Parents with learning disabilities and child protection Literature review

Parents with learning disabilities and child protection - Literature review Example This survey also revealed the fact that 48 per cent of these parents did not look after their children themselves. According to Booth (2000), there is a sizeable population of parents with special needs that the health and social services have not adequately addressed so far. In as many as 50 per cent of the total cases, children of such parents are taken away from them generally because of the concerns for the well-being of the children and lack of the care and attention that they need as they live with their parents (Tarleton, Ward, and Howarth, 2006, p. v). This imparts the need to study the tendency of parents with learning disabilities to be good parents and to provide their children with the protection they need with adequate support from the numerous agencies, entities, and organizations that render such services for these parents. The negative coverage by press and reports discussing the concerns for children’s welfare and the inadequacies in techniques of parenting ex acerbate this (Kroese et al, 2002). Consequently, parents with learning disabilities might need to prove to the concerned authorities that they have all the necessary qualities and skills to be a perfect parent. Nevertheless, even the definition of good parenting is inherently debatable especially in a society in which views and standards change frequently. Most of the research conducted to date focuses upon inability of parents with learning disabilities to parent their children and the risks assumed by their children while the research on their capabilities to be a perfect parent is limited (Wade et al, 2008). The non-specification of the learning disability level, lack of common standards of parental competence, and small sizes of sample induce flaws in many studies. This topic relates to the social work because it addresses the concerns and well-being

With close reference to the setting Essay Example for Free

With close reference to the setting Essay With close reference to the setting of Psycho and Edward Scissor hands discuss how the directors use elements of the Gothic tradition. The gothic tradition is rooted in many great works of fiction such as, Wuthering Heights and Dracula. It comprises many distinct features including Gothic architecture, lighting and the colour black. Setting is a very important aspect of the gothic tradition. In the two film texts studied Psycho and Edward Scissor hands, the directors have used the gothic tradition to create interesting effects. To define the word gothic when being used in the form of a novel, one can say that it contains supernatural or horrifying events. Alfred Hitchcock the director of Psycho, uses many effective camera shots throughout the film to add depth and tension to the atmosphere of the scene that the viewer can easily relate to. For example when Marion the leading female role is traveling on the highway in her car towards the Bates Motel, prior to her arrival the scene shows a very open and light space around her. There is lots of other traffic on the same stretch of road and gives a presence of safety in numbers to the viewer. As the sunset starts to emerge the lighting dims and Hitchcock uses a medium close-up shot of Marion in the car, the focal point being her face that is the only luminous thing that can be seen. The background behind her is not clearly visible and is set to a Gothic shadow view. As she continues to drive away further from her home the weather changes to heavy rain, the whole atmosphere draws in on her and the frantic music that plays adjacent to the fantastic camera shots results in a penetrative impact upon the viewer. As she continues driving it comes to attention that there is no other traffic visible. Solitarily driving down the highway Hitchcock takes a shot that shows what Marion would see from behind the windscreen. He takes a high angle shot looking down on to the road and all that can be seen are the road markings lit up by the headlights and only stretches so far as approximately 100cm in front of the car. This gives a feeling of isolation and curiosity as to what lies on the tarmac ahead. When Marion finally pulls of the highway and into Bates Motel, one of the fist camera shots we see is of a large house in shadow. Hitchcock films it using a low angle shot to make the house look more superior and threatening, this camera technique is used to make the viewer feel vulnerable. The house is of a very Gothic nature, the lighting especially created to set the old, menacing house in a black shadow so that the outline is only visible, contrasting against the night sky. The house has a very overgrown ramshackle appearance and there are only two lights that can be seen both coming from two upstairs windows that are set closely on one of the corner rooms. The blinds of both windows are drawn and then the viewer is able to see Mothers figure as a shadow walking past the window, and almost looks like a ghost more than a human. Later, when Marion is in her cabin, Hitchcock takes a camera shot of her standing in front of a mirror. He cleverly does this to reinforce in the viewers mind the illusion that Psycho is not a film but reality as if there was a camera crew taking the shot then they would be seen also n the reflection. Hitchcock then diverts the camera to an open window beside her bed, it is almost as if it is letting the darkness in from the outside of her room and the view beyond the window frame is of the house. The house has become even darker and no visible features can be seen eg. The front door. It is completely shot in darkness and is just an outlined silhouette, next to the house stands a single very ugly drawn tree that is also in shadow, only allowing its shape to be seen due to the lighter background. This creates a very eerie feeling that the music adds to which all highly compliment the Gothic Tradition. Behind the motel is an isolated, desolate area that is largely overgrown and is where the swamp situated to dispose of Marion and her belongings lies. It is enclosed by spindly trees that have no leaves or blossom; this makes them look dead, and makes the area look unattractive. The colour black is used very much throughout this film to emphasize all the Gothic elements that Hitchcock has used to perfect the setting. When Marion accepts the invite to go and eat her dinner in the parlour from the main office, stuffed birds surround her and Hitchcock makes a particularly remarkable shot in which Marion is in the bottom right hand side of the camera and behind her left shoulder can be seen a huge owl with its wings spread out to make her look like she was its victim that it was about to pounce on, kill and eat. The stuffed birds are everywhere and those towards the ceiling almost look as though they are circling above her in flight. They are made to look even more menacing by their shadows that create a larger image of them that creates an enlarging image of them. The birds are all birds of prey and in one shot that focuses of Marion you are able to see a stuffed crow behind her which symbolizes death! At one point during this particular scene Hitchcock uses a very clever camera shot in which hes in alignment with one of the birds of prey to show that the bird is a representative of him and his evilness. The bird that represents him is then seen above two pictures of naked women who represent Marion when shes in the shower, so in a sense almost gives away what will happen next through imagery! The birds are the most Gothic features of that scene but all the other props that are used also have a Gothic appeal, for example- the swirly, long candlesticks. To emphasize the charactors of the two people Hitchcock has placed the light beside Marion so that when the camera shoots at her, her face is lit up and when it focuses on him he is in shadow and in a darkened corner away from the light. Just before he commits the murder Hitchcock takes another shot of the house on the mount using the same low angle camera technique that gives the impression of power. The two lights that were bright upstairs have now been turned down to a minimal level of lighting and dark black clouds have congregated in the background which gives a far more atmospheric feeling to the surroundings of the Motel. Hitchcock chose to make all the bathroom facilities and decoration brilliant white so there would be a bigger more lucive contrast with the blood red when Marion was stabbed to death. When she is in the shower Hitchcock always uses a medium close-up, high angle shot to show that Marion is vulnerable, small and weak. However when the camera is on Bates it looks up to him like the house and so gives him a sense of superiority as well. Edward Scissor hands the other film studied, also showed Gothic elements that had been used to create a successful effect by the Director, James Burton. Burton starts the film off with a magical fairy tale beginning where a grandmother is telling her granddaughter a bed time story. As she starts to tell it the camera shoots through snow which eventually reveals a big mansion on top of a cliff. Suburbia the small community of average people lies below the cliff and unlike the mansion that stands upon it, is a brightly coloured, happy and social place. Burton uses camera shots to depict the huge contrast between the community and the isolated, solitary house on the hill. Within the mansion walls, where the only resident is Edward Scissor hands, the camera pans through an overgrown driveway into a magical garden. As Peggy Boggs, one of the main charactors of the film enters the mansion drive the whole setting takes a vast atmospherical change. The set from being very neat and tidy, changes almost indistinguishably to an overgrown, unkept, confined garden. Such props as stone gargoyles are used to emphasise the Gothic feeling that Burton tries to pass to the audience. What strikes one as most odd and is a great contrast to Psycho is the word that Peggy Boggs uses to describe the house, she describes it as beautiful and Burton uses a high angle shot that shows a close up image of her magical facial expression as she says it. The garden although firstly thought was poorly kept takes a dramatical change as Peggy Boggs goes further in and has a huge colourful array of flowers and many thriving, healthy green bushes that have been carved in to remarkable animal figures. Burton uses this scenery to make the house seem less threatening than it did on first impressions from the start of the driveway. This scene is also taken in daylight, with a bright, shining sun and the house not shown in shadow, unlike Psycho which is essential to create an eerie, Gothic effect. Burton also makes sure that the camera focuses on the Gothic architecture and other Gothic features of the house such as the large solid, old wooden door, the big lion doorknocker that Burton makes a close up camera shot of, and the church- style windows. When Peggy Boggs enters the house, Burton shoots the camera at her on a very long, high angle. Burton uses this shot, as the area that surrounds her can also be seen and as it is all in shadow and Peggy stands in a thin channel of light that floods solitarily into the dark, gloomy room, a great contrast between light and dark can be shown. Burton then shoots around the room focusing in on Gothic related props like the old throne that has been covered in dust sheets which creates an ancient, abandoned effect towards the audience. Edward Scissor hands, which can be closely related to another famous Gothic film, Frankenstein, also shoots close up camera shots on the contraptions and machinery that have created the main character, Edward. In many other Gothic novels apart from these, bringing bodies back to life has for a long time been an obvious favourite with authors. However when methods to do this started involving science big issues were raised concerning this. The camera follows Peggy Boggs as she goes slowly up the magical, windy staircase. Here, Burton uses some of the most regularly used Gothic elements such as very low lighting, creaking noises from the stair case and floor boards after every step and cobwebs that line the hand railings. The camera looks down on her as she proceeds up the stairs which makes Peggy Boggs look small and vulnerable. Peggy wears a bright violet suit that makes her stand out clearly against her dull surroundings, Burton uses this to show the contrast of Suburbia and the mansion. When Peggy meets Edward the scenery and Edwards shy character, make this particular scene a lot less Gothic than it could have been. Although Edward appears from shadows, he can be clearly seen as half of the roof is missing letting a more than sufficient amount of light into the room. As this scene is shot in an open- aired sunny room, Burton creates a calmer atmosphere which gives the audience the impression that nothing bad is going to happen at the present. During the scene when Peggy takes Edward back to Suburbia, Burton uses a series of long, two shots which again fulfills his aim to show contrast. Against the garish scenery of Suburbia Edward really stands out as hes the only black thing in sight. Suburbia, from the outside is extremely unrealistic and delights the audience eye as this picture perfect place is unveiled. The insides of the houses are much more related to normal, realistic living which signifies the room for evil, and the charactors of Suburbias residents are far in contrast with the setting. When Peggy Boggs opens her front door to let herself and Edward in the colour scheme which is the complete opposite of Edwards signature colour comes to the audiences attention. The walls are all white washed which symbolizes purity and reflects Peggys good, generous and loving personality. Towards the end of the film the witch hunt gathers for Edward, tension builds up and the sky turns black, which is a key factor that Burton has finally used to create a sinister, Gothic atmosphere. The mansion garden, shown throughout the film to be a colourful, wonderful place, is plunged in to a deep darkness. The flowers black, the animal carved bushes threatening, and a garden that now matches the interior, of the Gothic mansion upon a hill. In these films one can conclude that both directors have tried to incorporate influences and elements of the Gothic Tradition in to the desolate and sometimes bleak film settings. In particular, the attic of the large house in which Edward Scissor hands lives and the large dark remote house where Norman Bates live, both have a strong correlation with Gothic Traditional architectural style. This is often characterized by dark 12th 16th Century castle type structures with vaulted ceilings and pointed arches. Also they have used many symbolic objects within the sets that portray themes dealing with macabre and other events typical of the genre. The lead characters in both films are to a large extent depicted as social outcasts, displaying severe psychopathic tendencies thus further reinforcing the Gothic impression created by the film sets. From studying the films I feel that they both successfully display the Gothic Tradition and the settings and other background props greatly contribute to achieve this distinctive theme.

