Champion Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

I promote equality and diversity and inclusions, through our policies and procedures in the delivery of services. In my role I will be seen to promote individuals equality of opportunity, individual rights and choice, their privacy, individuality, independence, dignity and respect. I promote empowerment, equality of care, confidentiality and the wishes and needs of the people that use the service.The way in which we show diversity and accept other individuals differences can be shown in the following†¦ Complaints procedure (readily available), Consultation/participation individuals have the right and are encouraged to actively participate in consultations regarding changes to service policies and procedures, Individuals care plans are regularly updated by myself and other relevant staff to take into account any changes to the individuals health, needs and wishes. Maintaining confidentiality (storing care plans safely in a locked cabinet), Person centred care plans (individuals r ights and choices stated within their care plan).Offering choices (choices of male or female carer, choice of activities, meals and drinks). An informed choice means that a person fully understands all the arguments before making a choice. It is a choice that is based on a full understanding of the consequences of all available options. Promoting independence, encouraging active support and empowerment of individuals. All service users are allowed to practice their religious beliefs. Respecting individual’s privacy, knocking on doors before entering etc†¦ Work place policies readily available to all and information readily available and various formats appropriate to each individual’s needs.Inclusion, equality opportunity and anti-discrimination are central principles in social care. All care needs are planned on the basis that so individuals may need additional support to overcome the barriers they face. Barriers are those things that prevent or make access to a service more difficult for certain groups and individuals. The barriers faced depend on each workplace and environment within you work, these barriers could include the following†¦ Age, Gender or gender, Disability (physical or sensory impairment), Faith, Ethnic origin, Sexual orientation, Communication (literacy and language).Other barriers may include: Structural, such as buildings not designed for wheelchairs. Cultural barriers can prevent, for example, consideration of spiritual, relation or dietary needs that do not confirm with traditional expectations. For example it took 3 days to organize halal food. Personal barriers, for example where healthcare staff hold individual prejudices that influence their practice. These actions may be conscious, but as we have discussed, they can often be unconscious. Attitude barriers are not as easy to identify as physical barriers, but they can feel every bit as real to those who are exposed to them.Some vulnerable and disadvantaged ind ividuals need more support to ensure their voice is heard and they are able to have power in the decision making process. This is where groups such as ADVOCACY and YOUR VOICE COUNTS play a large role in the lives of adults with disabilities. Remember that everyone is an individual. People do not always like to be categorised in a particular equalities group. And individuals within equalities groups will have vastly different experiences, views and opinions. The legislation relating to equality, diversity and inclusion, stems both from UK government and European Union.It offers protection from discrimination on grounds of age, disability, gender, race and ethnic origin, religious faith or belief and sexual orientation. The legislation has implications on all workplaces, in terms of employment practice and in terms of the services provided. Compliance with the legislation must be embedded in your Equality, Diversity and Inclusion policies. You need to adopt a very broad based approach to ensure that all relevant legislative requirements are addressed and take full responsibility for actions in your role of responsibility.In my role I am sometimes responsible for ensuring ongoing appropriate staff development and training to support all staff in promoting inclusion and meeting legislation requirements. In addition, meeting with staff to give appropriate updates on relevant events and legislation and to discuss appropriate issues. Health and social care providers are obliged to incorporate legislation relating to equality, diversity and discrimination into their policies and procedures. Workplace procedures dictate best practice regarding how work activities must be carried out, and they must be followed.Anything else would contravene the law, and be breaching an individual’s rights. Some of the legislations which may impact on area of responsibility could include: The health and social care act 2008. This act established the care quality commission (CQC), whose remit is to protect and promote the right of people using health and social care services in UK to quality care and to regulate its provisions. CQC took over the roles of healthcare commission, commission for social care inspection and the mental health act commission in March 2009.This prompted government to bring into force THE EQUALITY ACT which brought different types of discrimination within one piece of legislation. It provides understandable, practical guidance for employers, service providers and public bodies to ensure that right to fair treatment are promoted for everyone. Equality act 2010 is the law which bans unfair treatment and helps achieve equal opportunities in the workplace and wider society. The act replaced previous anti-discrimination laws with single act to make the law simpler and to remove inconsistencies.This makes law easier for people to understand and comply with. The act also strengthened protection in some situations. The act covers nine protecte d characteristics, which cannot be used as a reason to treat people unfairly. Every person has one or more of the protected characteristics, so the act protects everyone against unfair treatment. They protected characteristics are the following; Age, Disability, Gender reassignment, Marriage and civil partnership, Pregnancy and maternity, Race, Religion or belief, Sex, Sexual orientation.The equality act sets out the different ways in which it is unlawful to treat someone, such as direct and indirect discrimination, harassment, victimisation and failing to make a reasonable adjustment for a disabled person. The act prohibits unfair treatment in the workplace, when providing goods, facilities and services, when exercising public functions, in the disposal and management of premises, in education and by association (such as private clubs). The MENTAL CAPACITY ACT is designed to protect people who can’t make a decision for themselves or lack the mental capacity to do so.This act is something that i refer to daily in my everyday work at pgb. CODES OF PRACTICE. In England and Wales, the general social care council (GSCC) is responsible for ensuring that standards within social care sector are of the highest quality. It has developed codes of practice for all care workers that include information on how to protect and promote the rights of individuals using the service. The codes of practice provide a guide to the best practice and set out standards of conduct that workers are expected to meet.

The success of A Tale of Two Cities

The art of historical fiction requires from its creator the scrupulosity of selection. This relates to the selection of theme, characters and their roles, pace of narration and time sequence supported by the language embodied into certain literary devices to make a story unique and popular through centuries. This requirement is perfectly achieved by Charles Dickens in his novel A Tale of Two Cities.The success of A Tale of Two Cities can be attributed to Dickens's artful setting of a touching human story against the background of the world-shaking events of the French Revolution, and to the themes related with these events. Among these themes, one of the most important is the theme of sacrifice, as the way to self-fulfillment.An accompanying are the themes of retribution and human loyalty – kind and sympathetic in the case of the Manettes, father and daughter, and Miss Pross; appalling though understandable in the case of Madame Defarge, who can never forget what the Evrà ©mo ndes did to her family. Another theme is the resemblances and parallels Dickens wants us to see between London and Paris. The two cities represent opposed mindsets that are personified by contrasting female characters.Dickens refers first to the London carts and coaches, in which â€Å"pale travellers set out continually on a violent passage into the other world† from the criminal court and prison of Old Bailey (Dickens, ii 2). Later, before he depicts the mob in Paris, he gives us a London crowd, which â€Å"in those times stopped at nothing, and was a monster much dreade† (Dickens, ii 14).Dickens’s most memorable characters tend to be the eccentrics, the droll fellows. In A Tale of Two Cities there are few of these: Miss Pross and Jerry Cruncher are the two most notable. As a contrast to them there is the pushing Stryver; he is not really entertaining.The rest of Dickens’s characters do not hold much of the reader's interest. Thus, Sydney Carton, Charle s Darnay, Lucie Manette, the good Doctor Manette, and Jarvis Lorry all seem relatively normal people, who in other circumstances would not be very interesting.The same might even be true of the Defarges, husband and wife. Had they not had a revolution to fight, their lives might have been routine, and not worth investigating. But in this novel, the driving force is an impersonal one. Its impact on character is felt most strongly when we consider the two principal antagonists: Sydney Carton and Madame Defarge.Sydney Carton is a case of a spoiled man who has somehow lost his nerve and his self-respect and bitterly knows it. He gets the chance to do a noble thing and, in doing it, redeems his wasted life. But, had there been no such opportunity, we must suspect that he would have gone on in his downward track, drinking more and enjoying it less, and at some point being cast off by the now affluent Stryver – the man who has used him to his own great benefit – when he needs him no longer.

Illegal Logging a Major Factor in Flood Devastation of Philippines Essay

Decades of illegal logging, unusually high rainfall and geography have all contributed to the devastation wrought by storms that have lashed the Philippines, the government and environmentalists say. With hundreds dead or missing in floods and landslides in Quezon, Nueva Ecija and Aurora provinces, blame has fallen on illegal loggers who have stripped hillsides bare and turned lush green forests into death traps. Geography has played its part too. The Philippine archipelago of some 7,000 islands sits astride Southeast Asia’s typhoon belt and is usually the first country to be hit by typhoons from the Pacific Ocean. Infanta, one of the hardest-hit areas, is usually the first port of call for an average of 19 typhoons and tropical storms that hit the Philippines every year, said chief government weather forecaster Prisco Nilo. He said the latest storm was the 25th to veer into the Philippines this year, making it an exceptional year. Government hydrologist Richard Orendain said although the residents of Infanta and nearby Real and General Nakar are used to typhoons, what they probably failed to anticipate was the consequences of the amount of rainfall that fell on the region over the past week. Orendain told AFP that in one 24-hour period on Sunday some 144 millimeters (4. 3 fluid ounces) of rain fell over the region. The monthly average for November is 611 millimeters. â€Å"Even though it was not a strong typhoon, the destructive impact was magnified by the amount of rain that fell over the area,† he said. â€Å"We can’t really say whether illegal logging was the main cause, though it may have contributed to it. † Orendain said the ground water table had â€Å"probably reached saturation point† noting that the area was hard hit by another storm just a week earlier. So the water had no where to go,† he said. With many in the government blaming illegal logging for the current disaster, President Gloria Arroyo ordered a nationwide crackdown. â€Å"Illegal logging must now be placed in the order of most serious crimes against our people,† Arroyo said in a statement Wednesday. â€Å"The series of landslides and flashfloods that hit several parts of the country should serve as a wake up call for us to join hands in preserving our environment and stepping up reforestation. â€Å" Senator Richard Gordon has called for an investigation into the disaster. â€Å"For years the the department of environment and natural resources has failed to go after the illegal loggers operating in many parts of the country,† he told reporters Tuesday. Vice President Noli de Castro said the country had still not learned the lessons from landslides and flooding in 1991 on the island of Leyte which left thousands dead. â€Å"Illegal logging was found to be the main contributor to that disaster,† de Castro said. Forest economist Lourdes Catindig, of the government’s natural resources and environment department, told AFP the southern Sierra Madre, which runs through the eastern section of the main island of Luzon, still has some forest cover left. â€Å"We issued a logging moratorium in the area in the 1970s,† she said. In the last decade, the Philippines has suffered severely from natural disasters. In 1990, central Luzon was hit by both a drought and a typhoon that flooded practically all of Manila. Still more damaging was an earthquake in 1990 that devastated a wide area in Luzon, including Baguio and other northern areas. The archipelago also straddles the so-called Pacific rim of fire and is home to some 200 volcanoes of which 17 are still active. In June 1991, the second largest volcanic eruption of the 20th century took place at Mount Pinatubo, just 90 kilometers (55 miles) northwest of Manila. Up to 800 people were killed and 100,000 made homeless following the eruptions.

