Gentiva Health Services Financial Analysis Report Term Paper

Gentiva Health Services Financial Analysis Report - Term Paper Example The paper is divided into the following sections: background information, revenue analysis, financial analysis and management. Finally, the last section gives a conclusion based on the author’s point of view on the soundness of the company’s activities. Outline Outline 3 Background Information 4 Operating Revenue 5 Financial Management 7 Sources of capital 8 Capital Expenditure Management 9 Financial management analysis 9 Conclusion 11 Background Information Gentiva health services provider is one of the largest health care and hospice providers in the majority of the states in America. In 1971, Gentiva launched its home healthcare business and under the umbrella of Olsten Corporation, a split took place in March 2000 separating Olsten and Gentiva Health services, which is now one of the largest health service providers in the nation and ranked among the ten largest after acquiring The Health field Group, Inc., in 2006. Gentiva Health Services provides hospice services throughout 420 locations and at least forty-one states. These services include skilled nursing, hospice services, nutrition, social work, and disease management education. The company also takes part in assisting needy people in their daily living activities. The proposed introduction of the health services reform that requires health service providers to cut down service charges has tremendously affected the organization’s business. In response to the proposed regulation, the organization sold thirty-four of its branches in 2011 and has sold another bunch of ten branches in 2012. As a result of these sales, there are short lived and long-term effects on the expenditures and revenues earned by the company (financial performance). The effects of the recent acquisitions and dispositions on short term securities are evident on the balance sheet totals. These dispositions have reduced the short term securities owned by the company. Part of the accrued benefits from the sale of it s branches has been directed to make strategic acquisitions in pursuant of increased fixed assets portfolio. Following the closure of some branches, there is a reduction in accounts receivables as a result of reduction in numbers of customers served by the closed branches. Newly acquired branches may take time before they build a substantial number of customers. Gentiva company endeavors to venture into new market niches, this implies an increase in the inventory of the company. Overall cost of running the company may immensely reduce as a result of the reduction in the workload due to closure of some branches. Closed branches will reduce accrued revenue and expenses for the company. New business ventures require new employees; initially this may raise the running expenses especially due to training costs. With the expansion, the company will reduce operational costs and expenses and claim a high market niche. To retain its relevance in the presence of the reduced health service cha rges as indicated by the health reform, each service provider must engage extra efforts; else, most of the service providers may find it difficult to cope with the incorporation of the new law. This paper gives an analysis of the activities of Gentiva Health services in relation to revenue management, financial analysis and financial management with an aim to evaluate the soundness of the organization’

Social Issues Essay Example for Free

Social Issues Essay 1) What social issues do I feel strongly about? I feel strongly that the minimum wage should be raised because the lower class will be able to provide for themselves and their families.The government feels the lower your class, the lower the cost of living , which is not necessarily true. I think that it’s more expensive to live in a lower class area.For example in Dayton,Ohio, the cost of living is â€Å"low† as opposed to Atlanta,Georgia, and the high expense of living. At the wage it is at they will never be able to rise out of the poverty stricken levels. It seems like the cost of living and food is steady rising but the pay is slowing rising. Companies are making millions and even billions and its employees are barely able to make a decent living, while the higher ups need to take a pay cut. Employees who make minimum wage have a much higher stress load and are at the crossroads between paying the light bill or putting food on the table. Then you have the higher ups who seems to only have to decide where they want to go for vacation or what new car or house to buy. 2) How do I go about solving personal problems? When I need to solve a personal problem I try to first figure out what is causing the issue and what I can do to eliminate it. If that doesn’t help I seek help from family and friends who have the same issue or issues. I try to find someone who has experience and ask them what they have done to help them out. I also seek help from professional doctors, therapists, instructors and or counselors. I understand that some problems will not go away on their own or overnight so I make sure to not get overwhelmed. It was suggested that I take it one problem , one step and one day at a time. I have also learned that writing in journal or notebook has helped as well. I believe that listening to music and meditating are also great ways to reduce stress and solve problems. A lot of people tend to use violence as away to escape there problems. I on the other hand am totally against violence unless its really called for. When I feel overwhelmed, frustrated, angry,  stressed and hurt, it cause anxiety to kick in fullest extreme. 3) Do I readily seek help from others when I need it? I do not always seek help from others when i need it because I have found that a lot of people tend to give their personal opinions versus helpful advice. I do however seek help from a few individuals when every other option hasn’t helped or worked out. It depends on the issue and the person in whom I am asking. For example if I was in a situation and I needed advice I would probably sit and think of ways of figuring it out for at least three days before I would even consider seeking additional help. It’s not so much that I’m independent. I dont mind receiving help , I just rather be able to say I did this on my own. Some individuals end to feel that they are better than you when you seek help from them. 4) Which of my values would I like to change? I would like to change my focus and my ambition for my youngest son to go to college because I want that to be his decision.I do not want my focus and what I want for him to drown out his own focus or dreams in life. Of course, I want him to do well and excel in life but I want him to make his own decisions and choices so he does not resent me when he gets older. As his mother it is easy to want to plan his life, career choice, mate, house car, etc etc but I understand that he will be an adult and make his own choices and all I can do is raise him to be a respectable young man and teach him good home values. Also as his mother , I can be a positive role model for him. Some mothers tend to get angry with their children , when they see them doing the same behaviors they were showing. As my son gets older i wont do things around him, that i wouldnt want him doing as a man. I do know he will do what he feels is best for him. I just have to accept that my focus and ambition is to be the b est mother I can be for him.

The motherboard is the main circuit board of a microcomputer Essay

January 28, 2005   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The motherboard is the main circuit board of a microcomputer. The motherboard contains the connectors for attaching additional boards. Typically, the motherboard contains the CPU, BIOS, memory, mass storage interfaces, serial and parallel ports, expansion slots, and all the controllers required to control standard peripheral devices, such as the display screen, keyboard, and disk drive. Collectively, all these chips that reside on the motherboard are known as the motherboard's chipset. On most PCs, it is possible to add memory chips directly to the motherboard. You may also be able to upgrade to a faster CP by replacing the CPU chip. To add additional core features, you may need to replace the motherboard entirely. (Glossary)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Also known as the logic board, main board, or computer board, the motherboard is the computer's main board and in most cases holds all CPU, memory, and I/O functions or has expansion slots for them†. (Kingston) The motherboard is the most important part of your computer. It is also one of the most compared, critiqued, and reviewed pieces of hardware. Often, on the internet, you'll find reviews and debates over which board is best or which chipset is best. The chipset controls the system and its capabilities. It is the hub of all data transfer. It is a series of chips on the motherboard, easily identified as the largest chips on the board with the exception of the CPU. Chip s...

