Comparison and Contrast Uk and Russia

As two countries that have different cultures, economics, and politics, Russia and United Kingdom have developed their own education systems respectively, which have their differences and in certain circumstances similarities. In the paragraphs that follow, some major aspect of these will be covered. This essay will present the main structures of the education systems in both countries and will compare and contrast the two systems in terms of number of taught subjects, the structure of educational institutes and the ability to pursue higher education at the universities. I will consider both paid and free education.Pre-higher education Today's education system in Russia is federal and centralized. Currently, it consists of, pre-school education, primary education, secondary education of 5 years, full secondary education and higher education. Formal education is from the age of 7 till 18. The duration of the school year is 34 weeks. Students are trained 5 to 6 days a week. In Russia, many types of secondary schools exist, such as common schools, lyceums, gymnasiums, etc. , and they teach variety of different educational programs. In Russia, as in the UK, private and public schools are differentiated.Basic education lasts for 9 years (9 classes). It is completed by successfully passing the â€Å"GIA† exam (State Final Attestation). After finishing 9 classes students are thought to have acquired incomplete secondary education. At the end of the 11th class students pass the â€Å"RSE† exam (Russian State Exam) and successful pass completed their secondary education. Students normally go to university from the age of 18 to do their academic degree. A modern system of education in UK consists of early childhood education, primary education, secondary education and higher education.Across the country a free public education for all children between the ages of 5 to 16 years exists. The duration of the academic year at schools is 38 weeks. The year is div ided into trimesters, which are separated by holidays: summer (6 weeks), Christmas and Easter (2-3 weeks). A week break is provided in the mid of trimester. The working week lasts for 5 days. The school day usually lasts from 9:00 to 15:30, with a lunch break in between. Although counterintuitive in UK paid schools are called ‘public schools’ and free are called ‘state’ schools. However for the purposes of this essay I will name chools which are paid – private, which are free – public. They take the primary school graduates with different levels of mental abilities. They were organized with the aim of creating equal opportunities for education. In grammar schools the child receives a general upper secondary education. The principle of differentiated curriculum serves as the basis of teaching at this type of schools. High School is completed by successfully passing the GCSE exams (General Certificate of Secondary Education). ___________________ ____________________________________________________________ (http://www. mpeloverseas. com/StudyAbroad/UK/UK-Education-System. aspx) Higher education Education in Russia is provided predominantly by the state and is regulated by the Ministry of Education and Science. Regional authorities regulate education within their jurisdictions in context of the prevailing framework of federal laws. Depending on the number of areas of study, students are divided into colleges, universities, academies and institutes. University graduates may have following qualifications: bachelor, graduate, master's degree in the relevant areas of training (specialization).Graduate who has successfully passed the final state certification by doing an accredited educational program in an accredited educational institute receives a transcript of his qualifications of his level of education. Russia is in the process of migrating from its traditional tertiary education model, incompatible with existing Western aca demic degrees, to a modernized degree structure in line with Bologna Process model. Russia had enacted a law that replaces the traditional five-year model of education with a two-tiered approach, namely a four-year bachelors’ degree followed by a two-year of masters’ (Russian magistr) degree.However, regardless of the changes made by the state, training methodology and the quantity of taught subjects have survived. In the first two years of an undergraduate degree, all students regardless of their degree end up studying between 12 and 15 subjects. And on the third and fourth courses, it reduces to 3 to 5 subjects specifically targeting their chosen profession. Furthermore general education in Russia is free and is guaranteed by the constitution of the country. However there is also an option of paid education. Furthermore if a andidate has fallen short of the entry requirements of any particular university, the ‘university commission’ may give him an oppo rtunity to still study there, but on paid basis. In all public universities 80% of the seats are for free study, and only 20% is for paid. All students who are studying for free get a stipend (study salary). The fellowship amount is dependent on the rating of the university. However Russian education for international students is only on paid for basis, but they have the opportunity to study free if they receive a special scholarship from the Russian state.It is conditional on passing an exam called â€Å"RSE† (Russian State Exam). There are also few private universities, which are can issue state diplomas. But often, due to low ratings in the league table and poorer quality of education, these universities are not popular. In Russia, a degree from a state university is valued higher than independent one, for the purposes of a future employment. Historically in UK, all undergraduate education outside the private University of Buckingham and BPP University College was largely state-financed, with a small contribution from top-up fees, however fees of up to ? ,000 per annum will be charged from October 2012 onwards2. ————————————————- The typical first degree offered at English universities is the bachelor's degree, and usually lasts for three years. Many institutions now offer an ‘undergraduate master's degree’ as a first degree, which typically lasts for four years. During a first degree students are known as undergraduates. The difference in fees between undergraduate and traditional postgraduate master's degrees (and the possibility of securing LEA funding for the former) makes taking an undergraduate master's degree as a first degree a more attractive option.However the novelty of an ‘undergraduate master's’ degrees means that the relative educational merit of it is currently unclear. 2 ( http://en. wikipedia. org/ wiki/Education_in_England#Fees) Some universities offer a part-time education, which typically lasts for two years and is tailored for those students who want to do their university degree but also wish to remain in employment. Regarding the number taught subjects, British universities concentrate most of their attention on subjects that are needed for ones profession. They are usually no more than -5 subjects and make up ‘core’ of the degree. Studying and successfully passing these subjects is crucial for one to qualify in their degree. Such system makes it possible for universities to prepare highly skilled workers. It helps for the graduates to be competitive in the labor market, as professional edge is crucial in today’s era of globalization and migration of labor from around the world. Regardless of the differences and similarities of educational systems in the UK and Russia, education remains one of the most important aspects of the development of the count ry.

Comparing Classic Cinderella to Disney’s Cinderella

Karyn Eck English 102-1025 M. Barros Final Draft Disney Predecessors February 17, 2013 Classic vs. Modern Cinderella is a classic fairytale most little girls look up to and dream about. They watch the story of Cinderella enduring hardship and cruelty then wind up with her Prince in the end. These young girls fantasize and wish for their life to be exactly like Cinderella’s story. Children most often don’t grow up reading this original fairytale from a book, they only watch the Walt Disney version and know of nothing else.So it is expected to think that they would grow up and never know that there was a different tale of Cinderella that had been told. Present day shows that this original fairytale is becoming more and more known though. So, it would be safe to say that the number of people who know of the original fairytale by their adulthood, is about to go up. The original fairytale of Cinderella, written by Charles Perrault, has many differences than Walt Disneyâ€⠄¢s version, but there are also many similarities.One of the first noticeable differences in the beginning was that in the book Cinderella’s father does not die, and is indeed still alive throughout the story. Although he is not mentioned after the beginning, it is known that he is not dead. The book simply states, â€Å"Once upon a time there was a gentlemen whose second wife was the proudest and haughtiest woman imaginable,† then the father was not to be mentioned again unless it was by Cinderella herself (78). The movie production by Walt Disney altered this detail of the story tremendously. The father went from being nonexistent to becoming ill and dying.This creates more of a dramatic setting in the very beginning. I believe that Walt Disney intentionally wanted that, to glorify Cinderella’s strength and will power. In the video production it is not known how Cinderella actually got her name, it is just assumed that she was born with her name. The writing b y Perrault says differently though. Charles Perrault writes in the original story that, â€Å"When she had finished her work she would sit huddled in the chimney corner among the cinders, and so it was that she came to be known as Cinderpuss,† (78).He also states that the younger of her stepsisters called her Cinderella, and that is how her name came to be. In the movie it appears that the step sisters are made out to be as evil as can be, whereas in the book it almost seems like they have a tiny bit of empathy towards Cinderella at times. The â€Å"beginning† of the story also differs in length. In the movie there is a longer timespan between the start of the story and the ball than in the book. The book is based almost solely on what happens at the ball. Whereas the movie has more of a story to it and involves more characters than the book does.The book also bases Cinderella’s story off of two different royal balls rather than just a single royal ball. The sto ry in the book touches briefly on all of the work and chores that Cinderella is forced to do. This is the last time that Cinderella’s father is mentioned in the story, she says, â€Å"She dared not complain to her father because he was entirely ruled by his wife and would have only scolded her,† (78). Thus showing that her father is indeed alive and well, just not a big part in the fairytale. In the movie is it noticed right away how much the stepmother and sisters rely on Cinderella.From early in the morning to late at night Walt Disney made sure to make it known how hard she was working nonstop throughout the day. Perrault seems to make it known, but not anything more. The relationship between Cinderella and her stepsisters also differs in the original from Disney’s version. The book has multiple civil conversations between the sisters and Cinderella, and even has a part where they come to Cinderella for advice and out of the kindness Cinderella has, offers to do their hair for them. Perrault writes on page 81 in reference to the ball, â€Å"They called in Cinderella, who had excellent taste, and asked her advice.She gave them the best in the world and offered to do their hair for them, an offer they were very glad to accept. † In the movie, Disney portrays the sister’s characters as so stuck up that they would never take advice from a servant like Cinderella, and the thought of Cinderella advising them would completely repulse them. Walt Disney never made a scene in the movie where the stepsisters and Cinderella were civil with each other, it was always an argument between them or rude commands made by them towards Cinderella. Perrault doesn’t even make the stepsisters in the book important enough to make their names well know.He only referred to them as the younger and elder of the two sisters besides one time where he called one of the sisters by name, Javotte. Another major difference in the book from the movie w ould be the characters. The book is more simplistic with the characters whereas the movie is made a bit more complex. Cinderella is made one with nature and all of nature’s animals in the Walt Disney production. She is a friend with almost all of the animals she comes into contact with in the film. The mice seem to play a bigger role in the movie than the stepsisters do. Cinderella has a give and take relationship with her animal friends.She clothes, feeds, and nurtures them, while they also help her with whatever they can, like making her dress for example. Although she isn’t fond of Lucifer, she still sticks up for him in the movie when she scolds Bruno for dreaming about chasing cats. In the book, the only animals mentioned are the ones Cinderella’s fairy godmother sends her for. But they have no name and barely any part in the story; they are only used for Cinderella to get to the ball. When it comes to the royal ball part of the story, there are so many dif ferences, yet it is also very similar.The movie is based on a single ball that Cinderella gets to go to with the help of her fairy godmother and that is where she loses her glass slipper. It is all in one night that Cinderella’s fairy godmother turns her mice friends into horses, her horse into the coachmen, and Bruno into the footman to take her to the ball in her pumpkin carriage. The storyline in the book is a little different than that. Perrault writes it to where Cinderella’s fairy godmother simply summons her to go get random animals in traps, cages, or behind the water butt to make into her horses, coachmen, and footman.And as for her pumpkin carriage, there was actually work that had to be done before turning it straight into the magnificent carriage. Perrault writes on page 83, â€Å"Her godmother scooped out the inside and when only the rind was left she touched it with her wand. † Whereas in the movie all she did was wave her wand and the pumpkin danc ed to life. Cinderella’s elegant gown in the book was made only once and by her fairy godmother. Compared to in the movie where Cinderella’s animal friends made her first dress for her and her second dress came from her fairy godmother.The last major difference in the royal balls would be that in the movie there is only one and in the book there are two that Cinderella asks her fairy godmother to go to, and the second one is where she loses her glass slipper rather than in the movie where she loses it at the first and only ball she attends. The character of the Prince also differs in the movie from in the original written fairytale. In the film the Prince was not informed of this mysterious and beautiful maiden who was actually Cinderella. He saw her on his own inside the palace and then decided to go up to her.In the written version though, the Prince was instantly informed of her arrival and he himself was the one to escort her from her carriage. Perrault writes, â⠂¬Å"The king’s son was told that a great princess had arrived whom nobody knew, and he hurried to welcome her,† (87). After this point Cinderella’s character is somewhat different. For example in the book Cinderella goes up to her stepsisters and gives them fruit that the Prince gave her and shows them nothing but kindness, whereas in the movie Cinderella completely avoids them because she is afraid that they will recognize her.When the Prince’s father talks about Cinderella, she is said to be the most attractive girl he has seen in a long time. The king is saying this to the queen in this part in the written story, but in the movie there is no queen that is even mentioned or spoken to. The ending of this fairytale only differs slightly in the two versions. They both end with similarities that include her leaving at the strike of midnight, her leaving her glass slipper, and the Prince yearning to know who she was and being determined to find out.One small difference that was noticed was in the book when Cinderella was leaving the ball the second night. The written version says, â€Å"The guards at the palace gate were asked if they had seen a princess leaving, but they said the only person who had gone out was a little ragged girl who looked more like a peasant than a princess,† (93). In the movie Cinderella changed back as soon as she was arriving home, unlike the book where she changed back before she even made it out of the palace. The stepsister’s part in the fairytale also differs in the end.In the movie they are still as rude and snobby as can be when they find out it was Cinderella who was the beauty at the ball. And in the book Perrault makes them out to throw away their pride and beg for forgiveness from Cinderella. He again displays Cinderella’s kind heart when he writes, â€Å"They threw themselves at her feet and begged her to forgive them for all their unkindness. Cinderella raised them up and kisse d them, telling them she forgave them with all her heart and hoped they would always love her,† (97).Even after they could not fit the tiny slipper onto their own feet, they were not bitter but only remorseful for what they had done. In the movie the stepmother thought she had won when she managed to break the glass slipper, but was also bitter and angry when she saw that Cinderella had the other one. Their characters were cut right then and there in movie. Compared to in the book, Cinderella showed her compassionate side and had her two stepsisters moved into the palace right away. The moral of the story of Cinderella remains the same through the book and the movie.That is the one part that does not differ one bit. Disney decided to keep the moral of working hard to get where you want to be, and to never give up on your dreams. The two men just went about getting the moral across to the readers/viewers in different ways. I can see however that the overall tone of the story ch anged between the two men. Disney made is much more clear how much of a victim Cinderella really was in his movie by focusing more on her abusive mother and sisters, whereas Perrault made it known she had lots of chores but focused more on the happy parts of the story.Disney would chose to make his movie this was so that the â€Å"fairytale ending† would be much more glamorous in the end. Disney was focused on what ways he can alter this story to make it sell, and Perrault was a man of simplicity and wrote the story only to create a feeling of happiness among his readers. Works Cited Perrault, Charles. Perrault's Classic French Fairy Tales. â€Å"Cinderella or The Little Glass Slipper†. Meredith Press, 1967. 78-97. Disney Corp. Cinderella, 1965, Film.