Unemployment In America Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Unemployment In America - Research Paper Example Moreover, tax remission declines because the unemployed group includes individuals who have lost their employment for some reasons. Unemployment also increases the expenditures of the federal government. In the long run, the unemployed experience erosion of their skills which causes productivity when they get employed in the future (Bluestone, 2013). Researchers indicate that those who stay unemployed for long periods of their youthful years end up earning lower wages because it takes them a long time to adapt to the work environment, as well as acquisition of skills. Working conditions and rate of salaries have forced a significant number of employed Americans to drop out of their jobs. Part-time jobs, on the other hand, are deceptive to the statistics of unemployment rates since most of the part-time jobs are not satisfactory to the needs of the part-time workers. Only about 47.7% of adults in the United States work in full-time jobs. These are the only American adults working on jobs that are not satisfactory enough. It implies that most Americans would like to work on better paying jobs under proper working conditions Declines in the demand for services and goods are a major contributor to unemployment. Products and services create employment through the many transactions needed to deliver them to consumers. The production of products and services requires a significant number of employees. If the demand for goods is weakening, firms producing goods and services are forced to lay off some employees to reduce extra costs. Therefore, some people lose employment when demand for goods and services they were producing becomes lower (Bluestone, 2013). Most goods and services go through many processes before reaching the consumer. These processes create employment for many people as well. For example, some industries manufacture goods and deliver them to other industries for further processing.

Peopel Mangment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Peopel Mangment - Essay Example This paper approves that it is clear from the above discussion that diversity has a number of dimensions and has a major impact on the overall position of women in the workplace. Promoting gender equality is a growing trend and the various equality and diversity policies adopted by companies clearly impact women and assist them in gaining better positions and also job profiles which fit their skills set. Here the principle of human rights is to provide basic equal treatment to individuals from different groups. The main aim of all human resources across different companies is to ensure that the inequalities within the groups are reduced and women as well as men are given the same treatment, without any form of bias or distinction. This essay makes a conclusion that one of the main areas of focus across the world has been on the need for reducing discrimination against women. Hence it can be concluded that the various equality and diversity policies that have been developed over the years clearly have a strong impact on women and in most cases this is a positive influence. Nevertheless a few companies, despite all the laws and regulations, have not been able to effectively ensure that women are given their rights and that job selection, recruitment and retention are based on the skills set and not gender. Even so, the overall impact of the equality and diversity policies is clearly been extremely effective and has proven to be very successful across the world.

CASE STUDY THree stories by Edgar Allen Poe Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

THree stories by Edgar Allen Poe - Case Study Example In the story, the relationship existing between the old man and the narrator is unclear whether the old man is a father or the narrator is a servant to the old man. The story is, therefore, a short time documented life experience story, which the author uses to portray the personifying characters. In as much as the story, tell tale heart does not make use of pronouns and other necessary English devices; it sparks symbolical ideologies and themes in people. The story starts with a conversation where an alleged man is confessing to an unknown person. It is not clear whether it is a prison guard, doctor, news reporter or a psychiatrist. In the process of giving a confession, memory of terror prevail in the story where the man admits the state of guilt. This grabs the attention of readers as the narrator take responsibility for murder, but does not accept insanity (Poe 23). The narrator attempts to prove his guiltiness while at the same time denying insanity in confessing. It is, therefo re, a story, which involves a tag of war between two forces, one confessing a murder while the other defends sanity, hence the name tell tale.The narrator, while lamenting, tries to defend himself from any idea, which might portray him as insane. At the same time he says, â€Å"I heard many things in hell. ... From a reader’s perspective, this might be one of the causes of misunderstanding in the story, which makes the narrator plan for the old man’s murder. In addition, the story penetrates a veil of secrecy in the final night regardless of the incidental relationship existing. (Poe, 45). To ascertain the death of the old man, he cuts his body parts and hides the remains under the floor. The dissimilation to protect his conscience gets centered in the old man’s vulture eyes. Subsequently, the quest to know more remains in readers having the anxiety to understand the motives behind the killings. The heart is symbolic of emotions of the individual. It shows the guilt of the narrator when the investigation proceeds. It seems the narrator is speaking to the heart. The old man’s bedroom is symbolic in the story. The manner of narrator’s intrusion into the room is symbolic of the violation of the violation of honor that the man had. In the story, the watch is symbolic of time. Notable aspect imagery in the story is that of the lantern displayed as beautiful and decent. In conclusion, the story, tell tale heart is more of similar to Roderick Usher’s book, the fall of the house of usher. Both reveal uncontrolled imagination among characters, which gets linked to psychological and emotional instabilities. The story is a representation in the struggle between imagination and science. The old man in the story represents scientific, rational mind in allegorical sequence portraying high degree of intelligence. The black Cat The short story of Poe was published in 1843. It closely relates other works by Poe since it portrays the notion psychological guilt. In this case, the

Communications 215 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Communications 215 - Essay Example I agree with Ezenberger that the media has industrialized the human mind in the way that it has now come to influence our thoughts (Berger, n.d). In my own experience, whatever opinions I have on what is the best brand of toothpaste to use, or which shampoo gives the most silky hair, all come from what I have seen on television; without having access to a television, I would not have had these ideas at all. Moving onto how the media is "amusing" us to death, Postman believes that the main focus of television is to fill the human life with "triviality and incoherence," and to instill in us the belief that life is like some kind of circus show where the point is just to be entertained (Berger, n.d). For Postman, television is only instructing us what products to buy in order to bring excitement into our lives (Berger, n.d). While there are many television programs that try to educate viewers, I believe that most television channels have an agenda to simply amuse the audience and keep t hem in a sedated state where they do not care about the more important things in life. (A2) For Jameson, postmodernism entails a blurring of the lines between what is regarded as high culture and mass culture in modernism (Berger, n.d). Since postmodernism does not believe in metanarratives and is eclectic in the way it defines things, for Jameson postmodern art maintains no division between elite and popular culture, and that "anything goes," (Berger, n.d). The postmodern landscape is "degraded" in the way that it is composed of "schlock art" (Berger, n.d). I do agree that in the postmodern era there is a kind of art that eliminates the previous boundaries between elite and popular culture; for example, Marcel Duchamp constructed a ceramic urinal and passed this off as postmodern art, thereby blurring the lines between high and low art. (A3) Baudrillard's theory on the effects of media is influenced by the notion of simulacra; he claimed that in today's postmodern era which is domi nated by the media, there are not true copies of something, there are only "simulations of reality which aren't any more or less "real" than the reality they simulate," (Mann, n.d). For Baudrillard whatever we see in the media becomes our reality, and seems more real than what is actually real. These simulacras, these images of things that do not exist in reality, become part of hyperreality. As Baudrillard rightly states, postmodernism entails " the death of the real," since we are connecting more and more with media where the content "merely simulate reality," and thus living in a kind of hyperreality that is not real (Mann, n.d). I can see this in the way that we relate to actors on TV; I myself have spent hours with my friends discussing Blair and Chuck's relationship in the TV serial Gossip Girl, as if we personally know them. There are often times when I feel I can connect to people from TV shows more than I can relate to my own family. This all shows that media has created a hyperreality with simulacras that we are now relating to more than we relate to real life. (A4) For Rheingold, a smart mob has emerged from the onset of mobile phone technology (Berger, n.d). Smart mobs are characterized as groups of people who can be rallied for social and political campaigning though the use of mobile

Foundation of the National Association of Colored Women's Clubs (NACW) Assignment

Foundation of the National Association of Colored Women's Clubs (NACW) - Assignment Example The objectives of the women association were; working towards moral, religious, economic, women and youths’ social welfare. The second objective was to safeguard women and youths’ rights. Thirdly, the association was out to improve the quality and standards life in families and homes. The fourth objective was to promote education of women and youths through departments of work. The fifth one was to articulate their influence for civil and political freedom for Africa-Americans as well as every citizen. They also intended to promote effective female-male interaction. Lastly, they had an objective to promote justice and good will through inter-racial understanding. (Wesley, 1984). The association had several milestones of progress. Among the accomplishments were the incorporation of St. Louis, Missouri in 1904. The women were able to establish a loan fund known as Hellie Quinn Brown Scholarship Fund. This Association of Colored Women also established an association for colored girls. Another legacy of this association is the purchase of the current national headquarters at Washing DC. W.E.B. Du Bois and Booker T. Washington. Were African leaders that harshly disagreed on strategies for black social and economic progress. Washingtons policy served only to effect white oppression. (Wesley, 1984). The National association of colored women liaised with booker T. in his articulation for the ending of racism. He supported and spoke for the African-Americans accept into political and social status quo of segregation and racism and instead focus on black community progress. Booker T, was most

