Team challenges Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Team challenges - Essay Example The five students encounter difficulties in establishing the topic of discussion and eventually settle on conflict management. As the team progresses, there is lack of cooperation by some members while the active members exhibit divergent views, which are not resolved to the end of the preparations for presentation. The paper highlights the strengths and weaknesses displayed by each character as well as some ideas that could improve their input to the project. It also evaluates the performance of the team as well as the impact of a newcomer to the team. Actions that would help in improving the team’s success have been highlighted. The strengths and weaknesses of the 5 students can be described through Belbin’s group roles whereby Robert can be regarded as the plant. He had a strength that is evident when he takes courage to convince the group regarding his creative idea of role play in conflict resolution. He is a self starter who is imaginative and focused towards accomplishing the goal. He is also able to defend his decision as well as influence others to adopt it. His creativity makes Jane to be supportive in generating humour and making the play to be amusing to the audience. He acts as a coordinator as well as the shaper of the group. In the Kolb’s Learning Cycle, Robert fits in the converging learning style (Miettinen, 2000). He prefers practical actions in approaching the group discussion. As a shaper in Belbin’s group roles, Robert’s major weakness is his confrontational behaviour towards Danny who is ignorant and uncooperative, especially bearing in mind that the discussion is on conflict resolution. In essence, he demonstrated lack of skills in conflict resolution and team building. On the other hand, he was dictatorial as regards the group’s activities. He has an egoistic personality, which leads him to compel other group members to accept his decision, which Sharon was greatly opposed

Growth Mindset Essay Example for Free

Growth Mindset Essay Asking Effective Questions Problem Solving Approach in mathematics classroom because it engages student in inquiry, prompting them to build on and improve their current knowledge as they â€Å"construct† explanations and help them solve tasks at hand. In a â€Å"Constructivist classroom† students are seen as the ones who are actively creating their own knowledge†. This is done through questioning to h I need respect, motivation, encouragement, determination, to have confidence in your students. 8 Tips for Effective Questioning 1. Anticipate Student Thinking (plan the possible questions to stimulate thinking and deepen student understanding 2. Link to Learning Goals 3. Pose open ended questions 0 help build students’ self-confidence, help them respond at their own stage of development and allow for differentiation Invitational stems that use plural forms and exploratory language invite reflection. Huinker and Freckman (2004, p. 256) suggest the following examples: As you think about Given what you know about In regard to the decisions you made From previous work with students When you think about..As you consider In what ways In your planning Take a minute. 4. Pose Questions that actually need to be answered 5. Incorporate verbs that elicit higher levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy Verbs such as connect, elaborate, evaluate and justify prompt students to communi- cate their thinking and understanding, to deepen their understanding and to extend their learning. Huinker and Freckman (2004, p. 256) provide a list of verbs that elicit specific cognitive processes to engage thinking: observe notice remember contrast interpret evaluate summarize visualize (â€Å"see†) differ distinguish decide identify compare predict explain conclude infer relate consider describe 6. Pose Questions that Open up conversations to include others. 7. Keep Questions Neutral 8. Provide Wait Time (use strategies such as turn and talk, think-pair-share and round robin to give students time to articulate and clarify their thinking Ms Hastings does use different Instructional Strategies. She builds strong relationships with her students, set high expectations for performance and has a good understanding of their needs to reach success in her classroom. Ms Hastings first has a strong belief in the â€Å"Growth Mindset† by setting high expectations and showing student they can learn as opposed to the belief of â€Å"either you are good at math or not†. Teacher shows students how they can succeed and achieve through â€Å"application and experience†. Their words and actions make it clear that the past does not dictate the future. If a teacher promotes the â€Å"growth mind-set†, they can focus students on â€Å"self-development, self-motivation and responsibility† and help them develop the mental determination to continue to improve. She clearly sets objectives and provides feedback to her students to help them progress. By reinforcing effort and providing recognition, students believe they can succeed. These strategies all provide students with the belief that they can positively affect their learning She also uses various strategies to promote thinking and learning in the classroom. She uses cooperative learning, uses effective questioning and graphic organizers. She uses team building exercises and forms a base group, in which they learn and work together for the semester. In reading the Capacity Building Monograph in â€Å"Asking Effective Questions in Mathematics† in showed how you can change Learning to becoming something you get for a short time to permananence and building a deeper understanding. In Ms. Hastings class, the 8 tips provided in this monograph are great strategies being used in Ms. Hastings class. One of the most important influences in student achievement is the relationship between teacher and students (Hattlie, 2009). By Ms. Hastings telling success stories this provides encouragement to her students. Ms. Hastings class is preparing her students with the skills of the â€Å"21st Century Learner†. She is doing this by helping her students set personal learning goals, self-assessment for understanding, therefore, making learning permanent, accessing tools and resources for enhancing their understanding and using their learning in rich meaningful tasks in real-world contexts. These students will learn problem-solving, critical thinking and using their prior knowledge and skills to apply them to new situations. Two challenges faced by adolescents is the belief they are not good at math, therefore, find it challenging and are less engaged in math class. The second challenge is to make math learning become permanent through student engagement. This means using Instructional Strategies to ensure students are engaged in their own learning and self-assessment. One of the challenges faced by adolescents is the belief they are â€Å"not good at math†. This may be imparted by their parents belief they were not good at mathematics and do not ask more from their children. There needs to be a shift from this belief from all adults involved. They must recognize and affirm the importance of mathematical literacy for all. In the Ministry’s Numeracy Report (2004), students need the â€Å"ability to deal with the  fundamental notions of number and change in order to make sense of mathematical information presented in everyday contexts† (Paulos, 1988, pg.). Mathematical literacy in important for both employment and post-secondary admissions. Therefore, as teachers, we need to take advantage of the abundant opportunities for fostering mathematical literacy across the curriculum. As with Ms. Hastings, has a strong belief in the â€Å"Growth Mindset† by setting high expectations and showing student they can learn as opposed to the belief of â€Å"either you are good at math or not†. Teacher shows students how they can succeed and achieve through â€Å"application and experience†. Their words and actions make it clear that the past does not dictate the future. If a teacher promotes the â€Å"growth mind-set†, they can focus students on â€Å"self-development, self-motivation and responsibility† and help them develop the mental determination to continue to improve. She clearly sets objectives and provides feedback to her students to help them progress. By reinforcing effort and providing recognition, students believe they can succeed. These strategies all provide students with the belief that they can positively affect their learning She also uses various strategies to promote thinking and learning in the classroom. She uses cooperative learning, uses effective questioning and graphic organizers. She uses teambuilding exercises and forms a base group, in which they learn and work together for the semester. The second challenge faced by adolescent if to ensure their learning has â€Å"permanence†. This is done through strong conceptual foundations in math and ample opportunities for students to demonstrate their knowledge. I also believe that as teachers we need to use effective instructional strategies to emphasize student ability to think, use problem-solving skills and build on prior knowledge. Ms. Hastings uses various strategies to promote thinking and learning in the classroom. She uses cooperative learning, uses effective questioning and graphic organizers. She uses team building exercises and forms a base group, in which they learn and work together for the semester. In reading the Capacity Building Monograph in â€Å"Asking Effective Questions in Mathematics† in showed how you can change Learning to becoming something you get for a short time to permanence and building a deeper understanding. In Ms. Hastings class, the 8 tips provided in this monograph are great strategies being used in Ms. Hastings class. One of the most important influences in student achievement is the relationship between teacher and students (Hattlie, 2009). By Ms. Hastings telling success stories this provides encouragement to her students. Ms. Hastings class is preparing her students with the skills of the â€Å"21st Century Learner†. She is doing this by helping her students set personal learning goals, self-assessment for understanding, therefore, making learning permanent, accessing tools and resources for enhancing their understanding and using their learning in rich meaningful tasks in real-world contexts. These students will learn problem-solving, critical thinking and using their prior knowledge and skills to apply them to new situations. To be able to prepare our students as 21st Century Learners, we need to increase our math competence through professional learning to be more effective. The Expert Panels Report on Student Success in Ontario Mathematical Literacy, Grades 7-12 (May 2004) looked at at-risk mathematical learners and came up with a number of themes: Effective teaching and learning begins with the needs to the adolescent learners and have a good understanding of their development stages Connect the learning in math to the lives of the students (having rich meaningful tasks that connect to real-life contexts) Ensuring they have a strong conceptual foundations to be able to apply their knowledge and continue their learning Instructional learning strategies empahisize problem solving and building and one’s own understandings To improve students’ performance, teachers need to link instruction more closely to assessment More professional learning opportunities for teachers to strengthen their competence in math Technology to support learning and have more accessibility to students who are struggling in math Also extra support for  Ã¢â‚¬Å"at risk† students to close the gap Strong leadership and strong planning to create an effective learning environment in which all the needs of the students are met and success is promoted. 2. Changing Climate – Transforming Classroom Culture Dan Myer Inquiry Based Learning Being interest in students thinking How my teachers see them in a sincere way and shed the idea of controlling the process Bring the student who are not strong in the foundations Gains in achievement – multimedia helped students who are identified at risk or LD Teach as we are taught, memorization, calculations, learning formulas, doing math and debrief M.J. Hobbs Senior P.S. –DI 7-8 Differentiated Instruction and problem solving by group readiness Individual Accountability in group work Create a positive work environment Group work looks like, sounds like anchor charts with clear understanding of expectations Participate in work that is engaging and challenging Centennial S.S. HPEDSB Differentiating Instruction Secondary Think-Pair-Share Mathematical Questions Justify using mathematical vocabulary Learning Centres give students choice, work collaboratively and related to hands on materials and manipulatives’ based on their strengths (observe the kids first to see how they are learning Use the entry point depending on their strengths and how they learn to work towards the curriculum expectations Use of different strategies and connect using different means to demonstrate their learning Data given for Problem Solving Exit cards to demonstrate learning in a differentiated environment to take responsibility on teaching the students how they learn DI planning for kids based on grouping on kids strengths and needs.