Awareness of k+12 Essay

Rationale â€Å"Change is avalanching down upon our land and most people are utterly unprepared to cope with it†, states Alvin Toffler. In most countries today, changes are happening so fast that we are at times unable to preserve relevant cultural aspects and values. In the field of curriculum, change is and will continue to be, the factor for any educational undertaking. (Bauzon, 2002) In the new century, the educational environment is rapidly changing and the roles and responsibilities of the teacher s become demanding in the most part of the world. In our country today, the curriculum of our educational system has been revised to meet its demands. According to President Benigno S. Aquino, â€Å"We need to add two years to our basic education. Those who can afford pay up to fourteen years of schooling before university. Thus, their children are getting into the best universities and the best jobs after graduation. I want at least 12 years for our public school children to give them an even chance at succeeding† (www. google. com ). According to the K to 12 Deped Primer (2011), â€Å"K-12 means â€Å"Kindergarten and the 12 years of elementary and secondary education. † Kindergarten points to the 5-year old child who undertakes the standardized curriculum for preschoolers. Elementary education refers to 6 years of primary school (Grades 1-6) while secondary education means four years of junior high school (Grades 7-10 or HS Year 1-4). In addition to this, two years are now allotted for senior high school (Grades 11-12 or HS Year 5-6). Furthermore, the short duration of our basic education program puts Filipinos who are interested to either work or study abroad at a disadvantage. This is because other countries see our 10-year program as incomplete, which then, causes Filipino graduates to not be considered as professionals abroad. The first teacher of the children are their parents. They have a great role in the development of the young. They become part of the environment of learning at home. They follow-up the lessons of their children especially in the basic education. They sent their children to school to be taught, to be trained and to gain knowledge. Parents are supporters of the curriculum. They would like to get the best of his/her investment in education. They are willing to pay the cost of educating their child for as long as their children get the best learning or schooling experiences. They aims to have a children that has a bright future and a changed individual who is easily adjusted to his fast changing world. (Bilbao, p. 80) This study finds it important to research about the awareness of the k+12 curriculum in the parents of the grade 7 students. The parents of the Grade 7students ofCantilan National High School, Madrid National High School – Union Annex, and Surigao Del Sur State University Cantilan Laboratory High School are the respondents of this research. The programs offered by the University are on Level 1 and 2 and it is accredited by the AACUP. In as much as the data that will be gathered in this study will be very helpful to the curriculum experts, managers and administrators who play an important role in shaping the school curriculum and who are responsible in the formulation of the philosophy, vision, mission, and objectives. The result of this study could provide the needed information in formulating possible solutions for reactions of the parents of the grade 7 students of the CNHS, MNHS-Union Annex and SDSSU Cantilan Laboratory High School. Conceptual Framework As shown in figure 1, the first box contains all about the k+12 curriculum and level of awareness of the parents of the Grade 7 students about it. The middle box contains the independent variables which are the parents of the Grade 7 students of the CNHS, MNHS-Union Annex, and SDSSU Laboratory High School. The interaction of the independent and dependent variables is now the awareness of k+12 program in the parents of Grade 7. This is shown in box 3, the output of the study. INPUTTHROUGH PUTOUTPUT FIGURE 1. Schematic Diagram of the Research Paradigm Statement of the Problem This study aims to determine the awareness of k+12 curriculum among the parents of grade 7 students. This aims further how the k+12 curriculum affects the strategies of the teachers and what are the adjustment to prioritize. The main problem seeks to answer the following subsidiary problems. 1. What is the socio-demographic profile of the respondents? 1. 1. Age 1. 2. Sex 1. 3. Educational attainment 2. What is the extent of awareness of parents to the k+12 curriculum in terms of the following indicators? 2. 1. Features of the k+12 curriculum 2. 2. Assessment of the k+12 curriculum 2. 3. Advantage/benefits of the k+12 curriculum to the students 3. Is there a significant relationship between the socio-demographic profile of the respondents and the extent of awareness in the K+12 program in terms of : 3. 1. Features of the k+12 curriculum 3. 2. Assessment of the k+12 curriculum 3. 3. Advantage/benefits of the k+12 curriculum to the students Hypothesis: This study will test the null hypotheses at 0. 05 level of significance. Ho: there is no significant relationship between the socio demographic profile of the respondents and the extent of awareness of the k+12 curriculum. Significance Of The Study This study will benefit the following: Parents —The result of this study helps the parents of the grade 7 students to accept the changes in our educational system today and one of these changes is the k+12 program. Future Researchers—The result of this study will serve as their guide and help them to collect new ideas and information’s, if their study is interrelated with this study. The authors wrote simple words in every section of this book for the readers to understand easily. Scope and Limitations of the Study This study will cover the following limitations: Respondents. Parents of Grade 7 students in Cantilan National High School (CNHS), Madrid National High School-Union Annex and (SDSSU) Surigao del Sur State University-Laboratory High School. Location. The venue of the study is the Cantilan National High School (CNHS), Madrid National High School-Union Annex and (SDSSU) Surigao del Sur State University-Laboratory High School. Time Frame. The time frame within which the study will be conducted is during the school year 2012-2013. Definition of Terms Curriculum. Is a plan for what is to be taught in schools. Curriculum studies are a field of inquiry into how schools programs are developed, implemented, and evaluated. K-12 Curriculum. The program aims to uplift the quality of education in the Philippines in order for the graduates to be easily employed. It also aims to meet standards required for professionals who would want to work abroad. CHAPTER II REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE To give depth and meaning of the study at hand some related literature and studies taken from articles, books, magazines and periodicals, from different studies and papers read which have bearing on the study conducted and discussed. Related Literature Clearly our country’s ability to provide quality education for its people is hinged to its survival as well as its ability to compete in the global market and be a meaningful partner in the world affairs. (Philippine yearbook, 2003). Though our government created ways and means in order to uplift the quality education that we have, but still it is really a dilemma for every Filipino that our educational system is declining. With this, lots of changes went through, and the teachers as well as the learners are the primary concern of this. The gradual change in curriculum is one of the means to eradicate this decline. As Smithers (2003) said that, â€Å"it has been in contention that teachers should play a more pivotal role in all phases of curriculum-making from initial planning through development try-out, installation, evaluation and revision. More and more classroom teachers are being tapped to serve in school curriculum committees and task force. A perplexed teacher once observed that the curriculum is like a maze in his words â€Å"a complex situation involving a multiplicity of considerations that require profound study†. It is our contention that it is need not to be so stripped to its base essentials, curriculum making is surprisingly simple. (Bruner,2002) According To Bauzon (2002), â€Å"the aspirations of any ideals of any society serve as determinants of the educational system. The aspiration rises only to the level of its people’s aspirations. The most essential instrument in nation building which is education distills the goals in the society. In the school setting, each child learns much more than he is taught as part of the curriculum. Not all learning is the result of the planned experiences in the school. The curriculum of the school includes those experiences for which the school accepts responsibility. These curricular experiences are organized and promoted in order to acceptable objectives and needs of children may be responded adequately. They are planned sequentially so that many learners needs social, spiritual, emotional, intellectual and physical will be prepared. The viable curriculum is based on the recognition that maturation factors and experiential background conditions readiness to learn. Thus, the teacher provides new advices prior to the child’s level of development. (Gronlund,2004). Jerome Bruner emphasizes that here must be an emphasis upon reducing a subject to its fundamental ideas or structure. To grasp the structure of a subject, he argues, one must understand the relationship between facts and ideas which constitute the subject. Structure is important in teaching a subject because it permits a â€Å"massive general transfer† of learning. In short, it allows one to â€Å"learn how to learn†. Related Studies The department of education’s k to 12 program is one concrete response to reverse this steady decline and to move toward its goal of long-term educational reform and sustainable economic growth. The central feature of the k to 12 program is the upgrading of the basic education curriculum to ensure that learners acquire the relevant knowledge and skills they will need to become productive members of society. It seeks to introduce relevant skills development courses and special interest subjects that will suit the personality, strengths and career direction of each learner. (http://www. gov. ph/k+12) In the report of EFA(2002),†As early1925, studies have observed the in adequacy of the basic education curriculum. As one of the most well studied reforms, recommendations of either adding or restoring the grade or adding an extra year to basic education have been put forward. According to the different survey of the curriculum: Monroe survey (1925): secondary education did not prepare for life and recommended training in agriculture, commerce, and industry. Prosser survey (1930): recommended to improve phases of vocational education such as 7thgrade shop work, provincial schools, and practical arts training in the regular high schools, home economics, placement work, gardening, and agricultural education. UNESCO mission survey (1949): recommended the restoration of grade. Education act. Of 1953: under section3, mandates thatâ€Å"[t]he primary course shall be composed off our grades (grades I to IV) and the intermediate course of three grades (grade VTOVII). † Swanson Survey (1960):recommendedtherestorationofgrade7. Presidential Commission To Survey Philippine Education (PCSPE) (1970): high priority be given to the implementation of an11-year program; Recommended program consists of 6 years of compulsory elementary education and 5years of secondary education In one study conducted on the influence of standards on thek+12 teaching and student learning, teachers described in this research were actively pursuing alignment between the content they were teaching (at classroom level, we refer to this as â€Å" teaching curriculum† and the content measured by the various state test. (The Freeman Foundation2006). Based on the k-12 educators study tourprograms funded by theFreeman foundation the overseas programs of the Asian Studies Outreach Program (ASOP) is one element of amulti-pronged, statewide approach to introduce Asian studies in every Vermont school and buildthe leadership needed to support this goal. The overseas program for teachers, the equivalent of a three-hour graduate level course, places a heavy emphasis on content relevant to both the travelexperience and teachers’ curriculum. The program aims to: †¢ increase teachers’ awareness/cultural sensitivity and teachers’ comfort level in teaching about Asia through direct experiences with Asian people, history, and culture; †¢ enhance the quality of teachers’ classroom instruction through increased knowledge ofAsia; †¢ encourage curriculum revision to build a sustained cross-discipline presence for Asia in grades K-12; and †¢ build the capacity of teachers to lead the efforts to include Asia in the curriculum. In selecting participants, ASOP considers areas of the state where participation in the overseas program could introduce or strengthen Asian studies. In addition, ASOP looks at the level ofadministrative commitment and the availability of teams of teachers from a school or district. CHAPTER III RESEARCH METHODOLOGY This study will use the descriptive survey method appropriate for profiling the variables of this research. Research Environment As one of the municipalities of Surigao Del Sur, Cantilan is located in the Northeastern area of Mindanao and part of the CARAGA region. it has a qite large and plain are about 10,575 sq. km. facing the pacific ocean on theeasternpart. almost40,000 people comprises the 17 barangays in which the livelihood is mostly derived from agriculture, aquaculture and income of the professionals . as theoldesttownintheprovince of surigao del sur it is the cradle of all the five municipalities. Being centered in education, Cantilan has a lot of schools to be proud of. Among of this are the Madrid National High School-Union Annex,Surigao Del Sur State University and Cantilan National High School. Although Sdssu-Cantilan concentrate for the tertiary education yet it offers a secondary in which they called as the laboratory high school with its limits to100students as of scoolyear2012-2013. on the other hand,thecantialn national high school offers 3 curriculum the ESEP,SPA,and RBEC with 2000 students as its latest enrollees . as an institution of higher learning ,both the schools are known in uplifting a quality education and promoting the growth and development of the students inconsonance with the national development towards quality education. Fig. 2 presents the map of Surigaodel Sur where Municipality of Cantilan is located. Research Design This is a descriptive evaluative or assessment study appropriate for profiling the variables of research which intends to know the level of awareness among parents of the Grade -7 students under K-12 program of Madrid National High School- Union Annex, Cantilan National High School, and Surigao Del Sur State University- Laboratory High School. The data that to be gathered will be recorded, organized, and interrupted in view of the objectives set in the study. Research Respondent This study is confined to all the parents of grade-7 students in Madrid National High School- Union Annex, Surigao del Sur State University-Laboratory High School and Cantilan National High School in the school year 2012-2013. Table 1. Distribution Of The Respondents School Number of grade 7 parents/guardians Number of respondents MNHS-UA 23 11 SDSSU-Lab. H. S. 24 12 CNHS 40 20 TOTAL 87 43 Research Instruments A self made questionnaire is purposely made for the study. It contains two parts. The first part contains the Profile of the parents. These include the name, age, educational attainment, occupation, and monthly income. The second part contains the different questions with regards to the k+12 program. Research Procedures Gathering of Data. The questionnaires will be given to the parents of the Grade 7 students of Madrid National High School- Union Annex, Cantilan National High School, and Surigao Del Sur State University. Statistical Treatment. The following formulas will be used in this study: 1. Weighted Mean This is used to determine the Socio-Demographic Profile of the parents interms of age, educational attainment and occupation. Likewise, weighted mean is to be applied to determine the acceptability of the k+12 program among the parents of the Grade 7 students of Madrid National High School- Union Annex, Cantilan National High School, and Surigao Del Sur State University. 