Managing activities people Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 2

Managing activities people - Assignment Example In the movie The Verdict director Sidney Lumet according to me does not come up to my level of expectation as a lot more could have been done. After reading the novel I personally think direction was not as strong as it should have been for a person with so much in depth of the field. According to one of the top critics Jonathan Rosenbaum from Chicago Reader " Sidney Lumets direction, like David Mamets patchy script, may not be quite good enough to justify the Rembrandt-like cinematography of Edward Pisoni and the brooding mood of self-importance, but its good direction nonetheless." This clearly explains that despite the great effort and techniques involved far more could be done to make the movie a success. Apparently this movie for me was a very entertaining and a top notch courtroom based drama which had elements of tragedy, suspense, fraud, emotions and romance making it a complete story. As mentioned in the book that "The script must keep you off balance. Keep you surprised, en tertained, involved, and yet, when the denouement is reached, still give a sense that the story HAD to turn out that way." This precisely means that the script is the skeleton for any film and a good script keeps the audience awe struck. Likewise in the movie the script is one of the most complex elements, when Frank goes to meet his mom he is immensely affected by her present state which brilliantly unveiled another side of Frank. As I read in the book that "Normally I’m not concerned about audience reaction. But when you touch on sex and death, two aspect of life that hit a deep core, there’s no way of knowing what an audience will do." And that’s how well he played with emotions in the previously mentioned scene. He laid great emphasis on the selection of the overall cast as he firmly believed that an artist needed to be very vague and distinguished from his/her actions. Sidney Lumet was very well successful in

Zynga Case Analysis Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Zynga Analysis - Case Study Example This paper is divided into different sections, which present analyze aspects of Zynga identified in the article. Zynga, founded in 2007, competes against Electronic Arts, a giant in the gaming industry. Zynga struggles to establish itself in the industry despite different challenges. Zynga is in a relationship with Facebook, yet the relationship is a major source of most of Zynga’s problems. To solve this, Zynga needs to break away from Facebook and use its website as its major platform. It is also important for Zynga to develop ways of maintaining its existing customers and attracting new users. This analysis provides insights into the status of Zynga, and ways through which it can improve, as this is a promising company, which contributes to the economy. 2. Introduction Zynga, based in San Francisco, USA, is currently among the leading providers of social games, which are browser-based. Zynga has approximately 270m monthly users, and in 2011, Zynga was valued at $7 billion. Since social networks are popular among people, game developers use them as platforms for their games. Social networks are capable of ensuring interactivity of gamers in different areas. Additionally, a larger part of the population engages in social networking each day. For this reason, Zynga, and its competitors seek to expand their businesses. However, to be successful, Zynga needs to improve its strategy and business model. 3. Target Customers The primary target customers of Zynga include the hardcore gamers, while the secondary target customers include individuals with less exposure to computer games. In addition, Zynga, unlike other gaming companies, targets women gamers. While other companies are reluctant to target females, citing their disinterest in gaming, Zynga has designed its games in a way that will attract female gamers. Research shows that females in the West have an equal access to the internet as men, and spend more time online, compared to males (MacMillan 2012). Nonetheless, Zynga has not managed to bring all its target customers into its customer base. 4. SWOT Analysis This case analysis employs a SWOT analysis on the case of Zynga. This way, the challenges and potential of Zynga will be identified, and these will help to develop possible strategies for improving operations of Zynga. In addition, it is important to analyze the environment in which the company operates, and identify the major problems of the company, and possible solutions. a) Strengths Zynga develops highly addictive games, and this has helped the company to attract many gamers. The gamers easily get obsessed with the games, and spend more time playing the games, thus paying up more and adding to the profitability of Zynga. Zynga develops games that promote interactivity. People in different geographical locations can interact through the games. Therefore, when more people pay to compete in a game at a time, Zynga obtains more revenue. Therefore, this is a major strength, as it brings many people together to play a game, thus more profits for the company. Furthermore, the strong relationship with Facebook is a major strength. Zynga uses Facebook as its main platform, where gamers can access its games. Since Facebook is the most popular social network with the largest number of users, maintaining a relationship with

Types of employee motivation Dissertation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Types of employee motivation - Dissertation Example Motivating the human resource works towards achieving higher efficiency in their services (Changing Minds, 2011). Research reveals that a highly motivated employee has a greater productivity than an employee who is not so motivated. Thus organisations implementing employee motivation strategies are deemed to perform better than those without such practices. This project aims to identify the different ways of motivating employees in organisations in Saudi Arabia. Its main focus is to identify the factors which help to motivate employees. The company chosen for the purpose of the project is Saudi Telecom Company (STC), which holds the top most position in the telecommunications sector in Saudi Arabia. The research conducted for the purpose is by using the questionnaire. The questions are aimed towards the employees of the organisation to find out their views about the motivational factors which would enhance their work productivity. The results following from the questionnaire have bee n presented as research findings in the project. Finally, it provides strategies which should be developed by the organisations which would motivate its staff towards enhancing their productivity. About the Company (Saudi Telecom Company- STC) The company was established in 1998 after being approved by the â€Å"Council of Ministers’ Decree No. 213† (STC, 2011) to establish under the name of STC. It is considered to be the leading telecommunication service provider in Saudi Arabia. It has been continuously working towards meeting its customer requirements, keeping up with the changing technologies and going with the market trends. The company underwent change in its strategy from that of a government system to standards of commercial business. This transition comprised of internal reorganisation, staff development, re-skilling, changing the company’s internal process, restudying its customer requirements and at the same time continuing to undertake its corporate responsibilities (STC, 2011). This company has been chosen for this study because it has been working towards changing its strategies which would necessarily involve restructuring its human resource practices, of which motivation is an important component. Research and Analysis Research Statement The research statement is as follows- What factors are used in organisations of Saudi Arabia for motivating its employees? STC or the Saudi Telecom Company has been chosen for the study and choice of this firm is done purely on the basis of judgement. The research question would allow for designing the most appropriate motivational mix by the management of the organisation. Aim of the Study The research aims to identify the different ways of motivation that are practiced in the firms of Saudi Arabia. It finds the different views proposed by employees of the company. This is done by conducting a primary research on the subject. A secondary research component would also be present to get a m ore comprehensive view on the subject. The literature review would be developed using secondary research techniques. It would include the use of books, journals and scholarly articles. The primary research techniques would be primarily based on the use of questionnaire. The questionnaire method would be followed. The responses following from the method would be collected,

The Right to Bear Arms Essay Example for Free

The Right to Bear Arms Essay Introduction Firearms restriction, generally identified as gun control, is a fervently area under discussion in and out of the political arena. Supporting groups suggest more limitations, tighter restraints and severe penalties for felony. These proponents assert that violent behavior stems from guns and gun holders, gun producers and gun supporters are to charge. Opponent groups to gun control propose that lesser limitations, superior availability of diverse types of firearms and more restrained punishments should be put in practice. Anti- The Right to Bear Arms In modern years, gun control supporters, that is, those in errand of more limitations, have developed and been privileged by the media. Some of these groups include handgun Control, Inc., the National Coalition to Ban Handguns, the Brady Campaign to Prevent Violence, the Coalition to Stop Gun Violence, Mothers Against Violence in America and the international Stop Handgun Violence. (Carter, 75) With growing media awareness with more and more school killings, supporters of gun control legislation have repeatedly detained that only federal laws can be effectual. If not, states with a small number of restrictions will persist to be fonts of guns that stream illegitimately into states with added limitations. (Edel, 76) Numerous proponents of gun restrictions have backed policy transformations on explicit sorts of firearms or components that come into view to be handy primarily for criminal intentions or purposes that masquerade abnormal risks to the community. Completely automatic weapons and short-barreled rifles and shotguns have been focus to strict directive since 1934. Entirely mechanical firearms have been expelled from personal ownership since 1986, apart from for those lawfully owned and recorded with the Secretary of the Treasury on May 19, 1986, the day the ban was approved. (Spitzer, 139) The proponents of gun control have offered a strong and solid case. Many resolutely consider that guns should be prohibited all through the country. Pro- The Right to Bear Arms Antagonists of gun control differ in their points with deference to detailed forms of control. In general, they embrace that gun control regulations do not achieve what is planned. The cluster leading the encounter in opposition to gun control is the National Rifle Association, or the NRA. The NRA began as an association to endorse the practice of target shooting. After World War II, despite the fact that the communal attitude on firearms turn out to be increasingly unenthusiastic, the NRA targeted its energies on anti-gun control. Gun control antagonists also refuse the postulation that the single lawful reason of ownership by a private citizen is entertaining. Andrews summarizes the dissimilarity in posture between Red (Republican and pro-gun) and Blue (Democrat and anti-gun) States. Andrews clarifies that numerous anti-gun control activists consider the matter from an ethical position where the gun control advocates see the subject from an erroneous interests point of view. (Andrews, p-9) Some opponents deem further that the Second Amendment comprises a right to maintain arms as a protection against potential government oppression, pointing to instances in other countries of the use of guns limitations to limit dissent and make safe unlawful government power. Whatsoever the case, the peoples leading the clash against the control and legislation against guns continue and never quit. They deem ethically and strongly that gun control is much too preventive and infringes upon rights given them by the Constitution. (Cothran, pp 13-19) Conclusion The discussion over gun control has been hard fought and concentrated. To gun control advocates, the resistance is out of touch with the times, misreads the Second Amendment, or is short of apprehension for the harms of crime and aggression. To gun control antagonists, advocates are inexperienced in their confidence in the authority of regulation to decipher social troubles, bent on enchanting the American citizen for ideological or societal reasons, or stimulated by unreasonable opposition to firearms and gun enthusiasts. Guns dont kill people, people kill people.(NRA Slogan, 1980-Present) References Andrews, Ned. Why Guns Matter. The American Enterprise 01 Sep. 2002: 9+. Carter, Gregg Lee. The Gun Control Movement. New York: Twayne Publishers, 1997 Cothran, Helen, ed. Opposing Viewpoints: Gun Control. San Diego: Green-haven Press, 2003. Edel, Wilbur. Gun Control: Threat to Liberty or Defense Against Anarchy. Westport, Connecticut: Praeger Publishers, 1995. Spitzer, Robert J. The Politics of Gun Control. Chatham, New Jersey: Chatham House Publishers, Inc., 1995.

