Saudi Aramco Oil Company Dissertation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 10000 words

Saudi Aramco Oil Company - Dissertation Example The scope of Business Social Responsibility (BSR) includes production and company operation. Moon’s (2002) concept of BSR expands to financial contributions to community and governmental causes. BSR focuses on the social responsibility of business while CSR is a general term that encompasses many aspects of CSR. CSR’s general concept is about the community, the employees, the environment, human rights, and so on. BSR is appropriate in the study of social responsibility of Saudi Arabia’s oil and gas industry since it focuses on governmental and public causes that include environmental protection and cause-oriented projects. This chapter scrutinizes the past and current issues on CSR and how they could be related in the context of the aim and objectives of this dissertation. 2.2 Definition of corporate social responsibility The term corporate social responsibility refers to a corporate framework consisting of economic, environmental and social issues (Tokoro 2007, p. 148) that are incorporated into the responsible performance of the firm. CSR is sometimes referred to as a corporate duty and responsibility to the community and the environment. CSR practices of firms emphasise environmental protection without financial consideration in return (Huang 2010, p. 642). The World Business Council defines CSR as an obligation to provide economic development and improvement of employees’ quality of life and the community they belong. CSR includes an interaction with the community and the different stakeholders. Some aspects of CSR aim for sustainable development. Sustainable development involves ‘systematic and long term use of natural resources’ (Huang 2010, p. 643) with the primary objective of having it available for the present and the future generation; meaning, CSR is meeting the needs of the present generation without disregarding the future generation. It may also refer to the necessities of development and progress for coun tries without damaging environmental resources. Sustainable development refers to development wherein the environmental indicators have the same significance with economic indicators. Sustainability involves long-term goals that concern ecological, political, economic and societal ramifications. (Huang 2010, p. 643) Many authors conclude that there is no universal definition for CSR. A common definition failed because CSR is a socially constructed concept. There are components in the different definitions that are common, for example voluntary, the stakeholder, legal obligation, economic, social, human right, etc., which when understood will lead to greater insight of what CSR is in the nation that is being practiced and the world at large. 2.2.1 Theories of CSR Social Responsibilities of the Businessman was an article written by Bowen in 1953 which shifted the social responsibility of business to CSR. Since then the study of CSR has grown bringing into the fore terminologies, theor ies and practices in the different fields. Topics on CSR have also evolved that included society and business, social issues management, stakeholder management, corporate accountability, and much more. Recently, authors added the topics on corporate citizenship and corporate sustainability. (Garriga & Mele 2004, p. 51) Popular concepts relate CSR theories with the environment (which relate to resources and economics), goal attainment (linked to politics), and social

Industry Environment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Industry Environment - Essay Example It has also put down strategies that would ensure that it maintains its state over a long and short term. The nature of competition exhibited in the industry is a monopolistic competition. There are various competitors produce similar products but of a slightly different structural composition. The retailers exhibit the highest level of competition, which is typically fragmented. Competition on the football footwear records the highest rate followed by the athletes among the products of the company. This is more evident in the sectors dealing in customer service provision, brand name merchandise collection, pricing and friendly shopping procedures. The sporting products industry experiences changes in diverse dimensions including prospects on new products. New products cost relatively higher than those already in the market. On the other hand, the products have higher demand compared to those already in the market. The suppliers have control over their brands; they must market their products so as to create demand for them. This goes along with rivalries among the vendors dealing in different brands, which, is forwarded to the retailers. The changes in the macro environment have led to both negative and positive results in the operation of the business. To begin, prospects in new products have led to fair pricing as the products exhibit higher stock flow as compared to the initial conditions. According to Borowski (2011), competition from other brands and higher rate of introduction of new sporting products in the market has led to the production of more superior quality stock by the companies. The level of advertisement has also increased so as to maintain the levels of competence. This brings about more expenses as compared to the initial time before such changes were introduced. Haig (2011) found the following: The Company is planning on specializing in quality brand production so as to win the customers loyalty and outshine their

Germany in Ww Essay Example for Free