Furniture in Greenbelt :: Interior Design Furniture Essays

Furniture in Greenbelt A Sign of the Tough Times A view of the front of a typical housing project in the planned community of Greenbelt. The Greenbelt community was built beginning in 1937 as low income housing for people who were making between $1,200 and $2,000 dollars a year. The houses were built at minimum cost and this means that the rooms are small. Thus special furniture was designed in order to fit into these small houses and to provide sturdy, economical, and good looking furnishings for the new residents. "Instead of following the conventional pattern of designing the house from the outside in, Resettlement architects have built primarily from the inside out." (House Beautiful 1937) Miss Elizabeth Hofflin, the technical consultant for the Resettlement Administration, was quoted as saying "We made the furniture to fit the small rooms of these low-rent units. We found that ordinary living room furniture would overflow from wall space and block doorways and windows." (Daily News, April 20, 1937) "The furniture you see was built for these rooms and for these rooms alone."(House Beautiful, April 1937) The furniture that was designed for Greenbelt needed to be very affordable. "The idea was to provide essential items of furniture which will fit into a minimum amount of space and at the same time make them attractive, low-priced and extremely durable."(Daily News, April 20, 1937) Miss Hofflin explains, "we concentrated upon strong construction and simple design, which can be made with the least expense with factory machines. We used the three cheapest woods--maple, oak and gum; we have no acquaintances at all with mahogany and walnut." The government was able to furnish the Greenbelt community for very little money with careful planning and very frugal designers. And the furniture was affordable! In 1939 a resident of Greenbelt was able to furnish his entire household for $239.97. The full amount was paid off by the resident over a four year period at $5 a month. There was also a 3% interest charge payable in monthly installments of $2.50. This was an excellent deal for these New Deal residents. The federal government assisted the original Greenbelters, first, by building them an inexpensive home and, second, by enabling them to furnish their houses economically as well. In this way, the government provided many families with an opportunity to set up housekeeping on their own that they otherwise would not have had. Kimberly Myers expresses similar views on the government helping out the people in her exhibition on the construction of Greenbelt.

Julia Serano, Whipping Girl Book Review

I found this book as disturbing but yet inspiring as well. This book is about a transsexual male to female. Transsexual is a person who has undergone a sex change operation whose sexual identification is entirely with the opposite sex. I could say that the book is disturbing because as I go through words and sentences, images keep showing up in my head. He was discriminated because of his change of sex and his behavior (girly boy). Being discriminated didn't let him to keep being all sad and sorrow. He stopped himself for being let down by people around him. He really is a brave man for writing the book. In this book, he writes about his experience and his feelings. I could not imagine if I was he. I could not imagine what does it feels like to be in his shoe. After reading the book, I was inspired by him. I think that people need to stop judging and stop discriminating. Everyone either transsexual or normal, we need to be treated the same way. Transsexuals are human too. They have feelings and thoughts. They could be hurt just like the normal people. Normal people don't have the rights to bully just because they think that they are more superior to people like them and try to make them feel like they are the outsiders and make them feel inferior. I did some research and found this video on YouTube. The video is about a transsexual woman, Samantha Lauzon. I think he is the first transsexual ever who has to courage to finally speak out about he life. On the video Samantha Lauzon said that he didn't understand his body and thoughts and Samantha Lauzon didn't know what he was doing. As a child he got bullied and attempted suicide. But finally he realized that he was wrong and he finally realizes the need to change in order for him to be happy. And it is true that as time goes by, it gets better. All the things that happened are really sick and sad. People need to know about them and how they feel. Its people’s job to try to understand transsexuals either from male to female or female to male. It is their job to educate themselves. Ending your life is never the answer. Suicide is the permanent answer or solution to a temporary problem. No matter who we are and no matter what we have accumulated and accomplished and what the position are we in our lives, one thing that we need to know and is certain; you will die and only God knows when. In other words, suicide is really a bad way to solve a problem. One thing that people need to know is; we need to be realistic and true to ourselves. There will always be people who judge us for one thing or another. We are rich or poor or tall or short or fat or thin. What matters is our own self-image. How we see ourselves is what matters no matter what gender you are. To keep a healthy outlook and know that no matter what anyone says you were in fact meant to be here on this earth right now right here just the way you are. Trans, Gay,? Bi or anything. What makes you different makes you special believe that and pass it on the other people.