The Eastern Shore of Virginia :: essays research papers

The Eastern Shore of Virginia, a peninsula located east of mainland Virginia, not noticed on many maps. The Eastern Shore has grown in the past year, putting up new shops and fast food restaurants. There are some interesting town names such as Temperanceville, Exmore, or Accomac. The name Temperanceville was brought by Christians who burned the four bars on the corners of Saxis road and Lankford highway. A new road was made named Temperanceville road. Temperance means no alcohol and that’s why the Christians burned the bars. Interesting stories are found all across the eastern shore.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the past few years many shops and stores have been built. These stores have provided many citizens of the shore less traveling miles on their cars and less troubles of finding what they need. Food Lion in Oak Hall has made many people happy because now they don’t have to go to Exmore, Onancock, or Princess Anne to get all their shopping needs. There are landmarks that people talk about it New York, like T’s Corner for example. T’s Corner is going 69 years in the summer of 2005 and is the Eastern Shore’s first cigarette outlet. A Sonic’s America Drive In ® was recently built and has its best business ever in its first month. The shore is becoming more industrialized as Verizon ® DSL spreads across the shore.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The shore has many unique smells like low tide, marsh mud, Perdue, Tyson’s, the Clam Factory, and Saxis which many tourist take for granted. On Chincoteague Island, the best time to go is at low tide because all of the tourists are trying to avoid it. Many recreational activities can be done on the island like going to the beach, going put-put golfing, watching a movie at the Island Roxy, or getting your hair cut at Barber Bob’s. Chicken houses found up and down the shore make it feel like home, because it makes the shore unique from the city. Many great schools are found on the shore like Arcadia High and Middle, Chincoteague Combined, and Nandua High and Middle. Not many high schools across America teach the college class Botany. Botany is only taught at Arcadia High School on the shore.

Rip Van Winkle and Romanticism :: Rip Van Winkle Essays

Rip Van Winkle and Romanticism    In the world of literature, there are many types of writing that an author can take to express his ideas. Their topics can be explained through life experiences, biographies, poetry, or other forms of literature. One of the forms that authors use is Romanticism. There are many qualities that define the different viewpoints of Romanticism.   Rip Van Winkle, “Thanatopsis,” and “The Cross of Snow” are all examples of writing from the period of Romanticism.        Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Rip Van Winkle is a story written by Washington Irving.   This was a story mainly about a lazy man who did not want to do any type of work, at home or at work. He was said to be useless on his farm, his land and property falling to pieces.   Irving says, “The great error in Rip’s composition was an insuperable aversion to all kinds of profitable labor”(p. 156 1st paragraph), which was just one of Irving’s many uses of inflated language.   Madame Van Winkle would always nag on Rip constantly, to do work around the house and possibly even help to raise their children.      Perhaps the nagging of his wife and his dread of labor is what Rip escaped from when he spent a good amount of his time at the village’s small inn in town.   “Here they used to sit in the shade, through a long lazy summer’s day, talking listlessly over village gossip, or telling endless sleepy stories about nothing.” (p.157) Even in the security of his peers, his wife would track Rip down, and scold all the men for being among each other, instead of being at home with their families.   These surprise visits are what led to Rip’s escape into the Kaatskill Mountains.    After wandering with his gun and his close companion Wolf, Rip tracks himself into the upper parts of the Mountains.   Soon after, Rip comes across a stranger who was carrying what looked like a keg of liquor.   So with the help of the Hollands, which is Dutch Gin, and a whole day of hiking, Rip fell into a deep, solemn slumber.   But when he woke up, he did not know how long he had slept or where both of his companions had gone off too.   He rises from his spot, and with his aged gun, he heads back to town, trying to find an excuse for his angry wife as for why he had been gone for so long.

International Organisational Behaviour

Introduction This assignment will analyse the organisation behaviour of two mining companies: WMC Resources and BHP Billiton. It will discuss issues such as: motivating in the short term, resistance to change, internal and external forces that favour change, characteristics of an effective team, factors of team effectiveness, and how to use punishment strategies successfully. Summary Clear understanding of the relationship between performance and outcomes – e. g. he rules of the reward ‘game’ Trust in the people who will take the decisions on who gets what outcome (BHP) Transparency of the process that decides who gets what outcome The people who will make the decisions (BHP) have stated â€Å"we continue to grow and expand our business quite significantly, and that always requires first-class people† So this again should be used to motivate the employees into realising that, good performance leads to your desired outcome (keeping their job). Evidence to justify this is the following example; there are three sales representatives who are candidates for promotion to one sales manager’s job. Bill has had a very good sales year and always gets good performance evaluations. However, he isn’t sure that he wants the job because it involves a great deal of travel, long working hours, and much stress and pressure. Paul wants the job badly but doesn’t think he had much chance of getting it. He has had a terrible sales year and gets only mediocre performance evaluations from his present boss. Susan wants the job as much as Paul, and she thinks that she has a pretty good shot at it. Her sales have improved significantly this past year, and her evaluations are the best in the company. Expectancy theory would predict that Bill and Paul are not very motivated to seek the promotion. Bill doesn’t really want it, and Paul doesn’t think he has much of a chance of getting it. Susan, however, is very motivated to seek the promotion because she wants it and thinks that she can get it. (Pride, 2009) b) There are three reasons the WMC employees are resistant to change; Fear of the unknown, need for security, and not feeling the need to change. Employees resist change because they have to learn something new. In many cases there is not a disagreement with the benefits of the new process, but rather a fear of the unknown future and about their ability to adapt to it. De Jager (2001, p. 24) argues, ‘Most people are reluctant to leave the familiar behind. We are all suspicious about the unfamiliar; we are naturally concerned about how we will get from the old to the new, especially if it involves learning something new and risking failure†. The WMC employees are facing this problem right now with the takeover that is about to go through. The employees are unsure about the future of the company and won’t know whether BHP will change things such as: daily duties, company protocol/processes, and even add new tasks. To help minimize resistance to change, the manager should try to offer information to the employees about what might change in the future. This will remove the element of the unknown and help them to deal with the changes early on. Also they should try to encourage staff and make them believe that they have the ability to adjust, therefore removing the anxiety of the takeover. If employees don’t see the need to change, they may become very stubborn and difficult to work with. Sometimes when there is a change in the workplace, employees don’t agree with it and feel they are doing jobs well enough and the organisation is running smoothly already. Even if this is true, there is always room for improvement and this should be expressed to the employees. WMC has a great opportunity to become involved in a bigger corporation and with some employees having a chance to keep their jobs, it should be highlighted to them that perhaps this will lead to a pay rise or even promotion. To minimize the resistance they should: provide support to the staff by actively listening to the problems and complaints they have, provide training to help the staff blend in with the new way of doing things, and help to overcome the performance pressures. Maybe then, the WMC employees will see that this change will lead to an improvement of the company and work efficiently and peacefully once again. c) Organizational change can be caused by external forces and internal forces. External forces commence outside of the organization and not only do they affect a company, but they also cause global affects. There are three components that play a crucial role in change of an organization from an external forces view. These three key factors allow a company to undergo change and reconstruct its organization to improve its production and services. Economic factors greatly affect WMC. This includes the nature and direction of the national economy in which a company does business. For international entities, it includes the global economy. We know that consumption is affected by the wealth of the population, and business people must plan accordingly. Some major considerations include the availability of credit and the amount of disposable income in a given market. Both inflation and interest rates and a given country's GDP are other economic factors that can help or hinder a company’s marketing efforts. The current economy has left smaller companies vulnerable to bankruptcy. Merging with a larger company like BHP will allow WMC to compete effectively in the world market. Internal forces for change come from inside the organization. These forces may be subtle, such as low morale, or can manifest in outward signs, such as low productivity and conflict. Internal forces for change come from both human resource problems and managerial behaviour/decisions. Human Resource Problems is a major internal force for change. These problems stem from employee perceptions about how they are treated at work and the match between individual and organization needs. Dissatisfaction comes from an underlying employee problem that should be addressed. Unusual or high levels of absenteeism and turnover also represent forces for change. WMC might respond to these problems by reducing employees' role conflict, overload, and ambiguity, and by removing the different stressors. Prospects for positive change stem from employee participation and suggestions. Managerial Behaviour/Decisions are an essential reason for organisational change. Excessive interpersonal conflict between managers and their subordinates is a sign that change is needed. Both the manager and the employee may need interpersonal skills training, or the two individuals may simply need to be separated. For example, one of the parties might be transferred to a new department. Inappropriate leader behaviours such as inadequate direction or support may result in human resource problems requiring change. Leadership training is one potential solution for this problem. Inequitable reward systems are additional forces for change. Clear Purpose – The vision, mission, goal or task of the team must be defined and accepted by everyone. In the case of BHP-WMC, there will be many changes when the two merge, so all the staff will have to be notified of the new action plan. This will make the team focused on the goal. Informality – A good team should be informal, comfortable and relaxed. There shouldn’t be any obvious tensions or signs of boredom. This may be tough for BHP-WMC because of the merger, there may be some resentment towards the other company’s staff for having to merge with them. Also cliques will have formed which may cause some problems with the group working together. If they can work together effortlessly they will perform to a higher standard. Participation – There should be much discussion and everyone should be encouraged to participate. This is also great for getting all the new staff members to bond with the BHP staff and to make them feel they are important to the company. Listening – The members should use effective listening techniques such as questioning, paraphrasing and summarizing to get out ideas. Therefore benefiting the company with possible innovative ideas. Civilized Disagreement – If there is disagreement, the team must be comfortable with this and show no signs of avoiding, smoothing over or suppressing conflict. This is likely to happen with the two companies’s having their own previous ways of doing things, but to create an effective team, they must all constructively discuss and find a middle ground. Consensus Decisions – For important decisions, the goal is substantial but not necessarily unanimous agreement through open discussion of everyone's ideas, avoidance of formal voting or easy compromises. This way the group should get the most suitable outcome without upsetting any of the group members or giving in to a poor idea due to peer pressure. Open Communication – Team members should feel free to express their feelings on the tasks as well as on the group's operation. There should be few hidden agendas. Communication takes place outside of meetings. This way nobody is hiding any feelings and is comfortable with the ongoing operations. Shared Leadership – While a team has a formal leader, leadership functions shift from time to time depending on the circumstances, the needs of the group and the skills of the members. The formal leader should models the appropriate behaviour and helps establish positive norms. This will give everyone a chance to feel important to the company and a chance to improve their leadership skills. External Relations – The team should spend time developing key outside relationships and mobilizing resources, then building credibility with important players in other parts of the organization. This will be handy for when they need help from other departments, especially in a fast growing company like BHP. Style Diversity – The team should have a broad spectrum of team-player types, including members who emphasize attention to task, goal setting, focus on process and questions about how the team is functioning. This gives diversity and strength is every area. Self-Assessment – Periodically, the team should stops to examine how well it is functioning and what may be interfering with its effectiveness. This is essential for any team, especially a newly created one like BHP-WMC. b) In creating effective teams, managers should act as facilitators and accept mutual accountability. do not monopolize team projects do not control daily activities. BHP-WMC could adopt these two theories quite easily. The managers could act as facilitators to the team so that it became more effective. They need to have a shared understanding and share responsibilities so that they can understand each other and work together as a well functioning machine. Mutual influence and task autonomy is also necessary to make BHP-WMC more effective than they currently are. Mutual accountability will improve BP-WMC effectiveness because it means the responsibility doesn’t land all on one person, which means it’s more likely to improve your chances of achieving your objective if the responsibility is shared across the team. To increase an employee’s behaviour, a positive re-enforcer is used immediately after the behaviour is presented, the premise being that if the employee does something and is rewarded, then they are more likely to repeat the act. Constant reinforcement must be used to help new behaviours become established. To maintain the desired behaviour once it is established, an intermittent re-enforcer, one that is used only occasionally, should be sufficient to use. Negative reinforcement is similar to the concept of a reward. Essentially, this is when something negative is removed from a person’s experience as a way to increase the likelihood of good behaviour happening again. For example, if a child studies hard for a test and the parent rewards the child by not making him do chores, it is likely that this good studying behaviour will recur. Extinction is the stopping of positive reinforcers that have been maintaining an inappropriate behaviour. This relies on the theory that behaviours which are not reinforced will soon disappear. Both positive and negative reinforcement result in learning. They strengthen a response and increase the possibility of repetition. Both punishment and extinction, however, weaken behaviour and tend to decrease its subsequent frequency. b) Punishment should be used as a last resort only. With the employees already low on morale due to the uncertainty of their jobs, it wouldn’t take much to push them over the edge and start acting inappropriately, or even worse, quitting. Ways of using punishment as a reinforcement strategy are as follows: The behaviour plan is congruent must be within regulations and company policies. The use of punishment procedures to manage employee behaviours is an issue of growing debate. Employees should take care that all elements of a behaviour plan, including punishment procedures, fall within disciplinary guidelines both of the company policies and within the law. Reference List Dick, P. & Ellis, S. (2006), Introduction to Organizational Behaviour 3rd Edition, McGraw-Hill Education, Berkshire, UK Mosley, D. C. , Megginson, L. C. , & Pietri, P. H. (2001) Supervisory Management: The Art of Empowering and Developing People, South-Western College Publishing, Ohio, U. S. A Ehlen, D. (1994), Supporting high performance teams, Manage, 46(2), pp. 32-34. Organizations, Jossey-Bass, San Francisco, U. S. A

