanthropic groups in order to raise private funds for the renovation of the theatre along with donations to run the NJHF.In order to gain public funding, the PM will have to address government agencies such as the National Endowment for the Arts. For issue two, the PM will be the team leader and have to communicate well with each group of the project team. They will have to work with the different teams to create the renovation plan. Once that is done, they will have to work with many different contractors to secure bids before deciding on who will complete the renovations. Other groups that the PM will have to communicate would include the finance team, the procurement team and the budget team.As for issue number 3, the PM will have to work with several marketing firms who specialize in the work needed for the NJHF to establish national recognition. They will have to meet with many different firms in order to select the best one for the NJHF. Once that group is selected, the PM will be the interface to that group for the project. Communications with this group will of course be vital to the longevity of the NJHF. Ability to command respect – The PM needs to be to command respect from every group involved in each aspect of the project.With out respect, none of the groups will be â€Å"encouraged† to complete their assigned tasks. Also, without respect the project as a whole will not have any credibility. It is this respect and credibility that will help generate private and government funding. Also, if there is no respect in the project, the NJHF will not gain any respect in the Jazz community. Without that, why would any of the potentials jazz musicians want to be a member of this hall of fame? Conflict Resolution skills – this is a basic skill that every PM must have. Without it, no project would move forward.In this project, the conflicts could be many for all three issues. If the PM cannot resolve the conflicts that will arise from the renovation of the theatre alone, the other two issue will never come to fruition. Good knowledge of project management principles – Of all of the PM principles, risk management is key in this project. If you look at issue two, fundraising, what happens to the pr oject if a major source of funding becomes compromised? One real world example is the Boy Scouts of America. They received almost 40% of their annual budget from a donation by the American United Way.A few years ago, the United Way reduced their donation significantly. The BSA now receives only one percent of its budget from that organization. It was real blow to their ability to maintain their year round projects. In order to recoup this budgetary loss, they established the Friends of Scouting project. They now solicit donations from the parents of Scouts, former Scouts and other companies and non-profit organizations to fulfill the gap. The PM for this project will have to have contingency plans in place like the BSA has done.Be comfortable in an uncertain environment – This is a huge, multifaceted project that a PM can understand every aspect. The PM for this project needs to be able to manage well the pieces they know very well and have the ability to manage the pieces th ey are not so familiar with. They need to put the right people in place for the aspects of the project they are the least familiar. Say the PM is strong in construction but weak in fund raising, they need to find a good fund raiser and someone who is good with marketing. Question 4 I feel that Mr. Rutland does have credibility.He is a professor of History at the University of Virginia. I don’t think that he would have been able to have had jazz greats, Benny Goodman and Chick Corea join the NJHF National Advisory board if they didn’t feel that Mr. Rutland and the board of directors he established were credible. Having two famous jazz musicians like that on the board definitely adds credence and credibility to Mr. Rutland’s plan. Is Mr. Rutland a leader? A leader is defined as â€Å"interpersonal influence, exercised in situations and directed through the communication process, toward the arraignment of a specified goal of goals. † Mr.Rutland has shown tha t ability in the first year of building the NJHF. Mr. Rutland came up with the NJHF and locating it in Charlottesville, VA. He enlisted the help of his fellow jazz enthusiast, and created the board of directors for the hall of fame. After that he found a possible building location that, by name, has ties to the famous jazz era of the 1930s and 19402 in New York City. This would give the NJHF a headquarters with a credible and recognizable name. After establishing the board, Mr. Rutland went out to generate funds for the hall by applying for grants from philanthropic groups along with various government agencies.They were denied for two reasons, inexperience of the board members and the brevity of their existence. This could not be construed negatively toward the board or affect their credibility. Mr. Rutland also understood that the NJHF would need visitors to help generate revenue to continue the hall’s existence. He found that over half a million people visit the Charlottes ville area to see many other attractions. He knew he had to work with the various venues and tourist organization to help promote the NJHF as a viable attraction. Finally Mr.Rutland showed his leadership in hiring a consultant to help answer two questions. One, what is the interest level of the respondents for jazz and the establishment of a National Jazz Hall of Fame. The survey was conducted on a national level and on a local level. This allows Mr. Rutland to find out if people were actually interested in a Jazz Hall of Fame and if they would attend, jazz music as a whole, if people would be willing to donate money to such an organization, what services and events they would expect from the hall and what the average person interested in such a place would be willing to pay for admission.This gave the board an idea of what kind of funding they could expect fromt eh public through donations and admission fees. Question 5 The cultures relevant to this project are the African-American , Cajun, Africans, and American. Jazz was influenced by different cultures and sub-cultures. The music also has roots in the development of other music movements around the world. In the US, Jazz has influenced, the Blues, R&B, Motown, Dixieland, Classical and Country music. Jazz is a melting pot of music as well having its roots in other genres.The project environment for the National Jazz Hall of Fame was a struggle to get off the ground, but was met with great enthusiasm. After the first year, even though they had many setbacks due to difficulties raising contributions from outside sources and finding out they needed at least $600,000 to renovate the theatre, Mr. Rutland and the board felt the project showed promise. Mr. Rutland did not seem to give up, but found other ways to promote and endow the NJHF. He tried to utilized the local tourism outlets, the NJHF promoted concerts to raise money and awareness.Mr. Rutland visited other halls of fame to gain ideas and insights into th eir success. He also commissioned a two surveys to gather information about the viability and interest the public would have for a jazz hall of fame. Question 6 Mr. Rutland should do the following: Budget- Philanthropic organizations – Since they had difficulties raising funds from these types of organizations due to a lack of experience on the part of the board, they need to hire an executive director with fund raising experience.This will give them someone with the proper background that these organization are looking for and a higher level of credibility. This will help solidify them as a true purveyor of a hall of fame for Jazz. Government Agencies – Once they have a qualified executive director and have been established for over two years, they should reapply for government funds from groups like the National Endowment for the Arts. They will be able to get enough funds so that they may even begin to renovate the theatre. Donations – The survey showed that they could receive an average of $23. 0 per donation. They should pursue a low cost way of garnering these donations in order to increase their bottom line. The survey targeted individuals over 35 years old with an income of $50,000+. Perhaps they can target other age and income range along with woman. Memberships – These are an excellent way to raise money. You can usually provide a few low cost incentives to individuals and they will pay a little more of an admission fee to benefit from those perks. However, at this time, without an actually facility for the hall of fame, memberships may be something they should wait on.It was recommended that they pursue Founding Memberships. This would be a more viable option until it is decided on where the actual NJHF will be located. Everyone likes to say that they were the first ones to be involved in a new endeavor. Visitors – The survey found that the average admission fee could be $3. 50. This is a good price considering how many tourists visit the Charlottesville area. Again, until a facility if build and functional, this idea should be set aside. Budget – Expenditures. The Paramount Theatre is the NJHF’s largest expenditure at $600,000.Other expenditures are the cost of the surveys. Future costs will be setting up the Founding Membership accounts, the regular memberships (if any), the salary of the executive director and all of the operational costs of an office for that individual. There will also have to be a budget for correspondence, fliers for concerts and workshops, etc. A Travel budget for the executive director will be required as well. Performance: service/activities The NJHF will have to continue to sponsor concerts and workshops.This will help them promote their mission along with getting their name out there. Offering a scholarship will help as well. This would also help gain credibility with the National Association of Jazz Educators. Competition – The NJHF needs to work with their competition. This will allow them to learn about how they are doing things. What works and what does not. It could also give them an opportunity to create an association with other hall of fames. This would make them appear more established. They could use their competitions success to their advantage.Schedule – First thing would be to hire an experience executive director. I think the NJHF’s first window of opportunity will come when they have been around for over two years so they qualify for government funding. Their first milestone could be signing up their first Founding Member. This would give them a good jumping off point to establish a large group of Members. http://businessmanstar. blogspot. com/2012/01/national-jazz-hall-of-fame-njhf-case. html http://www. expertprogrammanagement. com/2009/06/required-skills-to-be-a-program-manager/

On the Inheritance of Acquired Traits and the Theory of Use and Disuse. Essay Example