Perfect competition Essay

The focus today’s lecture is the examination of how price and output is determined in a monopoly market. Pure monopoly is a single firm producing a product for which there are no close substitutes. It is important for us to understand pure monopoly since this form of economic activity accounts for a large share of output and it provides us with an insight into the more realistic market structure of monopolistic competition and oligopoly. It is characterised by: †¢ a single seller producing a product with no close substitutes. The firm and the industry are the same. The product is unique – there is no close substitute for it. You either buy the product or go without. †¢ effective barriers to entry into the market (legal, technological, economic). These barriers block new firms from entering the industry, blocking potential competition. †¢ the firm is a price maker; faces a downward sloping demand curve for its product (this demand curve is the market demand curve). The firm has considerable control over price since it controls the quantity supplied and can cause price to change by varying the amount supplied. †¢ effective barriers to entry One special type of monopoly is a natural monopoly, a monopoly that arises because of the existence of economies of scale over the entire relevant range of output and competition is impractical, e. g. , water, electricity. These industries are usually given exclusive rights by the government, with the proviso that government regulates the operations to prevent abuses of monopoly power. A larger firm will always be able to produce output at a lower cost than could a smaller firm. The pressure of competition in such an industry would result in a long-run equilibrium in which only a single firm can survive (since the largest firm can produce at a lower cost and can charge a price that is less than the ATC of smaller firms). Natural monopolies have low MC and it is to their advantage to expand output. Barriers to entry The absence of competition in an industry is due largely to barriers to entry. Barriers to entry may take different forms: 1. economies of scale: costs – efficient, low cost producers are usually large firms operating under conditions of economies of scale, where AC falls over a range of output. 2. Legal barriers: Patents and Licences – government creates legal barriers in giving patents and licences. Patents: this is the exclusive right to control a product for a number of years, protecting the inventor from rival competitors who did not spend any money and time in its development. Licences: the issuing of licences by the government limits entry into an industry. 3. ownership of critical raw materials: a firm that owns a critical raw material can block the creation of rival firms. 4. unfair competition – rivals may be eliminated and the entry blocked by aggressive, cut-throat tactics such as pressure on resource suppliers and banks to withhold materials and credit, aggressive price cutting designed to bankrupt competitors. Unfair competition is illegal or borders on illegality. Under conditions of economies of scale, large firms can produce output at a lower cost than can smaller firms. Assume that the ATC curve of all firms in the industry is ATCo; however, one firm has become larger than the others, thereby producing at a lower ATC. This larger firm can sell its output at a lower price (at P’) at which point smaller firms will experience economic losses. At Po, smaller firms would receive zero economic profit. At P’ the larger firm will receive zero economic profit, but smaller firms would receive economic losses and so leave the industry or merge with others. This situation will continue until only one large firm remains. This gives us a â€Å"natural monopoly†. A large firm can operate as a regulated monopoly in which the government regulated the prices that could be charged for product/services. [pic] A firm may acquire monopoly power by having sole ownership of a raw material. Firms can also raise the sunk costs associated with entry into an industry to help discourage entry by new firms. Sunk costs are costs that cannot be recovered upon exit from an industry – advertising expenditures. If firms know that they’d lose a large amount in the form of sunk costs, they may hesitate to enter an industry. Large sunk costs are also difficult to finance. Patents and licenses provide two types of barriers to entry that are created by the government. While patent protection is necessary to ensure that there are sufficient incentives for firms to engage in research and development expenditures, it also provides the patent holder with some degree of monopoly power. A local monopoly is a monopoly that exists in a specific geographical area. Monopoly Demand, AR, MR, TR, and elasticity The demand curve facing a monopoly firm is the market demand curve (firm is the market). Since the market demand curve is a downward sloping curve, marginal revenue will be less than the price of the good. The monopolist can increase its sales only by lowering its price. This is different from the perfectly competitive firm which faces a perfectly elastic demand curve at the market price. Recall that MR is: †¢ positive when demand is elastic, †¢ equal to zero when demand is unit elastic, and †¢ negative when demand is inelastic. We will examine the implications of a downward sloping demand curve. i) P > MR – the monopolist can only increase sales if price falls, this causes MR < P (AR) for all output except the first. The falling MR means that TR will increase at a decreasing rate. Since it must lower price to sell more, the firm’s MR lies below its demand curve. ii). Price elasticity Recall the TR test for price elasticity of demand. TR tests tells us that when demand is elastic (inelastic), a decline in price will increase (decrease) TR. A monopolist or other imperfectly competitive firm will not chose to lower price into the inelastic segment of its demand curve, this will reduce TR and increase production costs, thereby lowering profits. The relationships between demand, MR and TR curves are shown in the diagram below, TR is maximized at the level of output at which demand is unit elastic (and MR = 0). Since the objective is to maximize its profit, the firm will look at its costs and revenue in determining its output level. As long as TR is increasing, MR is positive. When TR is at its maximum, MR = 0 and when TR is decreasing, MR is negative. [pic] Note that, as in all other market structures, AR = P of the good. (AR = TR/Q = (PxQ)/Q = P. ) This means that the price given by the demand curve is the average revenue that the firm receives at each level of output. iii) Cost Data The price-quantity combination depends not only on the MR and demand data, but also on costs. Profit-maximising firms produce the level of output where MC = MR (as long as P > AVC). For the monopoly firm, MR = MC at an output level of Qo and firm will charge Po. Since Po > ATCo at this level of output, the firm receives economic profit. These monopoly profits, though, differ from those received by a perfectly competitive firm in that these profits will persist in the long run (due to the barriers to entry that characterize a monopoly industry). [pic] A monopoly firm may experience losses (see diagram below) if P < ATC. The economic losses equal to the shaded area. Since price is above AVC, it will continue operations in the short run, but will leave the industry in the long run. [pic] A monopoly firm will shut down in the short run if the price falls below AVC. [pic] It may be a widely held view that a monopolist can charge any price s/he wants, but the firm is constrained by the demand for its product. If a monopoly firm wishes to maximizes its profit, it must select the level of output at which MR = MC. An increase in the price above this level would reduce the profits received by the firm. Some misconceptions about monopoly pricing i) One common misconception is that the monopolist will charge the highest price it can get. This is not true. Monopolist may not seek higher prices since these bring in smaller than maximum profit. Total profit = TR – TC, and these depend on the quantity sold, price and unit cost. ii) The monopolist is more concerned with maximum total profit, not maximum unit profits. He accepts a lower than maximum per unit profit since additional sales will more than make up for the lower unit profits, e. g., willing to sell 5 units at a profit of $30 per unit (total profit = $150) than 4 units at a profit of $70 (total profit = $140). Economic effects of monopoly It will be profitable for the monopolist to sell a smaller quantity and charge a higher price than would a competitive producer. The profit maximizing output will result in an under allocation of resources since the restricted output uses fewer resources. Given the same costs, a monopolist will find it profitable to charge a higher price, produce a smaller output and mis-allocate resources compared with a perfectly competitive industry. X-efficiency: occurs when a firm’s actual costs of producing any output are greaterthan the minimum possible costs. Price discrimination and dumping Firms operating in markets other than those of perfect competition are able to increase their profits by engaging in price discrimination, where higher prices are charged to those customers who have the most inelastic demand for the product. It takes place when a given product is sold at more than one price and these price differences are not justified by cost differences. Necessary conditions for price discrimination include: i) Monopoly power: the firm control output and price (not be a price taker); ii) separation of buyers – the firm must be able to sort customers according the their elasticity of demand or willingness to pay for the product, and iii) no reselling – resale of the product must not be feasible – cannot buy low and sell high.. The diagram below illustrates how price discrimination may be used in the market for airline travel. Vacation travelers are likely to have a more elastic demand than business travelers. The optimal price is higher for business travelers than for vacation travelers. Airlines engage in price discrimination by offering low price â€Å"super saver† fares that require a weekend stay and tickets to be purchased 2-4 weeks in advance. These conditions are much more likely to be satisfied by individuals traveling for vacation purposes. This helps to ensure that the customers with the most elastic demand pay the lowest price for this commodity. [pic] Other examples of price discrimination include daytime and evening telephone rates, child and senior citizen discounts at restaurants and movie theaters, and cents-off coupon in Sunday newspapers. When countries practice price discrimination by charging different prices in different countries, they are often accused of dumping in the low-price countries. Predatory dumping occurs if a country charges a low price initially in an attempt to drive out domestic competitors and then raises the price once the domestic industry is destroyed. Consequences of discrimination The monopolist will be able to increase profits by engaging in discriminatory price practices. Monopolist will produce a larger output than a non-discriminating monopolist. Comparison of perfect competition and monopoly The diagrams below show a perfectly competitive market and the loss in consumer and producer surplus that results when a perfectly competitive industry is replaced by a monopoly. The introduction of a monopoly firm causes the price to rise from P(pc) to P(m), while the quantity of output falls from Q(pc) to Q(m). The higher price and reduced quantity in the monopoly industry causes consumer surplus to fall by the trapezoidal area ACBP(pc). This does not all represent a cost to society, though, since the rectangle P(m)CEP(pc) is transferred to the monopolist as additional producer surplus. The net cost to society is equal to the blue shaded triangle CBF. This net cost of a monopoly is called deadweight loss. It is a measure of the loss of consumer and producer surplus that results from the lower level of production that occurs in a monopoly industry. [pic] Some economists argue that the threat of potential competition may encourage monopoly firms to produce more output at a lower price than the model presented above suggests. This argument suggests that the deadweight loss from a monopoly is smaller when barriers to entry are less effective. Fear of government intervention (in the form of price regulation or antitrust action) may also keep prices lower in a monopoly industry than would otherwise be expected. A related point is that it is unreasonable to compare outcomes in a perfectly competitive market with outcomes in monopoly market that results from economies of scale. While competitive firms may produce more output than a monopoly firm with the same cost curves, a large monopoly firm produces output at a lower cost than could smaller firms when economies of scale are present. This reduces the amount of deadweight loss that might be expected to occur as a result of the existence of a monopoly. On the other hand, deadweight loss may understate the cost of monopoly as a result of either X-inefficiency or rent-seeking behavior on the part of monopolies. X-inefficiency occurs if monopolies have less incentive to produce output in a least-cost manner since they are not threatened with competitive pressures. Rent-seeking behavior occurs when firms expend resources to acquire monopoly power by hiring lawyers, lobbyists, etc. in an attempt to receive governmentally granted monopoly power. These rent-seeking activities do not benefit society as a whole and divert resources away from productive activity. Regulation of natural monopoly A monopoly firm can produce at a lower cost per unit of output than could any smaller firms in a natural monopoly industry. In this case, the government generally regulates the price that a monopoly firm can charge. The diagram below illustrates alternative regulatory strategies in such an industry. If the government leaves the monopolist alone, it will maximize its profits by producing Q(m) units of output and charging a price of P(m). Suppose, instead, though, that the government attempts to emulate a perfectly competitive market by setting the price equal to marginal cost. This would occur at a price of P(mc) and a quantity of output of Q(mc). Since this is a natural monopoly, though, the average cost curve declines over the relevant range of output. If average costs are declining, marginal costs must be less than average costs (this relationship between marginal and average costs was discussed in detail in Chapter 9). Thus, if the price equals marginal costs, the price will be less than average total costs and the monopoly firm will experience economic losses. This pricing strategy could only exist in the long run if the government subsidized the production of this good. [pic] An alternative pricing strategy is to ensure that the owners of the monopoly receive only a â€Å"fair rate of return† on their investment rather than monopoly profits. This would occur if the price were set at P(f). At this price, it would be optimal for the firm to produce Q(f) units of output. As long as the owners receive a fair rate of return, there would be no incentive for this firm to leave the industry. Roughly speaking, this is the pricing strategy that regulators use in establishing prices for utilities, cable services, and the prices of other services produced in regulated monopoly markets.

Biography of Napoleon Bonaparte

Biography of Napoleon Bonaparte Free Online Research Papers The summer of 1793 found France in a state of absolute turmoil. The lower and middle classes were getting restless, sick of the unfair treatment imposed upon them by the nobles and aristocracy. There was administrative instability and financial insecurity, due to the extravagant spending of the monarchy. Along with increasing taxes on the Third Estate, there was a shortage of food supplies. Peasants were outraged at their deteriorating standards of life and that the fact they were expected to support the clergy and the nobles’ wasteful expenditures through their hard-earned income. The middle class were at the end of their rope, tethered to their place in society due to their familial restrictions. Bitter and resentful of these limitations, these two classes were desperate for some change; desperate for a world where your wealth was not based on your family tree, but a world where if you had merit, you could succeed. It is only fitting that the man to head these changes would be Napoleon Bonaparte. Born in Ajacco, on the small island of Corsica in 1769 , Napoleon was the second son of a large family which did not have much money. Corsica was a small part of the French empire, shunted off to the side, and looked down upon by the French. Corsica had recently been taken over by France after Genoese rule, so Napoleon was French by all means. Even though he was Corsican, he and his family were later exiled. As Robespierre put it, â€Å"I add to the names of patriots I have already mentioned citizen Bonaparte, general in command artillery, a man of transcendent merit. He is Corsican, and brings me the simple guarantee of a man of that country who resisted the blandishments of Paoli, and whose property has been destroyed by that traitor.† This shows he no longer had any attachment to Corsica, and was fully supportive of France. His family also changed the spelling of their surname to Bonaparte to sound more French. As a boy, he was absolutely enthralled by the military. When he was younger, his siblings would paint puppets but Napoleon would paint soldiers. However, when he arrived at military school in France, it was clear from his clothes and rough accent that he was not as privileged as the rest of them. He was quite indignant how even if he was smarter than these boys, he would not be given a chance because of his social class. Continuously shunned, he strove to prove himself with his intelligence. He went through military school with flying colors. A gifted mathematician, he devoted himself to learning about previous battles and tactics that would have prevailed more successfully. After finishing school, he chose to become an artillery specialist. This field was based on skill rather than family connections. Through intensive studying, he quickly became an artillery expert. Usually, someone of his birth would not become very influential within the army, but due to a succession of fortuna te (for him) events, Napoleon quickly rose to power. In 1793, France declared war on Britain, Holland and Spain. Toulon was to launch his military career. General Du Teil was astounded, recommending him to his superiors, â€Å"I lack words to list Bonaparte’s merits: much science, and equal intelligence, and perhaps even too much courage. You, the Ministers, must consecrate him to the glory of the Republic.† Napoleon quickly took the world by storm after his victory at Toulon. By 1796, France had subdued most of its attackers and had only to deal with Austria. Napoleon was placed in charge of this campaign to invade Italy and Piedmont. He was hopeful of another chance to prove his worth, but was disappointed with these 37,000 bedraggled, hopeless soldiers who all lacked supplies. He brought around an incredible change of spirit through rousing speeches: â€Å"All of you are consumed with a desire to extend the glory of the French people; all of you long to humiliate those arrogant kings who dare to contemplate placing us in fetters; you desire to dictate a glorious peace, one which will indemnify the Patrie for the immense sacrifices it has made; all of you wish to be able to say with pride as you return to your villages, â€Å"I was with the victorious army of Italy!† He instilled in these soldiers a craving to prove themselves, to prove they were good enough for their motherland. Napoleon uses the ideology of nationalism to perfection. He effe ctively united this frenzied nation so they could be proud as a whole of its accomplishments. After his astounding success at Toulon, he was placed in charge of an army of 50,000 to invade Egypt. Soldiers began to become afflicted by the plagueThere is even a painting of him visiting soldiers with Black Death. Due to images like these, which one may even call propaganda; Napoleon is remembered as a commander who went above and beyond for his troops. However, it is said that Napoleon ordered a fatal dose of opium for those too sick to travel, so they would not slow others down. This type of secret and decisive maneuvering shows the means Napoleon took to save France from foreign threats. Also, an effective leader is willing to take harsh measures in order to save his people as a whole. Not only that, but Napoleon was compassionate to the people he conquered. â€Å"Do not contradict them [Egyptians]. Behave towards them as we dealt with the Jews, or with the Italians. Respect their muftis and their imams, as you have respected rabbis and bishops. Be tolerant towards cerem onies prescribed by the Koran, as you were tolerant to the convents, the synagogues, the religion of Moses and of Jesus ChristHere you will encounter ways which are different from those of Europe. You must get accustomed to them.† He was by all means an effective an accepting leader. He knew what it took to placate conquered peoples. Napoleon was the perfect mixture of compassion and justice; he knew what it took to get ahead, while still minding the feelings of those who were vital in his plans. To the people of France, Napoleon was the man who pulled them from the dark depths the French Revolution had dragged them into. They were overjoyed at having an adept ruler who was able to protect and fortify France. Napoleon was now seen as even stronger than the Directory, the regime in France at the time. Extremely shaky, the Directory only survived as long as it did because of Napoleon’s consistent military victories. In 1789, there was a successful coup d’à ©tat and the Directory was overthrown. France was constantly evolving, and it needed a leader that was capable and flexible enough to deal with them. After disposing of the Directory, he declared himself first consul and imposed a new constitution. In 1804, he named himself emperor. Yet, people did not revolt. In fact, he asked the people of France vote on it. Life under Napoleon was much better than of years past. He undertook many reforms. Napoleon encouraged more production in factories and started many new government programs. He improved roadways and bridges by having them repaired and lengthened, centralizing everything. Providing jobs, he also had the tunnels and canals renovated. Many French cities underwent new changes, with sewer systems being renovated and many impressive structures being built. Not only that, Napoleon created lycà ©es which consolidated learning in France. This creation allowed for pupils to learn and be educated regardless of social status. One of his most important reforms was the Civil Code. The Civil Code was a body of laws which applied to all of France. The Civil Code effectively ended feudal privilege, and made things much more secular and not as dependent on the clergy. These laws applied to anyone, regardless of their social status. There was no special treatment and everyone was truly equal. One vital part of the Code stated an individual had all rights to his property and it could not be taken away. While this Code focused on strengthening patriarchal society, it also gave women the power to divorce and inheritance. And considering the times, Napoleon’s France was egalitarian. Women had much more rights than before, and social status began to count for less and less. The Code was an effective way of spreading Enlightenment ideals and unify the country. History sees Napoleon as a ruthless tyrant and dictator; however, he did what was best for France at the time. He was their liberator; a decisive and effective ruler who ensured France’s rise to power after the French Revolution. Not only that, he was loved by the people because he truly loved France and did everything possible for it. Napoleon Bonaparte spread the ideals of the Enlightenment more effectively than the philosophes. So how did this diminutive man standing at a mere 5’2† become the ruler of France? By effectively taking advantage of the chaotic state of France. He took this almost ruined country off its knees and gave it something to live for. He was the hero everybody admired. An incredible rags-to-riches story, Napoleon was the poster child of meritocracy. Based on his skills alone, he had to risen to the position of emperor. Napoleon truly cared, â€Å"I had but one goal: to reunite all, reconcile all, have all hatreds forgotten, bring everyone together, gather together so many divergent elements and compose tem anew in one whole: one France and one Patrie.† Napoleon Bonaparte was not a tyrant, just Machiavellian. Modern society looks down upon Napoleon because he had a dictatorship but when asked why he did not re-establish the Republic or the Consulate when he came back into power, he answered, â€Å"Because the Empire was more popular than the Republic.† And that is what makes the difference between a dictator and one of the most popular leaders of all time. He was loved. He was treasured. He saw France through its most prosperous and powerful eras. Bibliography Bonaparte, Napoleon. Napoleon: Destroyer and Preserver of the Revolution.† Sources of the Western Tradition. 2003. Bonaparte, Napoleon. Correspondence. 4, no.2723, p.270, Alexandria, proclamation of 2 July 1798. Englund, Steven. Napoleon: A Political Life. New York: Sribner, 2004. Horne, Alistair. The Age of Napoleon. New York: Random House, Inc., 2004. Johnson, Paul. Napoleon. New York: Penguin Books Ltd., 2002. Landau, Elaine. Napoleon Bonaparte. Minnesota: Twenty-First Century Books, 2006. Lyons, Martyn. Napoleon Bonaparte and the Legacy of the French Revolution. New York: St. Martin’s Press, 1994. McLynn, Frank. Napoleon. New York: Arcade Publishing, 1997. ibiblio.org/wm/paint/auth/david/st-bernard.jpg [cover] nycgrl413@yahoo.com Research Papers on Biography of Napoleon BonaparteAssess the importance of Nationalism 1815-1850 EuropeAppeasement Policy Towards the Outbreak of World War 2Quebec and CanadaHip-Hop is ArtThe Spring and AutumnStandardized TestingTrailblazing by Eric Anderson19 Century Society: A Deeply Divided EraPETSTEL analysis of IndiaThe Effects of Illegal Immigration