2. Simple Percentage Computation This is used to determine the percentage of the respondents. 3. Pearson Chi-Square This is used to determine if there is a significant relationship of the respondent’s socio-demographic profile and the extent of awareness of the k+12 curriculum. CHAPTER IV PRESENTATION, ANALYSIS, AND INTERPRETATION OF DATA This chapter presents, analyzes and interprets the data gathered from the questionnaire to the concerned respondents. This chapter shows the significant relationship between the socio-demographic profile of the respondents and the extent of awareness of the k-12 curriculum. Relationship Between The Socio-Demographic Profile Of The Respondents And The Extent Of Awareness Of The K-12 Curriculum This section analyzes the result of the respondents’ socio-demographic profile and the extent of awareness of the k-12 curriculum. TABLE 2:Relationship of Respondent’s Age and Extent of Awareness in Terms of the Features of the K+12 Curriculum Features of the curriculum X2 a. The number of years in the basic education is increased up to 13 years including Kindergarten. 12. 481 b. The students â€Å"will graduate twice† because they will earn two certificates: one for completion of the DepEd subjects at Grade 10 and the other for finishing the technical skills subjects integrated into the curriculum. 14. 336 c. New subjects taken by your student Agrarian Reform, Family Planning, NSTP, Philippine Constitution, Physical Educ. , Population Educ. , Rizal and Taxation. 8. 568 d. There are specializations in Science and Technology, Music and Arts, Agriculture and Fisheries, Sports, Business and Entrepreneurship. 8. 881 e. Opportunity to take courses like Internet and Computing Fundamentals, Technical Drawing, Home Management/ Housekeeping, Cooking/ Food Processing, Electrical Installation and Maintenance, Dress Making/Tailoring, Carpentry, Crop Production, Animal Production and Care giving. 6. 790 f. Mother tongue is used as a medium of instruction for Grades 1 to 3. 7. 830 g. Strong collaboration of CHED, TESDA and DOLE in training the Senior High School students. 6. 567 MEAN 9. 3504 X2; DF= 6 12. 592 The table shows the computed X2 in every features of k-12 curriculum in terms of age. The degrees of freedom is 6 and the mean of the computed X2 is 9. 3504, since the mean computed value is lesser than x2 at 5%, there is no enough evidence to reject the null hypothesis. Therefore, the respondents’ age is independent with the extent of awareness in terms of the features of the k+ 12 curriculum. TABLE 3:Relationship of Respondent’s Age and Extent of Awareness in Terms of the Assessment of the Curriculum The table shows the computed X2 in every parts of the assessment of the curriculum in terms of age. The degrees of freedom is 6 and the mean of computed X2 is 9. 7606, since the mean computed value is lesser than x2 at 5%, there is no enough evidence to reject the null hypothesis. Therefore, the respondents’ age is independent with the extent of awareness in terms of the assessment of the k+ 12 curriculum. TABLE 4:Relationship of Respondent’s Age and Extent of Awareness in Terms of the Advantages/Benefits of the K+12 Curriculum to the Students The table shows the computed X2 in every advantages to the students in terms of age. The degrees of freedom is 6 and the mean of computed X2 is 8. 6699, since the mean computed value is lesser than x2 at 5%, there is no enough evidence to reject the null hypothesis. Therefore, the respondents’ age is independent with the extent of awareness in terms of the advantages/ benefits of the k+ 12 curriculum to the students. TABLE 5: Relationship of respondent’s sex and extent of awareness in terms of the features of the k+12 curriculum Features of the curriculum X2 a. The number of years in the basic education is increased up to 13 years including Kindergarten. 5. 239 b. The students â€Å"will graduate twice† because they will earn two certificates: one for completion of the DepEd subjects at Grade 10 and the other for finishing the technical skills subjects integrated into the curriculum. 4. 143 c. New subjects taken by your student Agrarian Reform, Family Planning, NSTP, Philippine Constitution, Physical Educ. , Population Educ. , Rizal and Taxation. 6. 131 d. There are specializations in Science and Technology, Music and Arts, Agriculture and Fisheries, Sports, Business and Entrepreneurship. 1. 325 e. Opportunity to take courses like Internet and Computing Fundamentals, Technical Drawing, Home Management/ Housekeeping, Cooking/ Food Processing, Electrical Installation and Maintenance, Dress Making/Tailoring, Carpentry, Crop Production, Animal Production and Care giving. 2. 168 f. Mother tongue is used as a medium of instruction for Grades 1 to 3. 3. 503 g. Strong collaboration of CHED, TESDA and DOLE in training the Senior High School students. 1. 946 MEAN 3. 4936 X2; df= 2 5. 991 The table shows the computed X2 in every features of the curriculum in terms of sex. The degrees of freedom is 2 and the mean of computed X2 is 3. 4936, since the mean computed value is lesser than x2 at 5%, there is no enough evidence to reject the null hypothesis. Therefore, the respondents’ sex is independent with the extent of awareness in terms of the features of the k+ 12 curriculum. TABLE 6:Relationship of respondent’s sex and extent of awareness in terms of the assessment of the curriculum Assessment Of The Curriculum X2 a. Focused on the learner’s acquisition of effective communication, information, media and technology, learning and innovations kills, and life and career skills. 0. 157 b. Has balanced assessment program. 5. 454 c. Promotion and retention of the students shall be by subject. 0. 530 d. Honor students shall be drawn from among those who performed at the ADVANCED LEVEL. 0. 293 e. The performance of students shall be described in the report card based on the following levels of proficiency: B, D, AP, P, A not their equivalent numerical values. 3. 345 MEAN 1. 9558 X2; df= 2 5. 991 The table shows the computed X2 in every assessment of the curriculum in terms of sex. The degrees of freedom is 2 and the mean of computed X2 is 1. 9558, since the mean computed value is lesser than x2 at 5%, there is no enough evidence to reject the null hypothesis. Therefore, the respondents’ sex is independent with the extent of awareness in terms of the assessment of the k+ 12 curriculum. TABLE 7:Relationship of respondent’s sex and extent of awareness in terms of the advantages/benefits of the k+12 curriculum to the students The table shows the computed X2 in every advantages to the students in terms of sex. The degrees of freedom is 2 and the mean of the computed X2 is 7. 0027, since the mean computed value is greater than the x2at 5%, there is enough evidence to reject the null hypothesis. Therefore, the respondents’ sex is not independent with the extent of awareness in terms of the advantages/benefits of the k+ 12 curriculum to the students. TABLE 8: Relationship of Respondent’s Educational Attainment and Extent of Awareness in Terms of the Features of the K+12 Curriculum Features of the curriculum X2 a. The number of years in the basic education is increased up to 13 years including Kindergarten. 27. 967 b. The students â€Å"will graduate twice† because they will earn two certificates: one for completion of the DepEd subjects at Grade 10 and the other for finishing the technical skills subjects integrated into the curriculum. 38. 701 c. New subjects taken by your student Agrarian Reform, Family Planning, NSTP, Philippine Constitution, Physical Educ. , Population Educ. , Rizal and Taxation. 26. 768 d. There are specializations in Science and Technology, Music and Arts, Agriculture and Fisheries, Sports, Business and Entrepreneurship. 17. 201 e. Opportunity to take courses like Internet and Computing Fundamentals, Technical Drawing, Home Management/ Housekeeping, Cooking/ Food Processing, Electrical Installation and Maintenance, Dress Making/Tailoring, Carpentry, Crop Production, Animal Production and Care giving. 26. 446 f. Mother tongue is used as a medium of instruction for Grades 1 to 3. 16. 845 g. Strong collaboration of CHED, TESDA and DOLE in training the Senior High School students. 24. 094 MEAN 25. 4317 X2; DF= 8 15. 507 The table shows the computed X2 in every features of the curriculum in terms of educational attainment. The degrees of freedom is 8 and the mean of computed X2 is 25. 4317, since the mean computed value is greater than x2 at 5%, there is enough evidence to reject the null hypothesis. Therefore, the respondents’ educational attainment is not independent with the extent of awareness in terms of the features of the k+ 12 curriculum. TABLE 9:Relationship Of Respondent’s Educational Attainment And Extent Of Awareness In Terms Of The Assessment Of The Curriculum Assessment Of The Curriculum X2 a. Focused on the learner’s acquisition of effective communication, information, media and technology, learning and innovations kills, and life and career skills. 28. 956 b. Has balanced assessment program. 28. 448 c. Promotion and retention of the students shall be by subject. 8. 995 d. Honor students shall be drawn from among those who performed at the ADVANCED LEVEL. 23. 507 e. The performance of students shall be described in the report card based on the following levels of proficiency: B, D, AP, P, A not their equivalent numerical values. 19. 981 MEAN 21. 9774 X2; df= 8 15. 507 The table shows the computed X2 in every assessment in the curriculum in terms of educational attainment. The degrees of freedom is 8 and the mean of computed X2 is 21. 9772, since the mean computed value is greater than x2 at 5%, there is enough evidence to reject the null hypothesis. Therefore, the respondents’ educational attainment is not independent with the extent of awareness in terms of the assessment of the k+ 12 curriculum. TABLE 10: Relationship Of Respondent’s Educational Attainment And Extent Of Awareness In Terms of the Advantages/Benefits Of The K+12 Curriculum To The Students Advantages/Benefits Of The K+12 Curriculum To The Students X2 a. More emotionally mature, socially aware and Pro-active. 18. 995 b. Acquire mastery of basic competencies. 25. 042 c. Be legally employable with potential for better earnings. 21. 290 d. Students will possess competencies and skills relevant to the job market 13. 974 e. Be globally competitive. 20. 517 f. Every graduate of the enhanced K+12 Basic Education program will be empowered to learn through the program that is rooted on sound educational principles and geared towards excellence and the foundations for learning throughout life. 49. 488 g. Students will be able to prepare their own business for their future. 40. 415 h. Senior High School students will be given an opportunity to do OJT (On the Job Training), internship or apprenticeship 23. 504 i. After graduating Senior High School, graduates will be able to work immediately, even before or without seeking college degree because students will have not only a high school diploma needed for further studies, but also 1 or more certificates needed for immediate employment. 24. 652 MEAN 26. 4308 X2; DF= 8 15. 507 The table shows the computed X2 in every advantages to the students in terms of educational attainment. The degrees of freedom is 8 and the mean of computed X2 is 26. 4308, since the mean computed value is greater than x2 at 5%, there is enough evidence to reject the null hypothesis. Therefore, the respondents’ educational attainment is not independent with the extent of awareness in terms of the advantages/benefits of the k+ 12 curriculum to the students. CHAPTER V SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION This chapter presents the summary of the entire study that serve as the basis for conclusions and recommendations. This includes the statement of the problem, findings, conclusions and some recommendations of the study. SUMMARY This research study seek to find the level of awareness of the k+12 curriculum among the parents of the grade 7 students in CNHS, SDSSU-H. S LAB. , MNHS-UA. The respondents of the study were the parents of the grade 7 students in CNHS, SDSSU-H. S LAB. , MNHS-UA. The researchers limit their respondents to 50% of the population from each school. The study made use of the survey method which was appropriate for the profiling and gathering of data. Moreover, the data were interpreted using the mean, simple percentage computation and the Pearson chi-squared test. Findings Based on the analysis of the gathered data, the different findings in this research study are summarized as follows: 1. The relationship of respondent’s age and extent of awareness in terms of the features ofthe k+12 curriculum, since the mean computed value which is 9. 3504 lesser than x2 at 5%, there is no enough evidence to reject the null hypothesis. Therefore, the respondents’ age is independent with the extent of awareness in terms of the features of the k+ 12 curriculum. 2. The relationship of respondent’s age and extent of awareness in terms of the assessment of the curriculum, since the mean computed value, 9. 7606, is lesser than x2 at 5%, there is no enough evidence to reject the null hypothesis. Therefore, the respondents’ age is independent with the extent of awareness in terms of the assessment of the k+ 12 curriculum. 3. The relationship of respondent’s age and extent of awareness in terms of the advantages/benefits of the k+12 curriculum to the students, since the mean computed value,8. 6699, is lesser than x2 at 5%, there is no enough evidence to reject the null hypothesis. Therefore, the respondents’ age is independent with the extent of awareness in terms of the advantages/ benefits of the k+ 12 curriculum to the students. 4. The relationship of respondent’s sex and extent of awareness in terms of the features of the k+12 curriculum, since the mean computed value,3. 4936, is lesser than x2 at 5%, there is no enough evidence to reject the null hypothesis. Therefore, the respondents’ sex is independent with the extent of awareness in terms of the features of the k+ 12 curriculum. 5. The relationship of respondent’s sex and extent of awareness in terms of the assessment of the curriculum, since the mean computed value,1. 9558, is lesser than x2at 5%, there is no enough evidence to reject the null hypothesis. Therefore, the respondents’ sex is independent with the extent of awareness in terms of the assessment of the k+ 12 curriculum. 6. The relationship of respondent’s sex and extent of awareness in terms of the advantages/benefits of the k+12 curriculum to the students, since the mean computed value,7. 0027, is greater than the x2at 5%, there is enough evidence to reject the null hypothesis. Therefore, the respondents’ sex is not independent with the extent of awareness in terms of the advantages/benefits of the k+ 12 curriculum to the students. 7. The relationship of respondent’s educational attainment and extent of awareness in terms of the features of the k+12 curriculum, since the mean computed value,25. 4317, is greater than x2 at 5%, there is enough evidence to reject the null hypothesis. Therefore, the respondents’ educational attainment is not independent with the extent of awareness in terms of the features of the k+ 12 curriculum. 8. The relationship of respondent’s educational attainment and extent of awareness in terms of the assessment of the curriculum, since the mean computed value,21. 9774, is greater than x2 at 5%, there is enough evidence to reject the null hypothesis. Therefore, the respondents’ educational attainment is not independent with the extent of awareness in terms of the assessment of the k+ 12 curriculum. 9. The relationship of respondent’s educational attainment and extent of aware