Absolutism and Peter the Great Analysis Essays

Absolutism and Peter the Great Analysis Essays Absolutism and Peter the Great Analysis Essay Absolutism and Peter the Great Analysis Essay Absolutism and Peter the Great Analysis paragraph Peter the Great made a great effort to change Russia and he conquered his ideas and what he wanted to do with his nation. He strengthened the military, created a navy, and stopped the isolation of Russia. Since Peter was born in the medieval world he was captivated by the modern clothes and army; he was really interested in ships and navy. He built a ship just to communicate with the west (Europe) to exchange technology, ideas and other goods, he wanted to westernize Russia; he felt it necessary to do so because he thought that if Russia didnt modernize it would be left behind and would get run over by his European neighbors. When he went to europe he learned nautical science, how to build a gun, dentistry, astronomy, surgery, making paper, printing, and rendering. He also went all the way to England to build the strongest navy, after 16 months of absence from his homeland there were revolts in Moscow. When he returned to Moscow he changed the way the nobles dressed, and he wanted everyone including the women to educate themselves and be more European. He took Russia out of the dark ages. He also brought news paper, astronomy, new capital, new navy, new museums, new title (emperor) and hospitals. Peter the Great was a great Tsar for Russia; he brought a lot of goods to his nation and that helped to modernize Russia and also to have contact with other parts of the world.

Compare and Contrast Jean Val Jean with Javert. An allegorical characters who represent mercy and law respectively.

Compare and Contrast Jean Val Jean with Javert. An allegorical characters who represent mercy and law respectively. The main character of the story is Jean Val Jean. He is a large man, very strong, but with a good heart. The minor characters are Javert, a police investigator, who is said to have a "bullet-shaped head". He is tall and sinewy, with coarse black hair. Other characters are Marius, a young law student that falls in love with Cosette, and the bishop, a very kind, generous, selfless man.Both of them are relentless and kindness, but the opposite of obeying the law. Jean stole a loaf of bread to feed his sister's hungry children and was sentenced to five years in prison. While there, he tried to escape several times and the five years stretched to nineteen. He became bitter and filled with hatred. Finally he was released, but was given a yellow passport so that wherever he went, people would know he had been in prison.Jean Paul Valjean.

20 Compare and Contrast Essay Topics on Computational Genomics

20 Compare and Contrast Essay Topics on Computational Genomics The saying ‘having a complete awareness about one’s self is important to personal growth’ is one that can also be applied in the field of computational genomics for a couple of reasons which will be explained below. But first, here is a brief explanation of computational genomics; the field of computational genomics is the use of computational analysis to analyze the data provided by the human genes, DNA and RNA. As stated earlier, here is where parallels between the above saying and computational genomics are drawn. The analysis of genomic sequences provides man with a window into the thorough understanding of our past such as modern man’s relationship to the Neanderthals. This ability to discover the past and trace its effects to our future development has pushed the narrative of human evolution as well as helped scientist trace diseases, their cause and effect with the aim of predicting life cycles and developing vaccines to cure ancient ailments. Now, for those tasked with the responsibility of writing on computational genomics, this article is intended to serve as a topic directory as well as a tutorial on drafting a compare and contrast essay topic on the stated subject matter. The 20 Compare and Contrast Essay Topics Discussing the Similarities and Differences between the Eukaryotic and Prokaryotic Cells Comparing and Contrasting the Historic Roles of Cell Biology and Basic Biology in Computational Genomics Understanding the Roles of Cells in Computational Genomics against its Role in Medicine Analyzing the Roles of DNA and RNA in Computational Genomics Comparing the Roles Played by 20th Century Biologist to 21st Century Scientist in Computational Genomics Discussing the Importance of Gregor Mendel’s Role in Advancing the Field of Computational Genomics Understanding Chromosomes with an Aim to Compare and Contrast their Role in Genomics Understanding DNA Sequencing and the 1977 Milestone and its Effects to Sequencing the First Organism Understanding the difference between the Haploid and Diploid Genome Sequencing Analyzing the Role of Mathematical Computations in Sequencing Genomes Comparing the Importance of the James Watson Group against Craig Venter’s Enterprise Sharing or Concealing Discovered Genome Sequences: The Effects to the field of Genomics What are Genomics and Computational Genomics? Discussing the Importance of Data Science to Computational Genomics Understanding the Application of Combinatorial Pattern Discovery in Computational Genomics Analyzing the Importance of Molecular Biology in Computational Genomics Analyzing Recent Development and Future Directions in Computational Genomics Computational Genomic Analysis Using the G-language Project Comparing and Contrasting the Difference between Genetics and Genomics Analyzing Computational Challenges in the Analysis of Ancient DNA As earlier discussed, these topics are intended to provide you with some additional   inspiration when searching for a compare and contrast essay topic to kick-start your assignment. The topic ‘Analyzing the roles of DNA and RNA in Computational Genomics’ will be drafted below to provide some guidelines on writing a compare and contrast essay. Sample Essay on the Analyzing the Roles of DNA and RNA in Computational Genomics In computational genomics, human genes, deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and ribonucleic acid (RNA) all play important roles both on their own as well as simultaneously in the analysis of genetic sequences. In this essay I intend to analyze the similarities and differences in the roles played by DNA and RNA in computational genomics. First and foremost, I believe it is important to understand the concept of both factors for it plays an integral role in explaining their functions as well as the contrasting and similar features binding DNA and RNA together. DNA is a nucleic acid that contains the genetic instructions used in the development and functioning of all modern living organisms while RNA acts as the messenger which carries the DNA instructions needed to control the synthesis of protein in an organism. A simplified analogy of their symbiotic relationship is that of a computer’s operating system and internal programs that make the system function. Here, DNA is the operating system while RNA is the supporting program. The similarities between both DNA and RNA are quite impressive, and scientists make use of these similarities in computational genomics in multiple ways. Some of these similarities are basically structured as can be seen from the fact that both RNA and DNA are made up of monomers called nucleotides. This structural similarity goes forward to include the fact that both factors contain pentose sugars and have the base pair of guanine and cytosine which are necessary for the cells to produce protein and are important factors in analyzing genes. While the similarities between a cells’ DNA and RNA are generally contained towards the structural end, the contrasting features are more notable when the functions of both phosphoric acids are compared. Looking at their base function; DNA provides the biological blueprint that serve as guidelines for the human cell, it does this by producing and storing relevant information needed for the transfer of biological information within species and from one generation to the other. RNA on the other hand, also serves a different complementary function that is also quite important. It serves as the carrier of information for the DNA through the nucleus to the ribosome. It is important to note that the important factor in computational genomics, genes, are found in small strands in the DNA and not the RNA. This means that DNA provides the most important data needed for computational genomics while the RNA provides complementary data to support the analytical process. In conclusion, the similarities and differences between DNA and RNA all work together to make computational genomics possible and this has led to scientific advances such as the sequencing of genes and understanding the pathology of diverse diseases and epidemics. Here we come to the end of this article covering compare and contrast topics on the subject of computational genomics. Also recommended for extra reading are the follow-up articles covering 10 facts for a compare and contrast essay on computational genomics and the compare and contrast essay guide on computational genomics. References: Raychaudhuri, S. (2006). Computational Text Analysis for Functional Genomics and Bioinformatics. Zheng, Y., Li, X. and Hu, H. (2014). Computational discovery of feature patterns in Nucleosomal DNA sequences. Genomics, 104(2), pp.87-95. Mao, Y. and Salavati, R. (2009). Genome-wide Computational Identification of Functional RNA Elements in Trypanosoma Brucei. BMC Genomics, 10(1), p.355. Treangen, T. and Salzberg, S. (2011). Repetitive DNA and Next-generation Sequencing: Computational Challenges and Solutions. Nature Reviews Genetics. Satellite Workshop on Comparative Genomics, Research in Computational Molecular Biology (2011). Journal of Computational Biology, 18(9), pp.1019-1021. Nawrocki, E. and Eddy, S. (2013). Computational Identification of Functional RNA Homologs in Metagenomic data. RNA Biology, 10(7), pp.1170-1179. Pareek, C. and Tretyn, A. (2011). Sequencing Technologies and Genome Sequencing. Journal of Applied Genetics, 52(4), pp.413-435.