Germany in Ww Essay History Department Year 10 World War 1 – World War 2 Written Research Assignment The weaknesses of Germany’s opponents were equally responsible for Hitler’s military successes as his Blitzkrieg tactics between 1939-1941. The Blitzkrieg tactics were very effective during the Second World War but this was also partly due to the fact that the Allied generals and tacticians were so incompetent. The fact that Blitzkrieg and the incompetency of opposition generals were equally responsible for Hitler’s military successes is best shown in his campaigns in Poland, France and Russia. In these conflicts the largest deciding factors were the Blitzkrieg tactics and the incompetency of the opposition generals. Blitzkrieg won the day in all of these conflicts but, as was shown in the later years of the war, once the Allies had competent generals the Blitzkrieg tactics were defeated. One of Hitler’s largest military successes between 1939 and 1941 was the campaign in Poland. The Campaign in Poland was an immensely easy victory for the Germany War machine. The Polish Army was large and well trained, but it was immensely outdated. They still had a large amount of cavalry regiments in there army which were completely destroyed by German tanks. They had very few tanks of their own and those that they did have were nothing compared to the strength of the German Panzers. They had quite a large well trained infantry but many of them still used swords and their guns were completely outclassed by the German assault rifles. They also had a small and rather average air force but this was made obsolete by the larger and better German air force. Also Poland is a flat country and it had few natural obstacles making it ‘ideal tank country’ [ (Crisp, 1990) ]and therefore the perfect target for Blitzkrieg. As well as the actual Polish army, the tactics and generals of the Polish were also very outdated. When the time came for battle The Polish Generals arranged their army into the Standard and age old line formation. When the Armies met the Blitzkrieg tactics worked perfectly due to this arrangement and the Polish were defeated with ease. As shown here the Blitzkrieg tactics and fail Polish generals result were equally responsible for Germany’s success. As Peter Crisp said in his book, Blitzkrieg, ‘Geographically and strategically, Poland was the perfect target for a Blitzkrieg attack. ’ [ (Crisp, 1990) ] The Blitzkrieg tactics were responsible for the actual win but if Poland had had more competent generals they had made better defences for the Blitzkrieg style of attack and had ditched the cavalry and upgraded and enlarged their tank and air forces they would have been able to repel the Germans and their Blitzkrieg. That is why the Blitzkrieg tactics and weak opponents were equally responsible for Hitlers military success. Another of Hitlers early military success was his campaign in France, also known as operation Sicklecut. This is due to the way the main force was supposed to punch through a hole in French defences and cut around like the cut of a sickle to attack the French forces from the rear. The main French forces were supposed to be distracted be a diversionary German force. This plan worked perfectly and the main German for Force smashed into the rear of the French force where together they pushed the French and supporting British armies into the coast in a thorough defeat. The Germans then pushed through to Paris where after a mass evacuation of the crumbling French forces Germany took control of Paris. This is a great example of the fact that Hitlers military success was due equally due to the Blitzkrieg tactics as the incompetency of his opposition. In the campaign in France the Blitzkrieg tactics were very effective, not just beating the French army but spreading panic throughout the country and forcing the chain of command to crumble, but it could have and would have been defeated if it wasn’t for the useless generals of the French army. The Panic caused by the Blitzkrieg tactics was a very effective weapon for the Germans, one unknown French soldier even recounted in his diaries that his saw own comrades running ‘with their hands over their heads not bothering to even return fire’ [ (Trueman, 2000) ]. The French had the capabilities to defeat the Germans and their Blitzkrieg tactics but they stuffed it up. Most of the Generals were veterans of the First World War and they were using the same tactics as they did then. Towards the end of his life Marshal Petain, the commander-in-chief of the French armies, said ‘After the war of 1914-1919, it was finished for me. My military mind was closed. When I saw the introduction of other tools and other methods I must say they didn’t interest me,’ [ (Crisp, 1990) ] showing exactly the attitude of the French military leadership at the start of the War. This allowed the Germans to defeat them with ease. They believed that the Germans would use the same plan that they used in the First World War and easily were defeated by the superior tactics of the Germans and when the Germans continued their advance through France and were bearing upon Paris in a matter of the days the French Leadership started to breakdown. If the French generals had been more competent they could have used their own tanks and air force more effectively and then the Germans would have been defeated and the French would have been successful. The Campaign in Russia, also known as Operation Barbarossa, named after the twelfth century Prussian King who was prophesied to rise from his grave and restore Germany to world power, is another great example of the fact that Hitlers military successes were equally due to his Blitzkrieg tactics and the ineptitude of his opposition. The Campaign in Russia started out as what seemed to be a complete annihilation. ’ When Operation Barbarossa opened, on 22 June 1941, the Soviets were taken completely by surprise. ’ [ (Crisp, 1990) ] The German army was rapidly advancing and defeating the Red Army with ease. The Red Army had huge numbers of men and many tanks