On the Inheritance of Acquired Traits and the Theory of Use and Disuse. Essay Example On the Inheritance of Acquired Traits and the Theory of Use and Disuse. Paper On the Inheritance of Acquired Traits and the Theory of Use and Disuse. Paper On the Inheritance of Acquired Traits and the Theory of Use and Disuse. Charles Darwin’s On the Origin of Species described in great detail a means to explain the theory of evolution through natural selection. Within his work he makes many observations in relation to the heritability of acquired characteristics. As he describes the effects of artificial selection, he dawns on the topic of â€Å"The effects of habit and of the use or disuse of parts; correlated variation; inheritance†(Darwin, p10). Darwin makes the observation, when speaking of domesticated mammals, that â€Å"not one of our domesticated animals can be named which has not in some country drooping ears the drooping is due to the disuse of muscles of the ear, from the animals being seldom much alarmed†(Darwin, p10). Darwin argues that the increased use or disuse of parts in an animals lifetime result in heritable variation that can be passed on to their offspring. This variation he argues, is the basis for which animals develop advantageous traits and lose deleterious ones. Darwin bases his theory of heritable variation on the theory of acquired heritability, and the use and disuse principle, which was proposed by Lamarck. Being the predominant idea at the time the theory of Use and disuse states that, â€Å"use would cause the structure to increase in size over several generations, whereas disuse would cause it to shrink or even disappear†(Waggoner 1996). His second principle, or the idea of acquired heritability states that, â€Å"all such changes were heritable†(Waggoner 1996). Using these principles Darwin attempted to describe the relationships between organisms, the variation that resulted in speciation, and the evolutionary implications of those postulates. Lamarck’s theories provided a mechanism by which Darwin could explain natural selection and evolution, and in this respect they were invaluable. These theories however, are now known to be incorrect. The first principle of use and disuse can be dis-proven by the modern evolutionary principle that natural selection can act only on variability already present within a population. Genetic variation is already present in natural populations and selection acting on this variation results in evolution. The second principle of acquired heritability can be disproved under this same idea. Any particular advantageous trait(s) that an organism may develop during their lifetime, is a result of a genetic basis for that trait already present in the population or that may have arisen through mutation. The fitness increase caused by such a trait would result in the fixation of that trait in a population, so it would seem that an advantageous trait was inherited as a result of the parent organism developing that trait through use or disuse. Without a genetic background to explain heritability Lamarck’s theories made the most sense at the time. Since Darwin’s elaboration on the theory of evolution and heritability, numerous genetic experiments have taken place to attempt to provide a better understanding of the laws of heritability. Darwin makes several assertions within the first chapter of On the Origin of Species that defend his ideas to this day. His idea of correlated variation, or the idea that certain traits are associated with each other is explained by the statement that, â€Å"if man goes on selecting, and thus augmenting any peculiarity, he will almost certainly modify unintentionally other parts of the structure, owing to the mysterious laws of correlation†(Darwin, p11). What Darwin was referring to, although he didn’t know it, was idea of genetic linkage, or that certain traits are associated with others through genetic linkage on a genome. Darwin used the domestication of the canine as an example of artificial selection to aid in his explanation of heritable variation. He focuses on the idea that while the domestic dog is one species, a significant degree of variation can be seen within that species that has been acquired over time. The large degree of variation seen in domestic dogs can be explained by a domestication experiment conducted on foxes. Through genetic mapping scientist have been able to â€Å"identify a locus that is orthologous to, and therefore validates, a genomic region recently implicated in the domestication of dogs†(Kukekova et al. 2011). This locus is significant because selection for a behavioral trait can cause the selection of several phenotypic changes associated with that trait. Because of the prescience of a discrete locus for tame vs. aggressive behavior the canine and other related species were predisposed for domestication by humans. The subsequent phenotypic variation that followe d with the domestication of dogs was due to the prescience of alleles associated with the locus for tame behavior. Domestication presents the unique result that, â€Å"when subjected to domestication, animals whose evolutionary pathways did not cross, started to evolve in the same direction†(Kukekova et al. , 2011). The species of mammals that have been domesticated, show similar morphological changes associated with tame behavioral patterns(see figure 2). Darwin suggested that certain features shared by domestic animals are a result of their domestication, when in actuality it is the reverse effect. Certain features shared by domestic animals are the result of their ancestral varieties being predisposed to domestication because of variation already present in their natural populations. The commonalities shared among domesticates of multiple species rules out the idea that these animals acquired those traits due to environmental factors. Environmental factors are so variable, that it would be impossible if not highly improbable that the majority of domesticated mammals would develop such similar characteristics. In addition, â€Å"it seems unlikely that these similar trends of morphological and physiological transformation of different domestic animals depend on homology-independent mutations of structural homologous genes†(Trut et al. , 2009). The association between a docile nature, and distinct morphological changes seen across multiple species suggests that these animals share a similar genetic structure and share a common ancestor. A shared, relatively recent common ancestor would explain why highly divergent species under selection for a particular trait would evolve similar characteristics. Another observation that Darwin poses as evidence for acquired heritability, and one of the most well know is that of the giraffe and its long neck. Darwin presents that, â€Å"the giraffe, by its lofty stature, much elongated neck, forelegs, head and tongue, has its whole frame beautifully adapted for browsing on the higher branches of trees. It can thus obtain food beyond the reach of the other Ungulata or hoofed animals inhabiting the same country; and this must be a great advantage to it during dearths†(Darwin, p104). Darwin goes on to suggest that over time as giraffes stretched their necks farther, those that could reach the highest branches and used their long necks to the greatest advantage would pass those traits on to their offspring. Studies have shown however, that this observation is flawed because of multiple disadvantages that giraffes suffer as a result of their long necks, and behavioral tendencies of the species that suggest it provides no particular advantage during dearths. The first flaw with Darwin’s observations of the giraffe stem from the fact that if giraffes possessed a truly significant advantage over other ungulata, then why aven’t more long necked species evolved? In addition, why haven’t shorter species of ungulata suffered greatly or gone extinct in prolonged periods of dearth? Evidence suggests that, â€Å"animals frequently feed at shoulder level during winter bottlenecks, when their neck should assist them in gaining a feeding height advantageâ € (Simmons and Altwegg, 2009). Feeding at lower heights rules out the idea that the giraffe’s long neck provides a significant advantage over other species during dearth. Many studies have suggested that the long necks have evolved through sexual selection, as males use their necks in mating displays, as well as for male-male competition for females. The males with larger necks tend to be preferred by oestrous females and more commonly win contests for access to females(Simmons and Altwegg, 2009). If one looks at physiology of a giraffe there are many disadvantages to their elongated neck and bone structure. As the neck grows longer more energy is required to pump blood to the brain and there is a greater probability that an organism will sustain injury due to elongated limbs(Mitchell and Skinner, 2003). When giraffes drink water they must spread their forelimbs in an awkward position that takes time and increases their vulnerability to predators. A disadvantage such as their inability to reach the ground from standing position suggests that giraffes most likely evolved their long necks from sexual selection pressure, which can select for traits that could potentially decrease lifespan in return for increased reproductive success. The disadvantages to the giraffes long neck coupled with its relatively limited advantages rule out the possibility that they gained this trait through acquired heritability, or even natural selection. While Darwin was mistaken about the mechanism by which organisms acquired advantageous traits, he made many accurate observations and was able to make many accurate predictions from those observations that still hold true today. Regardless of his lack of knowledge of the laws of heritability, Darwin was able to describe correlated variation in great detail, and elaborate on its importance to the heritability of traits. Darwin provided a logical analysis of his observations and provided a solid basis for which other scientists could test and elaborate on his theories. Lastly, Darwin’s observations were accurate and logical however, because he lacked a mechanism for which to describe how traits were inherited, he based his assumptions on the theories of acquired heritability and use/disuse, which we know now to be incorrect. (from Trut. et al. 2009) References: 1. Darwin, Charles. (1859). On the Origin of Species. London: John Murray. 2. Waggoner, B. (1996). Jean-Baptiste Lamarck (1744-1829). UCMP Berkeley. ucmp. berkeley. edu/history/lamarck. html 3. Kukokeva, A. V. et al. (2011). Mapping Loci for Fox Domestication: Deconstruction/Reconstruction of a Behavioral Phenotype. Behav Genet, 41: 593-606. 4. Trut, L. et al. (2009). Animal Evolution During Domestication: the domesticated fox as a model. BioEssays, 31: 349-360. 5. Simmons, R. E. , Altwegg, R. (2009). Necks-for-sex or Competing Browsers? A Critique of Ideas on the Evolution of the Giraffe. Journal of Zoology, 282: 6-12. 6. Mitchell, G. , Skinner, J. D. (2003). On the Origin, Evolution and Phylogeny of Giraffes Giraffa camelopardalis. Transactions of the Royal Society of South Africa, 58(1): 51-73.