The Volkswagen Group

The Volkswagen Group Free Online Research Papers This report provides information on the Volkswagen Group. In addition to details about Group structure, describes the spectrum covered by the Volkswagen Group. My report aim to give a short look toVolkswagen Group. History of Volkswagen: In 1937 was founded the „Volkswagenwerk GmbH in Wolfsburg in Germany. After the second world war the first foreing company were establish in Canada ( Volkswagen Canada Ltd. in 1952 and then Volkswagen make a company in Brazil and in America also. In 1960s Volkswagen becomes the worlds champion when they were created The Beetle cars. The Beetle breaks the legendary production record. In 1964 Audi was join to the VW group. VW was coorporate with Sociedad Espaà ±ola de Automà ³viles de Turismo, SA (SEAT) in 1982, after they reach to opening of the Iberian market for Group.in 1990 the WV bought SKODA because they recognised that it is a good way to access to the Eastern Europe car markets.. In 1998 by acquiring Bentley Motor Cars Limited, VW expands its range in the luxury class. The Bugatti and Lamborghini brands round off the Volkswagen Groups activities in the upper range. The VW Group proudicing nowdays 151 differnt thype of models in 48 countries in the world they sell 25400 vehicals. Facts of Volkswagen Group The Volkswagen Group is one of the world’s leading automobile manufacturers and the largest carmaker in Europe. The Group is made up of eight brands from six European countries: Volkswagen, Audi, Bentley, Bugatti, Lamborghini, SEAT, Skoda and Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles. Each brand has own character and operates as an independent entity on the market. The product range extends from low-consumption small cars to luxury class vehicles. In the commercial vehicle sector, the product offering spans pick ups, busses and heavy trucks also. The main factory is till in Wolsburg and in Germany. But for example they have factory in Portugal and in Hunagary also. It curios that some of the engines is made in Hungary in Audi factory which are also used in Portugal. The Brands Volkswagen Volkswagen is a German manufacturing brand of car, based in Wolfsburg, Germany. It forms the major component (in volume of sales) of the much larger Volkswagen Group. The Volkswagen name means peoples car in German. It is means this car for everyboday. So the costmers of VW are the avarge people. This mark is not meaning cheap or expensive cars this meaning that good a cars. It is represented the common people just like in Japan it is the Toyota or in America it is the Ford. The Brands of the VW: Fox: The Volkswagen Fox is a mini car. Fox is quite similar to the competitors Opel Corsa, Fiat Palio, Ford Fiesta, Renault Clio and Peugeot 206. Class in Europe: City car. This car is produced for the people who want to use the car in the city. This is the cheapest car and this car needs the lowest Petrol. So Fox is a low cost car. Polo: The Volkswagen Polo is a supermini car.It is bigger then the Fox but stil only use in the city. Golf: The fifth generation Volkswagen was unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor Show in 2003. This car is one of the main car of VW. This car is litlle more expensive then the Polo and it is in the higer quality for use in the city and cometimes further but for a family it is not enough. Normally it is use by the young people it is a sporting and dynamic car. Jetta Mk5 It is essentially the sedan version of the compact car. Jetta is a Small family car. Class: Compact Eos The Volkswagen Eos is a four-seater retractable hardtop convertible introduced in 2006 as the successor to the Volkswagen Cabrio. The Eos is Volkswagens first production sports car. This car used normally by the young dynamic sporting persons. Class Sports car Passat The Volkswagen Passat is a family car built by Volkswagen Falling between the Golf/Jetta and Phaeton.This large family car is the most important car of VW.If a costomer think about VW know this car. Passat is used by family and businessmen. Passat competitors are Pegueot 607 For Mondeo Toyota Avensis Lexus, Audi A6. Class: Large family car Phaeton The Volkswagen Phaeton is a large sedan.This car is not for the famaily car it is only for the businesmenn. Class full size luxery car Sharan The Volkswagen Sharan is a multi-purpose vehicle produced since 1995.This car for the bigger family it is for 7 person.The Sharon is the typical holiday car. Class: Large multi-purpose vehicle Touran: The Volkswagen Touran is a compact multi-purpose vehicle based on a vertically-stretched fifth generation Volkswagen Golf. Tiguan Volkswagen Tiguan is a compact crossover SUV built by the German automaker Volkswagen.A platform of the Golf. The Trend Fun and Sport Style both have maximum approach angles of 18 degrees Touareg The Volkswagen Touareg is a mid-size sport utility vehicle (SUV). Golf 763,491 Passat/Santana 751,764 Jetta/Bora 630,355 Polo 449,602 Gol 320,604 Fox 206,125 Touran 197,941 Polo Classic/Sedan 86,861 Touareg 72,477 Eos 55,560 New Beetle 40,124 Sharan 23,807 Tiguan 16,272 Phaeton 5,711 Audi Audi is a premium German automobile manufacturer and one of the worlds leading performance-luxury marques, with headquarters in Ingolstadt, Bavaria.Audi joined to Volkswagen Group in 1964.Audi company was founded in 1910. Audi brand is a cheap luxury car. Audi being a real competitor in its target market against global luxury leaders Mercedes-Benz and BMW. The Audi is not a real competiters with VW it is itnregrate it. The Audi brand is one of the world’s fastest-growing premium brands and aims to establish itself as the leader in this segment A3 The Audi A3 is an entry-level luxury car/small family car. A4 The Audi A4 is a luxury compact executive car.It is similar to the VW Passat. A5 The Audi A5 is a luxury coupà ©. Audi bilt the coupà © as a grand tourer, to compete against the likes of the BMW E92, and the Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class. A6 The Audi A6 is a mid-size executive car.It is for Busenisman. A8 The Audi A8 is a full-size luxury executive car TT The Audi TT is a sports car, R8 The Audi R8 is a mid-engined sports car introduced A6 allroad quattro The Audi allroad quattro is a mid-size executive car; Q7 The Audi Q7 is a full-size sport utility vehicle (SUV) PRODUCTION Vehicles 2007 Audi A4 289,806 A3 231,117 A6 227,502 Q7 77,395 TT Coupà © 40,417 A5 25,549 A8 22,182 A6 allroad quattro 16,340 R8 4,125 Q5 162 Total 975,290 Bentley Motors Limited is an English manufacturer of luxury automobiles and Grand Tourers. Bentley Motors was founded in England on 18 January 1919 by Walter Owen Bentley.Since 1998 the company has been owned by the Volkswagen Group. In 1998, Rolls-Royce and Bentley Motors were purchased from Vickers by Volkswagen Group for  £430 million. Bentley is prducing only luxury cars so Bentley has no differntaton neither horizantal.There is only othert type of luxary car but not really different almost only some shape and the extras is different, but the front of the car is the same. PRODUCTION Vehicles 2007 2006 Continental GT Cabriolet 4,847 Continental Flying Spur 2,270 Continental GT Coupà © 1,547 Continental GT Speed Coupà © 593 Arnage 357 Azure 350 Brooklands 8 Skoda Auto The Volkswagen Group forms a number of companies in East Germany the Czech government takeover of the venerable Ã…  KODA, automobilov a.s. in 1990. Brand recognition promised good access to the car markets of Eastern-central and Eastern Europe. The VW bought the Eastern-central market, because they realised that the people are more likely to by their owen brand even if it is worse e.g the WV. So Skoda is a competiors of VW but exatly it is not true. Mostly Skoda car are only sold in Eastern central market it is same just like the Seat cars is for the Iberian market. The models of Skoda: Roomster The Ã…  koda Roomster is a leisure activity vehicle. The Roomster is Ã…  kodas first car since the Volkswagen Groups take over of the brand that is not based on an existing Volkswagen platform.It ia the smallest car competitors of Opel Corsa. Fabia The Ã…  koda Fabia is a supermini car.It is realted by SEAT Ibiza SEAT Cà ³rdoba Volkswagen Polo Octavia The Ã…  koda Octavia is a small family car realted by SEAT Leà ³n Volkswagen Bora Superb The Ã…  koda Superb is an executive car It is based on the platform of the Volkswagen Passat and shares its mechanicals with that model. It is currently the largest and most luxurious model in Ã…  kodas lineup PRODUCTION Vehicles 2007 Octavia 319,893 Fabia 243,576 Roomster 75,875 Superb 21,339 Sum: 9,972 SEAT is a Spanish automobile manufacturer founded in 1950 by the Instituto Nacional de Industria (INI), with Fiat assistance, and now a wholly owned subsidiary of Audi AG, part of the Volkswagen Group. The acronym SEAT stands for Sociedad Espaà ±ola de Automà ³viles de Turismo. Today, SEAT reinforces its race-bred, and aggressive image, with sporty-styled cars, such as Ibiza and Leà ³n, which have made the brand very popular among teenagers.The SEAT is producing car for the Iberian markets mostly. Ibiza Leon Altea/Toledo Cordoba Alhambra PRODUCTION Vehicles 2007 Ibiza 172,206 Leon 120,630 Altea/Toledo 76,121 Cordoba 29,747 Alhambra 14,242 412,946 PRODUCTION Lamborghini Gallardo Spyder 1,015 1,025 Gallardo 936 626 Murcià ©lago 423 323 Murcià ©lago Roadster 206 121 2,580 Facts(2007): Production of vehicals 6213000 Employees 329300 Sales revenue 108 millon Euro Production by Brands 2007/2006 This grapics shows that the main profil of the company is the Volkswagen cars which is widly used. Then come the Audi with a higher qulity and price. In the third sectoin it is the Skoda which is lower quality than the Volkswagen. Im the fourth part it is the SEAT which is for the Iberian market. The last one is the two luxary brand the Bently is for the rich old people and the Lamborghini for the dinamic young rich people. The Commercial Vehicles is in another part because it is not belonging to the normal persons it is for the companies. Innovation Shaping the future is a fascinating challenge for industry and society. Our automotive future is formed by social conditions and trends. It is our task to anticipate the future needs of our customers and to convert these needs into innovative technologies. The technological challenges of the future can only mastered by intensive research and networked cooperation both inside and outside the company. Our mission is to continue meeting our customers’ wishes for individual and affordable mobility through sustainable technologies. We work together with our partners to achieve this goal. Group Research has its headquarters in Wolfsburg and researches for all Group brands. International trendscouting and technology scouting form part of our strategic orientation and we also operate from research bases in the US, Japanese and Chinese markets. Research Papers on The Volkswagen GroupThe Fifth HorsemanMarketing of Lifeboy Soap A Unilever ProductTwilight of the UAWAnalysis of Ebay Expanding into AsiaDefinition of Export QuotasAppeasement Policy Towards the Outbreak of World War 2Assess the importance of Nationalism 1815-1850 EuropeQuebec and CanadaCanaanite Influence on the Early Israelite ReligionBionic Assembly System: A New Concept of Self