Financial Crisis Impacts on Progress of Employees Essay

Financial Crisis Impacts on Progress of Employees - Essay Example There have been a lot of studies conducted by various scholars since the great depression in 1930’s up to today. Literature obtained from this series of academic studies conducted by the various scholars is still relevant up to today in offering explanations on how and what were the main contributors of the various crisis. This literature has been relied upon by many academicians as well as policy makers in order to make sure that such events do occur again. Theoretical Literature There are two theories, which seem, to be more developed and various scholars have borrowed much from them. These theories are the Minsky’s crisis theory and Marxist crisis theory. Minsky’s crisis theory is named after the Hyman Minky a renowned economic professor who developed this theory. Hyman initial objective was to elucidate the domestic economy crisis. This has since changed as this theory is adopted by various expert and scholars in delineating global financial crisis. The under lying concept in his theory was the fragility observed in the financial system. He elucidates the behavior of both the financial sector and non-financial sector to engage in liabilities with a high level of risk as businesses enlarge was the major contributor to the crisis. From an international front, he argues that the interdependency of economies fundamentally leads to instability of the global financial system. He attributes the instability experienced in the global financial system to lending activities that lend debt accumulation (Davies 2010). The main theme of theories was the concern expanding economy and the emergence of â€Å"a speculative investment bubble†. Hyman argued that as the economy expanded, that is, as the economy experienced tremendous growth, thus resulting to low level of unemployment as the level of investment in the economy increases. Optimism increases and trade between debt and risk changes. As a result of the increases in optimism, there is an in crease in the level of asset prices as well as increase, in speculation. The increase in asset prices in return allowed ponzi borrowers to thrive in an economy (Davies 2010). This also leads changes the attitudes that investors have toward risk thus resulting in, changes in liability portfolio. As a result of changes in risk and liability structure, the financial structure becomes fragile thus resulting into a financial crisis (Davies 2010). In doing this Hyman linked, the fragility experienced in a normal economy to the speculative investment bubble which emerges in the financial market. Minky argued that, when the corporate sector and the economy as a whole are experiencing growth, that is when the cash inflows exceeds the amount need to phase off debts there is a tendency to develop speculation (Davies 2010). When the grows up to appoint where the present assets cannot support the economy when borrowers cannot repay their loans since the cash-inflows are not enough to finance con sumption and to honor debts, this degenerate into a financial crisis. When this occurs, the lenders adopt stringent credit issuance policy; such that even companies with the capability of obtaining loans are not spared; thus, this leads to the contraction of the economy. The movement of a

Assess and Evaluate Winston Churchill as a Foreign Policy Leader Term Paper

Assess and Evaluate Winston Churchill as a Foreign Policy Leader - Term Paper Example Premier Churchill and President Roosevelt are said to have attended almost a dozen conferences together which goes on the show the amount of understanding and collaboration between the two countries. It was only due to Churchill’s sincere work that he got the support of the Americans in 1941. Even relationships with the Soviet Union weren’t strong before Churchill took charge of his office. Churchill, however, looked at the need of the hour paying importance to the delicacy of the situation, as the Nazis had almost conquered France, and formed an unexpected and uncomfortable alliance with the Soviets. The height of Churchill’s foreign policy perspective can be attributed to the fact that he brought the Soviets and the Americans together and formed the so-called â€Å"Grand Alliance†. If these two countries were left on their own there was no chance they would have even thought of working together. It was Churchill who traveled almost forty thousand miles across the world in the wartime to muster the support of these two countries (Merritt, 2007). Churchill is often criticized over the Dresden bombing controversy. His critics believed that this act led to a dramatic fall in his image as a good foreign policy decision maker (Titus, 1963). In 1945, the British and American bombers launched an attack on the German city of Dresden which resulted in deaths of a significant number of civilians. Many believed that his instructions to the RAF constituted a war crime and were an insult to precious human life. Churchill is also accredited for building the foundations of understanding between the United States and the United Kingdom (Daynes, 2006). It was due to Churchill’s efforts that these two countries are strong allies even in the current times and always come to help each other whenever required. Churchill is also attributed as being a major contributing party to the treaties that ultimately redrew post-war boundaries in Europe and Asia. He attended the Yalta Conference which was called for the purpose post-war reorganization.

Personal and Professional Development Assignment - 2

Personal and Professional Development - Assignment Example Individuals who are persuading their studies, still in colleges and yet to join organization can learn from friends, newspapers and internet. Self-managed learning provides the people with chances of innovation with their own learning strategies. In some cases, many of the learners are seen to adopt short term learning strategies but the changing environment has made it inevitable that the learners should take up long term learning (Garrow, 1998). Approaches of Self-Managed Learning In colleges, students can learn through research, this is even possible when the individual is in his workplace. There are several learning approaches that the individual can follow for learning. However, the most common approaches are discussed below: Informal or experimental learning Most of the people are seen to learn through informal or experimental means. ... Through social networking sites, individuals can chat with their friends and colleagues and can learn from them. There are various written materials along with articles that enhance the knowledge base of the individuals. Coaching Coaching is the art of facilitating the enhancement of the development, learning and performance of the others. It has a personal form that is one to one on the job approach. This approach of helping people assists in developing the levels of competence and skills. Mentoring Mentoring is the process through which some trained individuals are specially selected to provide support, guidance and pragmatic advice in order to help the individual or a group of persons, under the responsibility of the trained individual, to develop and learn. Mentors help the individuals in performing better in the future and grooming them to attain greater heights in their career, which is commonly referred as career advancement. Mentors provide suggestions to the people for learn ing contracts and drawing self-development programs. They also provide help with learning programs and guidance regarding the necessary skills and knowledge that can be acquired to perform the new job roles. Life Long Learning Lifelong learning can be defined as a learning activity that can be conducted throughout one’s life, with an aim of enhancing competencies and knowledge skills within a social, civic, personal and employment-related perspective (O'Grady, 2013). The two different ways in which lifelong learning, in a personal and professional context, could be encouraged are Continuing Professional Development (CPD) and Personal Development Planning (PDP). Continuing Professional Development CPD is the enhancement and

The Stress Level and Academic Performances for Chinese Overseas Research Paper

The Stress Level and Academic Performances for Chinese Overseas Students in Australia - Research Paper Example Using questionnaires and interview as research instruments, the researcher gathered data from Chinese postgraduate students from different kinds of field in University of Western Sydney. Using the questionnaire, the researcher collected data in areas such as the age of participant, gender of participant, the courses studied by participants, extra activities undertaken by participants such as part-time work, how participants spent their leisure among other things. Results obtained from students go a long way to show that most of the students go through stressful activities during the day even aside their studies. Combining studies with such activities therefore worsen their stress level. In the long run, it was revealed students with very high levels of stressful activities performed poorly compared to those who went through normal routines of the day. Introduction Learning is an act that demands so much mental attention and concentration. To this effect, it is almost a requirement th at before learning can take place, the mind (brain) must be in a state of alertness to receive the volumes of new ideas that is being added to it. Sadly though, most students who are the anchor of learning find themselves deprived of the state of alertness that is being discussed here. Such students lose their mental alertness to stress. Quoting Selye (1974 p. 27), Murff (2006) states that stress is a "nonspecific response of the body to any demands made upon it". This means that stress is a reaction that the body (and more specifically brain) gives towards any act of pressure that is placed on it. Koduah (2008) explains that the pressure that demands the body to respond is often found on the brain. To this effect, stress can be said to be a mental state of tiredness and this tiredness arises because there is so much pressure on the brain. Literally, one would be tempted to think that the only time that the brain is made to work is the time that the brain is being used to think and so it tiredness of the brain results only out of excessive thinking. This assumption is not correct. Rather, the brain is responsible for carrying out 80% of all activities that any part of the body undertakes (Kanner, 1981). This means that apart from activities that demand thinking, in undertaking activities with other parts of our body, it is actually the brain that we are using most. As elucidated by Garret (2001), stress is no respecter of person. Once so much pressure is put on the body, the mind gets tired and stress will sets in. Students have been identified to be one of the worse sufferers of stress (Murff, 2006). This is because apart from the fact that learning itself demands so much mental alertness and puts so much pressure on the brain, students are faced other activities and processes such as adjusting to university life and routines (Ross, Neibling and Heckert, 1999). Some of these activities and processes demand that students make new friends, have regular inter-pe rsonal relationships, work within fixed and at times