Research Paper on Health

Research Paper on Health Multi professional / disciplinary working is essential in public health, since it draws on theatrical perspectives from a wide range of fields (Naidoo Wills 2001). It is the intention of this essay to demonstrate the importance of this, by evaluating some opposing disciplines that contribute to the field. I would like to explore the diversities of perspectives such as Epidemiology, Social Sciences and the contribution of the public/lay perspectives, to illustrate how ideas from different disciplines contribute to an understanding of public health. By evaluating some of the opposing approaches to public health and highlighting how these diverse disciplines often come from different academic and organisational cultures, it should demonstrate what different perspectives offer to the public health debate and why is a necessity for then to work together. It also offers an analysis of the challenges to public health being a truly multi disciplinary profession. Epidemiology is defined as â€Å"the study of patterns of disease occurrence in human populations and the factors that influence these  patterns† (Lilienfeld Lilienfeld, 1980 as cited in moon, 2000 p1). However public health entails far more that bio-physiological factors and requires investigation of the social context and public/lay perspectives. Sociology examines the social dimensions of health, illness and health care and what accounts for the socio-economic inequalities in public health. It looks at how the social structures, institutions and processes affect health and what is the relation between the professional disciplines and the public (Daykin as cited in Naidoo 2001 p102). Social science is used in the same context as (Williams G Popay J 1997) referring to researchers/disciplines that look at the â€Å" influence of the economic and political context of Britain and other western countries mainly in the late 20 century over the heath of the populations†. Naidoo Wills (2001 p2) offer a reminder that the notion of multi professional working is not a new concept in the study of health. (WHO 1946 cited in Naidoo Wills 2001p2) was one of the first to look at health holistically describing it as a state of complete will being and although this may be considered utopia today, it still highlights the multi dimensional aspects of health and offers arguments as to why disciplines must work in a multi disciplinary way. The most recent government is pressing the idea that public health should be a multi disciplinary profession and wants to bring in more integrated and partnership working with these disciplines. It sees it as one of the ways forward to rid health of the internal market philosophies of the previous Government (Partnership in Action D of H 1998). (The New NHS: Modern and Dependable D of H.1997; Making a Difference: A Strategy for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting D of H.1999; NHS Plan D of H. 2000) jointly pledge to introduce new ways of partnership working and among their concurrent objectives, to raise the profile of public health. Working across boundaries is seen as vital in working with the most vulnerable in society that previously have been missed (D of H 1997). It builds devices around the needs of those whose are most in need and avoids duplication (D of H 1998) and if professionals do not work together then will find themselves in no mans land. (D of H 1998). This docume nt is trying to give different agencies more power to work together by pooling budgets, having lead commissioners, integrating provision and incentives. It could be a challenge for public  health to be a truely multi-displinary profession when medicine has dominated in public health in the past. Modern epidemiological studies have however, contributed greatly and influenced public health work and policies, in trying to change individual’s lifestyles (D of H 1992). However, persistent limitations of this approach has led to the acknowledgement for the wider influences that effect public health, mainly that of health inequalities (D of H, 1999), (D of H, 2001a). These documents recognise that to achieve a comprehensive understanding of public health it is necessary to look beyond â€Å"malfunctioning of the physical body† and investigate, â€Å"societal and cultural factors along side†(Naidoo et al 2001) This essay argues that more credence must be given to social science research, if public health is to be effective. It is clear that if we are going to work effectively on public health then professions must not only work together in a multi disciplinary way but must also listen to what the public say about their own health needs (Williams G Popay J (1997). Recent documents such as the expert patient (D of H, 2001b) and â€Å"Shifting the balance of power† (D of H 200a) offer a basis for involving the public, however it remains a challenge about how to work in conjunction with everyone with our current, diverse and multi cultural society. More innovative research is needed, including both epidemiological and social perspectives. To understand the constraints of multi- professional working within public health, it is necessary to look at the history behind public health, especially the contributions of Epidemiology, which has focused on the causes of disease at population level and continues to be considered one of the most important sciences contributing to it. (Beaglehole Bonita, 1997). By the end of the Victorian era, public health had moved into two very distinct areas that were quite separate. The first was involved in the general improvements of social conditions and the second concentrated on the development of specific preventative and curative health services ( Baggott 2000) Epidemiology since the nineteenth century has had an enormous impact on public health with wide ranging achievements (susser susser, 1996) starting with improvements in drainage and sewerage, initiating statistical evidence, recognising and tackling environmental and social factors that have effected health. Work was also done o n eradicating infectious diseases though the development of vaccinations. Effects on public health by this discipline have not all been seen as beneficial and the insights gained previously into environmental factors and poverty were somewhat lost with this dominant but narrow biomedical approach (Baggett R 2000). Mc known 1976 even observed that health improvements have less to do with immunisations and more to do with improving socio economic factors. From a social perspective (Williams G pope, 1997) go further than this and claim that this medical led power may have led to people not focusing on social reform as much and that in fact in the recent decades as historically, the poor have continued to be blamed for illness and the disease. They feel that to much credence has been given to data collecting and the epidemiological model, so to stifle public health work. They also claim that the public and lay views are just as valid and that general feelings and perceptions are equally as important.Those from a medical health background to give less credence to socilogocal  perspectives especially the lay involvement in health matters(Heller T 2001) claims that to ensure that medicine continues to be the lead in many public health issues there needs to be more evicence base and it is the lack of this has caused problems in dilemmas around the medical perceptions of important health issues and those of the public i.e. MMR vaccination debate. This is particularly significant in today’s climate of clinical governance and evidence –based practise (D of H, 1997 and 1998) These ideologies have had a major impact on Epidemiology where there have been criticisms regarding the standards of research and data collection and yet in contrast ,there appears to be a complex confusion of views between the various disciplines with the government saying they want more evidence based practise from the scientific disciplines and equally a desire for the public to be listed to and involved . whilst Black (2001) claims there needs to be a more sustained drive to collect and use evidence as an underpinning of health policies at all levels and that despite the rhetoric and  criticism around their own discipline , health policy makers equally develop their policies largely in an evidence-free zone (Black 2001). Povey (1998) states very strongly that Lay people need to be much more involved in order to include the social and cultural context of public health This term â€Å"lay† refers to people who are not health care professionals or researchers but may have a specialist knowledge related to health including the general public and consumer advocates. (Entwistle et al 1998). This essay would also like to argue that the lay perspective should be included in any debate around multi- professional working, Even though they are not health professionals but are very much needed for the social and cultural context (povey 1998) It has also been claimed that duee to the way medicine it constructed, it contributes to contribute to a loss of individual autonomy for example medicine has encroached on normal things such as life and death (mckeown, 1976) and that public health research, especially that of Epidemiology ,has increasingly excluded from its ‘microscope attention’ the voices of the people (Williams et al 1997). Whilst Epidemiology has indeed done great things in the development of the fight against infection., the power that Epidemiology was then consequently afforded in public health meant that they focused on these areas somewhat to the exclusion of the political need to look at social inequalities and injustices. Historically all disciplines come from differing perspectives with different concepts models highlighting why it must be necessarily multi disciplinary but it is relatively recently that people have really started to link the different perspectives to health (stansfield 1999 c ited in Naidoo 2001) and therefore highlighting the need for them to collaborate and make connections when working together for the improvement of the public’s health. It would appear that reflecting on this review of public Health history, that Epidemiology has had significant successes and the knowledge and influence that it has gained have influenced many public health policies and campaigns such as â€Å"Health of the Nation†, (D of H, 1992). But despite the measures by Epidemiology to demonstrate strong associations of risk factors Emslie et al (2001 a p25) suggest that the current â€Å"evidence on the effectiveness of health advice to modify behavioural risk factors, is discouraging† and propose that an â€Å"urgent need to understand the public perceptions of the causes and consequences is needed†. (Parsons 1951) first developed the concept that ill health should be viewed in relation to the society as a whole and not just as the individual, which very much forms the basis of public health work today . This backs up all the recent social science research of health being strongly patterned by social factors. People do no t have equal chance of enjoying health or living to old age and deprived groups experience poorer health, higher levels of mortality and there are differences in class gender sexuality and ethnicity. When looking at why these inequalities persist it offers a view of how the medical perspective of health can be at odds with  sociological and public  perception (Naidoo page social science) (Williams G et al1997) recorded some interesting research done in Salford, which has some of the poorest population in Great Britain within the ward. This research claimed that the public were able to present a sophisticated understanding of the network of factors which may structure perceptions of ill health and related risks i.e smoking through despair is an obvious well researched example (Graham, 1987 and 1993)This research indicated that the traditional health education messages alone do not work .people in these poorest wards well know the health related risks that they faced i.e. the effects of smoking, drinking, drugs poor diet and exercise etc but most of the respondents cited structural and socio- economic factors as the most powerful influences on their health such as living in high rise flats and the stresses of bringing up young children in this environment that caused depression and isolation . Unemployment, poverty, economic decline and fear of crime were all put down as the most signifant cause of their poor health.  Heat education alone may have increased knowledge, but have failed to address the real issues of public health and have possibly caused an era of victim blaming. Epidemiology has been criticised for its methodological individualism (Diex- Roux, 1998 p 216) and as with (William g povey), (Schwartz Carpenter 1999) and (Pearce, 1996) they all criticise modern Epidemiology for its disregard of wider socio-cultural, temporal issues. It is suggested that contextual or multilevel analyses to investigate individual and multi-level variables would bring context back to Epidemiology Diex-Rusx 1992 p216) It is clear therefore that â€Å"public health has to be multi disciplinary because social factors such as income, housing, and employment have been shown to have greatest impact on health status than health care† (Modernising Health and Social Services 1998) Multi disciplinary working is recognised in health improvement guidance (D of H, 1997) where the shared responsibility for health between local authorities, NHS and their partners is highlighted. There have bewen many changes in public health, in recent years and we are now more likely to hear that the pattern of health inequality is about where you live and whether you are rich or poor, rather that you own lifestyle decisions. (Mitchell R et al 2000). This report on the Inequalities in Life and Death claims that all health changes can be manipulated though radical social policy changes. The new approaches to Epidemiology also sound promising with a suggestion of a new era of eco-Epidemiology addressing health at population, societal and individual levels. However without a multi disciplinary approach to epidemiological research, it will fail to investigate context and will continue to provide invalid conclusions and recommendations for public health. Diez- roux (1998) acknowledges that defining and measuring contextual variables is problematic and Epidemiology must create methods of research that incorporate both qualitative and quantitative approaches. This can only happen with collaboration with different disciplines. Especially social and cultural methodologies. Much of the work done around involving the public derives from a sociological perspective and this has also helped to produce useful models for health promotion. Public health disciplines must continue to adopt socially aware and multi disciplinary approaches. They must continue to liase with and involve the public who are empowering themselves often by gathering information over the internet (Hardy 1999). If health promotion is to be truly multi disciplinary then disciplines shoulimitations when standing alone which leads to the need for them not to stand alone but be a part of the debate Naidoo page2 the value of people working in a multi disciplinary way is that by drawing on many different expertise, a fuller account of public health can begin to challenge existing boundaries of knowledge that lead to only a partial understanding of health. In this assignment, I hope to have also argued that whilst inter professional working is vital in public health and indeed there are barriers too it. It is also equally as important to ensure that the public or consumers of the professionals have a greater say in the quality and nature of the provision. . There will always be intellectual tensions between disciplines but this should provide the basis for invigorating debate rather than mutual hostility (Williams 1997) Naidoo By working in a multi. Public Health is far too complex to be interpret ed in a single discipline.