Professions in French

Professions in French If youre going to live and work in France, get to know the terms for the  professions in Fench. Its impossible to list all possible professions, but there are some common ones you should know. Note that many French professions have only a masculine form. Even if you are a female professor, for example, you would have to say that you are un  professeur, which takes the masculine form, including the masculine article,  un.   The terms below are listed in alphabetical order according to the English word for the profession for easy reference. The first column contains the word for the profession in English, while the second contains the correct French article- ​un  for masculine terms and  une  for feminine words- followed by the word in Fench. Click on each French term to hear the proper way to pronounce it. Note that while in English, it is to simply say the word for the profession, such as actor, in French the word is almost always preceded by the article. Study the table, and listen to the pronunciations in French, and youll soon be saying  un  boucher,  un  boulanger, un  fabricant de bougeoirs- the butcher, the baker, the candlestick maker- like a French-speaking native. French Professions Profession in English French Translation actor un acteur actress une actrice artist un(e) artiste baker un boulanger, une boulangre butcher un boucher carpenter un charpentier cashier un caissier, une caissire civil servant un(e) fonctionnaire cook un chef dentist un(e) dentiste doctor un mdecin electrician un lectricien employee un(e) employ(e) engineer un ingnieur fireman un pompier lawyer (barrister) un avocat, une avocate maid une femme de chambre manager un grant mechanic un mcanicien nurse un infirmier, une infirmire painter un peintre pharmacist un pharmacien, une pharmacienne plumber un plombier police office un policier receptionist un(e) rceptionniste secretary un(e) secrtaire student un tudiant, une tudiante teacher un professeur* waiter un serveur waitress une serveuse writer un crivain Notes About Un, Une, and Etre In Canada and parts of Switzerland, the feminine form une professeure exists. In France, however, this is usually considered incorrect. On the other hand, you can say une prof., a slang way of saying a professor or a teacher. Note that the feminine article,  une, is fine in this case if you are referring to a female educator. Do not use an article between the verb  Ãƒ ªtre  and someones profession, as in these examples:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Je suis peintre. - Im a painter.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Il va à ªtre mà ©decin. - Hes going to be a doctor. Social Norms In France, asking about what someone does for a living is considered a personal question. If you have to ask, be sure to preface your question with Si ce nest pas indiscret  ... ,   which translates as, If you dont mind my asking ... After you learn the terms for professions in French, take a little extra time to learn what a  typical French conversation  between two people would look like. This will give you a chance to see how French articles, as well as  noms  (nouns),  conjonctions  (conjunctions),  adjectifs  (adjectives), and  adverbes  (adverbs) fit into a dialogue in French.

Over-education in the graduate labour market (Researched Literature Essay

Over-education in the graduate labour market (Researched Literature Review) - Essay Example The universities and the government have thus a responsibility to institute policies to reduce the rising incidence of over-education and its effects. Higher education in the UK has expanded in the last three decades and the trend continues. Policy makers justify this expansion on two rationales. First, it is important to meet the high-skill labour requirements of a knowledge economy and second, to add opportunities in education and, consequently, employment for groups that have been under-represented in higher education in the past (Wilton, 2011). Although this expansion is beneficial in many aspects, there have been no adequate attempts to ascertain the capacity of the economy to absorb the increasing numbers of graduates from the various fields of education, hence resulting into a phenomenon where the demand for labour is unable to keep pace with the supply. Ultimately, some graduates end up getting employment in jobs that do not match their educational qualification. Such workers are overeducated in the labour market (Dolton and Silles, 2008). There is a broad body of evidence for the existence of over-education in the UK grad uate labour market and its incidental effects. Some years back, the discrepancy between graduate and non-graduate level jobs was very conspicuous in the UK. University graduates, usually, entered into traditional graduate careers such as medicine and Law or got recruited onto graduate management training programs with prestigious firms. However, in the recent past the graduate market has become more complex especially because of advancements such as rising global competition and development in technology, which demand that the workforce should be more skilled to fit in the current job market. Thus, jobs that in the past did not require a degree now demand a degree, resulting to expansion of higher education as more people enroll to acquire degrees hence bringing about competition

Use of Dollar Coins as Opposed to Dollar Bills in the US Essay

Use of Dollar Coins as Opposed to Dollar Bills in the US - Essay Example As the paper outlines. with the US budget deficit expected to reach the $1.5 trillion mark this year, the government is under immense pressure to initiate sustainable cost-cutting measures. Eliminating the dollar bill and replacing it with dollar coins should be one of the measures because the government will save the taxpayer more than $5 billion in the next 3 decades among other benefits. Cutting on spending is the biggest priority that the US government has so as to set the economy back in motion. The government currently spends a great deal of money printing and circulating the dollar bills. It will actually take 31 cents less to produce a dollar coin as opposed to a dollar bill according to Fiegerman. A coin will definitely last longer than a bill, therefore, saving on reprinting cost. The dollar bill is made of low-quality materials which tend to wear out within 3 years. This will not be the case with a dollar coin which can last for 34 years. It is also estimated that the doll ar bill will become more expensive to make owing to the fact that cotton prices are increasing steadily. This has shot up the cost of making paper by up to 50% as compared to the same time back in 2007. The EU and countries like Canada and Japan have relied on coins for their low denominations. Canada actually found that it saved more than 10 times their earlier estimated figures. Another issue relates to jamming of machines when producing the dollar bills. The Week states that more than $1 billion gets lost after vending machines jam thereby requiring repairs and companies losing on revenue from sales.  There are arguments that the dollar bill is one of the distinctive features of the United States economy and eliminating it will erode this uniqueness. There is also the belief that change to dollar coins will hurt the economy, especially in the current state.  

The Practice of Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

The Practice of Management - Essay Example The manager I am going to write about in this paper is the person whom I used to report while working in the marketing department of a reputed company. I used to work for that company as a marketing executive. In my whole professional career I worked under quite a few mangers, but this particular manger was undoubtedly the worst. He lacked all essential managerial skills. The most basic skill a manager should have is the ability to lead a team. Not surprisingly, this particular manager also seriously lacked this skill. I am now going to explain all the requisite skills a good manger should have in relationship to the manger I used to work under who seriously lacked all those skills.   Planning is surely the first step in achieving a goal. Planning is a holistic activity that requires a lot of thinking. It can be defined as setting goals and determining a course of action for attaining those goals. While planning, a manger must take the available resources, time and objectives into consideration. Planning marketing strategies call for scanning the competitive environment. Environmental scanning can be done through research and marketing intelligence. Without a clear understating of the competitive environment, a successful planning can not be formulated. Moreover, planning also requires allocation of resources and time for implementation of the plan. The success of a plan is measured how effectively and efficiently a goal has been achieved. This particular manager had a complete lack of skill in planning.