Final exam Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Final exam - Assignment Example 1). Some examples of Quid Pro Quo sexual harassment are asking for sex as a requirement for promotion and an implied statement that someone would be terminated, if the latter do not submit to the supervisor’s sexual advances. As for Hostile Work Environment type of sexual harassment, it happens when an employee experiences unwelcome sexual advances or gender-based behaviors that are adequately severe or persistent enough to hinder the person’s work performance, or to form a threatening, hostile or unpleasant work environment (Department of Justice, 2003, p. 2). Some examples are unwelcome sexual jokes and remarks and making demeaning statements about one’s gender. Employers can make use of several legal defenses. General employer defenses’ to sexual harassment are applicable to both quid pro quo and hostile work environment sexual harassment. They consist of, but are not limited to the following defenses: 1) â€Å"it didn’t happen,† 2) welcom eness, 3) the conduct was not sexual or was not based on sex, 4) the First Amendment; and 5) the â€Å"equal opportunity harasser†Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ (Weitzman, 1999, pp. 29-30). ... mployees who feel that they have experienced or witnessed sexual harassment, they must take advantage of existing internal policies of their organizations, when present, and if not, report to the proper authorities. These employees must report the incident to their supervisor, manager, or other higher offices (Department of Justice, 2003, p. 3). Though not many sexual harassments can have witnesses, testimonies can be attained from people whom the victims have confided to (U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), 1990, p. 7). Witnesses can be those who witnessed the sexual harassment at the workplace, or noticed changes in the victim’s or charged party’s behavior, and their testimonies can be used to charge the person doing the harassment (EEOC, 1990, p. 7). References Department of Justice, State of California. (2003, July 23). Management bulletin: Sexual harassment in the workplace. Retrieved from http://oag.ca.gov/sites/all/files/pdfs/eeo/03-07mc.pdf U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. (1990). Enforcement guidance: Policy guidance on current issues of sexual harassment. Retrieved from http://www.eeoc.gov/eeoc/publications/upload/currentissues.pdf Weitzman, A.H. (1999). Employer defenses to sexual harassment claims. Duke Journal of Gender Law Policy, 6, 27-59. Retrieved from http://scholarship.law.duke.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1026&context=djglp 2. Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) (P.L. 101-336) is the most sweeping civil rights legislation that seeks to ban discrimination against people with disabilities. Public and private businesses, state and local government agencies, transportation and utilities, and all firms offering public accommodations and services are required to follow this

Probability and poker Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Probability and poker - Research Paper Example One of the common card games people engage in today is poker. It is played with a deck of fifty two cards. The ranks of a player’s cards and the combinations of these cards help determine the winner. In order to win big, players risk larger sums of money, hoping that they do not loose. Therefore, poker, just like any other gambling activity, is purely based on chance. In mathematics, one of the widely covered topics is probability, which is the study of the likelihood of an event occurring. For this reason, poker is directly related to this mathematical concept because outcomes are based on chance. Although most people question the importance of studying mathematics in school, the application of mathematical concepts in the real world are varied. Probability, which is a branch of mathematics, is one of the most used concepts in the world. This research aims at demonstrating how probability is used in gambling by focusing on the game of poker. For most poker players, there is strong belief in experience, skill and luck. Most players have an illusion of control in which a person beliefs he has the ability to understand and determine the outcome of uncertain events. Professional poker players are seen as those who have the ability to read their opponents with a high level of accuracy based on tiny or non-existent clues (Istrate, 55). Experienced players are those that have the ability to make accurate predictions, thereby increasing their chances of winning. In approaching the game of poker, most players look at their opponents to identify certain flaws or features that will help them to win the game. These flaws will tell them the weaknesses of their opponents, and thus capitalize on these weaknesses to win games. For this reason, players look at the position the opponents occupy on the table, their timings and pace, and the way they behave and move

Marriage Interview Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Marriage Interview - Term Paper Example This paper will highlight the questions discussed in the interview and an analysis of the answers that the interviewee provided. From the interview, it became clear that the foundation of the couple’s relationship has largely determined the stability level of their marriage. Agnes related how she met the man whom she agreed to marry three years later. According to her, she liked the composure, honesty, and maturity that were evident in her husband when they met. However, she delved further into describing the attributes that led her into the conviction that she had found a worthwhile partner. The three years of dating helped her establish whether the two of them were compatible and it revealed the patience and resilience that they had in making their relationship work (Chitambira, & Chitambira, 2011). During this period, they discussed their goals and dreams in order to understand each other’s personal interests. Agnes mentioned the most important aspects that a couple should discuss during dating. In her opinion, setting out how a couple will manage their finances when they are married is a central issue. In addition, a couple should understand the extended family and set boundaries for their intrusion into their marriage. Agnes revealed that she only moved into her husband’s apartment after their marriage. Unlike many couples, Agnes mentioned that not much has surprised her in their marriage because she was well aware that marriage often brings the unexpected. With this prior knowledge, the two of them were ready to live up to their commitment. Although challenges were to come their way, they had built the three most important pillars of their relationship. She mentions these as honest and effective communication, understanding, and trust. Agnes mentioned that these pillars have existed from the period of dating and the presence of these gives her faith that they can triumph over anything that comes their way (Parrott, & Parrott, 2006). A gnes admitted that they have been numerous challenges in their marriage. Only three years into her marriage, her husband lost his job. At the time, the couple’s son was only two months old. As a wife and mother, she had to make sacrifices for the family to survive one of the critical economic times. Her resilience and commitment were under test during this time. The couple gave each other immense support during this time and considered other avenues of making a living instead of relying on employment. After careful consideration, the couple invested their savings into her business. The hardest time of their marriage life produced the best outcome as Agnes describes. Currently, the couple has streams of businesses and has a level of security in the future. According to her, the financial constraint that resulted would have compromised their marriage, but they decided to make something positive out of it (McDonald, and McDonald, 2008). The couple has had other minor challenges, but they have managed to stick to each other. The story of their success seems impossible in a world where divorces are becoming a common procedure. Agnes mentioned that a couple should enter into marriage open-minded. According to her, a couple should be ready for challenges because they are inevitable. In addition, she highlighted the fact that each partner should have readiness of making sacrifices

Probability and poker Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Probability and poker - Research Paper Example One of the common card games people engage in today is poker. It is played with a deck of fifty two cards. The ranks of a player’s cards and the combinations of these cards help determine the winner. In order to win big, players risk larger sums of money, hoping that they do not loose. Therefore, poker, just like any other gambling activity, is purely based on chance. In mathematics, one of the widely covered topics is probability, which is the study of the likelihood of an event occurring. For this reason, poker is directly related to this mathematical concept because outcomes are based on chance. Although most people question the importance of studying mathematics in school, the application of mathematical concepts in the real world are varied. Probability, which is a branch of mathematics, is one of the most used concepts in the world. This research aims at demonstrating how probability is used in gambling by focusing on the game of poker. For most poker players, there is strong belief in experience, skill and luck. Most players have an illusion of control in which a person beliefs he has the ability to understand and determine the outcome of uncertain events. Professional poker players are seen as those who have the ability to read their opponents with a high level of accuracy based on tiny or non-existent clues (Istrate, 55). Experienced players are those that have the ability to make accurate predictions, thereby increasing their chances of winning. In approaching the game of poker, most players look at their opponents to identify certain flaws or features that will help them to win the game. These flaws will tell them the weaknesses of their opponents, and thus capitalize on these weaknesses to win games. For this reason, players look at the position the opponents occupy on the table, their timings and pace, and the way they behave and move