King Cotton and the Economy of the Old South

King Cotton and the Economy of the Old South King Cotton was a phrase coined in the years before the Civil War to refer to the economy of the American South. The southern economy was particularly dependent on cotton. And, as cotton was very much in demand, both in America and Europe, it created a special set of circumstances. Great profits could be made by growing cotton. But as most of the cotton was being picked by enslaved people, the cotton industry was essentially synonymous with slavery. And by extension,  the thriving textile industry, which was centered on mills in northern states as well as in England, was inextricably linked to the institution of American  slavery. When the banking system of the United States was rocked by periodic financial panics, the cotton-based economy of the South was at times immune to the problems. Following the Panic of 1857, a South Carolina senator, James Hammond, taunted politicians from the North during a debate in the U.S. Senate: You dare not make war on cotton. No power on earth dares make war upon it. Cotton is king. As the textile industry in England imported vast quantities of cotton from the American South, some political leaders in the South were hopeful that Great Britain might support the Confederacy during the Civil War. That did not happen. With cotton serving as the economic backbone of the South before the Civil War, the loss of enslaved labor that came with  emancipation  changed the situation. However, with the institution of sharecropping, which in practice was generally close to slave labor, the dependence on cotton as a primary crop continued well into the 20th century. Conditions Which Led to a Dependence on Cotton When white settlers came into the American South, they discovered very fertile farmland which turned out to be some of the best lands in the world for growing cotton. Eli Whitneys invention of the cotton gin, which automated the work of cleaning cotton fiber, made it possible to process more cotton than ever before. And, of course, what made enormous cotton crops profitable was cheap labor, in the form of enslaved Africans. The picking of cotton fibers from the plants was very difficult to work which had to be done by hand. So the harvesting of cotton required an enormous workforce. As the cotton industry grew, the number of slaves in America also increased during the early 19th century. Many of them, especially in the lower South, were engaged in cotton farming. And though the United States instituted a ban against importing slaves early in the 19th century, the growing need for slaves to farm cotton inspired a large and thriving internal slave trade. For example, slave traders in Virginia would transport slaves southward, to the slave markets in New Orleans and other Deep South cities. Dependence on Cotton Was a Mixed Blessing By the time of the Civil War, two-thirds of the cotton produced in the world came from the American South. Textile factories in Britain used enormous quantities of cotton from America. When the Civil War began, the Union Navy blockaded the ports of the South as part of General Winfield Scotts Anaconda Plan. And  cotton exports were effectively stopped. While some cotton was able to get out, carried by ships known as blockade runners, it became  impossible to maintain a steady supply of American cotton to British mills. Cotton growers in other countries, primarily Egypt and India, increased production to satisfy the British market. And with the cotton economy essentially stalled, the South was at a severe economic disadvantage during the Civil War. It has been estimated that cotton exports before the Civil War were approximately $192 million. In 1865, following the end of the war, exports amounted to less than $7 million. Cotton Production After the Civil War Though the war ended the use of enslaved labor in the cotton industry, cotton was still the preferred crop in the South. The system of sharecropping, in which farmers did not own the land but worked it for a portion of the profits, came into widespread use. And the most common crop in the sharecropping system was cotton. In the later decades of the 19th-century prices of cotton dropped, and that contributed to the severe poverty throughout much of the South. The reliance upon cotton, which had been so profitable earlier in the century, proved to be a severe problem by the 1880s and 1890s.

Understanding falling incidents in older adults Essay

Understanding falling incidents in older adults - Essay Example This is a critical appraisal of two research papers which reflect studies in the problems of falling as issues for older adults. The two papers to be critically appraised are ‘Moving Forward in Fall Prevention: An Intervention to Improve Balance Among Older Adults in Real-World Settings’ (Robitaille et al. 2005) and ‘A Randomized Controlled Trial of a Multifactorial Falls Prevention Intervention for Older Fallers Presenting to Emergency Departments’ by Russell et al. (2010). These papers were chosen because they represent an aspect of my field of practice – working with older adults. The paper is divided into five sections: Part I: the Introduction; Part II: Methodology of Selection for the papers chosen for this study; Part III: Critical Summaries which outlines the purpose, structure and results of the studies; Part IV: Discussion of Findings which provides the results and the why of the results; and Part V: Personal Reflection which provides inform ation on how this paper and the studies relate to my field of practice.When mature adults move into the senior years, there are a number of functions that begin to slow down and one of these is the ability to recover from a stumble, or tripping over an object. Regaining one’s balance is harder because reaction time in physical recovery is slower (Sollitto 2013). Loss of muscle structure is also a key component which is obviously evident when older adults exercise less because they tire more often or may have some underlying illness. As vision deteriorates with age, perception of distance and depth may also cause problems, particularly when using bifocal or trifocal where looking quickly over the glass lens can change the focus of depth to something that it is not (Sollitto 2013). Falling down can also cause fractured or broken bones because older bones are more brittle. They also will not heal as easily, and it is important to provide nutritional information and appropriate m edical intervention to keep the elder adult healthy with quality of life (Sollitto 2013). Part II: Methodology of Selection The selection for determining the papers used in this research required that the studies had to have been done within the past decade, 2003-2013. This would provide more information that utilized the latest in research skills, study design and data analysis of the study results. Several medical websites such as COCHRANE, PubMed and other journal repositories, were used in the search process along with specific search terms in order to pull studies that reflected the subject matter of senior adults and falling issues. Internet Research, Search Terms and Papers Website Search Terms Used Papers Reviewed – Not Used COCHRANE Library ‘old people falling ratios,’ ‘research studies on falls by the elderly’ ‘Population-based interventions for the prevention of fall-related injuries in older people’, McClure et al. (2008). Pu bMed ‘falling down statistics in elderly’, ‘balance research in falls’ ‘Peculiarities of postural balance among elderly men with fear of falling syndrome’, Gerontol (2012). Amedeo - Medical Literature Guide ‘elderly falling ratios’, ‘balance problems in elderly’ ‘Reliability and validity of the Persian lower extremity functional scale

Service Starbuck's Style Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Service Starbuck's Style - Case Study Example Miss Day has identified from the research which the company has done that customers are waiting too long to get their coffee. She proposes to ``invest additional $40 million annually in the company's 4,500 stores, which would allow each store to add the equivalent of 20 hours of labor a week.`` Customers who were surveyed noted that the length of time they had to wait was too long, and the research also found that the typical customer base was also changing. The team also learned that, although the company's most frequent customers averaged 18visits a month, the typical customer visited just five times a month (see Figure A below). This is a key element of marketing that the customer base is changing. The most frequent customers are less affluent and spend less money per visit. Therefore, to accommodate this change, Starbucks needs to do two things: provide faster service and increase the visits from the new customer base. According to the graph above, the new base comprises 80% of the traffic but visits fewer than eight times per month. Since this base is less affluent, they contribute only 40% of the total transactions for revenue. However, the waiting time for service may be contributing greatly to the fewer visits, since the less affluent base is likely to have less leisure time. As long as Starbucks continues to provide high-quality beverages and a welcoming atmosphere, their affluent customer base will continue to visit up to 18 times per month, and their contribution of 60% of the revenue in stores will continue. It is the new customer base that has to become more pleased with the service, and increasing the throughput will likely increase this base also as word gets around that waiting time is short. Lessening the waiting time for service will make the entire customer base happier, so will not cause any harm to the 60% transactions.