The Issue Of Eve Teasing Sociology Essay

The Issue Of Eve Teasing Sociology Essay Eve teasing is a very common social problem and everyday women come across some form of eve teasing. In this case, do you think that women should be empowered to fight back to end this evil act Explain and Illustrate Aai shundori, ekta gaan shuney jao na, said one of the boys. Ekdin toh amar shathey jetei hobey, said another. Terrified, fourteen year old Lima kept her head lowered and quickened her pace as she walked to school. That group of notorious boys heckling her again as they have been for the past few weeks. Three months ago one of the girls in her school committed suicide. When she heard the news, Lima couldnt figure out why another young girl like her would take her own life. That was until all this daily harassment started. She thought to herself, So this is what Shathi must have felt like, this humiliation, this embarrassment, this is why she killed herself . . . so this is the terrible Eve Teasing. Eve teasing is a euphemism used for public sexual harassment, street harassment or molestation of women by men. It is a growing social problem considered to be related to delinquency in youth. This is a form of sexual aggression that ranges in severity from sexually suggestive remarks, brushing in public places, catcalls, to outright groping. Sometimes it is referred to with a coy suggestion of innocent fun, making it appear harmless with no resulting liability on the part of the performer. Eve teasing, as heinous as it is, is thus also a difficult crime to prove. In my opinion, eve teasing is a very serious moral and social crime carried out by ruffians in the most degrading manner and it is not so much an act of masculinity but rather of low-life cowardice. The general socioeconomic status in Bangladesh is much lower compared to neighboring countries such as India and Sri Lanka. For the average girl in Bangladesh, one of her most prized possessions is her dignity. Following the culture and traditions also have the girls dress up in a conservative manner so as not to incite uncalled attention from the males. Historically, the upbringing of girls in Bangladesh differs in many ways from the boys. That is one of the reasons why the psychological impact and consequences of eve teasing are so devastating to the victim and her family. Eve teasing is now a social pandemic in Bangladesh. Based on empirical study (2008), the Hunger Project has identified some impacts of eve teasing in the society of rural Bangladesh. These are: a) Curtailed education: Sexual harassment increases girls drop-out rate from school. Parents concerned about their daughters honor or safety sometimes keep their daughters home and/or marry them off at an early age. b) Early marriage: Girls who are teased or harassed are also pushed into marriage, before they are physically or mentally prepared. This also leads to increase of maternal and infant deaths. c) Hindered development: Eve teasing contributes to maintaining the low status of women. It also hinders women in participating in the formal employment sector. As nearly half of the population of the country are women, for the economic development of the country their participation in employment is a must. d) Eve teasing leads to young womans suicide in Bangladesh. Some young women, unable to bear the repeated insults, have even gone so far as to commit suicide. According to the Bangladesh National Women Lawyers Association (BNWLA), almost 90% of girls aged between 10 and 18 years are victims of public sexual harassment. According to the Ain-O-Shalish Kendra (ASK) human rights organization, atleast fourteen girls and women have taken their own lives between March and June 2010 across Bangladesh as a direct result of eve teasing. It has not only been suicides, but, even parents of the victims and protestors against eve teasers have been assaulted and killed by the perpetrators. From January to November 2010, twenty six females and one father of a bullied girl committed suicide, and ten men and two women were murdered after protesting against eve teasing / sexual harassment, according to a Bangladeshi rights group. The High Court on November 02nd 2010 expressed grave concern in stalking, tragic suicides of victims, and associated revenge killings. Since then, mobile courts in Bangladesh have been empowered to prosecute people accused of sexually harassing women or eve teasing. Anyone convicted of sexual harassment or stalking of women will face a year in jail or a fine of about BDT 5000 or both. The Ministry of Children and Women Affairs have linked up with mobile phone service providers in Bangladesh and taken the initiative to send mass text messages urging people to be more vocal against eve teasing. Undercover police have been stationed in playgrounds to prevent young males from molesting female pupils. UNICEF has also joined in the fight against the growing social peril of eve teasing in Bangladesh. UNICEF and its partners also are working to create awareness by establishing and supporting local adolescent groups called Kishori Clubs. The clubs allow girls and boys to learn to socialize in positive ways and they participate in activities that empower them to become agents of change. There are also laws that essentially make Eve teasing a punishable crime. For example: Section 10 of Women and Children Repression and Prevention Act provides for punishment of rigorous imprisonment up to 10 years and a fine if a person with a view to illegally satisfy his sexual lust by any of his organ touches genital organ or any part of the body of a woman or violates her modesty. Section 9A of the same Act states that if a woman commits suicide because of violation of her modesty by willing acts of any person without her consent or against her will, such person for the offence of instigating her to commit suicide will be punishable with rigorous punishment for a term not exceeding 10 years Section 354 of Bangladesh Penal Code provides for a punishment of up to two years and a fine for any person who assaults or uses criminal force to any woman intending to outrage her modesty or knowing it is likely that said act would. Alike Bangladesh, eve teasing has also been a nuisance in India. The Government of India took some admirable steps to deal with the problem. They took effective remedial measures both judicial and law enforcement wise. The police were asked to be on the alert to round up Eve teasers. The deployment of plain clothed female police officers for the purpose was particularly effective. In addition to this were Womens help-lines, Women police stations and also, special anti-eve teasing cells by the police were set up in various cities. In some cities where the problem was particularly serious like Tamil Nadu, eve teasing was made a non-bail able offence. I believe that if the Government of Bangladesh also applies such measures, eve teasing will be further controlled to some extent. While the above are some encouraging examples of initiatives undertaken to combat eve teasing, I think that another crucial element that would help this cause is women being empowered as means to fight back. The roles that men and women play in society are not biologically determined they are socially determined, changing and changeable. Although they may be justified as being required by culture or religion, these roles vary widely by locality and change over time. UNFPA has found that applying culturally sensitive approaches can be the key to advancing womens rights while respecting different forms of social organization. Womens empowerment is vital to sustainable development and the realization of human rights for all. Empowerment means giving legal and moral power to an individual in all spheres of life social, economic, political, psychological, religious and spiritual, which are essential for the survival and over all development of the mankind. Empowerment expresses the bold idea that all people have claims to social arrangement that protect them from the worst abuses and deprivations and secure the freedom for a life of dignity. The process of empowerment helps shift the priority to the most deprived and excluded, especially to deprivations because of discrimination. Womens empowerment could be considered as a process in which women gain greater share of control over resources, material, human and intellectual like knowledge, information, ideas and financial resources like money. Women should also be given control over decision making in the home, community and the society. They should be able to break free of the mould set by patriarchal norms. According to Labour Force Survey 2000 of the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS), the total estimated civilian labour forces of the country is 60.3 million and among them 37.81% are female.  These days women are increasingly entering into job market mainly in ready-made garments and allied sector, tea gardens, NGOs, health care services, food processing industry, export processing zones, services sectors and commercial enterprises and informal sector such as construction, agriculture etc. One of the major areas where women have found employment has been the garment sector. This industry employs around 10 million people directly or indirectly, of which ninety percent are women workers.   In Bangladesh, women are also involved with politics. The prime minister, foreign minister, home minister, agriculture minister, deputy leader of the House and the leader of the opposition are female. Yet, according to a survey, every five minutes a woman is sexually harassed. Every two minutes one woman is molested. Eve teasing is something that a woman has to contend with everyday. But, we can make it better for our women by resolving the following problems of the different Empowerment types: Social Empowerment: Social empowerment includes equality of treatment, equality of respect, equality of opportunity, equality of recognition and above all equality of status. The indicators of social empowerment of women include the base of gender inequality, sex ratios, life expectancy rates and fertility rates which shows the general status of women in terms of literacy, economic growth, availability of health care and birth control facilities, educational status of women, age at marriage, literacy rates and participation of women outside the home. Economic Empowerment: In nearly every country, women work longer hours than men, but are usually paid less and are more likely to live in poverty. Poor women do more unpaid work, work longer hours and may accept degrading working conditions during times of crisis, just to ensure that their families survive. In subsistence economies, women spend much of the day performing tasks to maintain the household, such as carrying water and collecting fuel wood. In many countries women are also responsible for agricultural production and selling. Often they take on paid work or entrepreneurial enterprises as well. Unpaid domestic work from food preparation to care giving directly affects the health and overall well being and quality of life of children and other household members. Yet womens voices and lived experiences whether as workers (paid and unpaid), citizens, or consumers are still largely missing from debates on finance and development. Educational Empowerment: Education is important for everyone, but it is especially significant for girls and women. This is true not only because education is an entry point to other opportunities, but also because the educational achievements of women can have ripple effects within the family and across generations. Investing in girls education is one of the most effective ways to reduce poverty. Girls who have been educated are likely to marry later and to have smaller and healthier families. Educated women can recognize the importance of health care and know how to seek it for themselves and their children. Education helps girls and women to know their rights and to gain confidence to claim them. Political Empowerment: Throughout much of the world, womens equality is undermined by historical imbalances in decision-making power and access to resources, rights, and entitlements for women. Either by law or by custom, women in many countries still lack rights to: Own land and to inherit property Obtain access to credit Attend and stay in school Earn income and move up in their work, free from job discrimination Moreover, women are still widely under-represented in decision-making at all levels, in the household and in the public sphere. Addressing these inequities through laws and public policy is a way of formalizing the goal of gender equality. Legal changes, which most countries have now implemented, are often a necessary step to institute gender equality. But addressing the gaps between what the law proscribes and what actually occurs often requires broad, integrated campaigns, which I believe each of us should take the initiative of. Jawaharlal Nehru had said, To awaken the people, it is the women who must be awakened. Once she is on the move, the family moves, the village moves, the nation moves. I do agree with that statement. We can help curb eve teasing by empowering our women. Instead of feeling abused by hooligans, misunderstood and shamed by their families, shunned by the society, our women will be better equipped to deal with the situation. Be it with pepper spray cans or other passive approaches, an educated and aware woman can, by herself, fight back the evil act of eve teasing.