Yahoo's Organization Structure Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Yahoo's Organization Structure - Research Paper Example For example Executive Vice President, Service Engineering & Operations demonstrates division by function while Executive Vice President, Americas and Senior Vice President & MD, EMEA Region show division by geography. Yahoo has been too reliant on its U.S. business over the years which mean that the approach it uses in the US would not be the same as what it needs to use in the other regions where it is still growing its market share. This makes it sensible to separate the US business unit from those of other geographies. For an organization of its size with more than 13,700 employees division by function makes it easier to demarcate responsibility for revenue targets and expense management. What is your company’s strategy? Is it successful? Yahoo demonstrates two strategies. In its dominant US market, the company is pursuing organizational renewal to reverse organizational decline and put the firm back on a more appropriate path to success. The company’s decline was la rgely due to over-expansion of its product line and inability to deal with shifts in consumer demand for platforms that are provided by its major rivals: Facebook and Google. Yahoo’s new CEO plans to do away with about 50 properties to enable the company refocus on its core business (Scott Para 1). According to the new CEO, Yahoo has been doing way too much of which only a few things were being done really well (Scott Para 5). The second strategy that Yahoo is pursuing is growth through international strategy. Yahoo’s internationalization is for market-based reasons. Currently Yahoo is too reliant on its U.S. business. The company seeks to capture part of the market share of the growing middle class in emerging economies. Part of this international market development strategy will be through offering of country-specific services. So far none of these two strategies have been implemented long enough to evaluate whether they are successful or not. Does your company o perate within NAFTA or the European Union? Do those free trade agreements/ free trade union benefit or harm your company? Yahoo operates both within NAFTA (US, Canada, Mexico) and the European Union (Germany, Italy, Scandinavian countries etc.). Through its numerous offerings Yahoo is essentially a service-provider. NAFTA eliminated trade barriers in most service sectors and a couple of products as well. This reduction / eliminations of tariff increases trade within the region and hence give confidence to more individuals to use Yahoo platforms to advertise or sell their products or services within the region. This way NAFTA benefits Yahoo. Using the same argument one could say that by increasing trade within continental Europe, the European Union also indirectly benefits Yahoo by increasing the need for an intercontinental platform to advertise or trade in products and services. The company acknowledges as much, though indirectly, in its annual report where it highlights that fluct uations in foreign currency exchange rates as a possible risk factor. Does your company operate in low or high labor rate countries? How does your company try to reduce labor costs? The majority of Yahoo’s staff is located in the US. The company does not have a specific policy geared towards obtaining low or high labor rate countries. Moreover, the company’s core business is largely dependent on proprietary software which is mostly developed in the US. The company has however in some instances purchased technology and license intellectual property rights (Yahoo, Yahoo! Annual Report 2010 11). Yahoo’s solution to lowering labor costs is to eliminate non-performing business units and then to reduce headcount. The company has conducted six

EMPLOYEE RELATIONS Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

EMPLOYEE RELATIONS - Essay Example d higher level of unemployment created as a result of the financial crisis also led to the worsening of relations between employees and the employers. The relations between the trade unions and the employers became relatively more difficult in the wake of the new challenges faced by the firms due to financial crisis. Strikes by the staff of British Airways, rail strike and the possible strike by the fire fighters indicates that the things may not be going very well and there is a greater need for managing the employee relations in more effective manner. This also depends upon what approaches managers take while managing the industrial relations within their organizations. Unitary and pluralistic approaches therefore both define and parameterize the way managers and other stakeholders actually manage the relationships between the different groups of stakeholders including the employees. It has been argued that the frame of references adapted by the managers actually condition the response of the managers towards different situations faced. Frame of reference therefore becomes critical because it is based on this that individuals make decisions which are than subsequently applied under organizational environment. Unitary frame of reference indicates that there is one goal in organizations towards which every person in the organization works. This approach also advocates that there is only sense of authority and conflict is not viewed favorably. Mostly the managers consider themselves and other fellow managers to follow this perspective and expect that their subordinates also follow and internalize this philosophy.( Leat, 2007). Pluralistic frame of reference however, sees the organization as a collection of different groups with either the same or even conflicting interests with each other. It is because of this reason that it is expected that the different stakeholders under this frame of reference often formulate the strategic alliances and these strategic

Greek and Roman art Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Greek and Roman art - Essay Example The Greek Architecture is roughly divided into the Archaic Age, Classical age and the Hellenistic age. The period starting from 800-500 BC is known as the Archaic age (Pedly, 2007).. Structured temples with a rectangular shape centre and portico in the front started to appear in the Archaic Age. Excavations dating earlier to this age were found in Heroon at Lefkandi a village in Euboea Island (Catling et al., 1991). This structure was referred to as â€Å"Heroon† meaning the â€Å"Heroes Grave†. The mound is nearly 13.8 meters wide. The excavation here dated back to 950 BC. A cemetery like structure with the remains of a man’s ash and a women’s body were found here in 1960 (Lemos, 2009). The Lefkandi excavations are considered quite significant in the history of Greek Architecture because they provide ample insight into the late bronze and early ion age civilizations like Xeropolis (Lemos, 2009). Excavations carried out in Lefkandi in 2003 bought up severa l cemeteries in the area similar to the Heroon of Lefkandi. The structures of these cemeteries are the base of later Greek temples built in the Archaic age. There is a wooden veranda similar to the later days Greek temples Portico. The ashes of the man were stored in a bronze amphora with carvings depicting hunting scenes (Catling et al., 1991). ... The area surrounding Lefkandi is widely known as Old Eretria. These people who settled here should have live here from the early Bronze Age till the beginning of the Archaic period (Catling et al., 1991). They might have moved away from the area because of the Lelantine War. Another notable cemetery found close to the Heroon of Lefkandi is the cemetery for Toumba1. The building should have been erected around tenth century BC. The burial mound has a main entrance on the eastern side, three rooms and a wide corridor. Rows of wooden columns supported the roof and the building ends with an apsidal on the west (Catling et al, 1991). There is a row of post-holes on the walls facing north and south. There is a huge wooden veranda known as peristrasis. This veranda and the post-holes are found in early Greek temples constructed during the Archaic age too (Lemos, 2009). The people buried here are considered to be quite rich as several costly offerings starting from pots to jewellery were exc avated along with the bodies. They should have been offered to the dead as a token of love and gratitude (Lemos, 2009). The Heroon at Lefkandi is considered as a prominent archaeological discovery due to various reasons. The Archaic period is often considered as the beginning of Greek architecture and civilization. But, the Lefkandi excavations proved civilizations and occupations dating back to two hundred years or before prevailed in the area. These excavations were the substantial proof for the culture of Late Helladic IIIC2 period which prevailed around 1075 BCE (Evley, 2006). Many more cemeteries constructed exactly in the style of later day Greek temples like Skoubris and Palia Perivolia was found in the area (Catling et al., 1991). The

Account principle Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Account principle - Essay Example b) It is a tool to control the activities of different subunits within the organisation. c) Budget exercise is used as a tool for forecasting and it can be used to motivate employees towards the set goals. Budgetary activity facilitates the planning process of the firm in a systematised manner keeping in view the organizational goals. Budget not only helps allocate resources and set the direction of the firm but also helps determine priorities to act in a manner that can bring results. Since budget sets targets in numbers, monitoring becomes easy and effective; it helps guide and coordinate activities of different functional units within the organisation. For startup businesses, a budget acts like a roadmap that helps them formulate goals and assess their functioning. For established businesses, a budget helps them see their performance through the years and likely future growth prospects to justify their capital investments. By comparing actual and budgeted figures, management can s ee how well or bad their organisation is sailing through in the marketplace. Budgets help forecast the need of cash flow without which any business is likely to strangle and suffer immensely. Budget brings efficiency in the operation by providing a framework for performance evaluation of different unit heads and the whole organisation. Budget is the best way of controlling expenses and to take remedial measures as and when becomes necessary ((Budgets and Budgeting, 2012). Answer (B) Conventional budgeting works best when conditions are relatively stable and market is continuously growing. In a downturn, the approach has several fallacies. There is no doubt that conventional budgeting system has contributed a lot ever since corporations began working in a more systematized way yet it is a fact that conventional budgeting system has its own strengths and weaknesses. Conventional budgeting exercise looks at the numbers of the previous year and then depending on the targeted growth deci des for expense and revenue figures. Traditional budget is also known as incremental budgeting. Some of the advantages of the conventional budget are: a) It is more stable and brings gradual change. b) It is more simple and easy to work on it. c) Any changes can be observed easily. d) It is easy for managers to run their department on traditional budget formulations. e) The impact of change is visible clearly. Following disadvantages are observed in the conventional budgeting (Stokdyk, 2007). f) There is not enough space for new ideas. g) Cost reduction is not provided with suitable incentives; spending up to budgeted figure gets natural encouragement so that next year’s budget do not get converted to a reduced amount. h) It is likely that priority may have changed after budgets are set; and budgeted figure may have gone out of date due to inflation or extraneous factor that has now no connection to the level of activity and type of work being performed. Budgetary Control thr ough Variance Measurement Variance analysis sets the process for budgetary control. Any change from the budgeted figure is known as variance and variance can be either favorable or adverse. When revenue is higher or expense is less than expected, a favorable variance occurs. An adverse variance is said to have occurred when revenues are lower or expenditures are higher than forecast. Budget needs to be monitored for variance for a suitable time period so that timely remedial action can be taken. A following illustration speaks about favorable and adverse variance with respect to expense and revenue generated in a typical organization. Adverse/Favourable Variance Yearly Budget Pro rata monthly Budget Monthly Actual Variance Labour Charges ?360,000 ?30,000 ?31,500 ?1,500 (adverse) Raw Materials ? 720,000 ? 60,000 ?62,500