and aircraft but most of these tanks were obsolete and the Air force was built mainly for tactical air support, not for air superiority. The main problem for the Red Army was the leader of Russia, Josef Stalin. After Stalin and his brutal Communist regime’s murder of all of the senior officers for political reasons and the strict constrictions placed on the remaining young and inexperienced officers which meant there was no room innovation during the heat of battle leaving the Red Army incredibly handicapped. At the beginning of operation Barbarossa ‘Stalin refused to believe the invasion was really happening. He thought the attack was a provocation by a German commander acting independently of Hitler, and ordered his frontline soldiers not to fire back’ [ (Crisp, 1990) ]. The fact that Hitlers military success required both a weakness of Hitlers opposition and the Blitzkrieg tactics is best shown in the next part of the campaign in Russia. Once Stalin finally allowed his officers some flexibility and the winter allowed them to build many more of their new T-34 model tanks the Russians started to come back. After a period of intense fighting, particularly around Stalingrad, the Germans were defeated and forced to retreat and as General Mellenthin of the Germans wrote ‘with the failure of our supreme effort, the strategic initiative passed to the Russians. ’ [ (Crisp, 1990) ] This shows how necessary the weakness of Hitler’s enemies for his military success due to the fact that the second one of his enemies obtained good weapons, like the T-34, and successful leaders the Germans Blitzkrieg tactics were neutralised and they were defeated. The Blitzkrieg tactics and the weakness of Hitlers opposition were equally responsible for Hitler’s military success between 1939 and 1941 during the Second World War. Without the Blitzkrieg tactics the German Army simply would not have been able to defeat the Allied forces and without weaknesses of Germany’s opposition the Blitzkrieg tactics would have been defeated by the superior enemy forces. The areas of the war which best show this are the campaigns in Poland, France and Russia. In all of these operations Blitzkrieg and inferior opposition played a major part. This is why the Blitzkrieg tactics and weak opposition were equally responsible for Hitler’s Military success. Bibliography Crisp, P. (1990). Blitzkrieg. Wayland publishing. A very good source. Lots of good information and quotes on all necessary areas. Deighton, L. (1979). Blitzkrieg. Pluriform Publishing. An alright source. Some good info but no quotes Trueman, C. (2000). Blitzkrieg. Retrieved May 2010, from History Learning Site: http://www. historylearningsite. co. uk/blitzkrieg. htm A good source. Not a lot of information but some good quotes Unknown Author/Date. Barbarossa. Retrieved May 2010, from World War 2 Database: http://worldwar2database. com/html/barbarossa. htm A good source. Not many quotes but a good source of info Unknown Author/Date. France. Retrieved May 2010, from World War 2 Database: http://worldwar2database. com/html/france_40. htm A good source. Not many quotes but a good source of info Unknown Author/Date. Blitzkrieg. Retrieved May 2010, from World War 2 Database: http://www. 2worldwar2. com/blitzkrieg. htm A alright source. Not many quotes and an alright source of info W

How Diffierent Strategies Are Used To Support Children Education Essay

How Diffierent Strategies Are Used To Support Children Education Essay The assignment will develop the work started for log B, looking at how diffierent strategies are used to support children with social, emotional behavioural difficulties, focusing on how rewards and sanctions can improve behaviour. Looking at how a school behavioural policy can help within the classroom and school to tackle and improve behaviour as well as using literature to critically analyse these suggestions. Concerns about the behaviours of young people are nothing new. Socrates is quoted as saying Children today are real tyrants, they no longer stand up when their elders come into the room where they are sitting, they contradict their parents, chat together in the presence of adults, eat gluttonously and tyrannise their teachers. What counts as good behaviour can be difficult to identify specifically. Our understanding of the causes and cures of disruptive behaviour over the last few years has grown immensely. Previously, explanations of poor behaviour tend to be based on individual pupils and their families while treatments consisted of drugs, counselling and psychological intervention. Research that is more recent has suggested that school curriculum, teaching approaches, sanction and reward systems and pupil involvement in determining rules, rewards and sanctions contribute to the ethos of high expectations and developing positive teacher pupil relationships where indiscipline is minimised. Sanction and reward systems, which will be the focus of this assignment, have their origins in behaviourist psychology. They are most likely to be effective if shaped by an overall philosophy and linked closely to the ethos of the school and in many schools pupils are involved in drawing up the school rules, and consulted about appropriate sanctions, as this is seen as the best way of ensuring that punishments are seen as fair. Government policy in England states that TES (2005). Rewards and sanction systems are essential for a creative teaching and learning environment. By praising and rewarding positive behaviour, it is believed that others will be encouraged to act similarly. The government believe that school behaviour policy should therefore not only specify what sanctions are available to staff, but also how positive behaviour will be reinforced through praise and rewards.   