Why Dont Girls Choose Science :: essays papers

Why Dont Girls Choose Science Issues Essay: Why Don’t Girls Choose Science? In South Australia in 1983 less than one-third of students studying physics at matriculation level were girls (Robottom, 1986). Sixteen years later, in 1999, girls still only made up 35% of students studying physics at the matriculation level (SSABSA, 1999). Despite all the advances for women in modern society it seems that there is still an issue of concern in that of girls participation and achievement in science. Adamson, Foster, Roark & Reed (1998) suggests that the gender gap in science appears to widen with development so much so that there is concern that women are being underrepresented in some science fields. It is suggested that due to the role science and technology plays in all of our lives today it is not only a concern that women are limiting their career options, but also that they are not getting the opportunity to take part in the planning and decision-making processes that occur in areas which affect all citizens (Johnston, 1984). Indeed, Andre, Whigham, Hen drickson & Chambers (1999), have found that secondary school girls have lower persistence and enrolment in the physical science pipeline, which of course leads to women having lower participation in physical science careers. Recently O’Brien, Martinez-Pons & Kopala (1999) reported that gender could directly predict students’ career interests in the science and engineering fields, leaving no question as to whether gender was an issue when choosing science subject. It is thought that the critical moment for girls arises when they have a choice as to whether to do science or not (Robottom, 1986) and it is at this point the gender differences really become noticeable. Studies have revealed that girls were choosing to do language, arts or biology, whereas boys were choosing to do physical science courses (Farenga & Joyce, 1999) and it seems that there is no biological basis that can account for this low achievement and representation of girls in physical science (Johnston, 1984). This viewed in the light of the fact that it has been shown that the school plays a major role in the performance and attitudes of girls to science (Johnston, 1984) must prompt all teachers to examine what they may be doing to contribute to this problem and what they may be able to do to encourage girls to become involved in science, particularly the physical sciences.

aALCOHOL SHOULD BE BANNED Essay -- essays research papers

ALCOHOL SHOULD BE BANNED Alcohol in the form of alcoholic beverages has been consumed by humans since pre-historic times, for a variety of hygienic, dietary, medicinal, religious, and recreational reasons. While infrequent consumption of alcohol in small quantities may be harmless or even beneficial, larger doses result in a state known as drunkenness or intoxication and, depending on the dose and regularity of use, can cause acute respiratory failure or death and with chronic use can cause severe health problems, such as liver and brain damage. As stated earlier, alcohol in small doses is harmless and can even be beneficial, but how many people can consume alcohol â€Å"responsibly† and â€Å"sensibly†? Very few I must say. It can be argued however, that some of the benefits of drinking alcohol can be harnessed when drank moderately, for example alcohol has been known to induce a relaxed feeling due to its central nervous system depressant qualities. Secondly, alcohol has carbohydrates in large quantities which are digested to produce energy and therefore has some health value. Thirdly, it reduces tension in the muscles thereby, heightening the feeling of relaxation. Finally, alcohol has been known to lower inhibitions giving the user the feeling of bravery and reducing shyness. However, Alcohol in large doses can be very detrimental to not only the user but to people around him/her. For instance alcohol has been known to damage the brain especially the frontal lobes. It also caus...

Marketing Image Culture :: Alan Liu Media Entertainment Essays

Marketing Image Culture As Alan Liu defines "cool", it is a non-political protest in society, "a gesture of ambivalent oppositionality." In Liu's terms, "cool" is a cultural component of the information age, and can only exist and have meaning within the environment it protests. This essay seeks to explore the relationship image culture, marketing, and Alan Liu's concept of "cool." In a recent presentation he gave at New York University, Liu previewed his forthcoming book The Laws of Cool : The Cultural Life of Information, which describes the importance of "cool" in the information age. To assist his explanation, he compares corporate culture to the Guayaki tribe of South America. Liu says that in both cultures there is a central problem, an unreasonable demand placed on some people that must be dealt with. As he opens his presentation, Liu makes an important point: being a part of a community is both empowering and stifling. The demand placed upon the information age worker is to retain productivity and remain valuable in the traditional sense, while in the postmodern sense being flexible and decentralized. Workers must keep order in their jobs to be productive, but also be able to excel at a wide variety of tasks that often require a breakdown and restructuring of corporate structures, departments, teams, and tasks. For the Guayaki, the job of hunting parallels the demand of flexibility required of Liu's information worker. Hunters are charged with the task of feeding their tribe, and sharing their wives, since Guayaki men outnumber women two to one. (I mention the latter condition because Liu made a point of it; whether or not this aspect of Guayaki life represents normality or hardship was not addressed in Liu's presentation.) Hunting in the forest with a bow and arrow requires a huge amount of skill, with dire consequences if unsuccessful, for the tribe will then not eat. In both "primitive" and technologically advanced cultures, there exists what Liu terms mandatory and individual disempowerment. Both hunters and information workers must defer to the will of their tribe. In response to stifling, both the tribesman and the information worker develop "cool." "The desire for flexibility and decentralization opens the gap between a culture and its people," says Liu. "Cool" is a technique for expressing that gap between a society and it's people. In the case of the Guayaki, this technique involves singing a highly personalized warrior song at nightfall, which essentially serves to fuel ego and one's sense of individuality. Marketing Image Culture :: Alan Liu Media Entertainment Essays Marketing Image Culture As Alan Liu defines "cool", it is a non-political protest in society, "a gesture of ambivalent oppositionality." In Liu's terms, "cool" is a cultural component of the information age, and can only exist and have meaning within the environment it protests. This essay seeks to explore the relationship image culture, marketing, and Alan Liu's concept of "cool." In a recent presentation he gave at New York University, Liu previewed his forthcoming book The Laws of Cool : The Cultural Life of Information, which describes the importance of "cool" in the information age. To assist his explanation, he compares corporate culture to the Guayaki tribe of South America. Liu says that in both cultures there is a central problem, an unreasonable demand placed on some people that must be dealt with. As he opens his presentation, Liu makes an important point: being a part of a community is both empowering and stifling. The demand placed upon the information age worker is to retain productivity and remain valuable in the traditional sense, while in the postmodern sense being flexible and decentralized. Workers must keep order in their jobs to be productive, but also be able to excel at a wide variety of tasks that often require a breakdown and restructuring of corporate structures, departments, teams, and tasks. For the Guayaki, the job of hunting parallels the demand of flexibility required of Liu's information worker. Hunters are charged with the task of feeding their tribe, and sharing their wives, since Guayaki men outnumber women two to one. (I mention the latter condition because Liu made a point of it; whether or not this aspect of Guayaki life represents normality or hardship was not addressed in Liu's presentation.) Hunting in the forest with a bow and arrow requires a huge amount of skill, with dire consequences if unsuccessful, for the tribe will then not eat. In both "primitive" and technologically advanced cultures, there exists what Liu terms mandatory and individual disempowerment. Both hunters and information workers must defer to the will of their tribe. In response to stifling, both the tribesman and the information worker develop "cool." "The desire for flexibility and decentralization opens the gap between a culture and its people," says Liu. "Cool" is a technique for expressing that gap between a society and it's people. In the case of the Guayaki, this technique involves singing a highly personalized warrior song at nightfall, which essentially serves to fuel ego and one's sense of individuality.