Image representation of Women in Magazines (which are targeted to Dissertation

Image representation of Women in Magazines (which are targeted to University Students) - Dissertation Example 1 Afghan Girl 4.3 Fig. 2 She looks spoiled 4.4 Fig. 3 â€Å"Quite a Pear† 4.5 Fig. 4 Wad 4.6 Fig. 5 Keep on Dreaming of a Better World 4.7. Fig. 6 It’s nice to have a girl around the house 4.8 Fig. 7 Dove Advertising 4.9 Fig. 8 Twiggy 4.10 Fig. 9 Do Men Hate Fat Women? 4.11 Fig. 10. Dolce and Gabbana Advertisement 4.12 Summary 5.0 Chapter Five: Discussion List of Figures References Appendices Abstract The research that was conducted for this study concerns the images in the media and their influence over women of university level age. Images in the media have been shown to have a powerful influence over the body image of young women, affecting their self esteem and their development of identity (Cash, Cash, and Butters 1983: Catterall, Maclaran, and Stevens 2000). In a study that discussed the responses to ten different images in a group setting with twelve women, the phenomenon of the way in which women experience influences by media images gave a new dimension through responses, both expected and unexpected. Broken into five chapters, this qualitative study examines the nature of media images and the impact that they have on society. Chapter One Introduction The effect of the representation of women in media through both photojournalism and fashion photography acts as a catalyst to emotional responses which have helped to frame the way in which women see themselves as members of Western culture. The issues of body image, self, and identity are often manipulated by the media as women grow from childhood through adolescence. The influences that media imposes upon women can often lead to issues such as anorexia, bulimia, BED (binge eating disorder), and other medically dangerous conditions. Objectification of women has now begun to shift to subjectification, leading women into a world where they must now be the aggressive sexual being, rather than the passive object. Through research conducted using images and the discussion of twelve women who wer e put into a focus group the concepts of image and self is explored through the information gathered within the interview process. In a qualitative study of the emotional responses to women when a ‘story’ or suggested interpretation of images was interjected, the concept of trend is also explored as it relates to the interpretation of the responses to the images. This type of research helps in understanding the way in which images influence the direction of how women perceive beauty and how they are positioned within the discourse of attractiveness. The power of photo imagery in contemporary discourse has influenced culture, making changes in the concept of beauty and ’normalcy’. 1.1Background The objectification of women is not a new concept. However, the ways in which images of women have been formulated to specifically associate women as objects as an everyday occurrence is a part of the information age. As advertising has become a cycling of images thr ough television, the internet, and print media such as magazines, the concept of female is habitually stripped of its identity and reformulated into creatures of ’otherness’, usable objects of the imagination. An example of this can be seen in Fig. 3, women are morphed with objects, redefined as something consumable as indicated in Fig. 4, and objects of manipulation as seen in Fig. 4. The nature

Science Fiction, Technology, and Our Modern World Essay - 9

Science Fiction, Technology, and Our Modern World - Essay Example Nobody is offended, and we can easily examine issues without accusing one another. If there were Star Trek in Television shows today, I am sure we would be tackling issues such as religious fundamentalism without using Arab terrorist characters as examples. The ethics of utilitarianism, therefore, suggests that the rightness or wrongness of an action is determined by how much pain or happiness it produces. A morally right action produces more happiness whereas a morally wrong action produces more pain. The needs of many outweigh the needs of a few as demonstrated by the original Spock in the original Star Trek, the Wrath of Khan, when he sacrifices his life to save the Enterprise. Entering the core will kill him but many will be saved. Throughout human history, we have developed ways that make us live longer, richer and more convenient as the knowledge has expanded. People have continually applied technological advancements and devices that improve the quality of life on earth. Each generation comes with new inventions and discoveries that previous generations could only imagine. These inventions such as bombs and other weapons have negative impacts on our lives with the capacity of unleashing powers of destruction in the name of progress. Others like communication technology and medicines have improved the quality of life as well as making the world a comfortable place to live. Science and technology are, therefore, a double-edged sword of preservation and destruction; as these evolve, there are questions of ethics and morality. The technoscience have become an integral part of the contemporary society. Today’s generation lives with knowledge and information at fingertips, courtesy of internet and gadgets such as phones and computers making the word impossible obsolete to some extent. Medical advances such as cloning, genetic testing, DNA identification, stem cell research, and manipulation of human cells have become topics

Rhet 1000- internet harms social interaction Essay

Rhet 1000- internet harms social interaction - Essay Example Due to advancements in modern technology, which can overcome a wide range of obstacles related to space and time, it is possible to deduce that such technology should be used in more important ways including understanding multiples of cultures, as well as communicating effectively with other people. Use of the internet has dominated today’s global communications, which has led to a wide range of negative impacts on social interaction. Although the use of internet may have positive impacts, the level of negative impacts depends on the nature of people’s online activities and the different activities that they give up in order to spend time socializing using the internet. The use of the internet as a platform that supports social interaction encourages individuals to spend considerable time socializing through online mediums at the expense of companionship and face-to-face communications. In this sense, interaction socially could be hindered by the dominant use of the int ernet and other online social platforms. Given the dominance in the use of the internet in the contemporary world, and its subsequent domination of social interaction, several issues arise. Pertinent issues related to impacts of the internet on social interaction include isolation. Evidently, the internet creates a world in which communication occurs in a virtual environment. The internet acts as an electronic mode that drives people out of the physical world and into a virtual space. Through connections in the virtual space, communicating parties may interact without challenges as if they are in a physical world (Cavanagh 36). As a result, the quality and number of physical social relationships that people develop is subject to compromise. There is a great difference between online relations, based on social media, and physical interactions. People do not expect any more consequences from virtual relationships, apart from the communication

Will the Playstation 3 ultimately win console wars Term Paper

Will the Playstation 3 ultimately win console wars - Term Paper Example has developed numerous products during its sixty-four years of existence, its current claims to fame are its Blu-ray player and compatible disks and the PlayStation, which is one of the most sought after video gaming consoles. Sony has found many competitor companies, especially those that have been competing in the video game console field. Microsoft and Nintendo are Sony’s largest, most fierce competitors. Both of these companies have created gaming consoles that have given Sony a run for its money; Microsoft has the Xbox and Nintendo has the CameCube and Wii (Wolf, 2007), all three of which are also sought after for their unique gaming capabilities and experiences. Sony Corporation, just like any other company, survives by meeting the needs and demands of their customers. Without doing so, the company risks failing financially, thus facing the possibilities of closing. Furthermore, a failure to meet the demands of customers often results in a failed business strategy, which then needs to undergo changes to gain back their customers. Employees are those that help to attract and keep loyal customers coming back to the company. Employees are a vital part of the strategic planning progress of the company, and are the ones that implement the strategies into everyday business ventures. The shareholders are behind the investment strategies that help keep Sony Corporation running, providing the financial assistance that it needs to be able to develop and distribute its products. Sony Corporation is a business that strives on the investments of others. The media is yet another factor that plays a beneficial role of the success of Sony. To inform the public of its wondrous products, Sony relies on the media to pass along an honest, informative announcement that details all of the fine qualities of its products. Especially in a competitive market, Sony looks to the media to show consumers the types of products that they offer and how they compare to similar products.

Academic skills Essay Example for Free

Academic skills Essay Academic skills are also very much emphasised in Singapores educational policy as our government values meritocracy. Achieving academic excellence is top priority for all school children in Singapore. Hence, many parents are still not in favour of a play-centred curriculum, as they fear this will not help their children to achieve academic success. With ranking of schools performance and learning outcomes; teachers and parents are compelled to neglect play in favour of more school-like activities. Similar to the American context as mentioned earlier, Singaporean parents send their children to many enrichment activities to help them to be outstanding in academic studies as well as extra-curricular activities such as music and golf lessons. As a result, children are much deprived of free play. Many children have not acquired the art of making friends and even the ability to make friendly contacts (Tan et al, 1997) The foregoing examples demonstrate that parental perspectives, socio-economic status, cultural factors, and educational policies are some issues that could negate the value and importance of play to childrens development and be viewed as having no real educational experiences (Leong Bodrova, 2003, pp. 5). On the contrary, Hughes (1999, p. 109) advises that play is very often the context in which the needs of a growing child are developed and enhanced. It is vital to the development of all facets of the young child personal awareness, emotional well-being, socialisation, communication, cognition, and perceptual motor skills (Hughes, 1999, p. 62-64, 68-69, 81-109 111). There are numerous play processes that help develop these many facets in the young child. Infant games such as peek-a-boo, making funny faces in front of a mirror, and water play in bathtub promote adult-child relationship. Playing also encourages and strengthens awareness of self and others; thus, it facilitates the development of a childs image of himself and others. Indeed, they are not meaningless play especially when adults play with children, the latter will find adults more fun to be with; it is easier to form attachment that leads to securely attached children. Secure attachment is vital to the growing child: it gives him trust and confidence in his environment; it enables him to venture, explore, and learn about his surroundings (Hughes, 1999, p. 196-197, Gonzalez-Mena Eyer, 2001, p. 77-79). Therefore, open-ended materials such as blocks enable the child to exercise spatial awareness concepts, perceptual skills, eye-hand coordination as well as pretend play and creative imagination (Van Hoorn Nourot, p.255-256). Children use mathematical skills and science concepts and ideas to further expand their creativity in their construction with blocks; they will add details and complex structures to their block play (Isenberg Jalongo, 1997, pp. 275-277). Children make use of their bodies and motor skills to move and stack up blocks that is beneficial to their physical development and strategic planning. Much creativity, divergent thinking, and cognitive skills are developed as children engage in pretend play. Thus, children should not be viewed as just playing. Their minds and thoughts are actively involved as they prepare their own scripts and collaborate to direct their play. They plan, negotiate roles and actions, agree and remind each other about the rules they have made. During pretend play, children get to practise their social skills. For instance, when children are unable to agree to play hospital or grocery store, they compromise by combining both. Hence, children play and learn to problem solve (Leong et al, Mar 2003, Rogers et al, 1998).