International Management Research Paper Essay Example for Free

International Management Research Paper Essay Assessing the Environment As we look to take our business, International Jean Company, into the ever expanding global market, it’s important that we choose locations that are going to fit our needs. This location selection cannot just be random, nor can it be done hastily. Our time learning how to be International Managers have taught us that only through careful research into many topics like the Environment, the Geography and Climate, the Culture, and Communication, can we really have the information necessary to make an informed decision. Therefore, we began to look at Denmark, and extensively researched the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats that lay before us here. Denmark is a small country with a population of just over 5 million inhabitants. It has achieved a remarkable degree of economic success over the last 50 years or so. With GDP per head of around $56,000 the country ranks fifth in the world and ahead of both Japan and Germany in terms of purchasing power. This remarkable economic success has been achieved by the Danes thanks, in no small measure, to their pragmatic business style.(1) According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark, it has the most efficient distribution system, the best labor regulations, and the second highest GDP per person. According to Forbes.com, Denmark is the best country to do business in. The Danish economys mix of low inflation and low unemployment along with emphasis on entrepreneurship and lower taxes make Denmark an attractive company to business investors and entrepreneurs. These qualities combined with high marks for innovation and technological savvy lift Denmark to the top of the business worl d. Denmark is a country that is filled with many small and medium sized, independently owned businesses. Compared to the rest of the European Union, Denmark has a significantly less amount of large corporations, with the exception of Spain. They are known for their top quality production standards. Danish companies tend to concentrate on highly specialized products with a high margin production and rely more on product innovation and design instead of improvements in production technology and price competitiveness. Many small and medium sized companies are able to have major control over their market because they base themselves in small towns and rely on relationships with the community. This makes it difficult for large corporations to take their market share. Although Denmark has a significant amount of independent businesses that support its economy, it is highly dependent on foreign trade and international cooperation. Denmark is made up of a highly developed infrastructure, an advanced telecommunications system and a well-educated and stable workforce. Throughout all relevant levels of the workforce, English is spoken and written at an exceptionally good level. This is a very beneficial factor to the role that Denmark plays in the global market. Geographically, Denmark is in the perfect position for international trade. It is in the center of the Scandinavian countries and has easy access to the Northern and Eastern European countries. International surveys show that Denmark has top ratings in transportation, in all modes, energy, communications, and distribution systems. It is also highly rated in product quality, organizational quality, customer relations, credibility, and social responsibility. Denmark’s legal system is very similar to those of other European countries. Foreign business men may find some difficulty in legalities due to the use of civil law system and statutory law. Unlike the common law system used in countries such as the US, the Danish courts are not limited to the strict lettering of the law, but instead the purpose of the statute. This interpretation is also applied to private agreements. Compared to other countries, lobbying of the government is not as common and not as organized as in other countries. Usually, trade bodies will bring up issues to the government instead of individual persons or companies. The most common forms of companies used in Denmark are Public Limited Companies and Private Limited Companies. Denmark is known for having a high tax rate although when taking to account other costs of doing business (wages, benefits, cost of living, etc.) it balances out. The Danish tax regime relies heavily on direct taxes, such as taxes from labor, but there is little to no dependence on indirect taxes, such as social security and contributions from employers. Managing Interdependence Denmark is a significant player in the global market when it comes to social responsibility and ethics. It has the lowest rate of corruption of any other countries in the European Union. It also has very strict government regulations and very beneficial reasons to be socially responsible. Since the 1970’s, Danish environmental law has developed as part of public, private and European Community law. The National Agency for Environmental Protection, the National Forest and Nature Agency and the Department of Planning all make up the Ministry of the Environment. The have local and regional councils which are elected by the public and are responsible for environmental and planning procedures that conform to local wishes. Denmark is one of the few countries that have several kinds of green fees and green taxes. This is to motivate companies to use cleaner technologies, resource management, and/or environmental audit and management schemes. In 2008, Danish parliament passed a bill that forces large corporations to report on their corporate social responsibility (CSR) on their annual report. The Danish companies that have engaged in CSR have reported that it has had a positive effect on the companies. They claim that while it is flexible, it does bring up some legal burdens on them. It is the belief of the Danish government that the legal requirement marks the starting point for increased reporting on CSR, and in the forthcoming years the government intends to encourage progress and improvement of Danish businesses’ CSR work and reporting. Upon this laws implementation, 1100 companies were required to report CSR on their next annual reports. According to the 2009 reports, 89% of the required companies complied and 3% did not comply (8% complied by default because of being a subsidiary of a company that complied). The most common form of CSR among Danish companies related to environmental and climate issues. According to International Management, by Helen Deresky, Denmark is tied for the number one spot for the country with the least amount of corruption. This is because the Danish culture has a much more direct approach to business practices. They prefer openness and honesty, which sometimes seems rude to foreigners. It is clear to see that Denmark is ahead of almost all other countries in being Socially Responsible and having sound business ethics. For a new company, good ethics and social responsibility can be a make-it or break-it issue for a company. In one aspect, these issues can cost the company money. When just beginning, you should try to get your costs to be as low as possible. On the other hand, being viewed as an ethical company and by being socially responsible you improve the image and branding of the company. That will give the public a better perception of the company and can increase the demand for your product. Fortunately, in Denmark, only large companies are legally required to report their activities relating to social responsibility. While it would be a smart choice to make, not having to spend money on social responsibility during the beginning phases of the company will allow ease for penetrating the market and will allow us to be more socially responsible in the future. Overall, Denmark’s cost of doing business is about the same, if not lower than other countries, and the benefits of doing business in that country are much more significant. As long as our company helps locals and abides by their cultures and their rules, then the company should be very successful. Understanding the Role of Culture Before we can truly consider starting our business in Denmark, we need to understand the culture of the area. The viability of the economy, the labor market, the work environment, are all crucial to our success overseas. Taking the time to build a cultural profile of Denmark can help International Jean understand how to transition our business, and our expatriates to a very new experience. We begin our cultural profile by looking at the Government and Economic systems of Denmark. The politics of Denmark could best be described as a â€Å"Social Democracy† Though they do have a constitutional monarchy, like England it is a mostly ceremonial position. Elections occur democratically, similar to the United States without the Electoral College, which leads to a more direct representation of democracy. There are very low levels of corruption, not just in Denmark but in the entirety of the surrounding Nordic countries. As far as picking a market to operate out of, Denmark is a very excellent selection. Denmark has a prosperous, well-developed mixed market economy, ranking 16th in the world in terms of GDP (PPP) per capita. They use the Nordic Model, which is a version of what is traditionally called a â€Å"welfare state† The Nordic Model differs from other welfare states with an emphasis on maximizing labor force participation, promoting wage and gender equality, and a large amount of wealth distribution. A so called â€Å"welfare state† goes hand in hand with wealth distribution, citizens can count on monetary support during periods of unemployment and on welfare. The redistribution of wealth goes towards many societal needs, which will be explained further. Furthering supporting our transition, Denmark features low barriers to free trade, as well as little product market regulation. In fact, according to OECD rankings, Denmark has one of the highest ratings as far as product market freedom is concerned. We will be able to easily enter into this market, and will have a lot of freedom in regards to product selection, as well as advertising and marketing. This plays into the next few sections of our cultural profile: Kinship and attitudes towards leisure and recreation. Denmark, similar to most of the Nordic region, is one of the most liberal nations in Europe. They have an open attitude towards sex, nudity, and freedom of expression. As you walk around cities in Denmark, you can find advertising that features risquà © situations, and even cursing. The people of Denmark tend to have a darker sense of humor than what we’re acclimated to here in the United States, and often find ways to poke fun even at traditionally somber topics like death. Though we should be careful of how we utilize humor, both in our advertisements and in our work environment. Though good natured, citizens here tend to intensely dislike any joking at the expense of Denmark and its culture, particularly from outsiders. They are very proud of their country, and their family units reflect this. Families in Denmark are traditionally tight, well-knit units, who enjoy a good quality of life. They tend to live a relaxed lifestyle with a focus on family and friends. Bicycles are one of the predominant ways to travel around, especially in bigger cities like Copenhagen. We come to a big difference between the United States and Denmark, in terms of the attitude towards work. Whereas most Americans â€Å"work to live†, in Denmark the opposite is true. The Danish are taught from an early