Production of computers of various brands Essay

Production of computers of various brands - Essay Example Relevance to lifestyle of customer –the brands to be produced by Global Ventures Plc will be relevant to the lifestyle of various customers .there will be computers specifically designed and with can only be afforded for high class groups, middle class, low class and research purposes. Therefore various demands of the customers will be made thereby ensuring customers satisfaction. Economies of scale Unprocessed raw materials required in the production of computers are cheap and readily available from within the local markets and several foreign countries. In addition, the component parts required, major equipments, accessory equipments are less expensive and are readily available. Furthermore there is available specialized labor and efficient machinery which will reduce marginal costs when the capacity of productivity will increase. Competition Although the company does not have enough to tremendously expand production within a short time, there will be less competition for th e products that the company will produce. This is because the computer we intend to develop will have unique characters and quality of which none of our potential competitor has. Therefore because of uniqueness of our product there will be less competition even though the company will not utilize the whole market as it’s expected because the capital it has cannot allow for such quick expansion. Â  Consumable Computers have a recurring sales value and therefore they will needs to be replaced when they develop functional problems or spare parts have to be bought to replace the parts that have become non-functional. This therefore will establish a long term sales and a customer base with same products. Customers would therefore come back again and again to buy more as they use up what... From this paper it is clear that South Korea has a higher Gross Domestic Product and higher purchasing power with high potential for future economic growth that is vital to the growth and development of our company. Mass market south Korea will provide market to the computers and other accessories manufactured in bulk by our company while niche market will provide market to the products and services provided by the company which target specific market needs, as well as production quality, price range, and the demographics. In addition South Korea has a high number of government contracts and big corporate orders. This will further expand our market share for our products and also improve company sales and thereby increasing the profit accrued. Because of well developed infrastructure in South Korea, there is great ease with which our company will develop mass retail outlets and this will ensure easier accessibility to our products by customers hence increase in sale recorded. Proximi ty of ports (air and sea) in South Korea will reduce transport costs and also it will ensure easier export of the product to the market through the air and sea routes. In addition, the socio-cultural practices in South Korea have a less influence on consumers. Contractual procedures are friendly to attract investors. Since our products are at the beginning of the product lifecycle, their demand in south Korea would be less sensitive to recession because there will be no substitutes with the same qualities and usability.

IT Shoes Business Plan PowerPoint Presentation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

IT Shoes Business Plan - PowerPoint Presentation Example The present research has identified that IT Shoes business is as well popularly known for supplying high quality materials which is used to manufacture high quality shoes. The company’s shoes sizes ranges from 5 to 10. The IT Shoes company long term plan is to become the world leader in the supply of ladies shoes. The company current popularity and increased sales and profitability is to a great extent brought about by its reputation in offering convenient means of selling its shoes to local customers. Therefore, to become the world leaders in the contemporary multifaceted global market, the company ought to have an effective business plan which incorporates views and options of all players. Moreover, based on the available financial statistics, the business requires some external financial assistance to facilitate its long term development plan. Moreover, the level of the company market competition is relatively low compared to other global markets. The subsequent essay there fore offers and effective IT shoes business. The IT Shoes business intends to be the world leaders in ladies shoes. The company also intends to develop a good reputation in providing convenient means of selling goods through all marketing means including online marketing. Moreover, to effectively compete in modern market, the organisation ought to develop a good reputation for reliable delivery in local and international market. The organisation as well has a vision of becoming overall shoes dealers in European market. Products The company long term plan is to be in a position of providing convenient, trustworthy, and safe means of selling its products in local and global markets. A part from its current variety, the IT Shoes Company also plans to increase its variety by including other several emerging types of shoes. In the next five years, the IT Shoes Company is therefore planning to increase the variety of fashionable shoes, widen the variety of its shoes styles and colours, in crease the quality of shoes which is used to manufactures shoes, as well as selling half size shoes (Reuters 26). Expected Annual Sales and Profit for the year Sales $ 500,000 Expenses $ 450000 Profit $ 50000 Form of Payment IT Shoes business is planning to avail all forms of payment including EFTPOS and cash. The aim of this plan is to enable the company’s customers to purchase their products in large quantity at any time. On the other hand, the company is planning to ensure that, it fully abides by the existing regulations in their plans to introduce new payment mechanisms. At present, the IT Shoes Company relies on several forms of payments including cheques, money orders, master cards and visa. Key Partners The main aims of the involvement of partners in the business plan is to enable the company reduce its operation cost and increased the general profitability. Being the main targeted market areas, IT Shoes company key partners are night clubs and bars. Night clubs and b ars help the IT Shoes business to effectively market its products to its potential customers. On the other hand, vending machine providers are also the major partners of the company. In its plan, IT Shoes plans to distribute readymade products to its products to new markets areas. Value Proposition and Customer Relationship At present, the IT Shoes Company has successfully identified the existing value addiction gap in shoes industry. In its operations and marketing strategy, the IT Shoes Co

President Trump Against The World Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

President Trump Against The World - Essay Example President Trump claims that his decision to pull-out of the Paris Treaty will benefit Americans, but as is his usual tactic, the president only mentions one area where the benefit will take place, jobs-an important benefit of course. Economists are divided whether this will benefit American job, and if it does will, the jobs be short or long-term. The American industry sector that is mentioned most often in conjunction with the Paris Treaty is coal. While on the campaign trail, Mr. Trump consistently insisted that he would withdraw from the Paris Treaty so that coal mines would reopen and coal miners could go back to work. If one agrees that it was the Paris Treaty that caused the decline of the coal industry in the United States, then they would count the withdrawal from it as a win. However, the coal industry has been declining for years; the Paris Treaty has only been in place for one year. The winners on the jobs front will be those places where investments in research and develo pment in renewable energy is occurring. President Trump’s withdrawal from the treaty may seem like a victory for coal but it is not. The United States’ jobs market loses in the withdrawal, although many individual states have economies that are highly invested in renewable energy, and they will continue to work toward solutions and adaptation to global climate change. Those states’ economies will be winners while President Trump and his economic allies will cling to the fossil fuels, until those resources have been depleted.

His5 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

His5 - Essay Example The Vikings were essentially pagan, illiterate and virulent. However, there is much work today that revisits common perception and stereotype of the Vikings as mere barbarians to a more complex race that had more to offer as traders and explorers with sharp business acumen and propensity to travel faraway lands to further their trade links and craft. Much of the Vikings’ history was written by monks and natives who were the victims of the attacks by the Vikings. There is speculation that their accounts might be overly dramatic and extraneous. The Vikings were superior craftsmen, most commonly associated with lightweight, well-built ships that took them from Greenland to North America. Archaeological explorations reveal that these ships were meant for long distance, solid travel rather than battle. The Vikings have also been found masterful at crafting swords, artifacts, paintings and clothing. The Vikings voyaged to the land of America which they called Vinland the Good, as early as 1000 A.D., which is almost 500 years before any written record of Columbus. Vikings are known to be explorers, thus it is not incorrect to surmise that they explored the land, seeking fodder, habitable area and semblances of culture. They also traded and worked with the local people of this land, by them called the ‘skaelings’; they also took residence with them by building houses, which is another indication that they did not intend barbarism and pillaging but cohabitation in peace and harmony and general prosperity of society. These conclusions are drawn by the translation of the Icelandic sagas of the Vikings into more common European languages, around two hundred years ago (National Museum of Natural History). There is general consensus among people that the land called Vinland is situated south of two other lands in North American explored by the Vikings, Helluland

President Trump Against The World Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

President Trump Against The World - Essay Example President Trump claims that his decision to pull-out of the Paris Treaty will benefit Americans, but as is his usual tactic, the president only mentions one area where the benefit will take place, jobs-an important benefit of course. Economists are divided whether this will benefit American job, and if it does will, the jobs be short or long-term. The American industry sector that is mentioned most often in conjunction with the Paris Treaty is coal. While on the campaign trail, Mr. Trump consistently insisted that he would withdraw from the Paris Treaty so that coal mines would reopen and coal miners could go back to work. If one agrees that it was the Paris Treaty that caused the decline of the coal industry in the United States, then they would count the withdrawal from it as a win. However, the coal industry has been declining for years; the Paris Treaty has only been in place for one year. The winners on the jobs front will be those places where investments in research and develo pment in renewable energy is occurring. President Trump’s withdrawal from the treaty may seem like a victory for coal but it is not. The United States’ jobs market loses in the withdrawal, although many individual states have economies that are highly invested in renewable energy, and they will continue to work toward solutions and adaptation to global climate change. Those states’ economies will be winners while President Trump and his economic allies will cling to the fossil fuels, until those resources have been depleted.