Treatments of Parkinsons Disease

Treatments of Parkinsons Disease Parkinsons disease is a neurological condition that affects the sufferers mobility and speech. It affects the central nervous system, leading to a persons inability to control muscles throughout the body. It is a disease whose treatment does not intend to cure it but instead, aims at controlling its manifestation. There are various ways in which this can be done. It may involve the use of drugs or the performance of surgery. Doctors strongly recommend exercise to try to keep muscles strong. It progresses gradually or severely from the early stages with mild symptoms to later stages with severe symptoms. The disease is a result of lowered formation and action of dopamine which is produced by the dopaminergic neurons found in the brain. This knowledge led to the formation of drugs that will either increase the formation or mimic the actions taken by dopamine in the brain. This was important because an increase in the levels of dopamine would lead to a reduction of the effects of the disease. All the drugs used to control the disease include dopamine as their main active agent regardless of how it works. Depending on which class of drugs it belongs to, it may either mimic or produce dopamine. Among the earliest forms of treatments are the anticholinergics. These were used even before the introduction of Levodopa, which is now the most widely used drug. The anticholinergics had very little benefits when compared to the harmful side effects caused by usage. The side effects include having a dry mouth, urine retention (which especially occurs among men), and very severe constipation and nausea. There are some other side effects that occur that are more serious and are among the major reasons why the use of these drugs has become minimal. These include confusion, memory loss, and hallucination (http://www.mayoclinic.com). The realization that the benefits seen were much less than the side effects it causes has led to the reduction of its prescription. Since some anti-depressants and antihistamines tend to have almost the same effect as the anticholinergics, doctors will prescribe them to older people who are suffering from this terrible disease. Once an individual experiences any of the serious severe symptoms, it is advised that the use of the drug be stopped immediately. Levodopa is a drug that was introduced in 1967 and is currently the most commonly used drug. It is most commonly referred to as Sinemet and is used to help restore ones control over ones muscles. Levodopa is referred to as the gold standard of Parkinsons treatment because it is usually used as the first line of defense. The reason a sufferer of Parkinsons cant just take Dopamine itself is because Dopamine cannot breakthrough the blood-brain barrier. Levodopa can get through this barrier and is converted to Dopamine once it reaches the brain. It therefore increases the level of Dopamine and counters the effects of the disease. The conversion to Dopamine is what leads to the positive effects that a patient experiences when using the drug (Henkel). Levodopa however has very serious side effects which include nausea and dyskinesias (involuntary movement). This occurs because only a small percentage of the drug actually reaches the brain to be transformed into Dopamine. The rest of it is transformed into dopamine in the body. It therefore becomes necessary to use Carbidopa, which delays the metabolism of Levodopa until it reaches the dopaminergic neurons in the brain. The combination helps reduce the side effects caused by the drug. Carbidopa delays the metabolism of Levodopa, keeping it from metabolizing in the body. This helps to greatly reduce the side effects felt by the user. The other problem posed by the use of this drug is that its dosage needs to be increased over time. It has also been observed to work on and off without any explanation or reason. This makes it unreliable because its effects are not constant, and at times the patient gets violent attacks while still under medication. The various side effects and unreliability of levodopa leads to the necessity to combine it with various other drugs to make it more effective. Some of these drugs can be used on their own while others actually require to be used with the Levodopa-Carbidopa combination. A cluster of drugs called Dopamine agonists are usually used in a combination with the Levodopa-Carbidopa drugs. They can however also be used on their own if the disease has not greatly progressed. Also, it is recommended that these drugs only be used alone in young adults. This class of drugs does not produce or help in the production of dopamine but instead imitates the effects that Dopamine has in the body. They tend to act on behalf of Dopamine (http://www.mayoclinic.com). This class of drugs include; Apokyn, Requip, Parlodel and Mirapex. Parlodel has been used very little of late. This is because it had very serious side effects that endangered the patient more than it benefited him/her. It would cause inflammation in the lungs and/or heart valves of the user and would lead to further deterioration of the patients health. In general this class of drugs has side effects that are almost similar to those of carbidopa-levodopa but with slight differences. The effects of having involuntary movement are reduced while those of hallucinations and/or sleepiness are increased. The drug Mirapex takes up the role of dopamine in the body as it is one of the dopamine agonists. When it is used in the absence of Levodopa-Carbidopa, it causes a 30% improvement in the health of the patient. When used in combination, it is able to reduce the intake of the Levodopa dosage by about 25%. Requip is also a dopamine agonist that can also be used either alone or with Levodopa. When used together with Levodopa, it can reduce the intake of Levodopa by around 31%. The reduction of Levodopa dosage decreases side-effects to the patient (Henkel). Catechol-o-methyltransferace inhibitors, which are usually abbreviated as COMT inhibitors, are used to block the enzymes that break down the Levodopa into Dopamine before it reaches the brain. They can be used in combination with the Carbidopa-Levodopa therapy. The two main COMT inhibitors are Tasmar and Entacapone. Tasmar is rarely used because of its severe impact on the health of the user. It causes severe liver damage and hence is only used as a last resort if the patient has failed to respond to any other therapy (http://www.mayoclinic.com). Entacapone does not have side-effects as severe as those of Tasmar and is therefore recommended over Tasmar. Its major side-effect is the involuntary movements experienced by the user. It works in conjunction with the Carbidopa-Levodopa therapy by increasing their availability. This is done by blocking the enzymes that break down the substance into Dopamine until the drug is already in the brain. This then means that the effects of Levodopa-Carbidopa are prolonged because they occur only in the brain. Stalevo, another drug, is the result of a combination of Carbidopa, Levodopa and Entacapone. Selegiline, also referred to as Eldepryl, is another drug that can either be used with or without the presence of Carbidopa-Levodopa therapy. It works by preventing the metabolism of Dopamine. It does this by slowing down the activity of one of the enzymes that metabolize Dopamine. This is the monoamine oxidase B which is abbreviated as MAO-B. The use of Selegiline has other positive effects like delaying the need of Carbidopa-Levodopa. When combined with Carbidopa-Levodopa it improves the effectiveness of the drug. It can however have some adverse toxic reactions when combined with Demerol which is a narcotic drug. Apart from ingesting drugs, they can be administered through the skin through the use of a silicon-based patch. Rotigotine is a dopamine agonist drug that can be administered through the skin, but can only be used in the early stages of the disease. This is called Neupro-rotigotine transdermal system. The patch has to be changed every 24 hours. It works by stimulating the Dopamine receptors in the body. Its side-effects include skin reaction where the patch is, hallucinations, insomnia, drowsiness, sleep-attacks, nausea, vomiting and the most severe is the reduction in blood pressure once the person stands up (http://www.fda.gov). Amantadine is another drug that is used in treatment of Parkinsons disease but its use was discovered by accident. Initially it was created to be an antiviral used in the treatment of influenza and was approved as such in 1976 by the Food and Drug Administration. It was however discovered to provide short term relief when used alone in the early stages of the Parkinsons disease. When it is combined with Carbidopa-Levodopa it can be used by those in the later stages. It has side effects that mostly involve swelling of the ankles and turning skin color purple (http://www.mayoclinic.com). In every human beings body, there is the presence of coenzyme Q10 which is produced by the mitochondria. This enzyme is used in the transport of electrons so that they can gain energy from the oxygen inhaled. This is done in the process called cellular respiration. The levels of this enzyme are very low in those suffering from Parkinsons disease. These people can therefore benefit greatly by having more of this enzyme. This can only be achieved by taking supplements which can be bought from a pharmacy. This aids in helping to slow down the onset of the disease. Apart from the use of drugs, there are various surgeries that can be used to control the effects of the disease. One of the surgeries is pallidotomy which involves the destruction of a small bit of the globus pallidus. Doctors believe all people who are suffering from Parkinsons have an overactive globus pallidus. The procedure is done by drilling a small hole in the skull and using an electric probe to kill part of the pallidus. It can only be done when the patient is sedated but awake so the doctor can judge the patients reactions to stimuli. There is a globus pallidus on each side of the brain, but the operation can only be done on one side at a time. Its side effects mostly involve impaired speech (http://www.fda.gov). Thalamotomy is another surgical procedure used in the control of Parkinsons disease. It is only performed on those patients who are experiencing tremors in either the hands or the arms that become too severe to handle. Usually the tremors are so bad they disable the person. It involves the destruction of a specific group of cells that are located in the thalamus in the brain. The surgery reduces or completely eliminates the tremors in around 90% of those who undergo the procedure (http://www.fda.gov). There is also the presence of a gadget that can be compared to the pacemaker used for cardio problems. It is known as the brain pacemaker (http://www.fda.gov). This form of therapy is referred to as Active Tremor Control Therapy. It involves the surgical implantation of an insulated wire to the brain. It is placed in the thalamus region of the brain, the subthalamic nucleus, and also the globus pallidus area of the brain. The whole system includes three components which are the: lead, extension and the neurostimulator. This system is referred to as Deep Brain Stimulation because it occurs directly inside the brain. A small hole is made in the skull and through it the lead is inserted into the brain. The lead is a very thin insulated wire. The tip of the lead is in contact with the area that has been targeted. Once it has been implanted, it is connected to the neurostimulator by the extension which is also an insulated wire (http://minds.nih.gov). The extension passes under the skin and moves from the head, to the neck, the shoulder and finally to where the neurostimulator is located. The neurotransmitter is located either under the collarbone, in the abdomen or the lower chest area just directly under the skin. The neurotransmitter involves a battery pack that sends electrical impulses to the brain. This is done through the extension and the lead. When the person is undergoing tremors, he or she is supposed to pass a handheld magnet over the location of the neurostimulator. The electrical impulses that are sent by the neurostimulator work by blocking the electrical signals that are the cause of the Parkinsons disease symptoms. They are dysfunctional brain signals and they are the cause of the tremors. This procedure is preferred because it does not destroy the nerve cells and when one wants to stop its use it is as easy as having the system surgically removed. Works Cited Deep Brain Stimulation for Parkinsons Disease Information. NINDS. 22 Nov. 2007 . Henkel, John. Parkinsons Disease: New Treatments Slow Onslaught of Symptoms. FDA. 22 Nov. 2007 . Neupro Patch for Parkinsons Approved. FDA. 22 Nov. 2007 . Parkinsons Disease: Treatment. MayoClinic. 22 Nov. 2007

Investigation of Tensile Strength

Investigation of Tensile Strength Direct tension is another method to categorize fatigue cracking. In this test procedure, tensile strength is measured in terms of tensile stress and tensile strain. Tensile stress is basically the resistance to fracture damage and tensile strain at maximum load is the ductility potential. In this testing procedure uniaxial tension is applied on the specimen. A cylindrical specimen is required having a 4 inch (100 mm) diameter and 6 inch (150 mm) or 4 inch (100 mm) height.(Walubita et al., 2011). The load is usually monotonically increasing at loading rate is 0.05 in./min (1.3 mm/min) at 77 °F . (Walubita et al., 2005). For direct tension test specimen were compacted in the Superpave Gyratory Compactor having the mold height of 6.9 in (175 mm) in and a diameter of 5.9 in (150 mm) diameter. Sample is then put for curing for 24 hours and after that, it needs to be glued to the testing device carefully before running the test. Load, vertical displacement, and time, these are the t hree data that is obtained from the test.    For the DT test the tensile stress can be computed as à Ã†â€™t= P/(à Ã¢â€š ¬r2)=P/à Ã¢â€š ¬D2/4 Where à Ã†â€™t=Minimum tensile stress; p=load; r=specimen radius D= specimen diameter (Dissertation Walubita, 2006) And the tensile strain at maximum axial load can be computed as ÃŽÂ µt=10^6v/h ; ÃŽÂ µt=average axial tensile strain, V= average axial specimen deformation h= specimen height. This way, HMA stiffness can be obtained as St= à Ã†â€™t/ÃŽÂ µt, where St=Youngs Modulus (Stiffness); à Ã†â€™t= Tensile stress (Maximum) ÃŽÂ µt= Tensile strain at maximum axial load. (Walubita et al., 2005), suggested à Ã†â€™t>=65 psi ÃŽÂ µt= (Lytton, 2012) discussed about the procedure of testing field cores for direct tension. After getting the rectangular sample form the cylindrical field core, having length of 4 inch (102mm) and width of 3 inch (76 mm) and thickness of 1.5-3 inch (38-76 mm). As a steel cap is needed to be glued to the each specimen end, the authors used a special gluing jig to keep the specimen centrally aligned with the cap. In total six LVDTs were attached to measure the vertical and horizontal displacement at top, bottom and center layers. The authors run the test in different temperatures (10 °C 20  °C) in electro hydraulic servo machine (MTS) with a feedback frequency of 2Hz (done in an old machine) 20Hz (done in a new machine). Figure 2: Test setup with LVDT arrangement ((Lytton, 2012) References: Dissertation, A., Walubita, L. F. (2006). Comparison of Fatigue Analysis Approaches for Predicting Fatigue Lives of Hot-Mix Asphalt Concrete ( Hmac ) Mixtures Comparison of Fatigue Analysis Approaches for Predicting Fatigue Lives of Hot-Mix Asphalt Concrete ( Hmac ) Mixtures. Analysis, (May). Lytton, R. (2012). Analytical-Numerical Methodology To Measure Undamaged , Fracture and Healing Properties of Asphalt Mixtures, (December). Walubita, L. F., Jamison, B. P., Das, G., Scullion, T., Martin, A. E., Rand, D., Mikhail, M. (2011). Search for a Laboratory Test to Evaluate Crack Resistance of Hot-Mix Asphalt. Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board, 2210(1), 73-80. https://doi.org/10.3141/2210-08 Walubita, L. F., Martin, A. E., Jung, S. H., Glover, C. J., Chowdhury, A., Park, E. S., Lytton, R. L. (2005). Project Title: Evaluate the Fatigue Resistance of Rut Resistance Mixes . URLà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¯: http://tti.tamu.edu/documents/0-4468-1.pdf. Security, 7(2). Wen, H., Investigation of Effects of Testing Methods on Characterization of Asphalt Concrete, Journal of Testing and Evaluation, Vol. 31, No. 6, pp. 1-7, 2003.

Po :: essays research papers

All the Pictures   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Potatoes. Instant potatoes at that. This was the meal of the evening. A plastic bowl half filled with a pasty hot goo that claimed to be somehow derived from a potato. Thoughtlessly, Jimmy gulped it down as he stared blankly at his computer screen. On the monitor showed a blank white page, even whiter than his potato mush. The screen was ludicrously devoid of all semblance of any color than white. There was no hint of the black font that was supposed to have filled fifteen such screens by now. His term paper on the many recurring symbols of questioned manliness in a novel he had read in his English class was due the next class, which was in twelve hours to be exact. He was in no hurry to finish, or to even start, this task. He was content with his blank staring and eating.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  This was a typical scene in Jimmy's room; clothes strewn about the floor and on his bed, his black chair covered with unread books and parts to his broken fan, his desk in utter disarray and covered with various pieces of paper and assorted plates and glasses from weeks past. In the center of it all always sat Jimmy, idly staring at his computer screen with a face that appeared barren of any thought or emotion. Pretty much any night of the week, you could find Jimmy in this exact position, and usually with the same meal in his hands and the same clothes in the same spots. One thing you could say for Jimmy, he was definitely reliable.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Yet, he had not always been like this, or so it would seem. If one was so inclined to almost physically drag a story out of Jimmy, it would be raucous and amazingly entertaining, and probably filled with different kinds of liquor and different names of different women. But right after he would finish the story, he would fidget uncomfortably in his computer chair until the intruder of his room grew so uneasy himself that he would leave. He would just sit in his chair in silent boredom with everything about life, with no signs of any intentions to start to do anything about it.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  On his desk sat many pictures, some of him, some of his friends, some of his dog. Almost without fail, everyone of those pictures had Jimmy or someone else doing something absolutely ludicrous with huge stupid grins on their faces, and enjoying themselves and enjoying life.

