Monday, September 30, 2019

Holes by Louis Sachar Essay

The book â€Å"Holes† by Louis Sachar is an interesting book that relates with friendship, independence and justice. Although this is pure fiction by its immaterial plot, it does not have a bad concept that could affect our child’s understanding of our long history of culture. We could include this book among our collection of stories for the kids in our library because for a child this book is full of fun and adventure. Its content can further contribute to the active imagination of young students and it could also provide interest in their reading for adventure books. Consequently, this book tells the story of a young boy whose family has been experiencing bad luck because his grandfather has been put in a curse. The clan has since been gripped by importunate events. One day bad luck falls on Stanley Yelnats, one of the great grandsons of the cursed man. He was hit by an expensive pair of tennis shoes on the head. Wondering who could have done that thing, the owner of the shoes saw him holding them and was immediately accused of stealing them. Since he is from a poor family the boy cannot afford to defend himself and was incarcerated. He was given options to choose between two camps for his exile and he chose Camp Green Lake assuming it would be full of plants and vegetation out there. But the camp is a dessert and they have to do hard labor digging Holes all day with his campmates. Notwithstanding the harsh weather in the dessert, he also has to deal with his camp mates who are also harshly unpredictable. Each of them has different personalities and eccentricities but they began to form friendship. Digging Holes everyday in the dessert seems like a never ending nightmare to the boys. Although the purpose of these Holes is a puzzle to them the warden’s goal for these digging is to find the long lost buried treasures which Stanley’s grandfather has buried (Sachar â€Å"Read Aloud Recommendations†). The antecedence of the story creates a wondrous marvel to readers. The whirlwinds which seemingly struck the audience is a valor for the author. Analysis There is however a controversial element that this book represents. Somehow this story portrays injustice and justice, bullying, and bad fate and juvenile delinquency. Further, there is also a bit of racism in there where the characters implies that it is against the law to kiss a black person. The term â€Å"negro† was included which was part of the plot in those days. But somehow, the use of history in the book was incredible. We can consider this book a fiction because of its plots, settings and the characters. For an adult it is likely overwhelming to believe such actions and events. But as I have said this book is just for fun nevertheless it could be an interesting book for small children because it has magic as well as values and lessons within (Sachar Holes). This story simply discusses life with friendship and love for freedom. And it could be presume that it does not propose or make any controversial issue which could harm our children’s learning and understanding. We could easily explain to children the way things goes with the story because it discusses the life of a boy in prison and the cruel treatments he suffered with the guards. He was somehow treated unfairly and we have to discuss these matters to the children that not all boys can have this experience and this can only happen in the book judging from our justice system today. And so it is recommended that this book or film could be advised to be read or watch by grade 5-6 students. For an adult, this book can be literally tedious as if everything was too unbelievable. We can just consider this as a tall tale and nevertheless have a little fun trying to pick up little puzzles altogether and connect them in the end. Many readers may have different understanding and association with this book but it surely connects to the point of friendship, loyalty and trust. Discussion With regard with questionable manners portrayed in the story, nothing really delineates the characters to more than just happy people but able to meet unfortunate events and get meshed with it somehow. Although there were instances that the characters show anger, frustrations and hopelessness, the intention to serve and protect other people is clearly indicated. This is the part where we can see changes and grow in the attitude of the characters. If we have to follow certain rules and guidelines in adapting this story to children in California, we have standards in this state that follows guidelines such as stated in the California Standards for Teaching Profession. It indicates that all students must have all the rights in learning with the teacher and this will be built on student’s knowledge, different life experiences and the goal to accomplish learning. That a teacher can use a variety of instructional materials and strategies that can correspond to every student are diverse needs. The teacher with her willingness and all the rights to make use of challenging experiences to each and every student living in different environment thus encouraging autonomy, freedom and interaction. It is also one of the exclusive rights of the teacher to actively participate and engage all the students in problem solving and critical thinking methods that may surpass any subject matter. Skills and concepts will be the tools in encouraging students to use them in real-life which could make their life significant. Teachers are the tools in the development of the students who will be more self-directed, demonstrative, more articulate and evaluative and this can start from the classroom. (California). Going back to the characters in the book, the children can be asked whom among the characters could very well fit to their personality, likes and dislikes and why? We can suggest that Stanley has portrayed the greatest and more challenging part in the story because of his courage and self-reliance. We can also discuss how characters grow to be more self-reliant and cooperative between them. We can also ask the significance of the title â€Å"Holes† to the students and explain its relevance. Or we can suggest meaning such as Holes in the title to signify Holes in our life and our society. The teacher can also suggest that the author wanted the young people to be independent in their shortcomings and weakness to be able to grow and change and merge with the society. All in all this book was made and published for children not to show discrimination, injustices and delinquency to children but to be able to analyze for themselves how they view things in the eyes of another child and how he made things better (Davis). Synthesis Formidably, this controversial story of Holes will not only catch the attention of the â€Å"juvenile† public, but as noted, it’s sense of distinctiveness is quite a pious form of prose which will surely leave minds in question as to whether the story helps in building the most justifiable sense of writing, or nevertheless the puzzling aroma pulls the trigger on bribing the minds of those who contain very minimal rationality. Personally, I loved the flow of the story and the sagacity which it coherently portrays piece by piece. It may have established ‘negative’ constraints towards ideals and perspectives on conventionality, but it fires up all the more.