age to choose a profession that they would enjoy working, as opposed to a job taken out of financial necessity. This is reflected on Denmark’s scores in G.L.O.B.E/ Hofstede cultural dimension rankings in â€Å"masculinity†, which are very low, as well as â€Å"Uncertainty Avoidance† also being low. This is partly due to the fact that most of the labor market is a part of Trade Unions, as of 2008 Denmark had 67.6% labor union density. There is a partnership between employers, trade unions and the government, whereby these social partners negotiate the terms to regulating the workplace among themselves, rather than the terms being imposed by law. As we transition, we will need to make contact with these unions, and work closely with them to come up with rules and regulations for International Jeans that work for the native population. Another workplace difference is in the amount of work per week and the vacation time allotted. The Danish work an average of 37 hours a week, generally calling it a day around 4pm local time. Expatriates should be made aware that the Danish are not impressed with managers that work 50-60 hours a week. As mentioned previously, they believe in a balance between work and life, and would view those who worked considerably more hours to be less efficient at their jobs. In the United States, there are no laws concerning paid vacations or time off. To contrast, in Denmark paid time off is actually mandated by law. The Danish usually receive a minimum of 5 weeks of vacation, plus national holidays. These are factors we need to consider when hiring local workers. Other characteristics of the Danish work environment include high job mobility, as employees and managers are encouraged to take risks and make decisions that a more conservative American manager might not make. In general, Danish company activities are less structured and less formal, which is reflected again by the low score in the â€Å"Uncertainty Avoidance† category. There is a low level of Assertiveness on the Hofstede scale, as the strength of unions and the desire of the Danish to care about their work come together to make a highly productive and group oriented workplace. We would do well to hire a lot of local talent immediately. We mentioned the large amount of wealth distribution earlier. Denmark ranks highly on the Collectivism scale. Being a social welfare economy, much of that money is poured into both the Educational system as well as Healthcare. The Danish education system provides access to primary school, secondary school and higher education. All university education in Denmark is free; there are no tuition fees to enroll in courses. Danish universities and other higher education institutions offer international students a range of opportunities for obtaining an internationally recognized qualification in Denmark, and many classes are taught in English. Our company should take advantage of this when looking to hire. In addition to free education, there is also Universal Healthcare for all Danish citizens, paid primarily by taxes. Denmark spends 9.8% of GDP on healthcare. The life expectancy in Denmark is 78.6 years, and there is one doctor for every 294 persons in Denmark. It should be noted, that these social services also leads to a high tax rate for Danish citizens, hovering near 48-49% Communicating Across Cultures As we work towards bringing International Jean Co. to Denmark, we need to be aware of the similarities and differences in the way our two countries communicate. The characteristics of that communication, and the interplay between American expatriates and Danish locals will determine how well our new company will function as an overseas entity. We will begin by looking at native language, as well as the amount of English saturation in Denmark. The native language of Denmark is Danish, with other regional languages such as Faroese, Greenlandic, and German officially recognized. In selecting expatriates, we should look to be choosing managers that are able to speak Danish, or willing to quickly learn. However, we shouldn’t feel like the ability to speak the language is mandatory for expatriates. One of the great aspects of setting up our business in Denmark is that there is a very high proportion of Danish citizens who speak English. In the educational system, it is taught as the primary foreign language. English will be spoken and written well by all relevant levels of the workforce. This is further demonstrated by the fact that many commercials and advertisements, as well as trademarks, are used directly in Denmark without translation. The people of Denmark are, generally speaking, friendly but blunt in their speech with one another. Concerning Hofstede dimensions, they rank very highly in the â€Å"Humane† category. They tend to shy away from confrontation, so our expatriates are going to need to tread softly when it comes to moment of direct communication regarding mistakes or problems. Direct debate is encouraged, but keeping confrontational phrasing out of it is important. The Danish tend to be very plain speaking when communicating, which can be mistaken for rudeness in other cultures. Our managers need to be aware of this, so they know that they aren’t necessarily being insulted when talking about work issues. Like the United States, Denmark is a â€Å"low-context† culture. They tend to be direct and explicit when communicating among one another, and tend not to rely on non-verbal communication. They prefer to have direct conversations, either by phone or face-to-face, though increasingly more electronic communication has taken over. Also like the United States, Denmark is also considered a â€Å"low-contact† culture. They prefer a minimum of an arm’s length of personal space, and do not enjoy overly aggressive physical contact. Body language is very restricted, which can make interpreting responses and feedback difficult. Time is another major factor that we as Americans have in common with Denmark. The Danish follow a monochronic time system, which is more linear in structure as compared to polychronic time. Those practicing monochromic time, such as the Danish, tend to complete tasks one at a time as well as adhere to a stricter schedule. We also share similar views on proxemics, or proximity. The Danish see larger offices and more space as reflective of having more power and esteem. The United States and Denmark have a surprising amount of similarities in how we communicate, both in regards to interpersonal communication as well as in a work environment. This should greatly aid International Jean Co. in a smooth transition from the United States to Denmark. Cross-Cultural Negotiation and Decision Making The Negotiation Process: Danish people of business are usually very experienced in interacting and doing business with visitors from other cultures. They pride themselves on their Danish culture and tend to sometimes not be very open to information or assistance from the outside. Similar to many other countries, people of Denmark shake hands upon meeting. This is also the case when departing. It is good to familiarize yourself with the Danish culture before going in full steam. The Danish official language resembles Swedish and Norwegian, and shares a few commonalities with German, but DO NOT remark or even assume that they are similar. Most businessmen and women in Denmark speak English well, but it is recommended to stay away from using jargon and slang. Danes like to leave space between themselves when interacting, so be aware of other’s personal space and try not to be too touchy-feely. They usually speak in quiet, gentle tones and interrupting is considered rude. Danes usually do not openly show their emotions. Come well prepared! The Danes are meticulous when it comes to analyzing information and proposals. Know your information and bring in copies for your Danish counterpart to examine. Everything should be well organized and do not steer off topic; straight and to the point. Business relationships are often only fairly important in the country, and are typically not a needed requirement for initial business interactions. Just like your goal is to get to know one’s contacts in a host country and build mutual trust before embarking on business discussion and transaction, your counterpart is also trying to learn about you. Danes are cautious and appear to be reserved and proceed slow. Once the trust is well known, there will be a sense of allegiance to you as a respected business partner. Denmark is a democratic and understanding country. It can be cohesive to criticize other people or systems. Bosses are expected to be team leaders rather than private decision-makers. In the country’s business culture, the respect a person takes pleasure in depends mainly on his or her achievements. Well-liked personal traits include individual initiative, knowledge, and expertise. To the Danes, negotiation is a joint problem solving process and the buyer and seller in a deal are equal partners. The primary negotiation style is cooperative and they believe in the concept win-win. It is strongly advisable to avoid any open disagreement and to remain calm, friendly, patient, and determined. The Danish believe in information sharing as a way to build trust with their counterparts but this doesn’t mean that they are going to say everything. A good part of the communication may be in writing, which Danes often prefer. They move through things rather quick and are less observant over detail. They strive to conclude negotiations quickly but this does not mean they will readily accept unfavorable terms. Danes do not like bargaining or haggling such that they do not appreciate aggressive sales techniques. They do prefer negotiating in a straightforward and honest style and may use pressure techniques. When persuading your counterpart avoid aggressive tactics and negotiating with the Danish. If confronted, they will not shy away, but this is almost guaranteed to deteriorate your bargaining position rather than strengthen it. It can also eliminate your relationship. Although a verbal agreement can be considered binding and will most likely be kept, do not consider them final. Only a contract that is signed by the two parties makes up a binding agreement. Written contracts are a serious matter in Denmark. It is best to keep them concise without including too many legalistic details. Signing the contract not only shows your commitment but a strong confirmation of your Danish partners’ commitment also. Works Cited Brunson, Winnon â€Å"Cultural Perspective: A Year in Denmark† 2008 http://blogs.denmark.dk/winnon â€Å"Danish Communication Styles† 2012 http://www.worldbusinessculture.com/Danish-Business-Communication-Style.html â€Å"ET Ã…R I KØBENHAVN: FOLKESUNDHED OG KULTUR† 2011 http://brunsonw.wordpress.com/tag/denmark-and-u-s-cultural-differences â€Å"The Monarchy today† – The Danish Monarchy 16, June 2012 kongehuset.dk â€Å"ETLA: The Nordic Model† http://www.etla.fi/files/1892_the_nordic_model_complete.pdf â€Å"The Nordic Model† Nordic Labour Journal: In Focus. 2001 http://www.nordiclabourjournal.org/i-fokus/in-focus-2001/the-nordic-model â€Å"Business Negotiations in Denmark† http://www.danishnet.com/info.php/business/negotiation-76.html â€Å"Business Etiquette in Denmark† http://www.danishnet.com/info.php/business/meeting-etiquette-38.html â€Å"Negotiating International Business The Negotiator’s Reference Guide to 50 Countries Around the World† Katz, Lothar. 2007 www.globalnegotiationresources.com/cou/Denmark.pdf â€Å"Doing Business in Denmark† Kroman, Reumart. 11 February, 2005. www.mittlerer-niederhein.ihk.de/media/upload/ihk/imap//daenemark_doing_business_050211