Regime Type and its Influences on Growth Essay

During the last period of the 20th century, the world has observed the so called â€Å"Asian Miracle†, the phenomenon refers to Asian countries that achieved a very high growth rate that western countries have never experience before. Interestingly, one common thing these Asia countries have in common are the experience of a certain level of dictatorship. For example, China’s economy during 1960-1980 was heavily centralized and the private sector was not allowed to exist. Singapore gained their independence in 1945 and started to develop with the leading role of government. Japan, Malaysia, Korea, and Vietnam experienced the same level of dictatorship when they started to open their market and turn into market economies. The idea behind this phenomenon is because the government can quickly decide what industry to investment in and the large investment help these industries to acquire economics of scale quickly. The government takes the leading role as the distributor of resources instead of the market as in Western countries. My study aims at examine the relationship between the level of dictatorship and the growth rate. Literature Review That good governance is necessary for economic development was until recently the conventional wisdom. In 2002, for example, a USAID study asserted that â€Å"without good governance, it is impossible to foster development†. Lately, however, this paradigm has begun to lose ground. Robert Zoellick, president of the World Bank, argued in an October 2010 speech that development practitioners should embrace â€Å"differentiated policy approaches† noting that â€Å"what may safeguard (development) in one context my strangle in another†. The leaders of the G20 nations in November endorsed a â€Å"Seoul Consensus† that â€Å"there is no one size fits all formula for development success and that developing countries must take the lead in designing and implementing development strategies tailored to their individual need and circumstances†. The topic of whether democracy and autocracy is more appropriate for growth has received a lot of attention lately. This paper will examine five papers as examples of the current state of knowledge. Wilkin (2011) provides several definitions of good governance that he use in his paper. The World Bank defines governance is the process and institutions through which  decisions are made and authority in a country is exercised. Wilkin uses the governance metric offered by the Worldwide Governance Indicators Project. The indicators are grouped into six categories that are a useful guide to the dimensions of governance quality as it is generally conceived: (1) voice and accountability (2) political stability and absence of violent, (3) government effectiveness, (4) regulatory quality, (5) rule of law and (6) control of corruption. According to this metric, Wilkin point out that China continues to perform poorly on most of these indicators, ranking near or below the 50th percentile of countries assessed, while nonetheless achieving one of the fastest income growth rates of any country in the world. The reason that oligarchies in these countries can be beneficial to development is that they produce consistent policy choices. There are many developing countries that have achieved brief spurts of rapid per capita income growth – in fact, Wilkin specifies that, more than 130 countries have experienced annual per capita income growth of 6% or more for five or more of the years between 1950 and 2007. The challenge is not to achieve growth of 6% or more for a few years, which is unremarkable, but to do so for decades. This produces exponential rates of development, doubling the population’s average income roughly every 12 years. To attain this kind of consistency, oligarchy or authoritarian governance is useful and highly effective. Rodan and Jayasuriya (2009) focus their paper on the transition process and how capitalism developed in several Asian countries. They compare several regimes types across Southeast Asia and how the transition affect economic performance. The authors argue that a transition in Singapore from â€Å"competitive authoritarianism† to a more genuinely competitive political system requires a transformation in the political economy that suppresses bases for independent political organization. Meanwhile, political parties in post-authoritarian regimes in Thailand, Philippines and Indonesia do not operate quite as their counterparts historically have in earlier industrializing countries – not simply because of deficient institutions but because of the structural constraints on labor, social justice groups and other actors in civil society. Chin-en Wu (2012) raise the question of â€Å"whether democracy or autocracy is better for economic performance?† By incorporating both institutional  factors and structural incentives into his model, he find that the relative strength of political regimes in steering economic development is conditional on structural factors, which exert greater influence in autocracies than in democracies. For instance, when confronting external challenges, increasing national wealth becomes the most effective way for authoritarian leaders to reduce survival risk. Development provides incumbent governments with sufficient financial resources, which can finance the states apparatuses, including the bureaucracy and coercive forces such as the military and police. Failure to cope with external threats could result in seceding territories and damaging domestic support, both increasing the probability of losing power. Given the unfavorable structural condition, i.e., low levels of external threats of abundant resources wealth, dictators have weak incentives to implement growth-supporting policies. In a democracies, by contrast, the presences of democratic institutions induces political leaders to deliver public goods and partially substitute the role of structural factors. Conversely, where structural factors are conducive to growth, democracies do not necessarily outperform autocracies and may even grow at a slower rate because the flaw that are inherent in this system. Folch (2007) wrote a paper about the potential punishment under dictatorship. This paper explores whether the probability of being punished after losing power leads dictator to restrain their level of predation and, thus, increase economic growth. Holding dictators accountable is a difficulty problem, but under certain circumstances it might well improve their policy choices. Folch prove that dictators’ post tenure fate plays a key role in determining their level of graft and, hence, their economic performance. The logic Folch provide is quite simple, if dictators expect that after losing or giving up power they will be able to enjoy their booty in pleasant exile or in their own countries, their level of rent-extraction will be higher and this will lead growth rate to shrink. On the contrary, if the probability of being punished is high enough, dictators will constrain their greed and economic performance will improve. To confirm his theory, the author employ a simple model of predatory rule, and the consequences of increasing probability of punishment after losing power is explored. The  probability of punishment is proven to have a positive and significant effect on the rate of growth of GDP and alternative specification of growth regressions. Pitlik’s paper (2008) put an emphasis on the impact of growth performance on economic policy liberalization. He rejects the benefit of authoritarian regimes. In his paper, he investigates empirically the interaction between economic growth performance and political institutions in producing free-market reform. Using the data of up to 120 countries over the period of 1970-2004, Pitlik shows that political regime types systematically shape government policy responses to economic growth performance. In line with several other contributions, the author finds that democratic rule is favorable for reform in general. Contrary to conventional wisdom, he argues Economic policy reform is a conflict-ridden political process. Policies beneficial for society as a whole are often not implemented due to a fierce opposition from politically powerful prospective losers from reforms. In this respect, it is often claimed that a very poor economic performance can help overcome resistance to economic policy liberalization. Furthermore, political authorities not constrained by democratic checks and balances are often supposed to be more decisive and thus expected to carry out market-friendly policy change in times of crises more easily. Later, Pitlik concludes that there is no need for autocratic rule to implement economic policy reform in times of crises. Democracies not only carry out more liberal economic policies in general, but they are also more responsive to economic growth crises. Barro (1996) did a throughout research on determinate of growth in his paper. First variable he analyzed is the convergence of economies. He pointed out that, based on the neoclassical growth model developed by Ramsey (1928), Solow (1956), Swan (1956), Cass (1965) the lower the starting level of real per capita gross domestic product (GDP) the higher is the predicted growth rate. That is, if all economies were intrinsically the same, except for their starting capital intensities, then convergence could apply in an absolute sense; in other words, poor countries would tend to grow faster per capita than rich ones. However, if economies differ in various respects –  including propensities to save and have children, willingness to work, access to technologies, and government policies- then the convergence force applies only in a conditional sense. He conclude that, the growth rate should be higher if the starting per capita GDP is low in relation to is long-run or steady-state p osition; that is, if an economy begins far below its own target positon. He gives an example of a poor country that also has a low steady-state position – possibly because its public policies are harmful or its saving rate is low- would not tend to grow rapidly. Barro also made a very important contribution in analyzing the interplay between economic and political development. He shares the same idea with Friedman (1962) that the two â€Å"political freedom and economic freedom are mutually reinforcing†. Though, he stressed on the growth retarding aspects of democracy: The tendency to enact rich-to-poor redistributions of income. Authoritarian regimes may partially avoid these drawbacks of democracy. Moreover, nothing in principle prevents non-democratic governments from maintaining economic freedom and private property rights. A dictator does not have to engage in central planning, he said. Some examples of autocracies that have expanded economic freedoms include the Pinochet government of Chile, the Fujimore administration in Peru, the Shah’s regime in Iran and several current governments in East Asia. Schwarz (1992) observed that most OECD countries began their modern economic development in system with limited political rights and became full-fledged representative democracies only much later. Barro concludes that an increase in political rights tends to enhance growth and investment because the benefit from limitations on governmental power is the key matter. But in places that have already achieved a moderate amount of democracy, a further increase in political rights impairs growth and investment because the dominant effect comes from the intensified concern with income redistribution. Lipset (1959)’s paper focuses on the relationship between propensity and democracy. He apparently prefers to view it as the Aristotle hypothesis: â€Å"From Aristotle down to the present, men have argued that only in a wealthy society in which relatively few citizens lived in real poverty could a situation exist in which the mass of the population could intelligently participate in politics and could develop the self-restraint necessary to  avoid succumbing to the appeals of irresponsible demagogues†. Lipset emphasized increased education and an enlarged middle class as elements that expand â€Å"receptivity to democratic political tolerance norms†. Therefore, he conclude that for a country to maintain democracy regime, it is necessary to attain a certain level of education and prosperity. Otherwise, forcing democracy without its prerequisite would lead to reduction in growth rate and political instability. Cheibub (1998) also studies the relationship between political regimes and particular aspect of economic performance. Specifically, it addresses the question of whether regime type, classified as democracy or dictatorship, has a causal impact on the extractive capacity of government, as measured by the level of taxes it collects. The findings reported in his paper are unambiguous: there are no grounds for believing that democracies are less capable of collecting taxes than dictatorships. Although taxes are higher in democracies than in dictatorship, we should not infer that this is due to any inherent feature of democratic regimes. Once we control for the conditions that make us observe countries as one regime type or the other, and conjure up counterfactuals in which countries experiences conditions that are identical in every respect except for their political regime, we observe that the difference in level of taxes between the two regimes disappears. It is not that the two regimes do not matter for taxation. Even though taxation under democracies and dictatorships is influenced by broadly similar factors, there are also notable differences from one regime to the other. Per capita income, however, affects taxation only in democracies, whereas the pressure of servicing foreign debts only affects the level of taxes in dictatorships. Therefore, although there are factors that influence differently the level of taxes collected by the government in each regime, regime type does not affect the overall level of taxation. Democracies are not any less capable than dictatorship of extracting taxes from society.