Surprisingly, theres been little research into the effects of sanctions and rewards on behaviour and achievement. One of the most extensive studies was conducted by researchers at the University of East Anglia in 2000. Their survey of Year 8, 9 and 10 pupils in the Norwich area found that the most effective sanction in the eyes of pupils was a letter or phone call home to parents, while the least effective was a verbal warning. Similarly, the use of gifts was seen as by far the most effective reward, with verbal praise at the bottom of the list (TES, 2005). Recent research (Allen, unpublished) suggests that the school curriculum and the use of teaching approaches through sanctions and reward systems can determine the pupils involvement within the rules, thus contributing to the ethos of high expectations and developing positive teacher and pupil relationships therefore creating the individuality of the pupils. The types of children and their related social, emotional and behavioural problems must be identified before a sanction and rewards scheme can improve behaviour as part of a behavioural management policy within a Pupil Referral Unit. The definition of emotional and behavioural difficulties in Britain (DES, 1989) refers to: Children who set up barriers between themselves and their learning environment through inappropriate, aggressive, bizarre or withdrawn behaviour and who have developed a range of strategies for dealing with day to day experiences that are inappropriate and impede normal personal and social development and make it difficult to learn. This statement suggests that the problem resides with the child and that it is the child who needs to be treated and cured. However this view is far too simplistic. Therefore there is a need to understand the child, looking at the root causes of aggressive or socially inappropriate behaviour, by looking at the different perspectives on behaviour this will help teachers to understand individual childrens behaviour, and give them strategies to use within the classroom. The use of these perspectives is especially useful in a Pru situation where there are a large proportion of challenging children. Many of these children have had negative experiences in their secondary school and view themselves as inadequate, ineffective, and useless troublemakers, consequently their self esteem is low. Using the following perspectives and observing and recording a childs different behaviours can give teachers in Pupil referral units strategies to overcome pupils displayed behaviours which they can use effectively within the classroom. Firstly, the Pschodynamic perspective looks at how early experiences from childhood, attachment issues and other conflicts can have an effect on current behaviour traits, understanding these issues can help a teacher develop a positive relationship with the child. The Cognitive perspective, once testing of the childs abilities has been carried out, means that the work can be presented at the appropriate level (Ayers et al, 1995). This will help the child achieve success and develop their selfconfidence and self-esteem when attempting new topics. The Ecosystemic perspective looks at systems that influence the child, such as home, school and peer environments. Looking at all relationships that can affect the childs behaviour, and developing strategies to use within the classroom. Strategies based on this approach, such as nuture groups are being used increasingly in primary schools. Although these are implemented mainly by teachers, they sometimes involve assistance from other providers such as peers, parents or psychologists. A Behaviourist perspective approach looks at how postive and negative reinforcements us ed consistantly in school and at home can have a postive affect on behaviour, improving self esteem. A Humanistic perspective to managing behaviour tries to maximise a pupils inherent motivation to learn by minimising factors that undermine or inhibit this process. Teachers will need to recognise how the pupils feel about themselves and their capabilities. Maslow (1998) clarifies how needs such as physical and safety needs have to be adequately met before self esteem even becomes an issue. Although brief, the above descriptions of the different perspectives can give teachers an insight into why a child behaves the way it does. Many of the strategies mentioned in Log B support children with SEBD within the classroom. The most important one mentioned is actually listening to the child to try to understand what they feel and developing relationships. Emotional and behaviour difficulties are about people who are so badly hurt and in so much pain that they are angry, it is our belief that they express their anger in a place that is safe: to that expression of anger in school could be seen as positive Mc Namara, Morton (1995). Teachers in a Pupil Referral Unit situation often need to learn to also deal with their own emotions, as many feel frustrated because they want to help children to change their behaviour so that the pupils themselves get better outcomes. The usual strategies of sanctions, reasoning, punishments and exclusions used in secondary school dont always work with children in a Pupil referral unit. Therefore, being able to recognise the different behavioural perspectives teachers are able to develop their own teaching strategies within the classroom for the individual child. Before a child enters the Pupil referral unit they attend an assessment centre which is located within the same building, this gives a chance for the teachers to determine what the individual pupil needs to help them fulfil their potential. A behaviour contract is usually completed between the school, parents or guardian and the child themselves. The main areas that are addressed within this contract are used to develop positive behaviours to support relationships between pupils and teachers, pupils and their school environment, peer