Beauty and the self Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Beauty and the self - Essay Example With these characteristics, a woman will always be â€Å"beautiful, whole, and free† (Walker 255), no matter what physical imperfections she may have. The beauty of a woman is multi-dimensional, combining the tradition aesthetic notions of attractiveness and inner self-realization with a soul pursuing her most innermost desires and dream in life. Beauty is a complex word with numerous, often conflicting, definitions. When connected to inner beauty, however, it results in a process of actualizing one’s identity by realizing one’s value. Walker first emphasizes the outer beauty. For the photographer, this is the beauty of what a photo can capture and for the artist; it is the beauty that can only be seen by the eyes when a picture is drawn. For the writer, just like most women, regardless of her age or ethnicity, to be beautiful is one of most important aspects of her life. After being blinded at a young age, Walker was so depressed about her eye, not because of her loss of vision, but because of the perceived blemish to her beauty. She was not strong enough to accept the fact that she was no longer the â€Å"cutest thing† in â€Å"biscuit-polished paten-leather shoes and lavender socks, tossing [her] head in a way that makers [her] ribbons bounce†, but instead the girl with â€Å"a glob of whitish scar tissue, a hideous cataract on [her] eye† (Walker 251, 253). She â€Å"[did] not pray for sight,† she â€Å"[prayed] for beauty† (Walker 254). She became lost inside herself. She did not find her true identity at first because she thought that her identity, or the ‘self’, was defined by how she looked. The relationship between the ‘self’ and beauty cannot be described without being conscious of one’s weaknesses and strengths. For a long time, Walker only saw her own weaknesses and used that as a basis for defining the roots