How to Write an Argumentative Essay on Fast Food Nation by Eric Schlosser

How to Write an Argumentative Essay on Fast Food Nation by Eric Schlosser An argumentative essay is usually assigned to help a student develop critical reading and thinking skills. Instructors rely on them to teach how to use evidentiary support to develop a logically sound thesis/claim. An argumentative essay presents a balanced view of a topic. If you are assigned with a topic that is relatively controversial and incites strong levels of support or opposition, for example writing about the book â€Å"Fast Food Nation† by Eric Schlosser, you will find lots of for and against claims. It is your job to read the primary source material (in this case, the book), examine all the evidence presented, form an opinion about it, and then present it in a logically structured and coherent manner. This handy guide will provide you with an outline and detailed instructions about the sections your instructor will expect to see in your argumentative essay. However, if your instructor has given you a specific outline, the rules of that will supersede the following outline. An argumentative essay consists of six major sections. Each plays a role in forming the overall frame of your essay. We will examine each part separately and provide detailed instructions on how and what to write in each part. Introduction You should state what your paper is about and then include information about the literary work, issue or theory you plan to address. Finally, state your major claim/argument/thesis in this section. Try to make it interesting and captivating. Background Paragraph Devote one or two paragraphs to lay the foundations for the evidence you will state in the next section. Define key terms, theories, and any other background knowledge you think is relevant. Supporting Evidence Paragraphs Traditionally three to five paragraphs long, this section is where you will back up your claim with evidentiary support. Write a strong topic sentence and then explain the topic sentence in detail. Next, introduce the evidence (write the source of information) and state the information. The next sentence should explain the significance of the evidence and clarify what it means. Finally, add a concluding sentence that restates your original point. Counterclaim This is a paragraph where you explore the opposing parts of the claim you made. Try to imagine what arguments the reader might use against your original claim, state these, and then refute them. The ending sentence should reassert your original argument. Rebuttal Restate your overall thesis and the supporting argument you presented. This basically reminds readers of your overall position on the issue. Make sure to provide a lot of evidence to strengthen your argument. Conclusion The conclusion serves as the last chance to state your argument. Use clear, direct and concrete language to make sure you leave a lasting impression on the reader. State the significance of your thesis and then restate your main argument. Presenting things in an organized manner will help your instructor follow your line of argument with ease and see your point all the more clearly. In any form of academic writing, clarity of language comes once the student has clarity of thought. So, remember to do adequate background research and state things directly to come up with a grade A essay. If this guide was helpful to you then you might want to also check our 10 facts on Fast Food Nation for an argumentative essay as well as 20 topics 1 and sample essay about it.

Free Essays on Fifteenth And Sixteenth Amendments Compared

Amendment Paper The point of this paper is to establish a clear and direct connection between the fifteenth and sixteenth amendments of the constitution. Amendment fifteen states that â€Å"The rights of the citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude†(America Past and Present 5th edition. Divine, Breen, Fredrickson, and Williams. p.A7). Meaning everyone can vote (everyone meaning men). Amendment fifteen also states that â€Å"The congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation†(America Past and Present p.A7). The way that this ties in to Amendment sixteen is simple. In this Amendment it states â€Å"that congress shall have power to lay and collect taxes on incomes, from whatever source derived (America Past and Present p.A7). By Amendment fifteen claiming all people can vote it also claims all people as tax payers. Giving immigrants and blacks the so called equal right of the white man. So, by congress making all these new tax payers they are also helping the economy and the government to grow in an unfounded way for it’s time. The fifteenth Amendment was adopted in 1870, a time when immigration was big from Germany, Finland, and Holland, just to name a few. The government figured if the immigrants were going to claim themselves as Americans and expect the right to vote that they could also pay taxes, this is where the sixteenth Amendment comes in. Although written into the constitution forty years later, taxes before this time were still enforced, they were just not on a persons income. By taxing all persons incomes the government was able to start all kinds of programs to help the needy and education in all forms. In today’s world both of these Amendments still stand strong and are capitalized on by the government each and every day. I believe that... Free Essays on Fifteenth And Sixteenth Amendments Compared Free Essays on Fifteenth And Sixteenth Amendments Compared Amendment Paper The point of this paper is to establish a clear and direct connection between the fifteenth and sixteenth amendments of the constitution. Amendment fifteen states that â€Å"The rights of the citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude†(America Past and Present 5th edition. Divine, Breen, Fredrickson, and Williams. p.A7). Meaning everyone can vote (everyone meaning men). Amendment fifteen also states that â€Å"The congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation†(America Past and Present p.A7). The way that this ties in to Amendment sixteen is simple. In this Amendment it states â€Å"that congress shall have power to lay and collect taxes on incomes, from whatever source derived (America Past and Present p.A7). By Amendment fifteen claiming all people can vote it also claims all people as tax payers. Giving immigrants and blacks the so called equal right of the white man. So, by congress making all these new tax payers they are also helping the economy and the government to grow in an unfounded way for it’s time. The fifteenth Amendment was adopted in 1870, a time when immigration was big from Germany, Finland, and Holland, just to name a few. The government figured if the immigrants were going to claim themselves as Americans and expect the right to vote that they could also pay taxes, this is where the sixteenth Amendment comes in. Although written into the constitution forty years later, taxes before this time were still enforced, they were just not on a persons income. By taxing all persons incomes the government was able to start all kinds of programs to help the needy and education in all forms. In today’s world both of these Amendments still stand strong and are capitalized on by the government each and every day. I believe that...

Identify an Unknown - Experiment With Chemical Reactions

Identify an Unknown - Experiment With Chemical Reactions One exciting aspect of chemistry is that it explores how substances combine to form new ones. While a chemical reaction involves change, the atoms that are the basic building blocks of matter arent changed. They simply recombine in new ways. Students can explore how chemical reactions can be used to help identify the products of chemical reactions. Rather than randomly mix chemicals together, using the scientific method can help better understand what is occurring. Overview Students will learn about the scientific method and will explore chemical reactions. Initially, this activity allows students to use the scientific method to examine and identify a set of (nontoxic) unknown substances. Once the characteristics of these substances are known, the students can use the information to drawinference to identify unknown mixtures of these materials. Time Required: 3 hours or three one-hour sessions Grade Level: 5-7 Objectives To practice using the scientific method. To learn how to record observations and apply the information to perform more complex tasks. Materials Each group will need: plastic cupsmagnifying glass4 unknown powders in 4 plastic baggies:sugarsaltbaking sodacorn starch For the entire class: watervinegarheat sourceiodine solution Activities Remind students that they should never taste an unknown substance. Review the steps of the scientific method. Although the unknown powders are similar in appearance, each substance has characteristic properties that make it distinguishable from the other powders. Explain how the students can use their senses to examine the powders and record properties. Have them use sight (magnifying glass), touch, and smell to examine each powder. Observations should be written down. Students may be asked to predict the identity of the powders. Introduce heat, water, vinegar, and iodine. Explain the concepts chemical reactions and chemical change. A chemical reaction takes place when new products are made from the reactants. Signs of a reaction could include bubbling, temperature change, color change, smoke, or change in odor. You may wish to demonstrate how to mix chemicals, apply heat, or add indicator. If desired, use containers with labeled volume measurements to introduce students to the importance of recording quantities used in a scientific investigation. Students can put a specified amount of powder from the baggie into a cup (e.g., 2 scoops), then add vinegar or water or indicator. Cups and hands are to be washed between experiments. Make a chart with the following: What was the appearance of each powder?What happened when water was added to each powder?What happened when vinegar was added to each powder?Did all powders produce the same response?What happened when iodine solution was added to each powder?Why do you think this happened?If you predicted the identity of the powders, were your predictions correct? If not, how were they different?What are true identities of the mystery powders A-D?How did you determine the correct answer?Now, give the students a mystery powder made up using at least two of the four pure subtances. They are to test this mixture using the procedures they used on the pure substances. In addition, they may wish to design new experiments.AssessmentStudents may be evaluated on their ability to correctly identify the final unknown mixture. Points may be awarded for teamwork, staying on task, submission of data or a lab report, and ability to follow directions and follow safety rules.