Our Moral Responsibility to Provide Monetary Aid to Pakistani Villagers Essay

In this essay, I will argue that the theory of Utilitarianism presents resilient, compelling arguments that exemplifies why we have a moral obligation to donate money to help the Pakistani villagers affected by recent floods. Though the argument put forth by Ethical Egoists in favor of donating money to the Pakistanis is convincing, it lacks the quantitative validation that Utilitarianism provides. The Perspective of an Ethical Egoist Ethical Egoism is a consequentialist moral theory that says each person ought to pursue his or her own self-interest exclusively (EMP 69). A person’s only moral duty is to do what is best for him or herself, and he or she helps others only if the act [of helping] benefits the individual in some way (EMP 63). On the surface, it appears that it is not in a person’s best self-interests to donate money to help villagers in Pakistan. The giver experiences monetary loss and the diminution of personal financial wealth, and expends time, energy, and effort in the donation-transaction process. He or she receives neither public acknowledgement nor donor recognition. There are, however, intangible benefits that the giver may reap as a result of his or her deed, such as the satisfaction that he or she receives from giving monetary aid to the Pakistanis or the happiness that he or she experiences for acting in accordance with his or her values. It is in the giver’s self-interest and, therefore, his or her moral duty to give monetary aid to those plagued by the Pakistan floods. The facts that an Ethical Egoist would consider to be important are the consequences to him or herself because Ethical Egoism is a consequentialist moral theory that revolves around the self. Consequentialism contends that the right thing to do is determined by the consequences brought about from it (Class Notes, 10/05/2010). In this case, the morally relevant facts that the Ethical Egoist is primarily concerned with are the intangible benefits and advantages that he or she would receive from giving. The Ethical Egoist would also consider the actual and implicit costs of giving aid, as they are consequences brought about from helping the Pakistani villagers. The argument put forth by Ethical Egoism is good because it is compatible with commonsense morality. To reiterate, Ethical Egoism says that â€Å"all duties are ultimately derived from the one fundamental principle of self-interest† (EMP 73). According to Hobbes, this theory leads to the Golden Rule, which states that â€Å"we should ‘do unto others’ because if we do, others will be more likely to ‘do unto us’† (EMP 74). In this case, if we do not give to others, other people will not give to us. Thus, it is to our advantage to give to others. The Utilitarian Argument Classical, or Act, Utilitarianism maintains that the morally right act is the one that yields maximum happiness for all sentient beings impartially. Utilitarianism requires us to consider the general welfare of society and the interests of other people. Giving money to help the villagers in Pakistan generates positive consequences and diminishes the negative effects of the floods. Specifically, donations for disaster relief results in the availability of medicines to treat sicknesses, the provision and distribution of cooked meals, hygiene kits, and clothing, and the reconstruction and restoration of homes and schools. In short, giving money relieves great suffering of the flood-affected Pakistanis, enhances the balance of happiness over misery, and endorses the maximum and greater good of society. Therefore, the morally right thing to do is to donate money to help the Pakistani villagers. Similar to Ethical Egoism, Utilitarianism is a consequentialist moral theory, though this theory is concerned with the greater good of society. Therefore, the morally relevant facts for a Utilitarian are the consequences to all people impartially. In this case, they include the circulation of food, clothing, medicines, and the restoration of villages. Providing monetary aid ultimately produces the greatest balance of happiness over unhappiness for society. The Utilitarian argument for donating money is good because it provides calculable validation. In other words, the utility of the receivers is quantifiable and tangible (number of meals, hygiene kits, water tanks provided, number of homes rebuilt, etc. ). This tangibility clearly illustrates that the utility of the receiver exceeds the marginal cost to the giver and produces the greatest amount of happiness over unhappiness. Why the Utilitarian Argument is Stronger There is an epistemic problem that weakens the argument given by the Ethical Egoist. We do not know precisely what the consequences will be. We expect that the intangible benefits include self-satisfaction, enjoyment of giving, and happiness from providing financial aid, and we estimate that the costs consist of the actual donation payment and all related opportunity costs; however, we do not know exactly what the consequences will be and the extent of the results. It is, thus, difficult to gauge whether donating to charity is actually in the giver’s best self-interest exclusively because the associated costs may be very great (the giver may end up poorer or the donation-transaction process may be stressful; both situations would not be to his or her advantage). The immeasurability and intangibility of the benefits also weakens the argument. Ayn Rand, an Ethical Egoist, responds to this objection and asserts that it is completely moral and permissible to offer aid to others even when one does not anticipate any tangible return; â€Å"personal reasons for offering aid—reasons consistent with one’s values and one’s pursuit of one’s own life—are sufficient to justify the act† (Gordon Shannon, 10/16/2010). Rand says that personal reasons, such as values and pursuit of a flourishing life, are adequate to justify the act. We run, however, into a problem: just because we have a moral justification to give aid, does it mean we are morally required to give aid? Rand provides a moral justification, but not a moral mandate; this makes the argument put forth by Ethical Egoism weak. While Ethical Egoism provides a convincing argument and response to the objection, the Utilitarian argument is stronger because it buffers against the epistemic problem and provides quantitative, calculable validation. The problem of epistemology does not apply to or weaken the Utilitarian argument because we know what the consequences will be, based on present initiatives. Plan UK has provided cooked meals to over 250,000 people, shelter for 230,000, water tanks, hygiene kits, and medicines for thousands of families (Plan UK). We know how the money will benefit the Pakistani villagers and we can quantify the amount of happiness and good that entails the act of giving aid to others. To summarize: Ethical Egoism says that we ought to pursue our own self-interests exclusively. The morally right act is the one that benefits the self. There is, however, an epistemic problem. We do not know what the consequences will be or the extent of these outcomes. Donating to charity may not benefit the self. Utilitarianism, however, avoids the problem of epistemology and immeasurability. Therefore, Utilitarianism is the stronger argument. Conclusion In this paper, I have presented the theories of Ethical Egoism and Utilitarianism, delved into the morally relevant facts, and reflected on why each argument is good. I illustrated why Utilitarianism is stronger by appealing to a weakness of Ethical Egoism. Thus, the Utilitarian perspective that we have a moral duty to donate money to help Pakistani villagers is a better argument.

Learning in the Social environment

Introduction The first social environment is our home, where our family dwells. This kind of environment forms our initial learning, behaviors and our characteristics which give us ideas of who we are and how we are going to act and respond on future circumstances. What we usually see in our everyday living contribute much to our totality as human beings. According to Dr. Bilal Iqbal Avan on his researched that â€Å"during the first three years of life, development of neuronal connections within the brains is condition by the child’s perception of environmental stimuli conveyed by all modalities of sensation. This process affects learning ability, behavior and health in childhood, adolescence and maturity.† (See B. I. Avan, â€Å"The Social Environment during Early Childhood Development in Sindh†. Department of community health Science: School of nursing, the Aga Khan University). *Social Environment Affects Learning* In a study entitled â€Å"Observational Learning† stated that â€Å"observational learning happens when an observer’s behavior changes after viewing the behavior of a model. An observer’s behavior can be affected by the positive or negative consequence, which is called vicarious reinforcement or vicarious punishment, of a model’s behavior. It stated that the observer will imitate the model’s behavior if the model possesses characteristics that the observer finds attractive or desirable. The observer will react to the way the model is treated and mimic model’s behavior. A distinction exists between an observer’s â€Å"acquiring† a behavior and â€Å"performing† a behavior. Through observation, the observer can acquire the behavior without performing it† (See â€Å"Observational Learning†. Funderstanding). Erin C. Barrett, November 23, 2003, stated that according to Armrod that â€Å"learning is a  means through which we acquire not only skills and knowledge but values, attitudes, and emotional reactions†¦ Barrett continued that the â€Å"behavioral learning theory focuses on the learning of tangible, observable behaviors or responses. Through a continual process of stimulating a desired response and reinforcing that desired response, the learner eventually changes their behavior to match the desired response. She continued that â€Å"learning happens in the most basic way and it is something that we can see. As long as the desired behavior is happening, then learning has occurred† (See E. C. Barrett, November 23, 2003. â€Å"The Study of Learning: A Thought paper†. Principles of instruction and learning). *Effects of modeling on behavior* According from the notes on Ormond’s Human learning, it discussed that â€Å"modeling teaches new behaviors. It influences the frequency of previously learned behaviors. It may also encourage previously forbidden behaviors. In short, modeling increases the frequency of similar behaviors (See J. E. Ormrod (1999). â€Å"Social Learning Theory† (3rd Ed). Notes on Ormond’s human learning). *Opinion and Recommendation* We have learned that children are just like a â€Å"tabula rasa† or a clean slate which means that their learning is up to the things they have seen around them. They are great imitators and really followed what are the older people doing. As adults, we should be careful with our actions especially if we are surrounded with children. We must be responsible enough with our actions and responses in every circumstance that we face because it will bring great effect and impact to the young ones’ lives. We are shaping their characters and behaviors through the actions they have seen in us. References Avan, B. I. â€Å"The Social Environment during Early Childhood Development in Sindh†. Ormrod, J. E. (1999). â€Å"Social Learning Theory† (3rd Ed). Notes on Ormond’s human E. C. Barrett, November 23, 2003. â€Å"The Study of Learning: A Thought paper†. Principles