Access To Humanities And Social Science Sociology Essay

Access To Humanities And Social Science Sociology Essay This essay will explore the concept of the family, and how it has changed over time. The family is an enduring institution over time and within different cultural settings such as nomadic, tribal, agrarian, industrial and post- industrial. The history of man is essentially linked to that of the family; for instance, the most powerful narrative of the western world is arguably the bible, and it gives the defining genealogy of mankind. A central theme of the bible is family history which links the main players from Adam and Eve through to Jesus himself, for instance; who doesnt know Jesus was from the line of David? It is, amongst other things, an extensive documentation of family. It is said that in pre-industrial Britain, the family had different a different social agenda and a different focus than that of the family in the industrial revolution that followed. Before industrialisation Britain was an agricultural country with most of its population working on the land. It is widely believed that the extended family was prevalent in these times. Social historian Philippe Aries (1962) suggested that children of this time were regarded as little adults who took part in the work place and were thought of as an economic asset. He argued that as their death rate was so high, there were difficulties in investing emotionally in children. In medieval society the idea of childhood did not exist; www.google.com/www.ehs.org.uk/society/pdfs/Hendrick%2015a.pdf On the other hand, Peter Laslett (1972-77), studied pre industrial family structures and suggested that neither kinship, nor the classic extended families were typical family structures in pre industrial Britain or America, he suggested the figures showed these families made up less than 10% of the family population in. After extensive research on family sizes in Britain he reversed the argument that the nuclear family came about in reaction to industrialisation, stating that the nuclear family was to be found in pre industrial Britain, and that there was evidence of the same in much of Europe, the nuclear family had economic, political and social consequences that prepared Britain and Europe for early industrialisation. He called the nuclear family of this time the western family. His studies also led him to conclude that the classic extended family was found more widely in Eastern Europe and in countries such as Russia and Japan. Anderson (1980) argued that there was a greater variety of family structure than Laslett implied in his research, implying pre industrial Europe was characterised by family diversity. Anderson used data from the 1851 census of Preston and concluded that 23% of the households of the working classes contained kin beyond that of the nuclear family, a much larger figure than that of Lasletts findings. Preston was largely reliant on the cotton trade in these times, and he concluded that in these times of hardship, resulting from spells of high unemployment, low wages, high death rates and overcrowded housing, large kinship networks would be beneficial to all parties. For example, the parents of spouses would often live in the same household, providing them with child care whilst they were out at work. In turn the grandparents were cared for. Andersons studies led him to conclude that the working class family of the mid nineteenth century acted as a mutual aid organisation. Anderson argued that industrialisation increased rather than decreased extensions of working class nuclear families. In1949 functionalist George Murdock published his studies on the institution of the family, looking at a wide range of societies (250) from large scale industrial, to small hunter gatherer societies. He concluded that a form of the family existed in every society. Murdock defined the family (1949) It includes adults of both sexes, at least two of whom maintain a socially approved relationship, and one or more children, own or adopted, of sexually cohabiting adults.; Haralambos Holborn, Sociology Themes and perspectives Seventh edition, pg 460. Murdock defined the family as living together, pooling its resources, working together, and producing offspring. He also thought of the family as functioning with at least two of its adult members conducting a sexual relationship, depending on the norms of its society. For example in Muslim countries it is allowed for the male to have up to four wives. Murdock defined the family as being a universal social institution. Functionalist views are often referred to as conservative thinking, preserving or maintaining the status quo. Arguments opposing functionalist theories emerge from Marxist and feminist ideology, as often in their fundamental nature, they will challenge or change existing perceived oppression and exploitation, with feminists exposing, or trying to change oppression of women, and in Marxist ideology, exposing and theorizing on the exploitation and oppression of the working classes. (1884) Engles studied the evolution of the family with a Marxist outlook. Engles argued that the monogamous nuclear family developed as the state passed laws to protect private property, and to enforce monogamous marriage. The nuclear monogamous family solved the problem of the inheritance of property, and gave men certainty as to the legitimacy of their heirs. Engels stated that the monogamous family asserted male supremacy; the express purpose being to produce children of undisputed paternity, such paternity is demanded because these children are later to come into their fathers property Engles (1972) first published (1884), Haralambos Holborn, Sociology Themes and perspectives Seventh edition pg464. Marxist feminists see women as being unequal in society and in the family; they assert the inequality of patriarchal systems in society such as the family. This group of feminist psychologists see the problems facing women in society as being capitalist, but unlike Marxists, who concentrate on capitalism and its effects on the family, the Marxist feminist would focus on its effects on women. Speaking of housewives Benston commented (1972) The amount of unpaid labour performed by women is very large and profitable to those who own the means of production pg466. She would assert that the male member of the family pays for the running of a future work force (his children) and the financial care of his wife, and as a result, he is trapped in the cogs of capitalism. Talcot Parsons (1959-65b) was an influential Functionalist sociologist who asserted that the American family had, by this point in the evolution of the American society, been reduced to two main functions; the stabilisation of children, and the stabilisation of the adult personalities. Parsons identified the typical family in modern industrial society as the isolated nuclear family, and argued; as the society evolves and becomes engaged in processes of structural differentiation, the functions of the family are diminished. Parsons thought that as institutions develop within society, there would be a transfer of a variety of functions from the nuclear family to other structures of society, Haralambos Holborn, Sociology Themes and perspectives Seventh edition pg47. The Education system, Health and Welfare systems were all seen as examples of this transference of functions. He argued that the isolated nuclear family helps to maintain and perpetuate the wider society. He continued that ascribed status that is given to its members within the family, directly contrasts with status that has to be achieved in society at large. It is because it is isolated it can manage this discrepancy; if it was not, extended tensions could arise. An example of this is the position Parsons gives to the male within the family, head of the family, which may contradict with a lower economic status outside the family, but it is managed within the isolated nuclear family. In an extended family, another male in the household who was on more pay than the spouse, would reduce that males status within his family. The family had become structurally isolated and family relationships were more of a matter of choice than blinding obligations. Parsons saw these existing functions of the nuclear family as being vital functions in maintaining the American way of life. (1976) Zaretsky gave a Marxist outlook; in researching the developments of the family in industrialised societies he asserted the family props up capitalism Haralambos Holborn, Sociology Themes and perspectives Seventh edition p465. Zaretsky (1976) asserted that only with industrialisation, work and family life separated. He noted that the family was seen as a refuge in a terrible anonymous world of commerce and industry. But unlike Parsons, who was pro capitalism, he would say that the family perpetuates capitalism and inequality; in the unpaid labour of women, creating new labour forces, and in the family being a unit of consumption that allowed the bourgeoisie too prosper. Zaretsky saw socialism as the familys answer to the evils of capitalism. Marxist feminist Fran Ansley echoed the Marxist view point when she asserted wives play their traditional role as takers of shit, they often absorb their husbands legitimate anger and frustration at their own powerlessness and oppression. Hers was the view that married working class women cushion their husbands ill feelings at their powerlessness within the work place. There are three periods in the development of feminism; the first being political, mainly campaigning for womens rights to vote. The second period of feminist development was in the 1960s depicting the rise of the womans liberation movement which dealt with social and economic discrimination, with feminists of the time campaigning for womens rights and to change legislation. The third period is said to have continued from the second, but also in reaction to what had already been achieved by feminists through legislation. This period is said to have started in the 1990s and has continued to present times. There are different groups of feminists, who have differing opinions concerning womens issues and what is the best way forward for womankind. It is said that in modern times feminism has splintered into different groups, reflecting the needs of a multi cultural society. Addressing, for example, feminism from a cultural point of view; such as honour killings, and arranged marriages, w hich pose considerable problems for the agents of a host society. Different groups of feminist sociologists include liberal feminism; which is a less extreme form of feminism than others. Commenting on liberal feminism Susan Wendel remarks, one of the modern political goals most closely associated with liberal feminism is equality of opportunity which would undoubtedly require and lead to both; www.google.com /en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liberal feminism. They see women as having equality, but would look at a womens ability to show or uphold her equality in the decisions and actions she makes. A liberal feminist would say that a woman needs to mould herself to fit citizenship in a social structure constructed in the interests of men. They also believe that socialisation needs to be addressed, as in its current form, it can often perpetuate the inequalities that women face in society; an example of this would be girls toys like dolls and prams conditioning them into their future role as ho use wives and mothers. Liberal feminist Jennifer Somerville (2000) sees our society as being much more equal in recent years. She believes that laws need to be passed to make heterosexual marriages more equal in order to address the family breakdown. Radical Feminists believe women are unequal in society. Women are exploited in patriarchal society. Some radical feminists believe the answer is separatism; meaning that men and women should live apart. Radical feminist Germaine Greer (2000) remarks on high profile family couples; her eyes should be fixed on him but he should do his best never to be caught looking at her. The relationship must be seen to be unequal Haralambos Holborn, Sociology Themes and perspectives Seventh edition pg 468. She argues that women seem oblivious to the misgivings of marriage but the inequalities soon become apparent, and that male sexuality requires the added stimulus of novelty. She points to the fact that three quarters of divorces in Britain are instigated by women, as evidence that women will no longer suffer in silence for the illusion of a stable family life. She sees this as a good thing for women. Difference feminist, Calhoun (1997) states that heterosexual relationships exploit women, and that gay and lesbian relationships reduce that exploitation. She remarks that gays and lesbians have historically been depicted as family outlaws. Calhoun sees another type of family outlaw; the unwed welfare mother. Calhoun thinks that these family outlaws have been blamed for the breakdown of the traditional family, and of a moral decline within society. Difference feminism has been influenced by liberal, Marxist and radical feminism and has connotations with post modern theories. But where Marxist, and radical feminist movements are insensitive to family variation. Difference feminists focus on these family variations and there effects. American Difference Feminist Linda Nicholson (1977) states that women can benefit from living in an alternative family, that other theorists and sociologists have over idealised the nuclear family and undermined the alternative family. Examples of alternative families are; families with a stay at home father, heterosexual families living outside marriage, step families and homosexual families to name a few. She points out that the nuclear family had only been the norm since the fifties, and that even then it was uncommon for groups such as the African American working classes. Nicholson says that changes in society such as Increased participation of married women in the labour force, and the growth of female-headed households were making this way of life increasingly atypical; Nicholson (1997) pg471. She sees benefits for women living in an alternative family; black women benefiting from mother centred families, as with no male presents, the women often group together forming strong support networks. Also in times of financial hardship, friends and kin act as a social insurance system, helping financially. Nicholson saw disadvantages for women in an alternative family as being; if the family did come into money, they would then be expected to, in turn, help their network of close friends and family financially, another disadvantage of this type of alternative family would be that children had no father figure, unlike in many middle class households. Nicholson also looked at the advantages and disadvantages of the nuclear family. Disadvantages are that with both parents having to work, the childrens upbringing can be negatively affected, and with such a structure, abused children often had nowhere to turn within a nuclear family. Nicholson would assert that an advantage of being in a nuclear family would be that there is a much greater chance of being economically successful as often, both parents are working, and that the nuclear family doesnt have to redistrib ute its wealth. Nicholson would argue that different families and households should be acknowledged because they suit women in differing circumstances. Examine the changing and diverse nature of the family in modern society; the modern family has become increasingly diverse in structure in todays modern western world. The nuclear family is no longer seen as the norm by many sociologists, and other family structures such as: lone parent families, matriarchal families, reconstructed families (step families), Homosexual families, mixed race families, and ethnic minority families, have become more common place in modern western societies. One form of family which has attracted criticism in recent years is the lone parent family. This type of family structure is now much more prevalent in the western world, in Britain alone, it is said that there has been a thirty per cent increase in lone parent families in the last ten years. Around a quarter of all families are headed by one parent in Britain today. The new right (modern functionalists) believe that the nuclear family is the ideal family structure, and view lone parent families and sa me sex families as harmful to society. From a new right perspective, lone parent families mostly have no father figure to financially provide for the family, making it financially dependent on the state. Also they would argue that the lack of a male role model is a negative force in the socialization process of children. Other criticisms of lone parent families and their financial reliance upon the state, it is argued, is that they have eroded the responsibilities of fathers, who are much more likely to be involved in antisocial behaviour. New right thinkers believe that single parent families have helped to create an underclass in Britains society: who see no need to work, who often live in poverty, whose children are more likely to under achieve in school, and are more likely to be involved in a wide range of social problems. The new right would go so far as to say that there is a generation of a young underclass of females who regard pregnancy as a ticket to receiving housing, an d financial support from the state, but others would say that this is a simplistic outlook and that it is unfair to stigmatise single parent families, or to blame them for the problems within society. Mary McIntosh (1996) pointed out that over recent years, the media in the United Kingdom have been reflecting a concern about lone mothers that amounts to a moral panic pg478. Also, it is mostly not the case that these, mostly teenage girls, get pregnant to be housed and supported by the state, as in most cases, they see a future with their partners, but the relationship breaks down. E.E Ceshmore (1985) speaking of the darker side family life and how it serves male interests asserted that the idea of breaking free of marriage and raising children single handed has its appeals pg488. She continued that it must be preferable for a child to grow up with one caring parent, than live with two warring parents. Another new form of family structure in todays Western society is same sex families. Recent changes in attitudes towards gays and lesbian behaviours and in the law (the UKs Civil Partnership Act of 2004) have enabled this new form of family. Often same sex households will define their households as chosen families, with more choices available than traditional heterosexual families, these families adopt their offspring in most cases, but there is the option of producing a child in a laboratory using donated sperm for some women. It has also been known for homosexuals to conceive children, and for gay couples to use a surrogate mother in order to start a family. Geffery Weeks (1999) stated; they choose whom to include in their family and negotiate what are often fairly egalitarian relationships pg484. Weeks goes on to argue that this type of family is based on individual freedoms, and participation within this family is a matter of bargaining instead of merely adopting the traditional roles within the traditional heterosexual family. Arguments against same sex couples come from the new right and religious groups who argue that the socialisation process of children within these families is undermined by the lack of an adult of the other sex in a same sex family. Generally it is seen as a threat to the traditional models of the heterosexual family. There have been different ethnic groups immigrating to the UK throughout the 20th century. These families have brought with them different norms and values, and different ways of bringing up their offspring. For example, Black Afro Caribbean families, whose structure is often fundamentally matriarchal (single Mothers rearing the children) provide economically for the unit. It is often the case that families originating from Southern Asia often contain extended families. Studies on British Asian families, Muslim: Pakistani, Bangladeshi, and Indian: Hindu and Sikh, found that there was a continued emphasis on family loyalty and an effort to maintain traditional marriage practices such as arranged marriages. Ballard commented that this was because upon arriving in Britain, many Asians saw British culture as placing little emphasis on family traditions, or on maintaining kinship ties. These observations resulted in a strong desire to uphold their traditional family ways and try to insure that their children upheld these traditions also. British Asian families often have members of a third generation living in a household, mostly the parents of the mother or father. A Sikh tradition is that when the eldest son marries, his wife moves into the household to help care for the spouses parents. This tradition of collective responsibility can be beneficial to members of the family, and the wider society. For instance, the caring of elderly relatives and child care arrangement of the children are traditionally provided for within the family unit, therefore these families have no need to rely on the state financially. On the other hand it could be argued that women in these families are closely monitored and there is the potential for their exploitation, and their abuse in some cases. Honour killings for example, can be seen as an extreme cultural behaviour, which pose a serious problem in modern society. Different sociological groups have differing opinions regarding the changes in family structures, in changing attitudes towards what is the norm regarding the concept of the family, and the consequences these shifts have incurred. Some point to changes in the law in the sixties and 1970, The Sex Discrimination Act 1975, and changes in legislation that made it easier to divorce. Some sociologists see these changes in legislation as a turning point which saw the start of the decline of the nuclear family as the norm. Germaine Greers book, The Female Eunuch, published in 1970, helped to bring womens liberation to a wide audience of young women. In it, Greer commented that opponents of the liberation of women were more clear sighted than those who believed that equality for women would not upset anything. She went on to say that, when we reap the harvest, which the unwitting suffragettes sowed, we will see that the anti-feminists were after all right. M Abbott/ Family Affairs/ pg121. Oth er sociologists believe that the breakdown of the nuclear family is not down to just these changes in legislation, but point to changes in norms, values and in attitudes in modern times. They point to the numbers of divorces, and assert that most people still believe in marriage as the ideal way in which to bring up a family, but greater freedom and expectations for women have led to the divorce rate rising. Sociologists such as Abbot and Wallice recognise increasing family diversity but view the decline of the nuclear family and of marriages as having been exaggerated by the New Right for political reasons. They assert that, seven out of eight children are born to parents living together, three quarters of whom are legally married. Only one in five children will experience parental divorce by the time he or she is 16. Pg508