Auditing failures and quantitative measurement of materiality Essay

Auditing failures and quantitative measurement of materiality judgement - Essay Example This may be resulting due to the intentional or unintentional involvement of the auditor in accepting serious misstatements from the company professionals. Large number of factors can be defined as the causes of the audit failure. However, broadly following four categories engulf almost all aspects of audit failure. First and foremost is the failure on the part of the auditor to ensure the compliance of reporting financial statement with the Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) or standards of audit. An evidence in the survey reported that nearly 49% of the audit failure resulted due to inability of the auditor to fully comply with the GAAP and GAAS rules. For example, Ernst & Young in USA has recent been charged to pay around USD two million for violating PCAAOB rules of auditing in the audit of its client Medicis Pharmaceutical Corporation (Public Company Accounting Oversight Board, 2012). In the referred case, E&Y remained the external auditor of the company for nearly 20 years and financial statement of 2008 is found to have clear distortion from GAAP rules. The second reason that results in the failure of audit include the due involvement of the auditor. This results when auditor issues due report that warrants compliance of the financial statement with the set standards and principles. ... d penalizes the auditor for the reason that failure ultimately results due to the lacking on the auditor’s part (Peursem, Zhou, Flood, and Buttimore, 2007). It is evident that auditors’ firms usually end up paying the penalty without agreeing or denying the charges (Peursem, Zhou, Flood, and Buttimore, 2007; United States Securities and Exchange Commission, 2013). The third aspect of the audit failure results when an auditor intentionally or intentionally ignores the investigation requiring component of the financial statement due to having some financial interest in the organization. In almost all cases of the audit fraud, the auditors are investigated for supporting fraud in lieu of having direct and indirect financial interest in the organization or negligence. According to the Peursem, Zhou, Flood, and Buttimore, (2007) with respect to the case of Adelphia, Deloitte had a financial interest in the company as it was largest and long terms standing in the clientele li st of the Pittsburgh office of Deloitte. The case of GTGI also faced this issue when auditor relied heavily on the information provision by the management representatives. Auditor in this case ignored the need of giving exploratory assessment to the revenue and other related components of the financial statement. Finally, the most common aspect of effect is having some personal relationship with the client or entity for which the auditor is providing a service. Such relationships result in impacting the audit activity than having normal business relationship in independency. For instance, Peursem, Zhou, Flood, and Buttimore, (2007) have reported the case of Adelphia also claimed that many partners of the audit firm had a relationship with Adelphia and the family member of the management of the

The resurrection of the Democratic party in Texas Research Paper

The resurrection of the Democratic party in Texas - Research Paper Example They were inclined to get involved in factional strife. Democrats have always been protective of the existing state of affairs. They are known to be quiet resistant to change. The political culture of Texans has been remarkably stable despite historic changes. The existence of the Democratic Party since it started in Texas can be categorized into two main periods. The first period from 1836, their independence, to 1952 when there was a presidential election. During this period, the Democratic Party was the only feasible party and dominated all levels of politics (Texas Politics Website). The second period from 1952 in which the Democratic Party faced numerous challenges from the previously ineffective Republican Party in the control of state affairs. Due to the lack of organization in the political parties before 1848, personalities dominated the political force. Contests eventually evolved to a more definite stage of competition after the Democratic Party formally became part of the electoral process in 1848 during the presidential campaign. However, it is important to note that it took sometime before the Texan democrats could adopt a statewide network and organize conventions. Nevertheless, partisanship developed steadily between annexation and 1861. Democrats started facing opposition at different sources. Initially it was the Whig party, followed by the American party and finally the Constitutional Union party. In the mid 1850s there was rapid growth in the mechanism of party discipline. In 1854, the party was influenced by the upheaval in national politics. This made the Texans move from Jacksonian nationalism and associate themselves closely with rights of state of the lower south. The governor elections in 1895 demonstrated that there... In 1854, the party was influenced by the upheaval in national politics. This made the Texans move from Jacksonian nationalism and associate themselves closely with rights of state of the lower south. The governor elections in 1895 demonstrated that there was division in the Texas’ political structure. During the civil war, democrats in Texas brought partisan activity to a stop after they became closely associated with extreme pro-slavery side that the Democratic Party supported in the Confederation (Texas Politics Website).  Ã‚  In February 1861 when Texas seceded from the Union, democrats had the highest number of officer holders (Worth). Moreover, most of those elected in the state government and those appointed in high military positions were also democrats. After the civil war, the U.S. Congress stopped senior Confederate military and political officials from holding offices or voting. The Republican Party dominated the politics in Texas between 1865, the end of the war, and the end of Reconstruction ten years later. In the early 1870s Confederates who had formerly stopped holding office were allowed back into the electorate and the resumed control of Texas state politics.  After the civil war, there was another split between the Secessionist and the Unionist democrats which was an immediate aftermath. Since the strongest Unionist had moved north and left the political scene, the remaining active members supported the Confederacy.

Auditing failures and quantitative measurement of materiality Essay

Auditing failures and quantitative measurement of materiality judgement - Essay Example This may be resulting due to the intentional or unintentional involvement of the auditor in accepting serious misstatements from the company professionals. Large number of factors can be defined as the causes of the audit failure. However, broadly following four categories engulf almost all aspects of audit failure. First and foremost is the failure on the part of the auditor to ensure the compliance of reporting financial statement with the Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) or standards of audit. An evidence in the survey reported that nearly 49% of the audit failure resulted due to inability of the auditor to fully comply with the GAAP and GAAS rules. For example, Ernst & Young in USA has recent been charged to pay around USD two million for violating PCAAOB rules of auditing in the audit of its client Medicis Pharmaceutical Corporation (Public Company Accounting Oversight Board, 2012). In the referred case, E&Y remained the external auditor of the company for nearly 20 years and financial statement of 2008 is found to have clear distortion from GAAP rules. The second reason that results in the failure of audit include the due involvement of the auditor. This results when auditor issues due report that warrants compliance of the financial statement with the set standards and principles. ... d penalizes the auditor for the reason that failure ultimately results due to the lacking on the auditor’s part (Peursem, Zhou, Flood, and Buttimore, 2007). It is evident that auditors’ firms usually end up paying the penalty without agreeing or denying the charges (Peursem, Zhou, Flood, and Buttimore, 2007; United States Securities and Exchange Commission, 2013). The third aspect of the audit failure results when an auditor intentionally or intentionally ignores the investigation requiring component of the financial statement due to having some financial interest in the organization. In almost all cases of the audit fraud, the auditors are investigated for supporting fraud in lieu of having direct and indirect financial interest in the organization or negligence. According to the Peursem, Zhou, Flood, and Buttimore, (2007) with respect to the case of Adelphia, Deloitte had a financial interest in the company as it was largest and long terms standing in the clientele li st of the Pittsburgh office of Deloitte. The case of GTGI also faced this issue when auditor relied heavily on the information provision by the management representatives. Auditor in this case ignored the need of giving exploratory assessment to the revenue and other related components of the financial statement. Finally, the most common aspect of effect is having some personal relationship with the client or entity for which the auditor is providing a service. Such relationships result in impacting the audit activity than having normal business relationship in independency. For instance, Peursem, Zhou, Flood, and Buttimore, (2007) have reported the case of Adelphia also claimed that many partners of the audit firm had a relationship with Adelphia and the family member of the management of the

Stock market Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Stock market - Essay Example The Stock Market A stock can be termed as a partial ownership of a company. The partial ownerships are called shares are offered to the public through the initial public offering for the first time. The stocks can then be sold and bought by the public at any time after the initial public offering. A person who owns as little as one share of a company is said to be a shareholder and has partial ownership of that particular company. Stocks are bought with the hope that they will appreciate in value thus the shareholder makes a profit. This is what has made the stock market to be very popular. When a company is doing well, the value of its stock appreciates in value and when it is not doing well, the value of its stock decreases (Furang 6). The stock market is one of the most profitable ventures in the world. Investors can buy shares of the companies of interest at a low price and sell them at a high price thus making profits. To do this successfully, the investor has to understand the company they are interested in completely. The issues of the company affect the value of the stock directly. As such, the investor is required to keep following up the happenings of the company to know the best time to purchase stocks of that company. Timing on the time to purchase the stock is important (Kettell 33). The value of stock can really appreciate over time; the little profits earned at any given time can be compounded over the months and years leading to higher profits. In fact, those interested in stocks should invest with the quest to compounding whatever they earn over the years. That is the best method of investing in stocks. Compounding interest from stocks for one or more decade can generate a lot of profits especially for the well performing companies. Looking at Apple Inc as an example, the value of its shares has increased by over four hundred percent in the last 18 years. An investor, who purchased Apple stocks worth one thousand dollars in 1995, has over four thousand worth currently (Pundit 1). There are some people who have been able to make the percent of their capital or more per year. They get their capital back in at most ten years at that rate. What they earn after that are just profits. There are some stocks that have appreciated even faster getting the capital back faster (Schabacker 42). Another reason that creates a lot of interest in stocks is diversification. An investor can purchase many stocks of different companies thereby spreading the risk. They are guaranteed of profits almost every month. When the stocks of some companies are performing poorly, others are performing well. The investor will benefit from the well performing stocks and can hold the poor performing stocks till they become profitable. Stocks at times may fluctuate below the buying price and then increase above the buying price after sometime. It is important for an investor to understand the fundamentals of the company and the historical price pattern to b enefit through this. These are also known as fundamental and technical analysis and have proven to be very effective over the years for investors who use them (Weir 98). While stocks are profitable, some people are not comfortable in investing in stocks. Stocks are affected by several things. Economic slow down can

Theobromine Essay Example for Free

Theobromine Essay Theobromine is very similar to caffeine but has two less hydrogen atoms. Theobromine is the substance in chocolate that can be toxic to animals. It also has a bitter taste, and is found in higher quantities in dark chocolate than milk chocolate. Theobromine increases excretion of water from bodies, relaxes, and stimulates. There is no evidence of the relationship between the structure and functions. Theobromine is an alkaloid belonging to the methylxanthine group. It is made up of seven carbon atoms, eight hydrogen atoms, four nitrogen atoms, and two oxygen atoms. Theobromine is very similar to caffeine but is ten times weaker. Caffeine has two more hydrogen atoms than theobromine. The structure of theobromine also contains two amide groups and three amine groups. Theobromine naturally occurs in cacao beans and is found in all chocolate products. It is what is toxic in chocolate to animals. Cardiac and central nervous system distress in dogs can be caused by 100-200 mg of theobromine per kg of the weight of the dog. It is toxic because animals metabolize theobromine much slower than humans. Theobromine has a bitter flavor, therefore found in higher quantities in dark chocolate than milk chocolate. Theobromine also increases the excretion of water from bodies, relaxes, and stimulates. It can also be used to dilate blood vessels to lower blood pressure. There is no easily accessed evidence of the relationship between the structure and functionality of theobromine.