Death Penalty in the State of Kansas

The Death Penalty issue has been a grave controversy especially in our contemporary society, not only in U.S. but also in Europe.   Unfortunately, resolving the issue is very difficult due to the complexity of the judicial system in the U.S.   State judicial systems must deal with the constitutionality of the state laws as well as their proper applic.   In addition, popular opinion is also a powerful force that may bring about changes on either whether death penalty exists at all or what weight death penalty should have versus life imprisonment without parole. These opinions may be based on religious beliefs, on human rights, on the magnitude of violence of the crimes committed, and the popular need to feel safe from violent assaults, non-homicidal and homicidal rapists, as well as violent homicidal offenders.   Other questions remain: what is the value of deterrence of the death penalty type of sentence?   What is the cost of inmates on death row?   Inmates stay on death row for a while, mainly because most of the times, they are appealing their sentence or waiting for a pardon from the state governor or even the President.   Since Kansas has reestablished the death penalty, these concerns have been of primary interest to the Kansas judicial system and the state residents. Twenty-nine years after the last execution, the state of Kansas reestablished the death penalty sentence in 1994, under SB (Senate Bill) 473 and HB (House Bill) 2578.   SB 473 states that the death penalty is restored in Kansas for first degree murders whereas HB 2578 simply authorizes the death penalty to be reenacted.   Interestingly, in an annual survey of college students across the U.S., students were asked whether they were in favor of death penalty.   In 1969, this survey reported 54% of the students in favor of the abolition of the death sentence, in 1985, it was down to 27%, in 1989 21%, and in 1995 20%. (Bedau, 85) The percentage in 1995 was the lowest and seemed to reflect a trend in young people’s general acceptance of death penalty; remember that Kansas reenacted the sentence in 1994!   Is it a coincidence?   Evidently, popular demands and trends are taken into account in state legislatures; that is the principle of democracy.   The Gallup News service reported on June 1st 2006 that back in 1994, 65% of the entire population of the U.S. favored life without parole whereas in 2006, 80% favored life without parole. Further, they also reported that in 2006, 47% were for the death penalty while 48% were for life without parole. (Newport, Gallup)   Consequently, based on these data, the attitude the American people has gradually changed to favoring life without parole with a 50/50 division over the choice between life without parole and death penalty.   The examination here is that the legality of death penalty is always measured against contemporary standards of morality.   Therefore, the trend that has been observed in the past few years shows that more and more people do not support the death penalty, illustrating a change of views.   (Bedau, 90) Kansas law allows for death penalty but also for life without parole.   According to the 2005 Kansas Death Penalty Guide, the exact description of the crimes punishable by death in Kansas is given in the KSA 21-3439 reenactment as capital murder with 8 aggravating circumstances.   Death is given by lethal injection.   For a life sentence in Kansas, persons who are guilty of capital murder will be jailed for 25-50 years.   The sentence must be served entirely before the individual can be eligible for parole.   There is no good behavior credit. (Kansas, 1) Carlson and Garrett (Carlson, Garrett, 5) give the 3 major sanctions available in the U.S. judicial system, economic penalties, probation, and incarceration, as well as the 4 primary goals of incarceration, deterrence, incapacitation, retribution, and rehabilitation.   The following remarks summarize briefly the position of supporters or opponents of death penalty, respectively.   The death penalty sentence is viewed as a way to deter other criminals from committing crimes, incapacitating the criminal on death row who will pay a retribution for his crimes by his or her death. If someone is on death row, there is a feeling that he or she will not be able to be rehabilitated.   As for life without parole, the long-term incarceration will serve as deterrent for the criminal and others outside; it will incapacitate the criminal while the long sentence without any credit is considered a retribution for the crime.   In this case, there is a feeling that the criminal will be able to be rehabilitated if he or she lives longer than the sentence. (Bedau, 127) This is the basic controversy of death versus life imprisonment. For any death penalty case, that includes Kansas, there is a diversity of factors to be considered to decide whether or not capital cases are pursued.   There are factors that differ for every case, for every state, for every crime committed, and for every inmate whose past may not have been exemplary. (Cassell, Bedau, 118)   In addition, jurors and prosecutors must be sure that death penalty can be applied in the case they are working on. However, the decision process for any juror is still subjective because his or her decision is still dependent upon the strength of the prosecution’s arguments as well as evidence, the degree of certainty that the person is not innocent, the legal defense’s arguments and evidence if any, and the crime committed against the victim and the family.   The judge must follow the case tightly and apply the law in a correct fashion.   However, the interpretation of the law can also be subjective.   Each capital case trial is very hard to go through because it entails numerous problems that can take time to sort out with respect to state laws versus the U.S. Constitution. (Bedau, 183) Interpretation of the law in Kansas has been a source of contentions among supporters for sentencing to death, opponents, and the judicial system.   The main debate is centered on the constitutionality of death penalty and the interpretation of the Constitution.   To concretely illustrate the dispute and its complexity, the case of Kansas vs. Marsh needs to be considered.   The case is the following.   In 1996, Michael Marsh broke into the home of a family with a 19 month-old baby. His goal was to get money to take a trip to Alaska by kidnapping the mother and the child in order to ask for a ransom from the husband and father.   Unfortunately, events turned awful when Marsh panicked, killing the mother by shooting her 3 times in the head, stabbing her twice, and doused her with lighter fluid.   He then set the body on fire, ran away, leaving the baby inside to burn to death.   The mother survived for 6 days in the hospital and died of multiple organ failures.   Marsh was charged with capital murder, first-degree premeditated murder, aggravated arson, and aggravated burglary. A Kansas jury found him guilty on all counts and sentenced him to death for the capital murder of the child.   Marsh appealed his sentence to the Kansas Supreme Court.   The Court found that the Kansas death penalty statute was in fact unconstitutional because in Kansas, there is no â€Å"fundamental fairness† rule.   What this means is that if a criminal is sentenced to death while the aggravating factors of the prosecution equal the mitigating factors of the defense, then by fundamental fairness, the death sentence is nullified.   However, in Kansas, the fundamental fairness rule does not exist. In Marsh’s case, the aggravating factors equaled the mitigating factors as determined by the jury and caused the verdict to stand, based on the jury instructions from the Kansas statute,.   So, the basic question is: is the Kansas death penalty statute upheld when aggravating factors equal mitigating factors and if it is upheld, is it a violation of the Constitution?   The State of Kansas took the case to the U.S Supreme Court in December 1995.   The Supreme Court determined that the statute permits death sentences in the event of a tie between aggravating and mitigating factors. (Mandery, 124) However, the key lies with who has the final burden of proof for outweighing the factors. As a comparison, when there is tie, the death penalty statute in Arizona allows the defendant to reply that the mitigating factors outweigh the aggravating ones and prove it against the prosecution aggravating proof.   In Kansas, the burden is still on the prosecution without any additional actions from the defendant.   Since the prosecution did not prove the mitigating factors outweighed the aggravating factors, the death sentence was overturned.   Justice Souter commented on what he called the â€Å"morally absurd† Kansas death penalty statute that permits a death sentence even if the prosecution has failed to prove that the aggravating factors outweigh the mitigating factors, accusing Kansas law to increase the incidence of death penalty sentences. Justice Scalia wrote a document on his opinion of the case.   Dealing with Justice Souter’s comments, he shamed Souter’s view as regarding the death penalty as â€Å"an undesirable situation.†Ã‚   Additionally, he also pointed out that, even if some of his colleagues disagree with the idea of a death penalty, 38 states do impose the penalty while scrutinizing the verdicts for wrongful executions, implying that death penalty sentences are properly assigned.   Souter’s point was that death penalty is serious enough that it should be reviewed. (Campbell, Star-Telegram) As one can see in the above case, many steps had to be completed to get to the final decision.   So, a very safe assumption is that this trial and associated inmate expenses must have been very high.   One of the chief complaints that Kansas opponents of death penalty have, besides moral or religious reasons, is the cost of the procedures.   They claim that death row cases cost a lot more than life without parole cases.   The money that would be saved should be spent on crime prevention. (Bedau, 91)   Gottfried reports that on average $20,000 is spent on life without parole inmates/year, a third less than for capital cases. (Gottfried, 2002) Kansas is not the only state that reestablished death penalty.   However, it was done in 1994, at a time when many Americans supported capital punishment.   It seems true that support or opposition to the death penalty is a reflection of the contemporary morality views of the public.   It does not look like people support it now.   The U.S. Supreme court seems to agree that this type of punishment should be reviewed, revised or completely eliminated based on moral and legal grounds.   Yet, abolishing death penalty in Kansas because it costs too much is not a very serious and moral reason to do it.   The problem really resides in the application of the laws.   Death penalty may be a way to punish violent criminals but nobody knows how to properly justify using it. Works Cited Bedau HA. The Death Penalty in America: Current Controversies. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1998. Newport F. (editor) Gallup News Service. â€Å"Death Penalty†. The Gallup Polls Briefing June 1 2006. â€Å"2005 Kansas Death Penalty Guide† Amnesty International USA Kansas State University, Chapter 254 January 10, 2004: 1. November 18, 2006 Carlson PM, Garrett JS. Prison and Jail Administration: Practice and Theories. Jones and Bartlett Publishers, 1999. Chassell PG, Bedau HA. Debating the Death Penalty: Should America Have Capital Punishment?. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2004. Mandery EJ. Capital Punishment: A Balanced Examination . Jones and Bartlett Publishers, 2005. Campbell L. (editor) â€Å"Sounds Like A Sore Winner from Here.† Star-Telegram June 29 2006. Gottfried T. The Death Penalty: Justice or Legalized Murder? Twenty First Century Books, 2002.

Examine the Role of Expert and Lay Knowledge in Understanding and Managing Risk.