Using Music to Teach Ethos :: Personal Narrative Teaching Essays

Using Music to Teach Ethos Introduction After teaching high school English reading and writing for four years, life led me to apply for a position teaching English at a state university. I was hired as an adjunct faculty member, but in my eyes, I was basically a utility man in the Major Leagues. The brief hour-long meeting with the adjunct coordinator was my first exposure to rhetoric and anything related to it. I knew what a rhetorical question was—don’t we all?—and I had heard people make comments such as â€Å"He might think he knows what he’s doing, but in all reality, his talk is all rhetoric.† Still, did I know how to teach this stuff to other people? On the college level? I sat down with the information the coordinator had given me and I found many helpful hints, ideas, and terms. I love terms. If I am given a list of terms, I can often use the definitions to find the common links and make the material teachable. I did an online search and found a Web site that broke down the various elements of rhetoric and included a list of terms. I was in heaven, rhetorically speaking. This first exposure to rhetoric was, I must admit, dull and dreary, much like Latin seemed to be where I used to teach. Dead languages, dead concepts—were the Ancient cultures good for anything other than art, stories, language, and great food? I decided that this seemingly dry material would have to be souped up a bit to attract college freshmen whose attention spans run between 10 and 15 minutes. Then, as Red Skelton might say, I had an apostrophe. I realized that the compositions my students write are comprised of sections, each an entity unto itself which contributes something to the overall essay. I remembered my senior year at UGA, taking â€Å"History and Analysis of Rock and Roll Music,† and the lessons we learned about the different sections of a song and how those sections are merged to create one complete unit. After reading a bit more about rhetorical appeals—ethical, logical, and emotional—I realized that the songs we listen to every day can be linked to this previously unknown, dry material.

Interview With with a Grunt Sergeant Essay -- Interview Essay

I sat down with a former Grunt Sergeant, Jake Stone, on a calm, sunny, Saturday November morning, to ask about his experience in the Marine Corps. Mr. Stone is a rather frail looking man in a wheelchair that you can tell used to be a powerful man despite his age which is approaching late seventies. I learned a lot from him. For example, Mr. Stone was a training officer during the Vietnam War. He was stationed in California teaching hand to hand combat, bayonets, pistols, rifles, hand grenades, flamethrowers, just a wide assortment of deadly weapons. He led ninety men in a strike team that was prepared to be deployed at any time. They were to be ready to pack up and leave in an hour. Just because he wasn’t deployed, that’s not to say he didn’t see his share of the action, he just didn’t get to see enemy fire, he saw plenty of horrors that would terrify many people. He also had access to quite a bit of classified information that has since been declassified. One of them being a strike team tactic that seems quite dangerous. A jet designed originally designed to drop bombs was outfitted with four marines instead. A few jets would fly real low altitude, and just before the targets, the pilots cut the engines so their flying would be nearly scant, opening the bay doors, the pilots drop the payload of marines, instead of bombs, who’d parachute down onto the enemy from above. This was a strategy designed to confuse and overwhelm the enemy. This idea was scrapped after too many people broke their legs and dislocated ankles in training, I also learned about a training accident that killed twenty one people. His men were practicing a beach style invasion, everyone was fully equipped and had landing vehicles, boarding craft, b... ...e of his accidents and the nature of the officers above him. I may have even asked for more details about his involvement in security detail, I got lots of various detail but no finite description. I don’t know the details which is what I largely base my writing on. I take details and make the reader see it clearly, I did not receive the visual detail I would have enjoyed writing about. I would have asked him more of what his day to day life was like and what he felt at any given time. I expect anxiety but that’s not something I can just assume. I will be looking in the archives for other people with similar stories. Perhaps I would ask about his involvement with the Commandant, four star general in the Marine Corps. I would ask what it felt like to be near the most powerful man in the marines, and to be in a position of securing and protecting him from harm.