relationships and home relationships. By developing a whole school approach to behavioural management issues the Pupil referral unit involves all staff, some agencies, and the pupils. Involving parents would seem to be the best way forward. Capstick (2005) suggests Establishing good relationships with parents seem an important element when attempting to work with a child as well as giving tanible rewards. Teacher and staff need to examine what outcomes they want to achieve with the pupils and adopt or change the reward system to meet their needs. The values, which underpin a school behaviour policy, are that all children and adults have the right to work in a safe, calm, supported and purposeful environment. All children have the right to come to school without fear of being bullied. All adults have a responsibility to support the behaviour policy and for it to be consistently applied by all members of staff for it to work effectively. The Pupil referral units behavioural policy aims are to ensure a fair and consistent approach to dealing with the behaviour of children during the school day. This is by providing a safe, caring and supportive environment which allows children to learn and teachers to teach. The policy hopes to promote positive behaviour as a model for all behaviours. Help independence by making pupils responsible for their own actions and provide a structure which moderates childrens behaviour while allowing them to develop as responsible citizens within society.To achieve these aims it is vital that a partnership between home and school is established. A lack of, or poor discipline tends to be the result of problems within the family unit or lack of social skills. In a Pupil referral unit this is achieved in the following ways. Communication between a childs key teacher and their parent or guardian is good and means that the parent will phone in regularly to keep staff up to date on any problems at home, staff will in return inform parents of good behavour, effort or work that the child has produced. This means that the child is rewarded by the parent or guardian. When surveyed most children rated this highly on encouraging them to behave well at the pupil referral unit. Smith and Laslett (1993) suggest To use rewards and sanctions effectively requires knowledge and judicious application of the principles of behaviour modification the single most important factor in learning behaviour is what happens immediately following that behaviour. Pleasant consequences are most likely to reinforce the behaviour and make it happen again. To develop a whole school policy on sanctions and rewards within the Pupil referral unit, discussions should take place within the school community on how to deal with different types of behaviours observed in different places around the school. Pupils are involved during PSHCE lessons in conducting surveys, and a school council could be established so that the children views on school issues can be heard. For when the pupils understand the simple rules within the classroom the atmosphere is usually pleasant and the teaching enjoyable. The main objective for a school behavioural policy is to ensure that there was is a shared u nderstanding by both pupils and teachers of proportionate and differentiated sanctions that can be used in different situations. The policy needs to be clear on how teachers can acquire assistance in a crisis situation and who to go to for help. It should also be discussed what the protcol would be with the local police and youth offending services, if a serious incident occurred. Sanctions should be discussed with pupils and school rules displayed in every classroom. Sanctions must be fair and must be used to deal with behaviour, as quickly as possible. Pupils must know that when a sanction is applied it will be used. Record keeping is vital in the pupil referral unit, especially recording any behavioural incidents which help teachers deal with repetative behaviour issues. The Pupil referral unit could also use restorative justice to address poor behaviour, where a child is held to account for their actions and encouraged to put right the harm they may have caused. In some schools and Pupil Referral units this method seems to be working and behaviour is seen to be improving. The school behaviour policy should not only specify what sanctions are available to staff but also how positive behaviour will be reinforced through praise and rewards. The Elton Report (1989) noted that a reward and sanction ratio of at least 5:1 is an indication of a school with an effe ctive rewards and sanctions system. It also recommended that all schools should have a wide range of both rewards and sanctions that are applied fairly and consistently. The types of rewards used in a Pupil referral unit to motivate children are, verbal praise, rewarding postive behaviours which encouarge the pupils to behave in lessons, showing examples of examplar work on walls, displaying work showing the different levels of academic achievement. Giving all children the chance to succeed and develop their confidence and using the lessons they enjoy improving their self esteem. Reward strategies also used are certificates, postcards, prizes within lessons for consistent behaviour, effort or quality work. Parents are should be routinely informed of all of the above and termly assemblies given with parents encouraged to attend as recognition of their childs achievement. Teachers and staff within the Pupil referral unit therefore have high expectations of the pupils and encourage standards in collective and self discipline, encouraging purposeful learning opportunities within the classroom in order to support the behavioural management policy. An example of this is where children can be given target cards each day with one behaviour target on, they take this to each lesson