Preparing a contract administration plan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Preparing a contract administration plan - Essay Example The company adopts contract administration plan. This plan, as implemented by the company includes a series of measures undertaken to ensure that contracts execution are monitored for effective performance. One of the approaches adopted by the company towards contract administration is a well established â€Å"contract management system,† a system that records information about contracts for effective management. In order to maximize its capacity to manage data on processes and transactions, the organization applies a combination of data base applications that include â€Å"Access, FoxPro and SQL† (Harmon and Stephan, 2001, P. 2). The three systems have historically been incorporated into the organizational management to ensure continuity and familiarity in management processes. The organization has also implemented contract administration plan through ‘well-managed’ schedules. Adoption of electronic approach by the company has particularly facilitated an efficient contract management plan. Through this approach, the company ensures predefined and planned undertakings in executing contracts. The management schedule has also facilitated proper administration of processes that are undertaken in pursuing contracts. Similarly, the organization uses schedule management to identify anomalies in time plans and to initiate corrective measures. Monitoring and evaluation of proposed schedules and a comparison with the actual schedule has also been a critical tool for the company towards administration of contract plans (Harmon and Stephan, 2001) Proficiency in managing financial accounts and obligations in deliverables is another approach that the company applies towards administration of contract plan. By tracking consideration in agreements, the company avoids litigations for failure to meet its obligations in time. It has also helped the company to monitor and

British Imperialism in Africa Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

British Imperialism in Africa - Research Paper Example Despite control over few regions of Africa, British imperialism had long lasting effects that contribute to bring change in various sectors of the African regions including social, economical, cultural, and political. In this paper, we shall discuss the role of British imperialism in Africa from 1870 to 1900 and its socio-cultural impact on African colonies. British Imperialism in Africa Historical records witness British Imperialism in Africa from 1870 to 1900 which resulted in division of Africa into seven major regions of Europe. It is found that many western powers intended to establish their rule in African regions; similarly, between 1870 and 1990, Great Britain showed efforts to consolidate its foothold on the African coast in order to expand their rule over the continent of Africa1. The British rule mainly focused on regions which open gate for profitable trade and marketing and contributed to further strengthen their economy. It is noteworthy that during 1869 to 1870 the Bri tish rule was focusing on profitable trade and market, but it stepped forward towards Africa which is not a financially strong region. Additionally, Africa had various conflicting issues within its state boundaries, but still the British Empire attempted to invade its major parts2. ... wed the British to take control over their West coast for palm oil because the native politicians were aware of the fact that they cannot avail their own natural resource without the British support4. Another reason behind expansion of England and interest of Britain in the African lands was its biggest money generator, India. In 1875, British intended to make their route towards India in order to do so it bought shares in Suez Canal of Egypt and after the battles of Tel el Kabir and the Nile, British gained entire control over Egypt, a major power of Africa5. Further in 1877, again British had fear of losing India thus they made a way by invading South Africa because Cape Town was an important route towards India6. In South Africa there were two threatening groups for the British Empire Bores and Zulus. In 1879, British power was defeated by Bores and after two decades they went for War with Zulus in 1899 because they badly wanted to save their route to India7. It has also been noti ced that gaining profit through trade was the major aim of the British Imperialism in Africa and addition of colonies can only bring more profit to them. Furthermore, British considered that African colonies would help them gain allies and aid them in winning economic war they had with Germany8. Moreover, in 1898 a war started between France and Britain over small colonies near Niger River and consequently Britain captured Khartoum. Until 1900, the British Imperialism got over many colonies of Africa and by the end of Imperialism Africa was divided into seven European regions. The division and strong influence of the British Imperialism in Africa had affected social and cultural aspects of the European communities9. Social and Cultural Impact on Africa British Imperialism left destructive

Central Moral Problem Connected with Advertising Literature review - 2

Central Moral Problem Connected with Advertising - Literature review Example The past president of US, Thomas Jefferson has said that â€Å"Advertisements contain the only truth to rely on a newspaper† and a noted British author H. G. Wells saw â€Å"advertising as legalized lying.† (Azcuenaga,1997). These two views are contradictory to each other and actually, since long back, there are different perceptions and views about advertising. Moral Problems and Advertising: There are many examples of unethical tactics by advertisers used for various business gains and let us consider one example where you reach a store through viewing an ad and as soon as you reach store you get a message that all the items have been sold out and you are offered an inferior product at the same price or at an increased price. So this is clearly an example of an unethical technique using misdirection and deception (Ethics in advertising, 2001). Advertising is a big business and millions of pounds are spent on it every month and therefore some companies try all sorts of tactics and sometimes these tactics might be illegal or immoral (Ethics in advertising, 2001). Unfortunately, in today’s world, it is becoming more and more morally degraded. In today’s advertising use of pornography, use of women models, the hype about the business and business autonomy has become more important than to lure the customers. Use of women in advertising: Images of female bodies are everywhere and women and their body parts sell everything from food to cars (Beauty and body images in the media, n.d.). Now in the today’s advertising new and younger, taller and thinner females are being portrayed and various women magazines are advertising various weight loss ads urging that anyone can lose twenty pounds (Beauty and body images in the media, n.d.).

Interactive media (critical reflection) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Interactive media (critical reflection) - Essay Example the audience has an opportunity of interacting with the actors and has a participative role whereby, they can offer their opinion on the theme of the work presented. Interactive theatre therefore has served to bring a paradigm shift in the traditional media landscape specifically in theatre. The interaction level in interactive theatre varies depending on the willingness of the audience to participate. This paper will offer a critical reflection on different aspects of interactive theatre and its relevance to culture and its pertinent effects on the media landscape. Interactive theatre offers the modern audience an opportunity to participate in emerging debates centred on material that is presented in theatres. Considering a theatre comprises of a large audience, the participation of the audience must be organized in a certain manner. The level of interaction varies on the decisions made by the actors and the contribution of the audience. In some cases, the audience is expected to complete the plot of a certain story while in others the audience is expected to offer a critical review of how the material was presented. The level of interaction is critical in making interactive theatre achieve its intended purpose. This form of theatre seeks to integrate the views of the audience with those of the producers and the actors. Passive spectators are transformed into active participants in interactive theatre (Evans 2013, p. 192). In a bid to understand the cultural relevance of interactive theatre, it is important to highlight the UNESCO definition of culture. According to this body, culture denoted, â€Å"A set of distinctive spiritual, material, intellectual and emotional features of a social group.† With such a definition of culture, if interactive theatre is to be culturally relevant, it must contribute to the spiritual, material, intellectual and emotional features of the society. Interactive theatre, exhibits a high level of cultural relevance (Jacobson & Hwang

International Business Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 4

International Business Law - Essay Example Most of these laws are based on international treaties and conventions, bilateral trade agreements, bilateral tax agreements, international financial and crimes statues, various forms of economic integration, among others. It is worth noting that most of these laws are geared towards protecting investors, residents of investee countries and relevant governments from fraud, exploitations and other malpractices that can stem from illegal operations. Most laws controlling international business deal with taxation, money laundering, employee rights, the process and system of justice, competition, among others (Goode & McKendrick ,2007). International law may be defined as the body of rules that nations or states recognize as binding upon one another in their mutual relations in areas of investment trade and services. In this area some of the Sources of international law are customs, treaties, and general principles of law, resolutions and declarations of international organizations, doctrines of equity and writings of judges together with legal scholars.A company that wishes to begin operation in Germany can choose between three different legal forms under company which are ; the formation of a permanent establishment or the formation of an independent branch establishment, the formation of a German partnership and the formation of a corporation as the Ultra Educational Software Ltd.’s subsidiary. It is also possible when studying the recent rulings of the European Court of Justice for a company to use corporations from other European Member States with a good example of the English Limited Company which is very popular. It is said that more than 30,000 Limited Companies exist in the republic of Germany. Definitely may be will be exposing itself to a number of legal risks as it embarks on exporting chocolate to Germany. First of all, the company shall

Interactive media (critical reflection) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Interactive media (critical reflection) - Essay Example the audience has an opportunity of interacting with the actors and has a participative role whereby, they can offer their opinion on the theme of the work presented. Interactive theatre therefore has served to bring a paradigm shift in the traditional media landscape specifically in theatre. The interaction level in interactive theatre varies depending on the willingness of the audience to participate. This paper will offer a critical reflection on different aspects of interactive theatre and its relevance to culture and its pertinent effects on the media landscape. Interactive theatre offers the modern audience an opportunity to participate in emerging debates centred on material that is presented in theatres. Considering a theatre comprises of a large audience, the participation of the audience must be organized in a certain manner. The level of interaction varies on the decisions made by the actors and the contribution of the audience. In some cases, the audience is expected to complete the plot of a certain story while in others the audience is expected to offer a critical review of how the material was presented. The level of interaction is critical in making interactive theatre achieve its intended purpose. This form of theatre seeks to integrate the views of the audience with those of the producers and the actors. Passive spectators are transformed into active participants in interactive theatre (Evans 2013, p. 192). In a bid to understand the cultural relevance of interactive theatre, it is important to highlight the UNESCO definition of culture. According to this body, culture denoted, â€Å"A set of distinctive spiritual, material, intellectual and emotional features of a social group.† With such a definition of culture, if interactive theatre is to be culturally relevant, it must contribute to the spiritual, material, intellectual and emotional features of the society. Interactive theatre, exhibits a high level of cultural relevance (Jacobson & Hwang