Relevance of Sports in Youth Development

TABLE OF CONTENT Acknowledgments Abstract Dedication CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION 1. 1 Introduction The history of sports probably extends as far back as the existence of people as purposive sportive and active beings. Sport has been a useful way for people to increase their mastery of nature and the environment. The history of sport can teach us a great deal about social changes and about the nature of sport itself. Sport seems to involve basic human skills being developed and exercised for their own sake, in parallel with being exercised for their usefulness. It also shows how society has changed its beliefs and therefore there are changes in the rules. Of course, as we go further back in history the dwindling evidence makes the theories of the origins and purposes of sport difficult to support. Nonetheless, its importance in human history is undeniable. Sports that are at least two and a half thousand years old include hurling (similar to field hockey) in Ireland, harpastum (similar to rugby) in Rome, cuju (similar to association football) in China, and polo in Persia. The Mesoamerican ballgame originated over three thousand years ago. There are artifacts and structures that suggest that the Chinese engaged in sporting activities as early as 2000 BC. [1] Gymnastics appears to have been a popular sport in China's ancient past. Monuments to the Pharaohs indicate that a number of sports, including swimming and fishing, were well-developed and regulated several thousands of years ago in ancient Egypt. [2] Other Egyptian sports included javelin throwing, high jump, and wrestling. Ancient Persian sports such as the traditional Iranian martial art of Zourkhaneh. Among other sports that originate in Persia are polo and jousting. This thematic profile attempts to broadly introduce some of the current themes related to physical education and sport for youth. In the literature related to physical education and sport there is much debate across the world over definitions of physical education, sport and physical activity. There is also great variance in the standard age boundaries for youth world-wide. These issues will not be explored in detail here. Rather a number of links to further reading and resources are provided after each sub-theme to direct readers to additional information. Within schools, physical education is an essential component of quality education. Not only do physical education programmes promote physical activity, such programmes also correlate to improved academic performance under certain conditions. Sport can also, under the right conditions, provide healthy alternatives to deviant behaviour such as drug abuse, violence and crime. 1. 2 Objectives of the study In other to achieve the aim of this research,the researcher will be writing on three specific objectives and three element of the problem statement which are as follows; a)To determine the Relevance of Sports to Youth Development b)To Determine the importanceof physical fitness to Youth Development c)To help youths develop a Healthy habits for life d)To help the youth develop confidence and identity e)To determine social benefit to the youth a)Relevance of Sports in Youth Development The benefits to children participating in organized sports are numerous. Organized sports help teach kids about physical fitness and and the importance of taking care of their bodies throughout their lives. Sports also can help teach kids important social and interpersonal skills, as well as teach them the value of hard work and persistence. Fitness Playing organized sports helps children get the exercise they need to stay healthy, and develop habits that will stay with them throughout their lives. Sports also help kids develop and understand skills and strengths that they will need forever, such as agility, coordination, endurance, and flexibility. Healthy Habits For Life Children who play sports have an increased awareness of their bodies, and are less likely to do things that will harm them at an early age, such as smoking cigarettes, drinking, or taking drugs. Many sports programs also strive to teach nutrition to young athletes, giving them even more awareness of the things they should and should not do to their bodies. This is a particularly important issue now more than ever, as the obesity rate in children is rising each year in almost every part of the world Confidence and Identity Participating in sports can help a child become more confident in his skills. As children practice and work to become better at any activity, their confidence level will increase. This new-found confidence will carry over into other things besides sports, including their studies and personal lives. Group activities such as organized sports help kids identify with a particular group–their team, perhaps–which is essential to the personal and social development of a child. Children who do not feel they are accepted or belong anywhere often experience depression, anxiety and a general lack of confidence. Hard Work and Persistence Group sports teach kids that in order to become good at something, they must work toward their goals. This is a very valuable lesson, one that they must carry with them into their adult lives. Sports also teach children that when they do not succeed–losing a game, for example–that they must deal with losing, and move on. Obviously, this is critical, because as an adult, you must move on after any kind of defeat or loss, and work to prevent those things from happening again, whether it is on the field, in your work, or in your personal life. Social Benefits Children who participate in these types of activities learn to communicate and work better with their peers and with adults. Teamwork is a valuable skill for children. Organized sports often are made up of kids who have a variety of different social and economic backgrounds, which can help teach children about diversity, and also provide the opportunity to make new friends. 1. 3Problem Statement The spate of youth involvement in crime rate has been the motivation for this research on how sports can be used to better develop the youth for development. The method for this research was qualitative and descriptive, as i used primary and secondary methods to source and collect data on the relevance of the topic. However, in this research, i developed a theoritical framework collecting data through distribution of questionnaires and interviews of some youths with a population sample of 50 persons. 1. 4Test of Hypothesis 1. 5Defination and Explanation of Terms CHAPTER TWO LITERATURE REVIEW In this chapter, we will be reviewing all other relevant works by researches to enable us determine the Relevance of Sport in Youth Development. Works being reviewed here includes but not limited to Sport in general and youth development as a concept of its own. Firstly, the The United Nations defines youth as persons between the ages of 15 and 24, inclusive. In many cases, this definition includes people who have reached the age of majority (usually 18 years), yet still face unique issues and challenges as young adults. The UN also states that, while teenagers and early teens may be all considered ‘youth,’ the social, psychological and health challenges they face may be quite different (http://www. un. rg/esa/socdev/unyin/qanda. htm). The National Youth Council states that, while there is no ‘correct’ definition of youth, the term generally refers to people between the ages of 15 –and 29. The Council also offers a working definition of ‘youth development’ as: †¦a process which prepares young people to meet the challenges of adolescence and adulthood through a co-ordinated, p rogressive series of activities and experiences which help them to become socially, morally, emotionally, physically and cognitively competent. Positive youth development addresses the broader developmental needs of youth, in contrast to deficit-based models which focus solely on youth problems. It is evident in the literature reviewed that this holistic definition of youth development dovetails with current research on youth and sport. The definition concludes that sport-based programs should be part of a multi-agency approach to meeting the needs of young people, and they should not be considered in isolation from the broader social and material context. Definitions of ‘sport’ and ‘youth’ tend to vary, but, in most cases, youth sport is understood to be an organized and supervised activity that facilitates and encourages teamwork, discipline, and hard work among young people. While a great deal of evidence has been collected regarding the benefits of sport participation for children and youth, few conclusions have been drawn regarding the mechanisms by which sport positively facilitates, or contributes to, child and youth development. Developmentally appropriate forms and levels of sport and physical activity are key to the healthy physical, mental and social growth and development of children and youth. Youth unemployment is serious and growing problem in most African countries. In fact, in many of the countries, youth unemployment is about two times the national unemployment rate; in Nigeria it is four times the national average. An equally worrying trend is the high level of unemployment among educated youth. Two recent surveys for IFESH by NISER and Institute for Peace at the University of Ibadan revealed youth unemployment rates of over 60% among educated youth in Delta, Rivers, Kaduna, Kano and Plateau states – the focal states of the CALM project. The traditional responses to the youth unemployment problem in Africa include direct job creation, job skills training, community-based public works programs, educational reform with focus on technical education and vocational training. For instance, over 15 years ago, the Nigerian government established the National Open Apprenticeship Scheme operated by the National Directorate of Unemployment NDE). These measures have failed to alleviate the problem. The result is that youth unemployment remains a critical problem and source of insecurity in Nigeria and elsewhere in Africa. In fact, unemployed youths are known to be the main participants and â€Å"cannon fodders† in the spate of conflicts as well as the main culprits in gene ral state of insecurity and armed robberies in many communities in Nigeria. Thus, to prevent and effectively manage conflicts and insecurity in Nigeria (and elsewhere in Africa), the army of unemployed youths must be productively engaged in activities that will keep them away from conflicts and trouble. Sport is one activity that can provide productive engagement for the teeming youths in Nigeria. To be sure, sport along cannot solve the youth unemployment problem, but the promotion of sports will go a long way in helping to alleviate the problem in combination with other policies. (October 29, 2006, Press Article by Dr. Emmanuel Ojameruay http://www. niaausa. org/sports-promotion-as-an-instrument-for-productive-youth-engagement-a-case-study-of-ifesh%e2%80%99s-calm-project/) Coalter’s (2005) review essay captures important evidence regarding the role of sport in building and facilitating social and community inclusion and active citizenship. This body of literature, as interpreted and reported by Coalter (2005), links sport to Putnam’s (2000) notion of ‘social capital. ’ Communities with good social capital have strong community networks, a good sense of local identity and solidarity, and high levels of trust and support among members. With this in mind, there is evidence to 17 suggest that developing sport in the community may contribute to developing communities through sport (Coalter, 2005, p. 19), but also that non-traditional approaches should be taken if such results are to be realized. Most notably, a ‘bottom up’ approach that aligns with and supports existing community-based sporting infrastructure, and utilizes local labour and resources, has been found to have the most impact at the community level; it also has the additional advantage of avoiding local scepticism about ‘quick-fix schemes’ (Coalter, 2005). More specifically, sport has been used as a practical tool to attract young people to volunteering, engaging them at the community level. Eley & Kirk (2002, cited by Coalter, 2005) found hat such programs resulted in increased measures of altruism, community orientation, leadership and sense of self among young people. These findings align with a recent analysis of the social and cultural benefits of sport in a Canadian city. The report found that child and youth participation in sport in Calgary, not only as athletes but also as volunteers and officials, means that children and youth are experiencing and learning the values of citize nship and leadership – as they take on more responsibility for their sporting experiences and for the future administration of sport in their community (Douglas Brown Consulting, 2005). Coakley (2002) and Donnelly & Coakley (2002) have also carried out broadly based reviews of research evidence regarding the potential of sport programs to contribute to child and youth development and the social inclusion of children and youth. Coakley (2002) reviewed a wide range of research regarding youth development and concluded that, in exemplary programs, participants should feel physically safe, personally valued, socially connected, morally and economically supported, personally and politically empowered, and hopeful about the future. Donnelly & Coakley (2004) have pointed out that, where such programs are not available, youth gangs may actually meet some of these needs. With regard to the social inclusion of children and youth, Donnelly & Coakley (2002) point out the following: †¢ Inclusion is, first and foremost, an access issue, and the first thing that is necessary to promote inclusion is to overcome the structural/systemic barriers that prevent participation; †¢ The real benefits of sport involvement appear to derive from the potentials that are released in children and youth with ‘good,’ educated and sincere leadership. It seems that almost any type of well-intentioned program has tangible benefits with the ‘right’ people in charge† (p. 15). Thus, a great deal of effort should be expended on research regarding leadership training, and on the process of training both professionals and volunteers who are likely to be involved in the leadership of such programs; †¢ At this time, we know a great deal more about the barriers to participation/inclusion (although we have not been able to tap the political will to overcome such barriers) than we do about the process of social inclusion. Questions have been raised about the social inclusion potential of competitive sport programs (which are, by their very nature, organized along principles of social exclusion), and about programs organized on the principles of ‘social control. ’ In addition to overcoming barriers to 18 participation, we need a great deal more research to understand the process of social inclusion in sport. Recent research suggests that sport-based programs focused on children and youth in areas of conflict offer a means of both resolution and, in turn, reconciliation. Richards (1997, cited by Giulianotti, 1999), for example, found that sport can facilitate positive social opportunities in post-war Africa, where violence and child-soldiering have severely restricted or foreclosed the health and welfare of children and youth. Similarly, Gasser & Levinsen (2004, p. 179) documented the success of Open Fun Football Schools in reintegrating ethnic communities in the post-war Balkans, although they caution that â€Å"football is something like frontline farmland: fertile, but likely to be mined. When war leads to limited avenues for social and personal development, the importance of physical activity for children and youth may be thought to increase, and participation opportunities become paramount, in the contributions such opportunities afford to children impacted by conflict (Richards, 1997). These results suggest that, if sport-focused projects are locally grounded, carefully thought out, and professionally managed, they can make a modest contributi on to conflict resolution and peaceful coexistence in regions of violence (Sugden, 2006). Research also suggests that sport may provide an opportunity for positive peer interaction and healthy competition for and among youth (Weiss & Stuntz, 2004, cited by Hedstrom & Gould, 2004). Recent research suggests that peer relationships are a key part of young people’s experiences in sport, and that social acceptance and affiliation are important components in determining the extent to which children and youth enjoy participating in sport (Smith, 2003). As young people mature, they increasingly rely on peers or information and feedback regarding physical competence; therefore, sport as a context of physical activity, serves as a key site of child and youth development (Smith, 2003). Young offenders are increasingly referred to programs that include sport as an integral part of the rehabilitative process. The theoretical rationale for this approach positions offending youth as inadequately socialized to community norms, and sport as a remedial lesson in social norms and com munity living (Andrews & Andrews, 2003). There is also a widespread belief in the therapeutic value of sport (Coalter, 2005; Seefeldt & Ewing, 2002). Sports have also been used to enhance social development among children and youth by connecting â€Å"at risk† youth to social- and job-skills training, education programs and/or leadership opportunities. In these schemes, sports are not a â€Å"mechanism† for social development, but rather a positive means of inducing marginalized or delinquent youth towards other social programs that address underlying risk factors for crime involvement, early school leaving, homelessness and a range of other social problems in this population. Seefeldt & Ewing (2002) suggest that sport programs that target â€Å"at risk† youth can provide a â€Å"safe alternative activity to violence and intimidation† and gang membership, because sports teams may meet the individual’s need for social inclusion, physical competency and recreation. This research argues that the usefulness of sports to mediate anti-social behaviour in young people improves when used in combination with a full range of social, educational, and job-skill training programs (Seefeldt & Ewing, 2002). Secondly, we will not over look the relevance of Sports as a means of education to youth development. There is a significant amount of evidence to suggest that sport-based programs improve the learning performance of children and youth, facilitating educational attainment and encouraging them to stay in school, and that sport-based programs in schools aid in the social development of young people. This relationship is thought of in different ways. In the most basic way, sport participation at a young age helps children to learn physical skills that allow them to stay active later in life (Hedstrom & Gould, 2004). The educational benefits are often thought of more broadly, though. Children may learn, or become familiar with, the competitive process and learn to assess their competence in different skills through sport participation (Seefeldt & Ewing, 2002). In addition, the Conference Board of Canada’s (2005) report on sport in society states that sport is an important tool by and through which participants, particularly young people, gain and enhance a range of skills that are transferable to important parts of adult life. A case study of the Physically Active Youth (PAY) program in Namibia found that after-school programs targeting youth and focusing on a variety of physical activities (including aerobics, dance, outdoor education and competitive sports) increased the number of students who passed the national Grade 10 examination (CABOS Report, 2006). Since students