and teachers record their behaviour, adding initials in the centre of the bullseye on the card if they have met that target for that lesson, at the end of the day the points (Initials in the centre of the bullseye) are added up and recorded on to a visual record sheet so that the pupils can see their achievements. Dealing with the different types of disruptions that can occur in lessons at the Pupil referral unit can also be challenging for teachers. Disruptions can manifest themselves as low level such as persistently talking to peers, seeking too much attention, or failing to cooperate. Whilst these disruptions can often be put down to stresses or difficulties outside school, it is evident that some situations arise because of the learning environment within the Pupil referral unit itself and this must be tackled in order for a behavioural policy and rewards and sanctions system to work effectively. Children can be bored with the work set especially if the level is incorrect, and will kick off. Some teachers as Ashman and Conway (1993) suggest see the problems as lying with the child rather than the curriculum or the methods used to teach. Lessons in the Pupil referral unit therefore can be timetabled for half hour and hour slots at various times of the year or timetables can be disbanded meaning that children experience a variety of different teaching styles within the day. This can also have a positive effect on behaviour management within the unit for example in practical lessons teachers are used to movement and children often have more freedom to move around depending upon the activity, the teachers tend to be more relaxed in their methods and consequently so are the children. Whereas, in theoretical lessons some teachers tend to regard movement as threatening and can apply sanctions more vigorously, if a child is critised or put down for something they have done wrong in class, this can add to a lowering of their self esteem and increase behavioural problems. Rogers (1998) Suggests that all teachers should develop their own discipline plan so that they know what to do in advance when classroom behaviour is disrup trive, to develop goals of discipline in school such as; helping the child accept responsibility for their own behaviour, exercise self control, respect the rights of others, adopt the principles of fairness and honesty and face logical consequences of their behaviour. The behaviour policy in the Pupil referral unit should also cover strategies such as tactical ignoring of certain behaviours, using simple directons, postive reinforcement of rules, behaviour and work. Strategies such as giving the children simple choices about sanctions, giving time out for five minutes, using isolation for counselling to discuss problems, or using break and lunchtime detentions, or keeping children for ten minutes after school can also be used as a positive way to modify pupil behaviours. Deflecting and defusing situations are one of the units strengths, as mentioned in Log B. The most common deflecting strategy used to distract the child from their behaviour, is usually humour but not with added sarcasm; this usually works and seems to calm the children down very quickly, without letting them lose face. The child is then reminded about giving an apology to the appropriate teacher. A room could also be used to mentor children who have caused disruption within a les son so that they can discuss their actions with a member of staff. These are all positive steps in helping children to understand how their actions can affect themselves and others and to consider the feelings of others and attempt to perceive their point of view. By enabling a child to empathise with others behaviours can often be modified in a more positive way. In conclusion the most important aspect of improving behaviour in any school is to develop a postive relationship with the children you teach, this is especially important in a Pupil referral unit as the pupils find it more difficult to make positive relationships. However, when they find a teacher that is friendly, caring, consistently predicatable and reliable many pupils will react postively and consequently their behaviour improves. For children who the above approach doesnt work, time and effort including observations are needed to determine which behavioural perspectives to use to help that child progress. In the Pupil referral unit therefore, the most effective way to help a child who has experienced traumatic events would be to use counselling by other services, or having a teacher they like discussing aspects of their behaviour with them, but being consistent with all the strategies included within the whole school behavioural policy and the use of sanctions and rewards helps improve behaviour. Unfortunately, in recent years the incidents of emotional and behavioural issues among children in all schools (not just pupil referral units) has increased and the different sanctions and strategies mentioned previously have yet to be embedded and used effectively everywhere. This is due to government pressure and league tables. Teachers have had to move away from listening to pupils in class time in order to get children through examinations, and to reach targets. As many of the solutions to helping improve behavioural issues for children with SEBD are based on a within child view and the team around the child, these thing involve a commitment from the government of time and money to enable these areas to be accessed by both pupils and teachers in order to improve behaviour effectively. An acknowledgement therefore that time spent on developing relationships within schools is in fact key to effecting education, requires a shift in government attitude in terms of expectations and ta rgets. Only then will pupil behaviour ultimately improve across educational establishments.