Case Analysis on Product Design or Process Design Term Paper

Case Analysis on Product Design or Process Design - Term Paper Example In order to understand better product design, this essay, will be looking at the case analysis of product design at the shipper manufacturing company. Company Overview The Shipper Manufacturing Company started in the aerospace business in the 1960s. In the early years, the company developed and produced the Echo weather satellites, which were launched into space. More recently, the Shipper manufacturing company had diversified into three divisions a) the materials division b) electrical products c) advanced products division, located in Faribault, Minnesota. Over the years the advanced products division has not been consistent with sales and profits as a result of this the divisions corporate strategy was changed. The Advanced product division manufactured the company’s specialty products for custom orders such as helicopter blade liners and mine stoppers. To produce these, the APD relies on the Materials Division production of laminate plastic materials. The Electrical Produc ts Division is responsible for producing the circuit boards and other electrical products. The company focuses on providing low volume specialty products to individual short run customers assuring the quality of their products. Strengths According to scholars (Ayres, 1984), in an industrial nation’s economic future may lie in the so called flexible systems of production, technically advanced and skill intensive industries which make customized products. In order to exhibit its strengths the company has to consider criteria’s such as its competitive strengths and its innovative aspects. The Shipper manufacturing company being based in the United States has an advantage to be in the centre of technology with a higher access to information technology systems that could ease its product design without compromising the customer’s demands. It should also respond to individual customer design demands and adapt new products to the unique requests of the customers; this has been something the shipper manufacturing company has done without equal whilst maintaining high quality standards. Weaknesses The manual system used at the Shipper manufacturing company incorporate the human component. Frequently, this human component may lead to a muddle or inefficiency mostly caused by delays in production due to negligence or an operative’s error. In addition a manual system of record keeping is used, these records are not transparent and no backups are available in case of an emergency. Opportunities The Shipper manufacturing company will restrict its market development resources to certain market divisions of growth and to shrewd industries where there is a realistic opportunity and presumption of inhabiting a presiding or strong competitive position Threat In measuring threats, the change in business strategy will require a corresponding change in manufacturing strategy. The business unit is growth oriented with substantial resources directed to new product or new market strategies, making it a medium-to high-risk operation. Recommendation Voice of the customer exercise - The Shipper manufacturing company should hold this exercise to brainstorm and communicate external and internal demands and expectations by customers. In addition the company should ensure that its customers are satisfied. This can be achieved by quality function deployment, define by Akao (1990) as the specific method for ensuring quality thought out at each juncture of product development process. The author claims that the use of quality function

The Invisible Poor Essay Example for Free

The Invisible Poor Essay There have been many writers, columnists, politicians, sociologists and economists who have written about the concept of poverty in the United States. Though their views often differ as to the causes, and solutions, the underlying commonality between all of those who have written about this issue remains that the current state of the American public is poorer than it has been in decades. The comparison of the following writers enables a reader to gain perspective on issues such as this. The ways in which different writers address, define, and respond to issues such as poverty, can allow for a reader to find their own understanding of the issue – as well as its possible cure.    The following paper will seek to examine the lives of the invisible poor, the sociology behind such a society and at the end of the paper give a suggestion as to how poverty can be cured.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Margaret Andersen, Eugene Lewit, and James Fallows address the issue in differing ways – however with much the same message. There is a problem with poverty in the United States. The concepts of the â€Å"working poor† the â€Å"disenfranchised† as well as the general â€Å"impoverished† peoples of the United States are growing.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   According to Andersen, the main problem is rooted in the residual effects of the pre-Civil Rights era. The accumulation of wealth over time, through inheritance and long term investment is lost on the groups which have been discriminated against since the dawn of the Untied States. Andersen states that â€Å"racial exclusion in lending, housing segregation, and historical patterns of discrimination have created significant differences in the contemporary class standing of blacks and whites†. (Andersen 184) This racial disparity was not limited to black and poor whites; it also included Hispanics and Asian-Americans. (Anderson 185) In the inequality involved in poor women in the workforce there is a sociological view of how this inequality is categorized:   Kinglsey Davis and Wilbert Moore gave sociology the theory of functionalism.   This theory states that every society separates its products, its money, and its services on the grounds of job difficulty and relevance to a society, or on the function that a specific job provides more for a society.   Due to a job and what gender performs that job function being more important to society or more functional, then society is willing to play the stratification game.   Since these functional jobs and the difference between the assumed capabilities of men or women performing them there is also stratification in monetary reward.    Society has a top echelon of jobs which they consider able to be filled only by a man or only by a women: The lower rung of this system includes mostly the feminine persuasion.   Functionalism fully believes in the rat race of society and exemplifies it through the power elite system and through gender inequality.   Functionalism states that there are critical jobs, ones so important to society (like saving a life) that the measurement of that person’s importance has to be reflected monetarily.   Functionalist expresses inequality through the bases of the nature of the occupational system.   As Davis and Moore state, â€Å"Social inequality is thus an unconsciously evolved device by which societies insure that the most important positions are conscientiously filled by the more qualified persons†(Baldridge, 158).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   With this reality it becomes increasingly clear that women are being discriminated against in the workforce, but more so if they are mothers.   Just because families, or single mothers are moving from welfare to work does not mean that they are above the poverty line.   Although earnings are seemingly increasing mothers who try to live on minimum wage cannot support a family of even one child. In the late 1990s, the study shows, families headed by working single mothers experienced rising earnings due to the strong economy, work supports like the Earned Income Tax Credit and child care, and a reformed welfare system. Yet these increased earnings were fully offset by a decline in the benefits that government safety net programs provide, leaving these families no better off as a group and pushing those who remained poor deeper into poverty (CBPP 2001). The rise in crime, increased rates of teenage pregnancy, drug use and the increased numbers of children and adults on government assistance are all attributed to the decline of the American family – according to Popenoe. However, his assertions lacked any empirical support. This issue was taken up by Sharon Houseknecht and Jaya Sastry in 1996. The study conducted by the research team looked at the state of the family unit, and sought to find whether the â€Å"decline† that Popenoe described was evident or not (Houseknecht 1996). The model that the research team used was based on Popenoe’s assertions that those family unites that are furthest away from the â€Å"traditional† view of family are â€Å"more in decline†. The group took samples from four countries, Sweden, the United Stated, former West Germany, and Italy. Looking at non-marital birthrates, divorce rates, crime rates and child-wellbeing, the group found that, according to Popenoe’s model, Sweden had the greatest decline in the family unit – followed by the United States in second. The problem that Andersen addresses is further exacerbated by the decline in â€Å"real wages over the period from the 1970s to the late 1990s†. (Anderson 185) The fall in the value of the American dollar, coupled with the increased inflation meant that a worker making the median wage in 1989 made $13.22 an hour; however by 1997 that same level wage was only worth $12.63. (Anderson 185) The lower 80% of wage earners suffered more with a loss of 6.7% of their total wage power.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Eugene Lewit addresses the issue of poverty by writing about the number of children living in poverty. Lewit begins his appeal against the growing problem by noting that in 1991 there were 13.7 million children living in poverty in the Untied States – a number that included an increase of nearly one million from the previous year. (Lewit 176) Lewit also noted that the total number of Americans living in poverty in 1991 was over 35 million people – more than 10% of the total population.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The next issue that Lewit addresses is the number of problems faced by the impoverished children in comparison to their affluent counterparts. According to Lewit, â€Å"poor children face increased risk of death, infectious and chronic illness, and injury from accidents and violence†. (Lewit 176) These children also tend to live in conditions which are filled with violence, deteriorating housing, and disrupted living conditions – which increase the likelihood of depression, low self-confidence, and conflict with peers and authority figures. (Lewit 176)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Lewit also bring attention to the problems in the definition of poverty. The federal thresholds which define poverty according to income, family size and location, suffer from, according to Lewit, â€Å"inadequate adjustments for changing consumption patterns, inflation, and differing family sizes and structures†. (Lewit 177) Lewit also states that the poverty guidelines fail to â€Å"account for the substantial geographic variation in the cost of living†. (Lewit 177)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Like Andersen, Lewit addresses the â€Å"poverty gap†. According to Lewit, the amount by which the total poverty gap resided upon in 1991 was $37.2 billion. This meant that the lowest portions of the population of the United States were making nearly forty billion dollars less than the federal poverty level. This gap has long reaching repercussions, as these members of society also, as Lewit stated before, are more likely to become ill, injured or involved in violence – which amounts to a further burden on the overall economy and social standing of any given area.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Fallows describes the technology boom of the early 1990s as â€Å"the same disproportionate, commanding-heights effect on todays culture as Wall Streets takeover-and-junk-bond complex had 15 years ago, and as the biotech-financial complex presumably will 15 years from now† – and it grants large fortunes to small groups of people, many of whom began in lower or middle class families. The boom took people who were living as, or at least identifying with the impoverished members of American society and catapulted them into the ultra-elite – amassing fortunes which often topped 100 million dollars.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Between these three writers, there is a common thread of though – the poor are getting poorer. This fact is made worse by the disconnection of the wealthy and the poor. This disconnection is caused by the growing gap between the haves, and the have-nots. This gap increases the burden on the poor, mentally, as well as increases the difficulty in finding ways to remedy the causes of the vast amounts of poverty in the Untied States.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Fallows ended his article with the realization that problems, like poverty, â€Å"are one thing when considered abstractly – â€Å"poverty, inequality, racism, problems stated as if they were debate topics. They can be altogether different when connected with human beings real or fictional†. This is true in the fact that all too often the only time poverty is truly addressed in a forum which can eliminate it is during election campaigns – and then only until that election is won. Experiment   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In order to better provide housing, jobs, healthcare, etc. to the invisible poor the following experiment should be considered.   Take two groups of poor families; one as control, the other as a variable.   The control family will continue working the system for government aid, or living according to how they have always been living.   The second family, the variable family, will be given three items: a new housing unit (in a different part of the city or in the suburb), $2,500 for beginning expenses and getting out of debt expenses (with a one time meeting with a financial advisor), and a job interview for a qualifying job for each capable working member of the family.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The experiment will take place over a two year period, with updates on the family the first month, the third month, the sixth month, one year, one year and six months, and two years.   The elements of the experiment which will arise are amount of debt, if any family member has gone to college, where family members are in their schooling (i.e. grades, extra curricular activities, etc), how the jobs are going, if they’ve advanced, if they’ve maintained their job or gotten hired at a different place for a higher payer job, and finally their finances will be looked at.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The differences between these two families will be the backdrop to how, with a little bit of help, a family can overcome poverty.   The control group will give a recognition to how a family will continue to struggle without any help, or with the same maintenance from the government which they are already receiving.   The contrast of these two families, will hopefully, allow for a way in which other government programs can better assist getting rid of the invisible poor, and to strike a balance of wealth and financial freedom for families.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   This experiment will seek to prove that the invisible poor is a great problem that needs to have an immediate solution.   The poor across the world is only increasing and it is with this experiment that a way in which to curtail poverty and give families and individuals hope to an economically fruitful future is found. WORKS CITED Andersen, Margaret. â€Å"Restructuring for Whom? Race, Class, Gender, and the Ideology   of  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Invisibility†. Sociological   Forum. Vol. 16, No. 2. June 2001. p. 181-201. Baldridge, J. Victor.   â€Å"Sociology: A Critical Approach to Power, Conflict, and Change.†Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   John  Ã‚  Ã‚   Wiley Sons, Inc. 1975. Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP).   â€Å"Poverty Rate Among Working Single Mother   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Families Remained Stagnant in Late 1990’s Despite Strong Economy†.   (Online).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Available: http://www.cbpp.org/8-16-01wel-pr.htm. Fallows, James. â€Å"The Invisible Poor†. The New York Times   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Magazine. March 20, 2000. Date of  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Access: March 3, 2008.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   URL:    http://www.courses.psu.edu/hd_fs/hd_fs597_rxj9/invisible_po  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   or.htm Houseknecht, Sharon; Sastry, Jaya. â€Å"Family â€Å"Decline† and Child Well-Being: A Comparative  Ã‚   Assessment. Journal of Marriage and the Family. 58 (3) (1996). Pp.726—739. Lewit, Eugene M. â€Å"Children in Poverty†. The Future of Children.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Vol. 3, No. 1.   Spring 1993.  Ã‚   p. 176-182.