Youths and Gangs in School: Causes, Effects and Solutions

Youths and Gangs in School: Causes, Effects and Solutions The correlation between youths and crime is well documented in the available literatures. Research shows that a huge number who regularly get involved in criminal activities are youths. According to Home Office (2011), Home Office commits approximately  £18m of the entire funding solely to curb young individuals from engaging in criminal activities. Such statistics clearly demonstrates the magnitude of the problem caused by youth gangs justifying the need to integrate mechanisms to adequately address the issue. There is no universally accepted definition for gangs considering the many definitions that have been advanced by scholars. Due to lack of universality of gang definition, there have been little consensus concerning what should constitute a gang and the precise definition of a gang member. Esbensen et al (2001) asserted that experts have reported faults with almost all definitions of a gang. Thrasher (1963, p, 40) boasts for being the first person to provide a comprehensive definition for a gang. He defined it as an interstitial group initially formed spontaneously and eventually integrated through conflict. Thrasher characterised gang with certain features, including milling, meeting face-to-face, conflict, movement through spaces as a unit, and planning. Nonetheless, criminal activities vital to many researchers understanding of gangs was virtually omitted from Thrashers definition. Thrasher had failed to integrate elements, including law violating behaviour and delinquent as a criterion for gang. Despite Schools being some of the most common socialization places for the youth across the world, they are increasingly becoming vulnerable to incidences and effects of youth gangs, especially in the United States. Background Schools are some of the most common socialization places for the youth across the world. In this respect, schools are vulnerable to incidences and effects of youth gangs, especially in the United States. Statistics indicate that about 24% of all public-school students report the presence of youth gangs in their individual schools (Smith, 2011). Recent surveys reveal that more than 45% of high school students acknowledge the existence of active youth gangs in their campuses. Empirical studies also demonstrate that group operations are more pervasive in urban schools than suburban schools (Mayer Furlong, 2010). However, gang operations in suburban schools have been growing at an alarming pace over the recent years. It is disturbing to note that scholars, education administrators, and security agencies have underestimated the implication of these statistics. Arguably, these stakeholders have shown little seriously about young gangs due to lack of well-defined criteria for assessing the elements of a youth gang. The reluctance to notice the prevalence of gang operations in schools have been attributed to the fear of public perception and politicization of the issue. The presence of youth gangs in communities poses serious problems for school going children. Reports show that schools form suitable grounds for recruitment, intimidation, and boasting (Smith, 2011; Howel, 2007). Concurring with this debate, Mayer, and Furlong (2010) added that the idea of gang activity creates an environment of anxiety and incompliance. Fear and incompliance interferes with classroom order and reduces the academic performance of non-gang students. Undoubtedly, the existence of youth gangs in schools disrupts the learning environment, inculcates fear among students and educators, and accounts for increased violence in schools. Research shows that young gang activity is positively associated with the increasing episodes of bullying, violence, and intimidation in schools (ODonnell, Egley Howell, 2009). Smith (2011) also reported a strong correlation between the existence of gangs and the availability of guns and drugs in schools. Cases of students having weapons, as w ell as, students reports of availability of illicit drugs are more rampant in schools where youth gangs are prevalent. Therefore, violent victimization rates are higher in schools with operational youth gangs than in schools without gangs. It has been noted with great concern that young gangs are characterized by ever-changing structures, thereby surpassing the stereotypical perspectives on traditional gangs. People always believe that modern youth gangs operate within the confines of urban settings. Research shows, however, that the contemporary youth gangs are rapidly growing and spreading to suburban areas and villages (Egley, Howell, Moore, 2010). The fact that young gangs are present in most of the urban high schools is a clear indication that schools are growingly being infiltrated by gang activities that are engineered in local communities. As mentioned earlier, the purpose of schools has extended beyond academic and co-curriculum development to include drug markets and recruiting grounds. Moreover, schools where notifiable gang operations are not addressed often register higher victimization rates. The failure to address gang operations imply that the potential indicators of gang activity are not being recognized as expected. In most cases, this failure leads to a compromise of the school security in the broad-spectrum. It is on record that teachers and school heads show little commitment to recognizing the prevalence of youth gangs in their schools due to fear of victimization. Studies have also found that students and police officers are more likely to report the existence of youth gangs in schools than both teachers and parents (NCES, 2010). These important facts support the need to explore the motives behind youth gang formation, awareness of key indicators, and risk factors linked to participation in the same. According to the National Center for Education Statistic (NCES, 2010), youth gang formation does not consider age, gender, or race. Scholars claim that pov erty and high costs of living explain the formation of a majority of youth gangs in schools (Estrada, Astor, Benbenishty, Gilreath, De Pedro, 2011). Estrada, Gilreath, Astor and Benbenishty (2013) reported that all children are becoming growingly vulnerable to the attraction of local youth gangs and indoctrinated with gang practices. Anti-gang analysts have suggested that the aspiration for love, security, improved social status, and a feeling of empowerment always promote gang formation. Academic failure, alcohol and substance abuse are other motivations to join a gang. Estrada, Astor, Benbenishty, Gilreath, and De Pedro (2011) contributed to this issue arguing that the ineffective and discriminatory nature of the existing social systems, including families and schools account for the rise in youth gangs in schools. Based on this argument, one can state without doubt that socio-economic predicaments are both predisposing factors and outcomes of the prevalence of youth gangs in the society. Professionals from across various quotas have contended that there is a difficulty in addressing gang pervasiveness. The problem which emanates from identification has been compounded by the lack of identifiable traits. The availability of identifiable traits would make it rather easy to differentiate between gang-affiliated students and non-gang students. Although other recognizable characters should be analyzed, gang members commonly use a different language, mannerisms, and dressing codes. The use of hand gestures, certain color displays, and signs are typical of youth gangs. However, blame has been pegged on educators and school administrators for overlooking such actions. Teachers and administrators have no option when it comes to learning and acknowledging the key indicators of youth gangs in schools. More importantly, educators lack knowledge of the risk factors that drive the formation of youth gangs. Battin-Pearson, Guo, Hill, Abbott, Catalano, and Hawkins (1997) categorized the possible risk factors into the family, school, peer, community, and individual circumstances. Dysfunctional families bring disaffection in children, thereby providing a primary motivation to join a gang. When one is separated from the community, he or she may seek acceptance in peer groups. These peer groups would then make joining a gang more appealing to the socially isolated young person. Therefore, exposing children to various risks increases the probability that they may accede to forces of youth gangs. Problem Statement It is evident that the explosion of youth gangs and gang-related violence has continued to skyrocket since the late-1990s. Global records show that the United States harbors about 30,000 distinct youth gangs made up of not less than 800,000 members. It is believed that these figures may be higher because people have imperfect information on what constitutes a gang. Incarceration of gang members and complicated legal procedures are other justifications of the variations in the estimates. Per the most recent surveys, more reasonable estimates comprise of at least 20,000 respective gangs with over 1,000,000 associates. It is worth stating that the more these gangs spread throughout a country or region, the more devastating their implications on public schools and learners become. The severity of effects of gangs in the contemporary society has exceeded historical levels. In other words, both the presence and activity of youth gangs in schools have raised concerns such as academic disrup tion, the decline in discipline among students, and increased cases of violence. The primary problem is that in most cases, teachers and school administrators fail to identify in time and mitigate gang problems in schools sufficiently. However, analysts do not blame educators and administrators entirely for their reluctance to recognize the presence and effects of gangs in school environments. In that essence, the contribution of public and political perceptions to their reluctance cannot be overlooked. On the contrary, the absence of official gang training in the pre-service and in-service professional development activities. Scholars have projected that when gang operations go unnoticed and unmitigated, such outcomes as increased gang activities, uncertain learning conditions, and ineffectiveness of campus security become more pervasive (Egley, Howell, Moore, 2010). The underlying issue is not just the recognition of key indicators and risks factors but the ability and capacity to recognize them in such a manner that facilitates mitigation and eradication of gangs from schools and the local communities. The situation may worsen in the near future if appropriate recognition methods and interventional measures are not implemented as fast as necessary. Solution to Gang Related Problems in School Before addressing the possible solution to gang related problems, it is imperative to address some of the risk factors promoting gang violence in a school setting. Understanding the root cause of gang related violence is key to addressing the issue of youths and gangs in schools. Howell (2011) documented some of the factors likely to prom youth gangs in a school setting. These factors are classified into individual, family, and school related factors. The individual risk factors include alcohol and drug abuse, antisocial behaviour, victimization, mental health problems, and negative life events. Howell (2011) contended that antisocial behaviour was one of the prim factors promoting youth and gang in schools. Howell asserts that children whose antisocial behaviour progressively worsens are more likely to join various gang groups. Antisocial behaviour includes aggression, alcohol and drug use, early dating, and violence without a weapon. In adolescence, other forms of violence do emerge, including attacking someone with a weapon. Therefore, antisocial behaviour is one of the prime causes of youth gang violence in a school setting. This implies that effort to address the issue of gang violence should be geared towards addressing the issue of antisocial behaviour in schools. Another individual factor contributing to youth and gangs in school include alcohol and drug abuse. Many students who are drug addicts are more likely to join gang groups (Huizinga Lovegrove, 2009). According to Howell (2011), alcohol and drug abuse are among the leading triggers of youth and gangs in schools. In fact, where drug involves marijuana, the probability of joining gang group is extremely high. Besides alcohol abuse, mental health also constitutes problem compelling an individual to join gangs in school. Despite little evidence on the role played by mental health problems in promoting gang violence, research shows that mental problems among young people escalates their chances of joining a gang group in a school setting. These mental health problems encompass externalising behaviours, conduct disorders, depression, and hyperactivity (Howell Egley, 2005). The study conducted by Davis and Flannery (2001) highlighted that gang members in juvenile correctional facilities are regularly admitted with histories of sexual and physical abuse, psychiatric disturbances, substance abuse, cognitive deficits, and traumatic stress disorder among others. Therefore, effort to provide robust solutions to addressing the issue of youths and gang in school should be geared towards addressing the above documented individual risk factors. Howell (2011) cited family risk factors as being responsible for compelling an individual to join a gang group in a school setting. Per Howell, parents play an incredible role in promoting positive child-development right from birth. He pointed adversities, including multiple family transitions, single-parent household, financial stress, and poverty as potential risk factors, increasing the likelihood of one joining a criminal gang. The aforementioned factors weaken effective parental supervision while disturbing proper development of stronger family bonds. In ability for parents to exercise proper parental control has been proven beyond reasonable doubt to promote children involvement in gang in various school settings. Additionally, parents history of gang involvement also plays an important role in the childs criminal behaviour. Howell (2011) posits that where a family member got involved in criminal behaviour or gang, the probability of his or her children joining gang is very high. School related factors have also been scrutinised to explore the role they play in promoting youth engagement in gang membership. However, it is interesting that study in this area have only been directed towards examining the role played by a students