Comparing Ruth Prawer Jhabvalas Heat and Dust and Forsters A Passage

Comparing Ruth Prawer Jhabvala's Heat and Dust and Forster's A Passage to India Literature throughout time has contained many similarities. These similarities become even more prevalent when authors share a similar style and inspirations. Two authors that have similar experiences are Ruth Prawer Jhabvala and E.M. Forster. Both these authors have written books that are in the modernism style. Jhabvala and Forster also were fascinated by India and choose the relationships between native Indians and English colonizers as one of their themes. These similarities helped produce books that have similar characters. The women, not native to India, in both Jhabvala' Heat and Dust and Forster's A Passage to India, share many of the same attributes.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The most obvious similarities are those shared by Jhabvala's character Olivia and Forster's character Adela. Throughout the books, these two characters share many characteristics and experiences. The first experience they shared while in India is that both women are social with the native Indians. This was unacceptable to all Anglo-Indians. Olivia frequently visited the Nawab at his palace. She also entertained him and his companion, Harry at her home. For the majority of the book, Olivia's husband, Douglas is unaware of how frequently she visited the Nawab. If Douglas had been fully aware of Olivia's actions, he would have been enraged. Proper Englishwomen were not to associate with natives while unchaperoned. Adela, Forster's character, had a similar experience. She desired to see the 'real'; India. To allow her to do this, a native offered to take her to the Marabar Caves, a local landmark. Again, Englishwomen were not to associate with the natives. Her potenti al fiancà © and host, allowed her to go under the condition that his mother and an Englishman were also included in the group. Socializing with Indians is only one common experience Olivia and Adela had.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Another similar experience occurs near the end of both books. Both Olivia and Adela had relationships irreparably changed through the influence of India. If neither women was in India, their relationships probably would have remained intact. Olivia's marriage to Douglas was ruined because of her relationship with the Nawab. Olivia became very close with the Nawab. She eventually came to carry his child. Because Olivia did not believe the child ... ... this advice happened at the Bridge Party. Again, they told Adela that she was superior to the natives and should act accordingly. Despite all their attempts Adela did not adopt their opinions about the natives. She attempted to form her own. The Anglo-Indian women in both novels attempted to supply advice to the younger women.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Despite being written by different authors, the female characters in Jhabvala's Heat and Dust and Forster's A Passage to India are very similar. In spite of the similarities among characters the novels themselves are different. Not only do the novels have different themes, they were also written through different points of view. While A Passage to India is mainly written through the view of a narrator, the point of view in Heat and Dust changes from the narrator to a third person view developed through Olivia's letters. These are a few of the many differences between the novels that occur regardless of the fact that the novels have similar characters. Works Cited Forster, E.M. (1992). A Passage to India. New York: Everyman's Library, Alfred A. Knopf, Inc. Jhabvala, Ruth Prawer. (1975). Heat and Dust. New York: Harper & Row, Publishers.

Religion :: essays research papers

Genetic Engineering Genes, or chromosomes, are often referred to as "blueprints" which are passed down from generation to generation. From the study of these hereditary materials, scientists have ventured into the recent, and rather controversial, field of genetic engineering. It is described as the "artificial modification of the genetic code of a living organism", and involves the "manipulation and alteration of inborn characteristics" by humans. Like many other issues, genetic engineering has sparked a heated debate. Some people believe that it has the potential to become the new "miracle tool" of medicine. "Advances in the field of genetic engineering could mean progress on an unprecedented scale for all civilization" - Gail Dutton To others, this new technology borders on the realm of immorality, and is an omen of the danger to come. They are firmly convinced that this human intervention into nature is unethical, and will bring about the destruction of mankind. "†¦ the promise of genetic engineering as a tool of medicine is matched only by the threat it would pose to human society and civilization." - Ann E. Weiss Rapid advances in medical science have fuelled the question of bioethics. However, as science takes leaps and bounds towards its goals, ethics are often just learning how to crawl. In fact, it has even suffered major backslides in some cases. Genetic engineering "raises serious ethical questions about the right of human beings to alter life on the planet". Changing the basic physical traits of an organism can lead to an unprecedented threat to life on the planet". With such dire consequences, where do we draw the line? What View Does Science Have on Genetic Engineering? For the first time in history, evolution has taken a backseat to the meddling of humankind with their own genetic makeup. There is an "ongoing realization that humanity is capable of directly shaping its own and other species’ evolution". As we ease into the twenty-first century, we realize that genetic engineering is undoubtedly going to have a dramatic effect on our lives. It seems that "with genetic engineering, science has moved from exploring the natural world and its mechanisms to redesigning it." Now, we must ask ourselves this, will that influence be for better, or for worse? However, even the responses of science differ in this topic. Scientists remain divided in their opinions. Some have warned against the hazards of genetic engineering, while others have dismissed these perils as inconsequential. Two opposing viewpoints, which is right?