Sunday, September 29, 2019

Reaction Order and Rate Law Essay

Data, Calculations, and Questions A. Calculate the initial and final concentrations as needed to complete Tables 1 and 2. Data Table 1: Varying the Concentration of 1.0 M HCl | | | | |Concentrations | | |# Drops |# Drops |# Drops |Initial | |# Drops |# Drops |# Drops |Initial |Initial |Final |Final |Reaction Time (sec) |Reaction | |Well # |HCl |Water |Na2S2O3 |HCl |Na2S2O3 |HCl |Na2S2O3 |Trial 1 |Trial 2 |Avg |Rate (sec-1) | |1 |8 |0 |12 |1 M |0.3 M |0.4 |0.18 |18.4 |16.3 |17.35 |0.0576 | |2 |8 |6 |6 |1 M |0.15 |0.4 |0.0045 |37.1 |37.9 |37.5 |0.0267 | |3 |8 |8 |4 |1 M |0.1 |0.4 |0.02 |107.2 |106.6 |106.9 |0.0093 | | B. Calculate the average reaction time for each reaction by adding the times for the two trials and dividing by 2. C. Calculate the reaction rate by taking the inverse of the average reaction time, i.e., 1 divided by the average reaction time. 1. Use table 1 to determine the reaction order for HCl. 2. Use table 2 to determine the reaction order for Na2S2O3. Remember, you want to see what happens to the reaction rate when you double the concentration of one reactant while the second reactant remains unchanged. In Part 1, we varied the concentration of HCl while we kept the concentration of Na2S2O3 the same. In Part 2 we varied the concentration of Na2S2O3 while keeping the concentration of HCl the same. These are  experimental data and results will be different from some of the nice, even numbers you saw on textbook problems. For example, in this experiment you may double the concentration of a reactant but the reaction rate may increase anywhere from 1.7 times to 2.4 times. This still means an approximate doubling of the reaction rate. On the other hand, if you double a reactant concentration and the reaction rate increases by 0.7 to 1.3 times that probably means that the reaction rate multiplier is one (1). D. Write the rate law for the reaction. E. Using the rate law, the rate, and the appropriate concentration(s) from one (or more) of your experiments calculate k. F. What are the potential errors in this experiment? ———————– Laura Titus Done in the table Time average=time trial 1+time trial 2/2 HCl reaction is 1.36 Na2S2O3 reaction is 0.84 Rate law = k[HCl]^1.36[Na2S2O3]^0.84 Rate law=k[0.024]^1.36[0.0576]^0.84 Rate law= k[.03264][.048384] K=1/.00158 K= 632.9? Me not fully sure if my numbers are correct or not. Rounding correctly, documenting at right time.

Saturday, September 28, 2019

Costs and Benefits Analysis of 2000 Sydney Olympic Games Essay

The Sydney Olympic Games held in 2000 was perhaps one of Australia’s major investments. The event involved Private, Social and External costs and benefits. The NSW government experienced the Private costs. Financially, the government spent around $1.7 billion dollars on the event, which included the sporting facilities, advancing the city’s streets, transport organisation and the village. The takings received for the event, however, was around $6 million. The profits are still being made today, as now Sydney is in possession of world-class amenities capable of holding other major sporting events. The government saved on the payment of employees, as most were volunteers. The economy benefited from the spending of tourists attending the Games. The External costs were the rapid growth of homelessness as the housing market saw prices climb astronomically from all the publicity of the Games. The Games may have created a national debt, which subsequently the taxpayers would have had to subsidise. Due to the government having to concentrate their budget on the Games, less money was put into hospitals and schools, which invited much criticism from the public. The benefits included the availability of jobs. There was estimated to be about 150,000 full-time and part-time jobs created. The well-being of the environment contributed to the social costs. Toxic waste was being deposited in the adjacent areas, including the bushland and other natural resources were being spoiled. The social benefits far outweighed the costs. The major issue confronting the Olympic Games was concerning the relations between European Australians and Aboriginal Australians. Tension was especially mounted during the Opening Ceremony when the Aboriginal culture was demonstrated in their acts. This was dispelled, however, when Cathy Freeman completed the last leg of the Torch relay and lit the stadium torch. This helped to relieve the hostility between Aborigines and European Australians. Another benefit is the availability of the facilities. The most popular is the International Aquatic Centre that is widely used by the suburban Sydney people and is also admired and used by tourists from all around the world. Overall, the Sydney Olympic Games was a success and we are still reaping the benefits economically. Thanks to the Games, Sydney is now a desirable and popular holiday destination.