academic achievement in gang involvement (Gottfredson et al., 2005). The study conducted by Thornberry, Krohn, et al., (2003) found that poor school performance on mathematics subject predicted male gang involvement. Based on this study, it is apparent that poor school performance played a role in youth gang involvement in a school setting. The community risk factors have also been cited as a risk factor for youth involvement in gang violence. Pyrooz, Fox, and Decker (2010) opine that gangs always tend to cluster in economically disadvantaged and high-crime neighbourhoods. Where gangs cluster in each neighbourhood, the probability of youths joining gang group is extremely high. Some of the community related risk factors compelling youths to join gangs include widespread use of drugs and firearms, a huge number of people involved in illegal behaviours within the community, and increased alcohol and drug abuse. Solutions With respect to the rising rate of gang related violence, more so in a school setting, it is imperative to develop robust strategies to sufficiently address the issue of school youths joining gang groups. There are many strategies that can be implemented to address the issue as will be discussed in this section. Ineffective gun control strategies have been blamed to be responsible for the increased gang violence in a school setting. This implies that effort to reduce gang related violence should be geared towards implementing effective gun control policies to ensure that youths do not get access to guns. Research shows that drug abuse worsens juvenile violence in two different ways. For instance, firearm is highly prevalent among drug addicts, something that increases the chances of possessing and illegally using arms to engage in violence. Therefore, effort to reduce drug-gun related violence should be geared towards addressing the issue of drugs in community. To reduce an environment of fear and attain the highest reduction in number of youths carrying weapons, effort ought to be directed towards not only implementing effective gun control policies, but also conducting an operation to disarm the number of youths carrying the weapons. Youth involvement and community support planning and implementation are key to making the disarmament process effective. Community support programs geared towards promoting economic development is also a step in the right direction as far as solutions are concerned. In most cases, youths join gang groups because of poverty; they are unable to access adequate food. They are, therefore, forced to resort to gang violence as a strategy of achieving the end, which is using illegal methods to earn money. Therefore, community efforts should involve integrating programs that promote economic growth and development within the community. Besides the above, another effective strategy is studying students displaying antisocial behaviors. Based on this research, such students were more likely to join the school gang group. In this regard, they must be warned that any attempt to promote youth-gun would be dealt with accordingly. In some cases, promoting economic growth and development may not be effective because youth crime has always been reported to be high even in cities with a robust history of economic development. In this case, teaching school going children on the need to avoid violence behavior and the consequences associated with participating in gang groups is likely to reduce the number of school youths considering joining gangs. Scholars have suggested different strategies for mitigating the prevalence of different youth gang activities and gang-associated impacts on students. Among the most cited strategies include anti-gang education, anti-violence programs, school absenteeism and exclusion responses, positive pro-social behavior models, and inclusion. These strategies are useful in nurturing peaceful learning, coexistence, and social integration. Anti-youth gang education is a promising way of discouraging children and young adults from acquiring youth gang membership. In some jurisdictions, gang resistance education and training programs have been integrated into the curriculum. The advocates of this program argue that it enables students to have perfect information concerning their respective schools and homesteads, thereby encouraging positive social behaviors. The mentioned program focuses primarily on emphasizing the negative effects of alcohol and drug abuse, while engaging the youth in community development programs. However, the implementation such a curriculum should be the responsibility of security officers because they are more familiar with conflict management, drugs, and criminal justice. Research shows that students who have successfully undergone an education and training programs portray more pro-social behaviors than other students. On the same note, well-trained police officers play pivotal roles in not only preventing the formation of youth gangs, but also in enforcing law and order in the community. Therefore, police presence in schools can boost educators and administrators morale in the fight against youth gangs. Anti-violence programs form another set of strategies for curbing the proliferation of gangs in learning institutions. This category of strategies consists of mentoring programs for young boys, anti-bullying campaigns, pro-diversity policies and practices, and selection of community liaison officers. Psychologists believe that anti-bullying programs such as reporting of bullying incidences make vulnerable students feel more secure and less likely to seek refuge in a gang. Per emotion experts, mentoring boys reduces violence against students having same sex relationships. Besides, racial-violence in schools can be reduced by creating and promoting race-free environments. As a matter of fact, schools are encouraged to preach cultural diversity and equality so that foreign students can gain a sense of belonging to a school community. In addition to the school community, liaison officers can also promote cultural diversity by ensuring that ethnic minority communities actively participate in youth education and well-being promotion. Additionally, curriculum reforms, creation of incentives for attendance, allowing re-entry of excluded and disaffected students, and the use of restorative justice in disciplining students are the main ways of reducing cases of absenteeism and exclusion. Those who support curriculum change posit that learning should be more vocational and practical in the sense that evening hours and weekends are devoted to recreational and talent shows. Studies have established that most students find these sessions exciting and refreshing. Elsewhere, setting a class target with the reward of an excursion has been found to potentially increase school attendance. Students can also be prepared to re-enter regular schools by taking them to alternative schools such as rehabilitation centers. Most these alternative schools have provided community service training necessary for building self-esteem in young people. Fundamentally, there is a need to streamline the interaction between parents, educators, ad ministrators, and security personnel. Effective communication in social systems harbors myriad of achieving restorative justice. Scholars have identified youth conferences as the most effective communication channel when it comes to impacting behavior change in young people. Nevertheless, other educationists have viewed the role of mentorship in preventing gang activity from another lens. The contribution of both adult and peer mentors towards behavior change has been seamlessly commendable. Adult mentors comprise of designated and proficient individuals who offer guidance, counseling, and assistance to young groups. School administrators and peer leaders can be more productive in addressing problems affecting young people such as appropriate dressing, appropriate verbiage, and understanding. Scholars have suggested different strategies for mitigating the prevalence of different youth gang activities and gang-associated impacts on students. Among the most cited strategies include anti-gang education, anti-violence programs, school absenteeism and exclusion responses, positive pro-social behavior models, and inclusion. These strategies are useful in nurturing peaceful learning, coexistence, and social integration. Anti-youth gang education is a promising way of discouraging children and young adults from acquiring youth gang membership. In some jurisdictions, gang resistance education and training programs have been integrated into the curriculum. The advocates of this program argue that it enables students to have perfect information concerning their respective schools and homesteads, thereby encouraging positive social behaviors. The mentioned program focuses primarily on emphasizing the negative effects of alcohol and drug abuse, while engaging the youth in community development programs. However, the implementation such a curriculum should be the responsibility of security officers because they are more familiar with conflict management, drugs, and criminal justice. Research shows that students who have successfully undergone an education and training programs portray more pro-social behaviors than other students. On the same note, well-trained police officers play pivotal roles in not only preventing the formation of youth gangs, but also in enforcing law and order in the community. Therefore, police presence in schools can boost educators and administrators morale in the fight against youth gangs. Anti-violence programs form another set of strategies for curbing the proliferation of gangs in learning institutions. This category of strategies consists of mentoring programs for young boys, anti-bullying campaigns, pro-diversity policies and practices, and selection of community liaison officers. Psychologists believe that anti-bullying programs such as reporting of bullying incidences make vulnerable students feel more secure and less likely to seek refuge in a gang. According to emotion experts, mentoring boys reduces violence against students having same sex relationships. Besides, racial-violence in schools can be reduced by creating and promoting race-free environments. In fact, schools are encouraged to preach cultural diversity and equality so that foreign students can gain a sense of belonging to a school community. In addition to the school community, liaison officers can also promote cultural diversity by ensuring that ethnic minority communities actively participate in youth education and well-being promotion. Additionally, curriculum reforms, creation of incentives for attendance, allowing re-entry of excluded and disaffected students, and the use of restorative justice in disciplining students are the main ways of reducing cases of absenteeism and exclusion. Those who support curriculum change posit that learning should be more vocational and practical in the sense that evening hours and weekends are devoted to recreational and talent shows. Studies have established that most students find these sessions exciting and refreshing. Elsewhere, setting a class target with the reward of an excursion has been found to potentially increase school attendance. Students can also be prepared to re-enter regular schools by taking them to alternative schools such as rehabilitation centers. Most of these alternative schools have provided community service training necessary for building self-esteem in young people. Fundamentally, there is a need to streamline the interaction between parents, educators, administrators, and security personnel. Effective communication in social systems harbors a myriad of achieving restorative justice. Scholars have identified youth conferences as the most effective communication channel when it comes to impacting behavior change in young people. Nevertheless, other educationists have viewed the role of mentorship in preventing gang activity from another lens. The contribution of both adult and peer mentors towards behavior change has been seamlessly commendable. Adult mentors comprise of designated and proficient individuals who offer guidance, counseling, and assistance to young groups. School administrators and peer leaders can be more productive in addressing problems affecting young people such as appropriate dressing, appropriate verbiage, and understanding. References 2010. Retrieved fromhttp://nces.ed.gov/programs/crimeindicators/crimeindicators2010/ind_08.asp. Battin-Pearson, S., Guo, J., Hill, K. G., Abbott, R., Catalano, R. F., Hawkins, J. D. (1997). Early predictors of sustained adolescent gang membership. In American society of criminology annual meeting, San Diego, CA. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (1991). Weapon-carrying among high school students: United States, 1990. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report 40(40), 681-684. Blumstein, 1994. Egley, A., Jr., Howell, J. C., Moore, J. P. (2010). Highlights of the 2008 national youth Estrada, J. N., Astor, R. A., Benbenishty, R., Gilreath, T., De Pedro, K. (2011). Merging gang and school violence theoretical models: examining predictors of gang membership within California schools. In American Educational Research Association, Annual Meeting. New Orleans, LA. Estrada, J. N., Gilreath, T. D., Astor, R. A., Benbenishty, R. (2013). Gang membership of California middle school students: behaviors and attitudes as mediators of school violence. Health education research, cyt037.  From http://www.k12.wa.us/LegisGov/2011documents/GangsTaskForceReport.pdf. gang survey. Retrieved from http://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/ojjdp/229249.pdf HOME OFFICE (2011). Knife, gun and gang-related violence. [online]. Last accessed 25 April 2011 at: http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/crime/knife-gun-gang-youth-violence/. Howell, J. C. (2007). Menacing or mimicking? Realities of youth gangs. Juvenile and Family Court Journal, 58(2), 39-50. Howell, J. C. (2011). Gang prevention: an overview of research and programs. DIANE Publishing. Mayer, M. J., Furlong, M. J. (2010). How safe are our schools? Educational Researcher, 39(1), 16-26. National Center for Education Statistics. (2010). Indicators of school crime and safety: ODonnell, C., Egley, A., Howell, J. C. (2009). Over a decade of national youth gang  Retrieved from http://www.allacademic.com/meta/p373416_index.html Smith, T. G. (2011). Gangs in schools task force: Report to the legislature. Retrieved   Survey research: What have we learned? Paper presented at the annual meeting of  The ASC, Annual Meeting, Philadelphia Marriott Downtown, Philadelphia, PA.