Tax Treatments for Individual Returns

Use the following format for your essay. It is based on the grading rubric structure. Identify the item in the appropriate rubric area and then present your reasoning in a paragraph for each tax decision you have made. Use as much space as necessary in each category. (The task instructions give a suggested total length of 2-5 pages.Recommended Tax Filing Status The recommended tax filing status for this family is Married Filing Jointly. The reason I would recommend this filing status is that there are three children that are qualifying children, but the college freshman is not under the age of 17 so that child does not qualify for the child tax credit. Spouse B’s mother does not qualify as a dependant because she does not meet the minimum requirement of having half of her support come from the family.The family would be able to take a higher amount of deductions and therefore pay less in taxes if they choose Married Filing Jointly. By filing jointly the couple is able to take advantages of such credits as the child tax credit, the Lifetime Learning Credit & the hope credit. They are also able to save more into retirement plans than they would have been filing separately.Taxable and Non-Taxable Income Spouse A’s income from his K-1 from Fan Company A is taxable income. Spouse A’s cash withdrawals are not taxable because they are accounted for on his K-1 as part of his income from the partnership. Spouse A’s income as a part time referee is taxable. Spouse B’s earnings as the controller for the electronics firm are taxable. Dividends from Company E stocks are taxable.The interest from the municipal bond is non-taxable. The losses that Spouse B suffered from day trading would be an offset against all other taxable income and would need to be reported on Form 8949 and Schedule D. The income from the rental properties would be taxable.The gain from selling their home is not taxable because it falls within the $250,000 limit for gai ns from selling a primary residence. The $200 per month that Spouse B receives for child support is not considered taxable income.Capital Gains and Losses The $44,000 profit from the sale of the rental house is a taxable gain because it was not the family’s main residence. The $5,000 stock trading loss that Spouse B incurred would be a capital loss. But only $3,000 of the loss will be able to be deducted in the current year, the other $2,000 will be a loss carryover. The rule for Capital Gains & Losses is that when a capital asset is sold, the difference between the amount you paid for the asset and the amount you sold it for is a capital gain or capital loss.A2c. Profit or Losses from Sale of Property The profit from selling the family’s main residence is not considered to be a taxable gain because the family lived there for more than 2 years within the past 5 years and because the gain on the sale was less than $500,000. The amount of the exclusion for the couple is $296,000.Partnership Income and Losses Spouse A’s $142,000 income from his K-1 is his partnership income. This is included in his taxable income. Spouse A’s cash withdrawals are not taxable because they are accounted for on his K-1 as part of his income from the partnership. Only Spouse A’s share of the net income of the partnership is considered to be his taxable income.Passive Activity Gains and Losses The family had a passive activity loss of $6,200 from their rental properties because the family does not materially participate in the business. Passive activity losses can only offset passive activity income, and passive activity tax credits can only be used against tax attributable to passive activity income on your tax return. The $44,000 profit from the sale of the rental house is a passive gain.Adjustments to Income (on the 1040 form this area is called Adjusted Gross Income) Spouse A’s $600 monthly alimony is a deductible expense because his ex-spo use has to pay income tax Spouse A’s deductible portion of his Self Employment tax on his $142,000 partnership income would be an adjustment because an individual is able to deduct the amount of taxes that an employer would normally pay. Moving expenses are not able to be used as an adjustment to income because the family did not lessen the commute by at least 50 miles.The passive loss from the rental properties are an adjustment to gross income. The money that Spouse A contributes to his Keogh retirement plan is not an adjustment to gross income because it is not one of the specified types of retirement plans that are able to be used as an adjustment.Deductions The Family should take the standard tax deduction because I do not believe that their itemized deductions will total more than the standard deduction. The donations to charity are tax deductible as long as the couple kept up with records and can itemize each deduction. This would be reported on schedule A. Spouse Bâ⠂¬â„¢s new wardrobe for her new job is not tax deductible because the clothes can be worn for other occasions than just work. The family will not be able to take their health care costs as a deduction because the medical costs did not equal 7.5% of their income.Tax credits A tax credit is an amount of money that is able to be subtracted from the actual amount of taxes that a taxpayer owes. This will reduce the amount of taxes that the family has to pay to the IRS. Spouse A will not get a credit for his Keogh Plan contributions because the family’s AGI will be too high. The family will get a child tax credit for each of the two children under 17. It may be possible for the family to get an Education credit for their College freshman and deduct some of the eligble expenses.American Opportunity Tax Credit to deduct up to $2,500 for expenses of their college freshman. The credit is phased out for incomes above $160,000.