Examine the role of expert and lay knowledge in understanding and managing risk. Contents Page Introduction 3 Risk3-4 What is risk? How do we understand risk? How do we manage risk? Expert Knowledge4-5 What is it? Advantages of expert knowledge Disadvantage of expert knowledge Lay Knowledge5-6 What is it? Advantages of lay knowledge Disadvantages of lay knowledge Beck’s Theory of a Risk society6 Case Study: Allotments the London Borough of Hackney. 7 Who has the knowledge? What are the risks? What is the evidence? Conclusion Case Study: Sun tanning. 8-9 Who has the knowledge? What are the risks?What is the evidence? Conclusion Conclusion9 References10 Introduction. This report will investigate how expert and lay knowledge can be used to understand and manage risk in today's risk society. Using the course materials to explain how different types of knowledge influence how we assess risk. Risk What is risk? Risk is ‘a state in which there is a possibility of known danger o r harm, which if avoided may lead to benefits. ’ (Bromley et al 2009) A risk can be visible, such as an injury sustained by falling off a bicycle, or invisible such as the link between sunbathing and skin cancer.The level of potential harm will affect the degree of risk felt. How do we understand risk? In today's society risk is almost always associated with a negative outcome. So when we are partaking in any activity we automatically compare the risk to the potential benefit. In order to understand risk we have to gain knowledge about the potential harm, this may be either expert or lay knowledge. How do we manage risk? By comparing the potential benefits against the potential harm of an activity we can decide whether to partake in that activity.One example of managing risk involves cycling and how risk is reduced by wearing a helmet. In this situation the benefits of cycling remained the same, it is the risk of sustaining serious head injury that is reduced by wearing a hel met (Carter and Jordan 2009, p59). In order for people to assess risk they will often review two types of knowledge. Expert knowledge – knowledge provided by experts. Lay knowledge – knowledge provided by personal experience. Expert knowledge What is it? Expert knowledge is usually provided by officials in order to inform the general public of the risks that certain activities may pose.There are two main ways of obtaining expert knowledge as discussed by Carter and Jordan (2009), scientific testing is used in the example of the allotments and epidemiology which was used in relation to sunbathing. Both of which have their advantage and disadvantages. Epidemiological findings are often refined and processed into health campaigns and policies. The advantages of expert knowledge are: 1. Experts have access to knowledge and equipment not available to the layperson. 2. They can complete complex scientific testing. 3. They are able to complete large-scale and long-term resear ch such as epidemiology. . Expert assessment of risk can be generalised and can be applied/delivered to specific target groups and the general populace. 5. They are usually employed to assess invisible risks. The disadvantages of expert knowledge are: 1. There are many different theorists and tests available and they often contradict one another making the results difficult for the public to understand. 2. Political agendas can affect project funding and research. 3. Information is given in blanket statements to the general public and can cause anxiety for non-specific groups. 4.Results from scientific tests can be analysed, reviewed and interpreted differently by different people. Lay knowledge What is it? Lay knowledge is an individual’s interpretation of expert knowledge combined or compared to personal experience. (Carter and Jordan 2009, p88) cite Davidson et al who suggest that people interpret and analyse expert knowledge into â€Å"lay knowledge† and they do th is through the medium of humour sometimes referred to as they â€Å"Uncle Norman† or â€Å"the last person† exceptions. For example my uncle Norman smoked 50 cigarettes a day, had fried breakfast every morning and lived until he was 92.The advantages of lay knowledge are: 1. People are empowered to use their own expertise and experiences to evaluate risks. 2. It is in line with the person's own views and religious beliefs. 3. Any assessment is specific to individuals, and their interpretation of expert knowledge. The disadvantages of lay knowledge are: 1. It is subjective and limited to an individual's knowledge or experience. 2. It only looks at risk on an individual basis and does not take into consideration the population as a whole. 3. It is usually based on the exceptional attention to the rule.Beck's theory of a risk society. One prominent sociologist investigating risk is Ulrich Beck, the main points to his theoretical perspectives are: 1. Risks in current socie ty are increasingly invisible. 2. Personal experience is no longer adequate for assessing risk. 3. We rely increasingly on knowledge provided by experts, however, that knowledge is â€Å"open to a social process of definition† (Beck cited in Carter and Jordan, 2009, p. 80). 4. Expert knowledge is usually targeted at the blanket population and can cause anxiety for everyone. . Political considerations are increasingly focusing on risk making epidemiology increasingly popular when devising health campaigns. 6. Experts focusing on long and short-term risks. Case Study: Allotments in the London Borough of Hackney. Who has the knowledge? In this example the knowledge about the risks is provided by experts such as the environment agency and scientists. What are the risks? They have assessed the risks to be: 1)Potential health risks of eating vegetables grown in soils containing poisons such as arsenic and lead. )Potential health risks from their skin contact with soil containing po isons such as arsenic and lead. What evidence is there? 1)The first shows the total levels of poisons in the soil by testing various soil samples and found dangerous levels of arsenic and lead in the soil. 2)The second test at the amount of those poisons that can be absorbed into the human body and found that the levels of poisons that could potentially be absorbed by the body were not high enough to cause concern. However, because there is no standardisation for the second test, the Environment Agency would not accept these findings.Nine samples were sent to different facilities around the world for testing and there was a high degree of variance in the results. Conclusion Because of the two different tests the soil went from being poisonous to safe again (‘A risky world? ’, 2009, track 2). Differences in results from scientific testing make it difficult to know which set if expert knowledge to follow. Case Study: Sun tanning. Who has the knowledge? In this example hea lth experts and holidaymakers have the knowledge to assess the risks of sun tanning. What are the risks? )Health experts advise there is a risk of getting skin cancer through exposure to the sun. 2)Holidaymakers perceive the risk as embarrassment of being seen as a â€Å"peelie wally† when they are on the holidays. What evidence is there? Organisations such as Cancer research UK have taken evidence from epidemiological studies that link overexposure to the sun to skin cancer. However, (Carter and Jordan 2009 p 81) show other scientific research that says lack of sunlight contributes to mood disorders such as SADS, and lack of vitamins D causes illnesses and diseases such as osteomalacia, arthritis and multiple sclerosis. http://www. longevity. about. com/od/researchandmedicine/a/vitamin_d. htm accessed on 11July 2012) Evidence from focus groups urged holidaymakers indicates that they are fully aware of the expert knowledge when assessing risk in relation to sun tanning they a re more likely to be influenced by lay knowledge. One interviewee states with the tan â€Å"Your skin clears up and you look and feel healthier†¦ † (Carter and Jordan 2009 p 77) Conclusion. Therefore in this case study the holidaymakers were comparing their own mbarrassment of going on holiday and being a â€Å"peelie wally† and the benefits of getting a tan and feeling healthier and looking better, with the health advice experts have given about sun tanning causes skin cancer. Conclusion. It is apparent in today’s society risks are increasingly invisible so we rely more on expert knowledge. The two case studies have shown that expert knowledge is often contradictory and there are many differing opinions on how best to obtain evidence in order to assess risk. Because of this people will use lay knowledge to assist them is assessing risk.Lay knowledge is also influential if a person has had experience of harm caused by the risk then they will be more cautiou s about partaking in that activity. So it could be deemed that expert knowledge and lay knowledge are more often than not in direct contrast with one another. References. ‘A risky world? ’ (2009) Exploring Social Lives [Audio CD 1], Milton Keynes, The Open University. Bromley, S. , Jeffries, E. , Meegan, J. and Staples, M. (2009) Learning Companion 3, Introducing the social sciences, Milton Keynes, The Open University. Carter, S. nd Jordan, T. (2009) ‘Living with risk and risky living’, in Bromley, S. , Clarke, J. , Hinchliffe, S. , and Taylor, S,. (eds) Exploring Social Lives, Milton Keynes, The Open University. http://www. longevity. about. com/od/researchandmedicine/a/vitamin_d. htm accessed on 11July 2012 Word count: 1368 Self-Reflection. I am still struggling to stick to my study schedule but I found this TMA much easier than the previous ones because it was not an essay. The shorter more concise paragraphs and bullet point are easier for me to link be cause of my dyslexia.

Pink is for Girls, Blue is for Boys

Pink is for Girls, Blue is for Boys: The Cultural Change in Gender Throughout HistoryThis essay will address the issue of culture, the media and gender and how they affects us in today’s society. â€Å"The generally accepted rule is pink for boys, and blue for the girls,† noted an article published in the Ladies Home Journal in 1918. Society, the media and gender role socialization have changed since the early part of the twentieth century. Gender differences have influenced men and women’s behaviours, thoughts and feelings since the early 1900s.A large part of this is because of how the media tells us we should act. Girls, for example, are traditionally seen as emotional nurturers and boys are seen as rough or tough providers and the breadwinner for the family. Since the moment of birth in the hospital, we are thrust into these gender roles – pink blankets for baby girls and blue blankets for baby boys. The constant changing ways of our society and the me dia is fascinating. The media provides us with an outline of how we should go about things in our daily lives. It also influences us on just about everything that we deal with on a day to day basis.Our social interactions, for example, our beliefs, and our influences on others are all shaped to some degree by society and the social pressures we feel. Media and gender roles have appeared for a long time in our society and that people follow them because they are comfortable with them and it is what we know. It’s unfortunate because so much of society abides by certain rules that the small population of us that do not follow those rules, get judged and shunned by the rest of society because they are different – most of us view that if something is â€Å"different† it is wrong.Gender roles, in turn, provide us with a sense of who we are, what we should do and how we should go about doing it. They also provide us with a false sense of reality. The more and more our society and culture changes, the more and more â€Å"traditional† views are pushed aside. For instance, not all women are effeminate and not all men conform to traditional concepts of masculinity. The stereotypical portrayals of gender roles on television and in the media, have gradually changed over the years, although not to the extent that society still sees as practical. Although women are beginning to berepresented in more occupations, men are rarely represented in ‘traditional' female roles, such as the nurturing child care provider or attending to the housework; this is still seen as a women‘s job. However, with society changing more and more every day, we see more women in the workplace, more men taking on a role in the home, and women (and men) spending more time in school to get a higher education in order to provide for their families. All of these factors lead to changes in our gender roles and it goes to show how quickly our culture and society consis tently change.Although the media has improved greatly in the past few years. Signorielli, a professor at the University of Delaware, argues that â€Å"[t]elevision can still be seen, therefore, as representing a distorted view of society, which the perceptive minds of children may pick up with ease† (70). This quote proves the fact that from the beginning of childhood, children can pick up on social intimation and gender socialization. It starts in early childhood with children’s toys, the girls are encouraged to play with Barbie and the boys encouraged to play with trucks, and more masculine equipment.Overall, what matters the most here is that men and women are still misrepresented as their traditional stereotypes in the majority of mass media. This stereotype becomes rooted in our minds, and is passed on from generation to generation as an ample view of male and female gender roles. Although women are slowly gaining respect and equality in today‘s society, it is not uncommon to see men and women illustrated as equals, working along side each other in an evenly challenging setting. This is especially true in the workforce.