Advantages And Disadvantages Of Hydropower

Advantages And Disadvantages Of Hydropower The use of hydropower can date back to 7th millennium BC, were ancient Egyptian communities used hydropower for irrigation. In the contemporary society, hydropower still remains influential in the operation of mechanical devices such as watermills as well as energy or specifically electricity production, but the use of hydropower had becoming highly controversial due to its impacts on several geographical aspects. In this essay, I will be using several case studies to demonstrate the socio-economic, environmental factors of which the use of hydropower will have an impact on, in order for me to discuss and evaluate the advantages and disadvantage of using hydropower. The use of hydropower could lead to various types of socio- economical impacts in a region. For example, unlike fossil fuels, hydropower is a renewable energy source as it is not likely to run out, whilst un- renewable resources such as oil are predicted to run out between 2025 and 2070 (Senior, 2012). Hydropower enables a reliable supply of energy as long as the water supply remains stable. This is very important to maintain socio- economical stability as countries such as China uses up to 4692.8 TWh in 2011 according to the National Energy Commission. Without the contribution of hydropower, it would be more challenging for the Chinese to meets it demands for electricity. Since 48.6% of Chinas GDP is made up by industrial sector (Censky, 2011), the shortages of electricity supply could bring negative economic impacts across the region, as industrial sectors often requires electricity to produce products. Without sufficient electricity, the production of various products will be boug ht to a halt, thus reducing its income from manufacturing and trading. This could also affect the social aspect of the society, as trading decreases due to insufficient electricity, this could lead to negative multiplier effect as wages are likely to be reduced for workers, thus affecting peoples quality of life as their income reduces. However, some would argue that the relative importance and the contribution of hydropower is low. This was supported by the fact that even when fully functional, the Three Gorges Dam can only support about 1.7% of electricity demand in China (Wikipedia, 2012). This shows that the infrastructure in placed were not capable to catching up the demand for electricity in China, as the dam was predicted to provide 10% of Chinas required electricity(Wikipedia, 2012). However, the demand for it has increased more rapidly than originally planned. This also help illustrates that political decisions and inaccurate prediction and planning also plays in part in af fecting the number of advantages and disadvantages in the use of hydropower, as in this case, these factors lead to the reduction of effectiveness of hydropower. Besides that, hydropower had also bought more social- economical benefits into China. Although the full cost of the dam was estimated to be US$22.5 billion, it is expected that after 10 years of full operation, the full cost of the dam could be recovered as the generation of electricity will be cheap after the dam has been constructed (I.W.P. D.C., 2007). Until July, 2008, the State Grid Corporation and China Southern Power Grid paid 250 Yuen per MWH. After the construction of the damn, the cost of electricity for some province were reduced to 228.7 Yuen (China Three Gorges Coroperation, 2008). This is a benefit in terms of the social aspect as electricity became more affordable for people within some areas of China, thus this makes it an advantage which hydropower brings as people are likely to have to spent less income on electricity for appliances like heating, thus allowing them to have more disposable income for recreational activities, which potentially improve peoples quality of life. When looking further into social impacts, it is clear that some negative impacts and disadvantages were the results of using hydropower. For example, due to construction of the dam, official estimated that at least 1.2 million (Yardley, 2007) will be displaced and relocated (Yardley, 2007). More than 100 towns are submerged as a consequence, including Fuling and Wanxian (Gleick, 2008). Fourteen thousand hectares of agricultural land, along with 100 or more archaeological sites will be submerged (Gleick, 2008). These are the disadvantage of using hydropower by installing large scale energy generation units like the dam. These disadvantage include severe cultural, historical and social impacts. For example, towns like Fuling and other archaeological being submerged means that archaeological researches will not be able to carried out in the area in the future. Although reparations were given out when people are relocated, some would argue that the sentimental value and emotional attachm ent of these historical locations as well as their home time could never be replaced. Furthermore, the fact that people had to be relocated means that families and friends are likely to be separated during the relocation process due to the scale of the population. And again, although these social impacts are hard to measure to the full extent, but it is clear that these impacts will decrease the quality of life for the residents in those areas, and possibly leading to depression. However, it should be noted that this example may not apply to every case study related to hydropower. Small scale hydropower projects like watermills in rural areas will have less social impact on the local area, both negative and positive. For example, when building small scale watermills, the number of people displaced within a small area will be limited. Therefore, in this case, the disadvantages mentioned when looking at the Three Gorges Dam may not apply to small scale projects. Besides socio- economical impacts, the use of hydropower can also lead to environmental impacts. In comparison to burning fossil fuels, hydropower does not contribute directly to submission of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide while generating electricity. For example, in 1999, hydropower contributed 2659 TWh in global energy generation and this is 17.5 percent of the worlds total electricity produced for 1999 (Koch 2002). That amount of electricity would normally require the burning of 1595 million tonnes of coal, in which about 2 631.75 tonnes of carbon dioxide would be released into the atmosphere, thus contributing directly to global warming via the emission of greenhouse gas. Another example is the Three Gorges Dam in China. According to the National Development and Reform Commission of China, the Three Gorges Dam could reduce annual coal consumption by 31 million tonnes in energy production, which potentially reduced the emission of one million tonnes of sulphur dioxide. This is a major advantage as reduced of sulphur dioxide production could reduce acid rain on a national scale. This means that impacts of acid rain on the natural environment, such as the creation of acidic lakes and the disruption to soil chemistry would decrease and helps maintain biodiversity in natural environments. However, although various gas emissions has decreased potentially, the use of hydropower, particularly the use of dams and reservoirs can still create pollution and contribute to global warming. A study estimates that in 1990, the Curua-Una dam in Brazil generated more than three and a half times the amount of greenhouse gas by generating the same amount of electricity from oil (Fearnside, 2005). This was caused by the flooding of reservoirs, resulting in a build up of methane dissolved in water, as plant matters were left to rot and decay under water along with the sediments. Eventually, the methane would be released into the atmosphere when water passes through the dam after passing though the turbines. Since methane is a greenhouse gas which is also 21 times more heat trapping that carbon dioxide (Mark, 2012), the use of hydropower in terms of the use of dams and reservoir could be considered as a contributor to global warming and the generation of methane as a by-product of dams and reservoirs remains to be a disadvantage of using hydropower. Lastly, the construction of some infrastructure to utilise hydropower are known for causing negative impacts upon the environment as biodiversity is reduced as a result. For example, the percentage of forested area near the Three Gorges Dam decreased from twenty percent to less than ten percent between the years of 1950 and 2002 mainly due to deforestation when the dam was built (Chetham, 2004). Turbines used to generate electricity are also know for damaging fish and other freshwater animal species, further decreasing the biodiversity of the rivers (Xie, 2003). These impacts are strong evidence to demonstrate the disadvantage of using hydropower as a energy resource. In conclusion, using hydropower has its advantage to some extent. For example, it can be used to produce electricity as a more sustainable manner as hydroelectricity is a form of renewable energy. This means unlike fossil fuels and other un-renewable energy sources, electricity supply is not likely to run out, thus being able to provide continuous support to meet the demand of electricity required in socio-economical activities. However, the use of hydropower has also got its disadvantage, limitations and it could even overshadow its initial benefits. The limitation was demonstrated by the high initial set-up costs for more technological advanced, as well as efficient infrastructures and equipments to extract the power or potential energy from water, meaning that the use of hydropower will be limited in some regions, particularly in less economically developed regions like the Republic of Zimbabwe. Furthermore, disadvantages like the Curua-Una dam in Brazil generating large amount of greenhouse gases could mean that the use of hydropower, particularly in electricity generation could be questionable. Different factors and limitation, such as geographical location also plays a part in affecting the performance, as well as the efficiency of hydropower. The impacts also varies according to the scale, as well as the method and the infrastructure used to extract the energy. Therefore, it is over-simplistic to say that hydropower is completely advantages or disadvantageous based on the facts above, as the use of hydropower has both advantages and disadvantages.