The Phenomenon Of Gated Communities Cultural Studies Essay

The Phenomenon Of Gated Communities Cultural Studies Essay This paper explores the subject of gated communities being a globally prevalent urban or quasi-urban form: which relatively recently have rapidly become widespread within Polish cities. The authors interest in studying the topic arose from a genuine concern over the future of metropolitan layouts and how they are worryingly being determined by the rising number of fortified enclaves. The tendency of enclosing communities does not only apply to new housing, but also existing streets, apartments built in the past, standalone buildings, and whole residential districts. Blakely and Snyder (1999) describe these communities as a new form of discrimination, an economical one. Earlier, ones social status has been asserted by the architectural density of parts of the city and architectural ornamentation of the buildings. However, gated communities are heading one step further underlining the economical segregation by creating physical barriers defending the accessibility, privatise the public space and social living aspects such as safety (private security instead of police care), educational and communal service. More often inhabitants of those housing estates sweep past through their secured public spaces to similar ones in their work place, mega stores, or recreational centres. Gated communities are creating a new, private world which turns into an insular environment (Zaborska 2006). Alternatively, Jacek GƦdecki (2009: 25) believes that a fine line should be established between global and local processes, as there are GC examples which faultlessly adapt to their local: urban, social, economic and cultural conditions and are frequently well perceived. Using both descriptive and predictive approaches the subject has been investigated through gathered literature, resident interviews, analytical research of existing gated communities in Poland and case studies of existing gated communities in Poland, which the author has personally examined through frequent site visits and numerous examples of daily press columns in which the discourse has grown greatly over the past decade. The reader has to acknowledge that the bountifulness and ambiguity of local and international discourses illustrate that Gated Communities come into existence from diverse rationales and are creating different types of social realities (GƦdecki 2009: 66) Therefore, the authors aim is to prove that living in an enclosed community in Poland creates only an illusion of safety, and that building fortresses is turning away from the real problem. The middle class living amongst themselves stops grasping concerns the whole society should deal with. Building an enclosed world, ghettos available for selected citizens, elite housing estates, where admission is forbidden to lower social classes, which in effect could lead to the growing frustration among the lower class. (à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦) I got a letter today, a letter from a friend He writes mate, youve betrayed, gained a pile of cash and weight You no longer travel by tram, times have changed so much I guess you dont remember me anymore, apparently you live in luxury You must have forgot, whats a crowded bus like (à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦) Staszczyk, Z. (1997): T.Love Komercja (Commercialism) PHENOMENON ORIGINS The common definition of gated communities refers to a physical area seceded off its urban context with fenced or walled barriers and access routes patrolled by an around the clock security (Landman 2000). Although the elements separating these enclaves from the outside world are comparable, the basis for this happening is not common and is directly related to its setting (GƦdecki 2009: 66). Blakely and Snyder (1999) describing the growing number of enclosed communities in USA, named three types, different because of the inhabitancy motif and type of habitants: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Lifestyle- inhabited by people living in a specified lifestyle (for instance: golf enthusiasts, retired people etc.)- designed for giving wealthier people amenities they could not find elsewhere à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Prestige- underlining the adhesion to a higher class à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Security- creating a feeling of physical and social safety GƦdecki (2009: 23) citing Landman uses the category of race and power when explaining the spread of GCs in apartheid. This is one of the most extreme examples, as these are a by-product of a totalitarian regime in which people were forced to separation rather than the indicated being a matter of choice. However, the appearance and investigation of gated communities does not relate solely to North American countries. In 1980s and 1990s this new movement started reaching large European cities of Spain, France and Portugal, as well as South African, Chinese, Central and Eastern European metropolises (PolaÅ„ska 2010: 423). In the latter, the reason for gating enclaves happening and the urban economic transformation had a close relation to the 1989 collapse of the Communist-led administrations and socio-political transformation to post-communist / capitalist systems. The economic conversion from command economy towards a free market orientated, thereby the upward importance and rapid enrichment of middle and upper class citizens and more visible cleavages between the rich and the poor (PolaÅ„ska 2010: 421), materialized in the ubiquitous quasi-urban form of Gated Communities. It has been over twenty years since the Capitalist system has been introduced in Poland. In numerous articles and publications, one can observe the tendency of typecasting the communist state as the bad and the capitalist as good, whereas good and bad sides can be distinguished in both. Therefore, the past two decades and the current states condition needs reflecting upon some unfulfilled expectations and unwanted changes in societys behaviours, inherently associated with its political transformation. Architectural propensities of XX century Poland, before the 1939 Third Reich armed conflict and immediately following USSR aggression under the Ribbentrop-Molotov alliance covenant, were not exceptionally different from European tectonic tendencies. Instantly after the occupation of Warsaw, Nazi Germany introduced the Pabst Plan. Performed under the leadership of the newly appointed Chief Architect Friedrich Pabst, the novel development plan anticipated demolition of the majority of the capitals built environment to transform it into a provincial town with the sole purpose of being a centre for the German elite and a strategic transport hub. The five-year German occupation led to the demolition of entire neighbourhoods and Polish cultural monuments (NDAP: 2011), as well as the destruction of communities by forcing certain members of society into enclosed ghettos and slums. The Countrys revival came with the end of II World War under the Soviet sphere of influence (Majewski, n.d.). This coincided with the introduction of socialist realism to Poland. Originated in 1930s the soviet art movement socialist realism became the only legitimate method of artistic creation exhibiting and applauding comrade ideologies, thereby becoming one of the main Communist parties propaganda tools (MordyÅ„ski 2006: 4). This politically radical movement has been initially introduced by BolesÅ‚aw Beirut the first leader of the Peoples Republic of Poland and the head of state from 1947 during the 1949 PZPR (Polish United Workers Party) Warsaw Conference, during which the Six-year plan for Warsaws reconstruction has been announced. The capital reconstructed during the interwar period has been described as unfortunate, because built to satisfy each tenement house owners lust of wealth, whereas the owner himself, as an exploiter and speculator, peoples antagonist opposing the forming of the new Warsaw as the capital of the socialist state. The proletariat supporters proclaimed patronage over the oppressed workers class by putting the perfect city plan into effect and improving their purportedly poor pre-war living conditions. States main objective became the salvage of its commons, forced to inhabit deprived of light basement apartments and top tenement stories facing gloomy courtyards in favor of the capitalist bourgeoisie all inclusive first floor flats. The establishment of the societys new socialist realism order depended upon undertaking drastic changes in the urban built form. A great number of survived historic tenement houses, which endured the II World War air bombardment of Nazi Germany planes and Pabst Plan cleansing, have been scheduled for demolition to make way for the implementation of realistic works of architecture, corresponding to the high culture and art of socialism, material and spiritual needs of the nations development (MordyÅ„ski 2006: 3-4). Interacting and radiating the whole country will accelerate and intensify the creative effort of socialist construction in the remotest and most neglected neighborhoods and parts of the state. BolesÅ‚aw Bierut From: Marzenie o idealnym mieņºcie Warszawa socrealistyczna (The dream of a perfect city social realistic Warsaw) (2006) (translation: Author) However, the decimation of a great part of eclectic, art nouveau and inter-war edifices was not the only transition the new socialist society had to face. Along with the introduction of the autonomous directive certain behavioural habits were planned to be imposed on future inhabitants. It was believed that the cities urban built form needed to fulfil solely the realistic needs of their occupants. The capitalist individualism has been openly criticized, which became most apparent in both city planning and individual residential layouts. The new Warsaw cannot be a repetition of the former. It cannot be only merely improved, or become a revised repetition of the prewar community of private interests of the capitalist society BolesÅ‚aw Bierut (1949) The dream of a perfect city social realistic Warsaw (2006) (translation: Author) In this manner, the socialist realism clique endeavoured to create truly inspiring urban settings, spaces of communal interaction filled to the brim with public squares, culture houses, public dining rooms, arcades and colonnades, opposed to cramped tenement houses apartments void of cooking, laundry and drying facilities emphasising the elevated ranks of its novel social movement with its monumentality, and at the same time despotically dictating national collectiveness. Therefore the quest for rooting the national familiarity met with great public criticism. The social realist vision of a unified state has been withdrawn when the communist demiurges realised their failure in communicating socialist characteristics of processes occurring in life, or life processes that are not perfectly socialist. (MordyÅ„ski 2006: 5-8). The social realist thaw in the communist bloc countries followed the death of Joseph Stalin in 1953. Stalinist dictatorship, cult of personality and the total submission of USRR polity have been criticized by the new The Central Committee of Polish United Workers Party leader- Nikita Khrushchev. Berated form of mastery has been sentenced to the Orwellian evaporation in the commanders 1956 Personality Cult and its Consequences paper, which called for the continuity of the autonomous state system, exclusive of the condemned citizen/fellow dignitary terror governance and courteous coexistence of communist and capitalist worlds. (Tomaszewska: n.d.) The reprove of the cult of personality along with the socialist functionalism ideology in search of an alternative to the extremely expensive architecture of socialist realism, unable to cope with the increasing demand for residential buildings, has found reflection in modernist planning and mass-produced prefabricated architecture. Thereafter, multi-storey concrete slab estates began to dominate the majority of Polish cities skylines, thus rising to the occasion and repairing the housing shortage situation, as well as becoming the novel urban form showcasing the socialist pursuit of civilians living conditions uniformity and standardization (Wieteska 2007). Ironically, the example comes from the top saying was not applied in spreading the social classless ideology, where the party nomenclature voluntarily isolated themselves from the rest of the society by inhabiting closed off palaces and fenced edifices (GƦsior-Niemiec: 2007 et al.). These estates were and still are in disrepute for their crowded layouts, poor quality concrete construction caused by the accelerated process of hardening and inefficient thermal properties (Semczuk: 2010). Despite this, one needs to acknowledge that its creation was the best solution at the time to the housing shortage in a country tumbled-down by perpetual wars and occupations. The hitherto flourishing construction sector stalled due to 80s economic crisis. Failure in repaying foreign loans taken in Western countries, by implication foreign debt growth, stalled a great number of domestic investments. Deteriorating housing market, working conditions and rocketing goods prices caused a flurry of protests, which subsequently led to the formation of the Solidarity union. This succession of events forced the Communist Party to conduct negotiations, resulting in the 1989 cessation of dominance and transfer of power to the reactivated chamber of deputies and presidency (Madej: 2005). Transformation of the political system, foreign capital inflow and newly introduced law amendments, mainly citizenship and establishment freedom, allowed the replacement of the heavily indebted state-building co-operatives with private property companies. Moving away from the ubiquitous communist times typification, the diversity of available built materials and developed technology has allowed for the implementation of various architectural concepts (Communist times construction: 2010). Majewski (n.d) distinguished three stages in the history of Polish architecture after the fall of communism. In the first period, a vast quantity of buildings designed by Western architects was built. The small group of emerged developers sought to achieve rapid return on their investment; therefore these buildings are characterized by poor quality of workmanship and the use of building materials. The second period was characterized by the growth and stabilization of the countrys economy. Hence the e mergence of many new development agencies and a range of architectural design companies to choose from. Third near the end of the 90s the economy continued to grow strong and became brimful of large scale developers. Companies exposed to construction sector competition were forced to introduce more attractive offers and marketing promotions in order to acquire new customers. PolaÅ„ska (2010: 427) remarks the stereotypical classification used: the tendency of negatively portraying the old as the time of contemporarily loathed prefabricated concrete slab estates and the new as the period of residential wealth and freedom. GƦsior-Niemiec (2007:6) on the other hand juxtaposes this fact with citizens growing income and statutory disparities, lack of confidence in the states inefficiency and inability to ensure security. As a consequence the capitalist system and its social stratification and secure lifestyle have been introduced in the form of Gated Communities. According to Katarzyna Zaborska (2006) the main reason for fencing the communities