who fail this exam, and drop out of school, tend to face a number of social barriers and engage in unhealthy behaviours (such as unemployment, drug abuse, anti-social behaviour, and an increased risk of contracting HIV/AIDS), the program is understood to make a strong contribution to the lives of Namibian youth by encouraging and facilitating their continued education (CABOS Report, 2006). Furthermore, an assessment of an education-based sport-development intervention in South Africa concluded that a variety of perceived social spinoffs, including community, financial and personal empowerment, were attached to increasing sport opportunities in a school setting, and helped to foster improved relations between children and teachers (Burnett, 2001). The Sport in Education (SpinEd) project, under the direction of Richard Bailey, gathered evidence to influence policy development aimed at redressing the decreasing trends in physical education and school sport (PESS). In addition, the project constructed a framework for evaluating the role of PESS in different countries and cultures, and collected best practices and evidence regarding the role of PESS in making positive contributions to school life (Bailey & Dismore, 2004). Their report concluded that PESS can make an important contribution to the education and development of children and youth, and that evidence supports the positive relationship between PESS and development in physical, lifestyle, affective, social and cognitive domains (Bailey & Dismore, 2004, p. 2). Bailey & Dismore conclude that the educational character of PESS needs to be accentuated and that PESS should be available to all children and youth as an educational entitlement, though they caution against any simple interpretation of causal benefits from PESS participation. The cognitive benefits of sport participation among children and youth remain a topic of research. Bailey’s (2006) review article illustrates that research debunks the notion that physical education and sport participation interfere with educational goals and academic achievement and, in many cases, research supports a link between physical education and improved academic performance (see also Sallis& Owen, 1999). While the benefits of regular exercise on cognition are small, the results are reliable for reaction time, reflexivity and performance of mathematics (Thomas et al. , 1994, cited by Coalter, 2005). However, since the quantitative data in this area are based on cognitive differences in pre- versus post-testing, it is difficult to assess or identify the mechanisms by which such improvements in cognitive performance occur. Coalter (2005) concludes that there is no definitive evidence in the literature of a causal relationship between sport participation and academic achievement. Thus, Bailey (2006) cautions that it should be considered that PESS can lead to improved cognitive development under the right conditions. There is also evidence to support the link between sport participation and educational achievement for college and university students. University students who use recreational sports facilities persist in their studies at a higher rate than non-sport participants, since recreational and intramural sport offers an important opportunity for interaction among students and the building of student satisfaction (Belch, Gebel & Maas, 2001). Evidence supports not only the educational benefits of sport participation, but also the utility of sport programs as educational catalysts to implement interventions and teach life skills. Papacharisis et al. (2005) provide evidence from the GOAL 25 program, a peer-to-peer, sport-based life-skills program targeted at youth who participated in sports clubs. The study supported the effectiveness of life-skills education (such as goal setting, problem solving and positive thinking) through its integration with sport programs. The results suggest that, in such interventions, athletes may improve their sports and life skills in a complementary fashion (Papacharisis et al. , 2005). Thirdly, the relevance of sports to youth development can be seen as tool of charracter-building in youths and development. While, Donnelly (1993, p. 428) noted: â€Å"We have long held, although with little evidence, that sport participation has the capacity to transform the character of individuals. † Of all the literature on sport and children/youth, the most difficult to quantify, yet also the most compelling in terms of social benefits, deals with the possibility that participation in sport and physical activity may positively impact the moral development of youth. Based on survey data, Canadians consider sport, after family, to have the most influence on the development of positive values in youth (CCES, 2002). In fact, in data collected in this survey, the role that sport plays in promoting and developing moral character was considered to be an essential component of the very definition of sport for children and youth, although not surprisingly, these ideas of the positive impact of sports on the development of character tend to come from those coaches, parents, volunteers and participants who are actively involved in children’s and youth sport (CCES, 2002). According to Coakley & Donnelly (2004, p. 3) this â€Å"character logic† is often used to encourage and defend children’s participation in sport; it is also used to justify the funding of sport programs, the building of facilities and the sponsorship of events. While the causal linkages and mechanistic connections between sport participation and character-building are difficult to create and sustain, theories have been put forth (supported in some cases by evidence-based research) to support the notion that partici pation in sport and physical activity builds character in children and youth. In a review essay, Ewing et al. (2002, p. 6) argued that sport offers a â€Å"dynamic domain† for moral and character development and expression among youth, particularly in terms of positive values such as hard work, fair play and an orientation to succeed, and behaviour and social relations. However, the same authors argue that sport does not, in and of itself, lead to the development of character or morals in youth, and, in fact, holds the possibility to undermine the creation of what would generally be considered positive traits of personal behaviour (Ewing et al. , 2002). Such interpretations are borne out in the literature. Hansen et al. ’s (2003) recent analysis of youth activities found that such activities provide a context for a wide range of developmental experiences; but, development of self-knowledge, emotional regulation and physical skills were particularly high within sport participation when compared to academic- and leadership-type activities. At the same time, sport activities were also the only context in this study in which youth also reported higher rates of negative experiences, particularly in relation to peer interaction and inappropriate adult behaviour (Hansen et al. 2003, p. 47). Thus, when cataloguing sport within an array of youth activities, the pattern of experiences was mixed and sport could be understood as both character building and challenging (Hansen et al. , 2003, p. 50). Hedstrom & Gould’s (2004, p. 5) review essay also concludes that research has demonstrated that character in children and youth can be enhanced in sport and physical education settings â⠂¬Å"when fair play, sportsmanship and moral development information is systematically and consistently taught. In other words, given that sport is a powerful social experience in the lives of children and youth, positive character development may occur under the right circumstances (PCPFS, 2006). Given that moral behaviour is learned through social interaction, the ways in which relations with others are constructed and facilitated impacts the ethical and moral behaviour learned through sport. In other words, there is a level of transfer between the values and ethics promoted in the sport and the moral character instilled in children and youth who participate. Ewing et al. (2002) reviewed evidence suggesting that a focus on reflection and meditation led to lower levels of anxiety for youth studying martial arts, and that athletes who focused on personal improvement, as opposed to greater ability, considered the sport to be a pedagogical tool for co-operation and citizenship as opposed to dominance and ends focused orientations (Ewing et al. , 2002, p. 37). Evidence also suggests that coaches play a key role in developing the moral and ethical parameters that impact youth involved in sport. This research indicates that the moral values and behaviour learned by children in sport come directly from instruction and their own engagement, and indirectly from observing coaches’ responses (Ewing et al. , 2002, p. 37). The analysis of youth sport participation and character development has been broken down into component parts: perspective-taking and empathy, moral reasoning and motivational orientation (PCPFS, 2006). The concept of character is often understood in relation to the ability to consider the views and positions of others. Perspective-taking is the cognitive ability to understand multiple points of view, while empathy is the affective skill of understanding the experiences of another person or group (PCPFS, 2006). In combination, perspective-taking and empathy underpin moral development and can be learned through game strategy and consideration of multiple perspectives within the sporting context – although this relationship is primarily a theoretical one, yet to be corroborated through evidence-based research (PCPFS, 2006). What has been documented through research, however, is that physical activity outside of sport may, in fact, be better suited to promoting empathy among youth, and that moral reasoning may be developed through sport if actively promoted in dialogue with a coach (PCPFS, 2006). For example, Trulson (1986, cited by Coakley & Donnelly, 2004, p. 171) found that the type of sport experience was key to reducing ‘delinquent’ behaviour in that martial arts taught with a philosophy of respect, patience, responsibility and honour were related to decreased delinquency, while those based on free sparring and self-defence were related to higher evels of delinquency. Research examining moral reasoning, or the ability to think about moral issues, among athletes has actually found that participation in sport is associated with lower levels of moral reasoning maturity; however, there is also evidence that coaches or physical educators may successfully promote the development of moral reas oning if they actively seek to do so (PCPFS, 2006). In relation to the third component of character, motivational orientation or the cognitive rationales for behaviour, research suggests that motivation may be improved through the type of positive team environment that sport participation can provide for children and youth (PCPFS, 2006). In effect, the potential does exist to effectively promote moral development through sport because the social interactions associated with sport participation may impact certain psychological traits that underlie moral decision-making (Seefeldt & Ewing, 2002). Leadership is also an issue that has been examined in research on children/youth and sport participation. Dobosz & Beaty’s (1999) analysis found that high-school athletes scored higher on a leadership ability measure than their non-athlete counterparts. They conclude, therefore, that athletics offers youth an opportunity and platform to develop and improve leadership skills and abilities. In conclusion, whereas sport has the possibility to provide an environment for the development of moral character, evidence also supports the idea that sport provides an opportunity to suspend moral obligation or support unethical behaviour in pursuit of winning. Coakley & Donnelly (2004, p. 4) point out that much of the research addressing sport and character over the past 50 years suffers from three problematic assumptions: that every kind of organized, competitive sport impacts the moral development of every athlete in the same ways; that the character-building experience of sport is unique to the extent that those who do not play are at a disadvantage in developing moral character; and that the notion of what constitutes positive moral characteristics is generally accepted. In this sense, Shields & Bredemeier (1995, cited by Ewing et al. 2002) caution that it is not the physicality of sport, or the learning and performance of sporting skills, that is either ethical or unethical or related to character development; more accurately, it is that social interactions within the sport experience potentially impact the development of moral character. Research suggests that sport programs among children and youth may contribute to social inclusion, both at the community level and in post-conflict areas, as well as in social psychological relations such as peer groups. Criminology literature has found evidence that sport-based programs may make a positive contribution to reducing youth crime as diversionary, rehabilitation and gateway programs. Youth sport participation has been linked to educational benefits if physical education is included as part of broad-based educational programs, although causal links between sport participation and educational achievement are difficult to establish. Evidence suggests that character-building, including moral behaviour, empathy, reasoning and leadership, may be promoted and facilitated through sport, although such processes are highly dependent on the context of the sporting program and the values promoted therein. From the literature reviewed, it is clear that sports participation among children and youth can encourage positive social, emotional, educational, community and moral development; however, these benefits are not automatic. Sports programs positively impact youth when: (a) they are conducted with a person-centred approach that is flexible enough to respond to the needs, motivations and rights of the child/youth, and (b) they de-emphasize rules, rivalry and winning, and emphasize choice for participants, effort and positive feedback (Sport England, 2002). This review of research also indicates that the operation and outcomes of sport programs are affected by, and, in turn, affect, a myriad of social factors/forces, and cannot be implemented or evaluated in isolation from these conditions. In terms of positive child and youth development, a multi-faceted approach is needed to target the multiple social conditions that contribute to positive outcomes (Coalter, 2005). In particular, positive attitudes, values and character traits must be actively promoted and taught in any child-/youth-focused sports program. This is most effectively accomplished with the positive, enthusiastic and skillful engagement of a coach, teacher or leader (Seefeldt & Ewing, 2002). Coakley’s list of the characteristics of exemplary sport programs for child and youth development indicates that participants should feel: physically safe; personally valued; socially connected; morally and economically supported; personally and politically empowered; and hopeful about the future. Sport programs have a positive impact on children and youth when they are person-centred, as opposed to outcome oriented, and emphasize choice and autonomy over rules and a focus on winning. In general, there is a lack of evidence from which to make strong claims about sports participation and social inclusion for and among children and youth (Bailey, 2005). Although there is an increasing awareness of the potential of sport to aid in the social and educational development of children and youth, there is also consensus that the specific contributions of sport (regarding education, socialization and social integration) need to be identified, and that a solid knowledge base can help to create a new political agenda and to ensure its implementation (Doll-Tepper, 2006, p. 1). The future success of sport and child/youth initiatives rely, to an extent, on co-operation between a variety of networks and stakeholders, such as community, sports clubs and schools, and between researchers and practitioners (Doll-Tepper, 2006, p. 71). There is also a need for more research to focus on the specific mechanisms by, and conditions under, which sport can and does make a positive contribut ion to child and youth development. Similarly, there is a need to better understand issues such as social inclusion and leadership/leadership training. Without careful attention paid to the conditions (social, psychological, material) that frame the lives of children and youth and their sporting experiences, the impact of sport-based interventions in relation to child/youth development are speculative at best. There is significant evidence to support the utility of sport in facilitating and supporting the development of children and youth. Sport participation and sport-based initiatives targeted at children and youth have been shown to decrease social exclusion and contribute to community-building and inclusion in a host of social contexts, such as areas of post-conflict and areas of poverty in LMICs. Research also suggests that sport offers an important resource for reducing delinquency and crime among youth and promoting community safety. Sport is also associated with facilitating educational commitment and attainment among children and youth, and as a vehicle for promoting character-building and moral development. The central conclusion of this literature review, however, is that these positive results of child/youth sport participation and child- and youth-based initiatives are not automatic or linear. Research indicates that sport programs should be part of a multi-agency approach to child and youth development, and that committed facilitators (coaches, administrators, volunteers) are needed to ensure that appropriate values (fair play as opposed to winning) are encouraged through sport programs. References J. Andrews & G. Andrews, â€Å"Life in a Secure Unit: The Rehabilitation of Young People Through the Use of Sport,† Social Science and Medicine 56(3) (2003):531–550. Y. Auweele, C. Malcolm & B. Meulders (eds. ), Sport and Development (Leuven, Belgium: Lannoo Campus, 2006). R. Bailey, â€Å"Evaluating the Relationship Between Physical Education, Sport and Social Inclusion,† Educational Review 57(1) (2005):71–90. R. Bailey, â€Å"Physical Education and Sport in Schools: A Review of Benefits and Outcomes,† The Journal of School Health 76(8) (2006):397–401. R. Bailey & H. Dismore, Spined: The Role of Physical Education and Sport in Education (Athens: 4th International Conference of Ministers and Senior Officials Responsible for Physical Education and Sport, 2004). H. Belch, M. Gebel & G. Maas, â€Å"Relationship Between Student Recreation Complex Use, Academic Performance, and Persistence of First-Time Freshmen,† NASPA Journal 38(2) (2001):254–268. B. Bredemeier & D. Shields, â€Å"The Utility of Moral Stage Analysis in the Investigation of Athletic Aggression,† Sociology of Sport Journal 1 (1984):138–149. C. Burnett, â€Å"Social Impact Assessment and Sport Development: Social Spin-Offs of the Australia–South Africa Junior Sport Program,† International Review for the Sociology of Sport 36(1) (2001):41–57. Commonwealth Advisory Board on Sport (CABOS). CABOS Report. 2006. Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport. Canadian Public Opinion Survey on Youth and Sport. Ottawa: 2002. J. Coakley, â€Å"Using Sport to Control Deviance and Violence Among Youth: Let’s Be Critical and Cautious. † In M. Gatz, M. Messner & S. Ball-Rokeach (eds. ), Paradoxes of Youth and Sport (Albany, NY: State University of New York Press, 2002), 13–30. J. Coakley & P. Donnelly, Sports in Society: Issues and Controversies (Toronto: McGraw-Hill Ryerson, 2004). F. Coalter, The Social Benefits of Sport: An Overview to Inform the Community Planning Process (Edinburgh: SportScotland, 2005). Conference Board of Canada. Strengthening Canada: The Socio-economic Benefits of Sport Participation in Canada. Ottawa: 2005. R. Dobosz & L. Beaty, â€Å"The Relationship Between Athletic Participation and High School Students' Leadership Ability,† Adolescence 34(133) (1999):215–220. G. Doll-Tepper, â€Å"The Potential of Sport for Youth Wellness in an Educational Context. In Y. Auweele, C. Malcolm & B. Meulders (eds. ), Sport and Development (Leuven, Belgium: Lannoo Campus, 2006). P. Donnelly, â€Å"Democratization Revisited: Seven Theses on the Democratization of Sport and Active Leisure,† Loisir et Societe/Society and Leisure 16(2) (1993):413–434. P. Donnelly & J. Coakley, â€Å"The Role of Recreation in Promoting Soci al Inclusion. † Part of Laidlaw Foundation Working Paper Series: Perspectives on Social Inclusion. (Toronto: 2002). P. Donnelly & J. Coakley, â€Å"Recreation and Youth Development: What We Know. † In B. Kidd & J. Phillips (eds. , From Enforcement and Prevention to Civic Engagement: Research on Community Safety (Toronto: Centre for Criminology, University of Toronto, 2004), 156–167. Douglas Brown Consulting. Report on the Social and Cultural Benefits of Sport in Calgary. Calgary: 2005. D. Eley & D. Kirk, â€Å"Developing Citizenship Through Sport: The Impact of a Sport-based Volunteer Programme on Young Sport Leaders,† Sport, Education and Society 7(2) (2002):151–166. I. Endresen & D. Olweus, â€Å"Participation in Power Sports and Antisocial Involvement in Preadolescent and Adolescent Boys,† Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry 46(5) (2005):468–478. M. Ewing, L. Gano-Overway, C. Branta & V. Seefeldt, â€Å"The Role of Sports in Youth Development. † In M. Gatz, M. Messner & S. Ball-Rokeach (eds. ), Paradoxes of Youth and Sport (Albany: State University of New York Press, 2002), 31–47). P. K. Gasser & A. Levinsen, â€Å"Breaking Post-war Ice: Open Fun Football Schools in Bosnia and Herzegovina,† Sport in Society 7(3) (2004):457–472. S. L. Gibbons, V. Ebbeck & M. R. Weiss, â€Å"Fair Play for Kids: Effects on the Moral Development of Children in Physical Education,† Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport 66 (1995):247–255. R. Giulianotti, Sport and Social Development in Africa: Some Major Human Rights Issues, The First International Conference on Sports and Human Rights. Sydney, Australia: 1999). R. Giulianotti, â€Å"Human Rights, Globalization and Sentimental Education,† Sport in Society 7(3) (2004):355–369. D. Hansen, R. Larson & J. Dworkin, â€Å"What Adolescents Learn in Organized Youth Activities: A survey of Self-reported Developmental Experiences,† Journal of Research on Adolescence 13(1) (2003):25–55. D. Hartmann & B. Depro, â€Å"Rethinking Sports-Based Community Crime Prevention: A Preliminary Analysis of the Relationship Between Midnight Basketball and Urban Crime Rates,† Journal of Sport and Social Issues 30(2) (2006):180–196. R. Hedstrom & D. Gould, Research in Youth Sports: Critical Issues Status (East Lansing: Institute for the Study of Youth Sports, Michigan State University, 2004). Human Development Report 2006, Beyond Scarcity: Power, Poverty and the Global Water Crisis. http://www. hdr. undp. org/hdr2006 M. Keim, Nation-Building at Play – Sport as a Tool for Social Integration in Post-Apartheid South Africa (Oxford: Meyer & Meyer Sport, 2003). M. Keim, â€Å"Sport as Opportunity for Community Development and Peace Building in South Africa,† Sport and Development (2006). T. Martinek & D. Hellison, â€Å"Fostering Resiliency in Underserved Youth Through Physical Activity,† Quest 49(1) (1997):34–49. L. Morris, J. Sallybanks & K. Willis, Sport, Physical Activity and Antisocial Behaviour in Youth (Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2003). L. Morris, J. Sallybanks, K. Willis & T. Makkai, Sport, Physical Activity and Antisocial Behaviour in Youth (Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2003). National Youth Council. http://www. nyc. gov. sg/YRN/youthdefinition. sp. G. Nichols & I. Crow, â€Å"Measuring the Impact of Crime Reduction Interventions Involving Sports Activities for Young People,† The Howard Journal 43(3) (2004):267–283. P. O'Callaghan, D. Reitman, J. Northup, S. Hupp & M. Murphy, â€Å"Promoting Social Skills Generalization with ADHD-Diagnosed Children in a Sport s Setting,† Behavior Therapy 34 (2003):313–330. V. Papacharisis, M. Goudas, S. Danish & Y. Theodorakis, â€Å"The Effectiveness of Teaching a Life Skills Program in a Sports Context,† Journal of Applied Sport Psychology 17 (2005):247–254. R. Pitter, â€Å"Midnight Basketball: Avoiding the Hazards of Assimilative Reform. In B. Kidd & J. Phillips (eds. ), From Enforcement and Prevention to Civic Engagement: Research on Community Safety (Toronto: Centre for Criminology, University of Toronto, 2004), 170–181. PCPFS. President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sport. Sports and Character Development, President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports. Washington, DC: 2006. R. D. Putnam, Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American Community (New York: Simon and Schuster, 2000). P. Richards, â€Å"Soccer and Violence in War-Torn Africa: Soccer and Social Rehabilitation in Sierra Leone. † In G. Armstrong & R. Giulianotti (eds. , Entering the Field: New Perspectives in World Football (Oxford: Berg, 1997). J. Sallis & N. Owen, Physical Activity and Behavioral Medicine (Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage, 1999). V. Seefeldt & M. Ewing, â€Å"Youth Sports in America: An Overview,† President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sport Research Digest 2(11) (2002). D. L. L Shields & B. J. L Bredemeier, Character Development and Physical Activity. (Champaign, IL. : Human Kinetics, 1995). A. Smith, â€Å"Peer Relationships in Physical Activity Contexts: A Road Less Traveled in Youth Sport and Exercise Psychology Research,† Psychology of Sport and Exercise 4 (2003):25–39. A. Smith & I. Waddington, â€Å"Using ‘Sport in the Community Schemes’ to Tackle Crime and Drug Use Among Young People: Some Policy Issues and Problems,† European Physical Education Review 10 (2004):279–298. Sport England, Positive Futures: A Review of Impact and Good Practice (London: Sport England, 2002). J. Sugden, â€Å"Teaching and Playing Sport for Conflict Resolution and Co-existence in Israel,† International Review for the Sociology of Sport 41(2) (2006):221–240. J. R. Thomas et al. , â€Å"Exercise and Cognitive Function. † In C. Bouchard et al. (eds. , Physical Activity Fitness and Health: International Proceedings and Consensus Statement (Champagne, Illinois: Human Kinetics, 1994). M. Trulson, â€Å"Martial Arts Training: A Novel ‘Cure' for Juvenile Delinquency,† Human Relations 39(12) (1986):1131–1140. UNESCO Charter of Physical Education and Sport (Paris: UNESCO, 1978). http://www. unesco. org/education/ nfsunesco/pdf/SPORT_E. PDF. (retrieved September 7, 2007) United Nations, Youth at the United Nations. http://www. un. org/esa/socdev/unyin/qanda. htm United Nations Development Program. Forging a Global South: UN Day for South-SouthCooperation. New York: 19 December, 2004. F. Van Eekeren, â€Å"Sport and Development: Challenges in a New Arena. † In Y. Auweele, C. Malcolm & B. Meulders (eds. ), Sport and Development (Leuven, Belgium: Lannoo Campus, 2006). M. R. Weiss & C. P. Stuntz, â€Å"A Little Friendly Competition: Peer Relationships and Psychosocial Development in Youth Sports and Physical Activity Contexts. † In M. R. Weiss (ed. ), Developmental Sport and Exercise Psychology: A Lifespan Perspective (Morgantown, WV: Fitness Information Technology Inc. , 2004), 165–196. O. Willis, â€Å"Sport and Development: The Significance of Mathare Youth Sports Association† Canadian Journal of Development Studies 21(3) (2000):825–849. World Bank, Data and Statistics: Country Classification. http://web. worldbank. org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/DATASTATISTICS/0,,contentMD:20420458~menuPK:64133156~pagePK:64133150~piPK:64133175~theSitePK:239419,00. html Chapter Three 3. 0Research Methodology This chapter deals with how data was collected systematically so as to obtain useful information on the relevance of sport in youth development. The researcher is cognisant that this can be done in various ways and have given considerations to different approaches before settling for the ones which seems more suitable in finding answer to the research question. Both quantitative and qualitative instruments which were deemed more appropriate were used to enable the researcher gather necessary information about the relevance of sports to youth development. Below are methods that were considered; 3. 1RESEARCH DESIGN A research setting is seen as a framework for gathering the relevant data for a study. Thus Bryman and Bell (2007) suggests that a research design is a systematic technique or procedure for solving a specified research problem. Therefore the research design adopted for this study was a survey. This enabled the researcher to look into the research topic under study. . 2SOURCES OF DATA In order to carry out this research effectively, data were gathered from two major sources. They include primary and secondary data. 3. 2. 1 Primary Data The primary method of gathering data is also considered as survey method. According to Bryman and Bell (2007: 56) a †survey research comprises a cross sectional design in relation to which data are collected predominantly by questionnaire or by structured interview in other to collect a body of data in connection with two or more variables†. The purpose is to gather extensive and authoritative information about a study. Thus the researcher considered this technique best suitable for the study because unlike the secondary or historical data, the survey approach draws data from the present. As suggested by Jankowicz (2005), the survey method is used to determine the views of a sample based on what they feel, value and believe. Therefore it is obvious that this study intends to seek the perceptions of teachers, students, parents, sports men and women. Furthermore this method is used when the same question is used to seek the views and opinions of a relatively large sample size. Thus the tools used in the survey were structured questionnaire and interview. 3. 2. 2Questionnaire Questionnaires can take many forms depending on what is being measured. Designing questionnaires can be problematic because they involve a creative process of writing and a design process for devising a structure which is rational in terms of its objectives and intended subject. However Riley et al (2005) posits that the questionnaire has an advantage of collecting information on facts and opinions from a large number of people. Thus to carry out this research, the researcher administered questionnaires to teachers, students, parents, sportsmen and women. The questionnaire comprised of direct questions to teachers and coaches over the relevance of sport to youth development. The questionnaire consisted of fifteen structured questions with five options each to a question in a simple dichotomy of strongly agree, moderately agree, strongly disagree, disagree and undecided. A cover letter accompanied the questionnaire. It explained the purpose of the research, the aim of the questionnaire and the procedure for completing the questionnaire. The questionnaires were sent to the sample size by hand. The completed questionnaires were returned to the researcher on scheduled date of collection. 3. 2. 3Interview The researcher also conducted an interview with 4 sports adminstrators to gather data. The aim was to obtain relevant information from the perspective of those responsible for the adoption and implementation of Youth policies and sports in general about the relevance of sports to youth development. The interview was conducted through word to mouth conversation spending approximately 15 to 20 miniutes of the interviews 3. 0Secondary Data This involves a systematic collection of data relating to past occurrences. It is very useful in tracing the development of an issue from existing archival records. Though Jankowicz (2005) stated that this method is commonly utilised in business and management research, it was not the best suitable for this study. However this method was employed in chapter two in examining past scholarly work relating to incentives pay and commitment and performance. By this the researcher gathered information from already written works both published and unpublished that had relevance to the topic under study. They include text books, journals, articles and past research work form students. All these were consulted from institutional libraries and internet in London 4. 3 POPULATION OF THE STUDY It is the target of the study for collection of data. Olakunori (2000) opined that population is the entire number of people, objects, events and things that all have one or more characteristics of interest to a study. Similarly Castillo (2009) suggests that a research population is a well defined collection of individuals or objects known to have similar characteristics. It can also be referred to as the group where inferences are made. Thus for this study, the population consisted of teachers, students, coaches, sports men and women, These were drawn from three school in FCT, Abuja, Sports ministry, Medical Sports Department of the Sports Commission of Nigeria. However due to the large size of the school population, the researcher could not test every student and teachers, population because doing so will be time consuming and expensive. Therefore the target population was 130 4. 4 DETERMINATION OF SAMPLE SIZE Castillo (2009) explains that a sample is a subset of the population. It is imperative to mention that samples are used in a study that involves a large population. The reasons for using samples include the desire of the researcher to adequately manipulate the enormous population so as to avoid errors in calculating large numbers, and the desire to reduce the cost of producing the copies of questionnaire that would cover the entire population. Furthermore the aim was to allow the researcher to conduct the study to individuals from the population so that the results of the study can be used to draw conclusion that will apply to the entire population. Thus for the purpose of achieving success in this study, the researcher in order to make an effective prediction of the population tried to find an optimal sample from which copies of questionnaire would be distributed. This was necessary since it was not possible to get the opinion of the entire population. Also an optimal sample size would make valid prediction of the population, minimise the cost and time of reaching the entire population. Barrow (1996) enumerates three ways of determining a sample size and they include; a. Conducting a small preliminary pilot survey b. Guessing . Using the results of existing surveys if available In light of the above the researcher adopted the first approach and conducted a pilot survey. The preliminary survey was carried out at Goverment Secondary Schools at Garki, and Wuse bothin Abuja, to know the reaction of the respondents to the questions and subsequently arrive at a sample size. As a result 130 copies of questionnaire were distributed to the respondents and 100 copies were properly completed and returned, while 30 were not returned. This represented 90 Percent success rate and 20 percent failure rate respectively. Based on the result of the pilot survey, the sample was calculated using Freud and Williams' (1970) model. The formula is stated thus; n= Z2 Pq e2 where n= sample size Z= Critical value corresponding to the chosen level of significance= 1. 96 (given) P= percentage of Success =80% or 0. 8 q= percentage of failure=20% or 0. 1 e=tolerance margin of error=5% or 0. 05 Also based on the result of the pilot survey, the researcher assumed a 95 percent degree of confidence and 5 percent margin of error. Thus substituting the above formulae we obtain, n= (1. 98)2 (0. 80) (0. 20) (0. 05)2 = 0. 614656 0. 0025 = 245. 8624= 246 Thus the sample size was 246; however the researcher administered 240 copies of questionnaires to the respondents. 4. 5 METHOD OF DATA ANALYSIS It should be recalled that this study dealt with ‘’The Impact of Incentives Pay on Employee commitment and performance: A case study of Union Bank Nigeria Plc’’. To ensure that the research work is underst andable, the researcher made the simplified the analysis of data collected. To this end, all data collected were through the administered questionnaires and interview was presented and analysed using tables, charts and simple percentages. . 6 LIMITATION OF THE STUDY A research of this nature cannot be successfully completed without some limitations or constraints. A major limitation to the research was the unfriendly attitude of some of the respondents of Union bank concerning the completion of the questionnaire administered to them. Some of the respondents revealed discreetly to the researcher that supplying any information to an outsider would cause problems for the organisation, not withstanding the efforts made by the researcher in explaining to them that the research was purely for academic purpose. APPENDIX 3 COVER LETTER FOR QUESTIONNAIRE Ugba Vivien Anna C/o Business School University of Hertfordshire Hatfield United Kingdom The impact of incentives Pay on Employee Commitment and Performance Dear Respondents, I am studying for a masters degree in Human Resource Management and Employment Relations and as part of the requirement for the award of the degree, am carrying out a research work on the above topic. I would appreciate if you can some time out of your tight schedule to complete this questionnaire by providing answers to the listed questions. I promise that information provided will be used for research work only and will also be treated in high confidentiality. Thanks for your anticipated cooperation Yours Sincerely Ugba Vivien Anna APPENDIX 4 QUESTIONNAIRE Procedure for completing the questionnaire Please I would like you to complete the questionnaire by providing answers to the questions below. Please tick the most appropriate answer/options to each of the questions using the options given which describe the extent to which you either agree or disagree with the question. Sex Male [ ] Female [ ] Age 20-30 [ ] 31-40 [ ] 41-50 [ ] 51 above [ ] SECTION A: EMPLOYEE COMMITMENT OPINION SURVEY Adapted from Porter and Smith (1970) Organisational commitment Questionnaire S/N Questions Strongly Agree Moderately Agree Undecided Disagree Strongly Disagree 1 I am willing to put in a great deal of effort beyond that normally expected in order to help this organization be successful 2 I talk up this organization to my friends as a great organization to work for 3 I feel very little loyalty to this organization. I would accept almost any type of job assignment in order to keep working for this organization 5 I find that my values and the organization’s values are very similar 6 I am proud to tell others that I am part of this organization 7 I could just as well be working for a different organization as long as the type of work were similar 8 This organization really inspires the very best in me in the way of job performance 9 It would take very little change in m y present circumstances to cause me to leave this organization. 0 I am extremely glad that I chose this organization to work for, over others I was considering at the time I joined 11 There’s not too much to be gained by sticking with this organization indefinitely 12 Often, I find it difficult to agree with this organization’s policies on important matters relating to its employees 13 I really care about the fate of this organization 14 For me this is the best of all possible organizations for which to work. 15 Deciding to work for this organization was a definite mistake on my part