in Poland is the exigency of security. Enclosed fenced enclaves could be the reaction to long years of regnant communism, when personal ownership was stigmatized, and is coming back in an exaggerated form of fortified apartments. The propensity of Communist Poland was to merge social layers in communal apartments, which fuelled growing frustration and could be another factor that triggered the exigency of isolation and underlining affiliation to a higher social category. Coexistence of areas inhabited by people with different incomes results in the feeling of endangerment within wealthier citizens. (à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦) When Im looking in your eyes, which are so tired as mine Im loving this city, which is tired as I Where Hitler and Stalin did their stuff (à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦) Staszczyk, Z. (1994): T.Love Warszawa (Warsaw) URBAN SUSTAINABILITY AT RISK The public realm is defined as all those areas that are publicly owned and unreservedly accessible to citizens, generally at all times of the day and night (Ritzer: 2007). Tridib Banerjee (2007: 155) citing Lynch defines these territories as ones being accessible both physically and psychologically, consecutively underlining how vital such spaces are in creating successful urban environments, merrily and constantly occupied by the public. In this context and specifically with regard to the fact that a great deal of human occupation and interaction occur around and within: streets, lanes, routes, paths, parks, open spaces as well as public and civic buildings, one would anticipate coherent and legible movement strategies within and across urban blocks. Unfortunately, in the absence of adequate capital funds, by implication failure to provide sufficient city expansions, the majority of Central and Eastern European states had to rely on private sector financial support. (GƦdecki: 2009 et al.) In her paper, PolaÅ„ska (2010) aptly grasps the lost boundary between public and private spaces in connection with Polands socio-political and economic revolution. The abolishment of the Communist regime inevitably transformed the heretofore equal societys social status to a novel social stratification. This public cleavage profoundly underlined public position inequalities between individuals, consequently stretching social distances, in effect: triggering the feeling of hostility amongst lower and upper class citizens. In this manner, Jane Jacobs (1961) social capital theory relating to the significance of relationships and interactions in order to create a strong sense of community has been altered significantly. The term social capital refers to a network of collective bonds inscribed in the social structure of a community. The author stresses the importance of these social interactions and their contribution to shaping neighborhood connections, trust, everyday sociability and most importantly diversity (Jacobs: 1961). In the case of gated communities, the spread of this citizenship co-operation and collective responsibility is being limited spatially, by detaching whole residential districts from their urban fabric with the creation of a physical barrier in the form of a fence, as well as mentally by limiting the development of social diversity through the creation of enclaves only available to higher social status representatives. (à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦) Our neighborhood stands as it used to So many of us became poor herein Our city stands as it used to Busy by day, few by night Separately rather, yet collectively In one apartment, like kamikaze We dont suffer from money or power Yet this collectively does our heads in Staszczyk, Z. (2006): T-Love Ã…Å ¡cierwo (Carcass) The rapid social class transformation in terms of cultural preferences, work, consumption and rest models of the neo-liberal middle class citizens has been widely described by GƦdecki (2009: 103) whilst analyzing the swift widespread of Gated Communities in Poland. To describe these changes the author refers to the processes of gentrification and suburbanization. The first term has been originally used in American urban sociology to depict the prompt economical, social and cultural character change of a citys section, usually from a residential area inhabited by a miscellaneous range of tenants to an area predominantly occupied by higher class individuals. The latter relates to the middle class depopulation of city centers in favor of the expansion of suburban areas resulting from the development of transport infrastructure and the perception of suburban modernity in contrast to city centre lower class orthodoxy (GƦdecki: 91). Curiously, GƦdecki (2009 : 106) citing Neil Smith considers that the driving forces of these processes are not so much class transformations, but discrepancies between actual and potential land values (GƦdecki citing Smith 2009: 106). These discrepancies gave development agencies the opportunity to seek reimbursement for the expansion of otherwise derelict city parts. The author noticed that publicly funded urban development of cities serves to mobilize and develop the real estate market (GƦdecki citing Smith 2009: 106), as well as that these processes have no affect on social diversity, but instead allow to take control of citys political and cultural economy (GƦdecki citing Smith 2009: 106) and take the attention away from fundamental issues such as: land ownership and property value speculations (GƦdecki citing Smith 2009: 106). This free market opportunity, lack of adequate planning regulations, increasing fear of crime, caused by the lack of confidence in the capacity of the state to protect its citizens, consequently amplified protection endeavour, has been spotted and exploited by housing developers and relapses in the shape of private clubs for selected citizens. Increasing validity of development companies involvement and contribution (Madanipour: 2007 [1998]) together with failure in introducing reputable Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) programme as well as theories such as Oscar Newmans Defensible Space (1996), has led to privatisation of space at unprecedented before scale. Over the past decade the increasing privatisation of space in the form of gated enclaves has been one of the main discourse topics amongst architectural, urban and sociological loops of Polish society. In many instances it has been pejoratively compared to a contemporary form of ghettos (GƦdecki: 2009, Zaborska: 2006 et al.). This rundown section of cities has been extensively depicted in Martyna Obarskas essay (2008), in which the author uses Calimanis The History of Venetian Ghetto (2002) and eventually San Gerolamo as an example of a space completely separated from the citys context , where admittance was supervised by specially hired forces. Interestingly, not all inhabiting Jews negatively perceived the forming of ghettoes. On many occasions a closed off district has been associated with security, protecting the occupants from Christians discrimination, and where individuals choices have not been stigmatized. All Jews should live together in a housing quarter, such as the Ghetto near San Gerolamo. They should not walk around by night too. From inside of the ghetto, where the small bridge is positioned and its opposite side, two gates will be erected. They will be open able at dawn at the sound of the Maragon and closed by night, at midnight. The inhabitants will need to designate and pay a fee to four Christian guards to operate these [gates Author] San Gerolamo, Ghetto Decret: 1515 Calimani, R. The History of Venetian Ghetto (2002) Historically and conceptually closer to Poland is the Warsaw Ghetto the symbol of oppression and suffering of the Warsaw Jews. Formed within allocated city districts and separated from the rest of the city with an elevated wall during the II World War by the Nazi occupational authorities. This is the time when ghetto became the synonym of ignorance, filth and squalor and the thought horizons narrowness. Castellino (2005) remarks how the meaning of the term ghetto changes dramatically at different points of history. Although this words undertone has always been pejorative, the rationale behind forming ghettos in early Venetian times cannot be put on a par with them being ingloriously created during the governance of the Nazi regime during II World War. The Author believes that the term gated communities needs to be assessed against local rationales, as its undertone can recall more affirmative connotations in some urban settings, similarly to the two presented ghetto precedents. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦the passion for improvisation, which demands that space and opportunity be at any price preserved. Buildings are used as a popular stage. They are all divided into innumerable, simultaneously animated theatres. Balcony, courtyard, window, gateway, staircase, roof are at the same time stages and boxes. Walter Benjamin One Way Street, 1924 THE NEW TREND (à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦) Concrete slab estates Everyday I stand stock-still How can you build this s*** How can you breed And than not reign Over this bunch, that snuffels the same (à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦) Staszewski, K. (2000): Kazik Chcem piwa! (I want beer!) The fashion for enclosed communities seem to gain new believers. Quiet green, The beech manor, Sky blue cirque, Sunny slope, Green apartment- these are some names that the developers want to lure their potential customers with, names that conjoin with a safe and happy living, a green garden, fun circus for your children and an equivalent comrades. But are those expectations being fulfilled? Or is this only a catchy marketing slogan that the developers happily use? According to the internet site Tabelaofert.pl the majority of new apartments on the market are situated on enclosed areas. Only in Warsaw (1.7 million citizens) on 106 available estates, 81 are fenced (69 of them are being guarded round the clock). The case looks differently in other large cities. In Wroclaw (0.8 million citizens) 18 in 31 investments are enclosed, Gdynia (0.4 million citizens)- 9 out of 16, Gdansk (0.6 million)- 11 out of 24 ( Poznan (0.8 million)- half of 16 new investments. Surprisingly, in the cultural capital of Poland, and the second largest city- Cracow (population of 1.2 million)- only 3 out of 14. These numbers actually confirm the states capitals citizens snobbish mind-set, feeling of being above other parts of the country and by implication- having the necessity of guarding their belongings from the conquest of citizens originated in other parts of Poland. Is there a new trend? Which social layers inhabit gated communities? How gated communities are being perceived? How gated communities in Poland are being advertised / marketed? Sympathetic naming of these developments to be highlighted (Quiet Green, The Beach Manor, Sky Blue Cirque, Sunny Slope, Green Apartment etc.) Costs of living in gated communities in Poland / How does it compare to the per capita income of an ordinary citizen? Does it exclude some social layers right from the start? Affordability It is enough to compare the appearance of neighbourhoods that are gated and non-gated to understand the reasons behind restricting access to several public spaces. Well-taken-care-of, carefully maintained, clean and well managed- it is almost exclusively those [neighbourhoods (PolaÅ„ska: 2010)] gated by high fences or watched over by guards. Devastated, worn-out, trampled, decorated with daubes on their walls, with cars parking wherever its possible- these are those opened to the public, where the order is theoretically supposed to be protected by the police, but nobody is protecting in practiceà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ PiÄâ„ ¢kno Kapitalizmu (The Beauty of Capitalism) Majcherek, A. Gazeta Wyborcza, November 15, 2007 (translation: PolaÅ„ska: 2010) SOCIO-URBAN IMPACT OF GATED COMMUNITIES ____ (à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦) Ajajajaj I think Ill leave the house Have a wonder around the city Ajajajaj Ajajajaj My estate is guarded Sometimes I feel here Like in Auschwitz Or in custody But I like it here I live here a while Although I wasnt born here Ive been always a visitor Ajajajaj (à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦) Staczyk, Z. (2001): T-Love ZÅ‚y Wtorek (Bad Tuesday) THE SOLUTION (CASE/COMPARISON STUDIES) CASE STUDIES: Two Gated Estates in SÅ‚upsk / Poland: Two estates situated in authors home town, which have been gated after the proposal put forward by the housing association has been voted for. One with a higher crime figure than the other. The author believes that the crime figures differ because of the setting of both of these enclaves. The fence creates only an aura of security. Estate 1: suburbs / surrounded by single family homes / new built hospital on the other side of the street / greenery well groomed (small patches of green space within) / no security (Defensible Space Theory O. Newman milieu- proof of frequent appearance of inhabitants) / one local shop, accessed from within the gated community (from residents interviews the gates had to be opened to the wider public [pedestrian access], as the local shop could not be supported by the clients from within the community only. The same problem has been encountered in Marina Mokotà ³w. -Estate 2: city centre / surrounded by various types of housing blocks / no local shop within gated community / local park possible thieves hide out? / no security (approx 200m) From residential interviews: both of these communities suffer from lack of internal open green / play space, mainly used for car parking shared Dogs not allowed to be taken for a walk within the gated blocks. Children play space: within the community (shared surface) or outside the gates. Comparing to Marina Mokotà ³w: Size of the gated communities 1 2 occupy one city block -Marina Mokotà ³w Warsaw / Poland KuryÅ‚owicz Associates Biggest new built gated community in Warsaw (22 ha). Number of units: 1500 (residential buildings, houses, residences). Overall green / play space within gated community: approx. 60%. From Architects interview (found on the web) original design: whole land to be fenced. Result: whole land fenced + individual buildings within the gated community fenced additionally. Highest quality materials used throughout / gardens, alleys, squares, fountains, waterfalls, pergolas, lake, internal roads within GC (city within a city?) / ground floor uses: trading posts, restaurants, bars, shops etc. (again, gates had to be opened to the wider public [pedestrian access], as the local shops could not be supported by the clients from within the community only: Crisis In Marina Mokotà ³w: barriers up Gazeta StoÅ‚eczna. 17 September 2009) encountered huge dissatisfaction / opposition from local residents. Off street car parking (insufficient number ) / underground car parking (additional fee) Bibliography_V3: Atkinson, R., Flint, J., Blandy, S., Lister, D. 2003. Gated Communities in England, New Horizons project: University of Glasgow and Sheffield Hallam University Bartoszewicz, D. 2009. Kryzys w Marinie Mokotà ³w: szlabany w gà ³rÄâ„ ¢ (Crisis In Marina Mokotà ³w: barriers up) Gazeta StoÅ‚eczna. 17 September Blakely, J., Snyder, M. 1997. Fortress America: Gated Communities in the United States, Washington, D.C. Brookings Institution Press Blandy, S. 2007. Gated Communities in England as a response to crime and disorder: context, effectiveness and implication