Friday, September 27, 2019

Systems Project Management Approach Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Systems Project Management Approach - Essay Example It happens separate from business as usual and the management of projects is normally separate. Project management therefore requires the managers and their teams to develop distinct technical skills and management strategies (Project management institute, 2000). Some of the main challenges include scope, time, quality and budget. While other ones that can come in secondary include optimizing the allocation of necessary inputs and integrates them to meet the objectives (Wheeler, 2000). Organizational Situation The project in question is called Versace. It involves 9 Customer requests. The project is for a global brand management company which has customers located all over the world. Flow of work in the company is illustrated in Figure 3. Customer contacts Administrator by email or phone requesting label design to be created. Then Administrator summarizes Customer request and then passes over to an Artist. After Artist created label design he then passes over the design to Quality Co ntrol Department who evaluates the label design and checks if Customer brief been followed. If Artist made a mistake then QD (Quality Department) sends label back to an Artist to get it amended and if label is correct then it is being transferred back to Administrator. Administrator then checks the design to make sure it is correct and if it is wrong she then sends it back to Artist and if it is correct then she adds costs and sends design over to Customer. After Customer received the design he then evaluates and checks if brief been followed. For this project as many other projects within the company Right First Time (RFT) is very low as customer majority of times adds additional request and workflow is being repeated as many times as customer sends additional changes. It is important to note that each project for each action has set timelines as per below Figure 1 however customer demands for designs to be delivered quicker then set deadlines. Figure 1 - Set Action Timelines 1st A ction (A) 3 Days 2nd Action (B) 2 Days 3rd Action (C) 2 Days 4th Action (D) 2 Days 5th Action (E) 2 Days Figure 2 reflects actual times each action taken for specific number of label designs- Versace. Figure 2 Action Number of Labels Days taken to complete Right First Time % A 1 3 11.1% B 2 4 22.2% C 4 5 44.4% D 1 6 11.1% E 1 7 11.1% Figure 3 - Flow of Work - Versace Systems Project Management Approach The lean systems management approach was chosen due to the fact that lean system methodology regards to project management that all tasks need to serve the purpose of the customer as efficiently as possible (Atkinson, 2006). As outlined above all tasks for the project are in place to serve customer request. Critical discussion on why lean system project management was used Versace project can be described as dynamic and unpredictable as customer requested for extra changes to be done and demanded for timelines to be reduced for actions B/C/D/E. This was not foreseen prior project star ting (Leach, 2005). This therefore increased the duration of the project which affects interaction between activities and resources in ways that are not considered in the traditional methods of project management (Koskela, 2002). The reduction of time for the project actions therefore

Thursday, September 26, 2019

Discrimination and Prejudice to Control and Protect Interest Assignment

Discrimination and Prejudice to Control and Protect Interest - Assignment Example Social difference and socialization exist, these are passed from parents to children. Fear and ignorance are the two greatest concepts of prejudice. Some are concerned with a loss of power and control and therefore prejudice and discriminate the certain group of people (Whitley & Kite, 2010). Â  I encountered racial discrimination when I was the young adult. This was at a time when I went to an office to inquire about a license to hold a convention in a communal place. This was during political campaigns and I was campaigning for a local office. I wanted to hold a small rally on the local ground but I had to have a license for the same. The local police told me that I had to pay more money for the license because I was not white skin. They added that they would offer me the license at their mercy but not because I needed it. I felt so embarrassed but I did not give up with holding the rally. Â  The police officers told me that I could not hold the rally at the ground because I was not supposed to hold a public rally at the ground. They told me that that place was a reserve for the right members but not me. This was pure prejudice and discrimination. They discriminated me because I was not white and showed prejudice to me because I did not belong to their social class. They thought that I was competing with them for the support of the local people to be elected as a local office holder. This was very hurtful and offensive as well. While it is true I offered my candidature for the local office, my aim was not to offer competition but to improve the life of the local people by bringing services to them. This was discrimination and prejudice. Â  The police used their power and control to prejudice and discriminate me.

Solar Powered Fridge Technical Report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Solar Powered Fridge Technical Report - Essay Example However majority of the mankind which lives in the developing or third world countries has just recently woken up to the benefits of refrigeration. As these countries continue to grow rapidly, their people will require refrigeration in some form or other. Refrigeration is required not only for keeping food fresh but is also needed for transportation of perishable products like meat, milk etc (score.uk, 2013). Although the need for refrigeration is huge, third world countries are suffering from immense energy crisis. Most of these countries do not have the resources to provide electricity to the entire population. Where electricity is available, there are problem of irregular supply and voltage problems. A huge amount of capital is also required to set up power plants in order to provide electricity to all. Such huge amounts of capital are rarely available in third world countries. After the Kyoto protocol, there is also a raised concern of environmental sustainability of economic gro wth. The model of growth being followed by developed nation is simply not sustainable. Solar power addresses both these concerns – neither does it require immense investment to ensure electricity supply nor does it harm the environment. Solar powered refrigerators thus provide an ideal solution to the refrigeration needs of the third world countries. This paper discusses the functioning of a solar powered refrigerator. It discusses the 2 prototypes - Evaporative Cooler fridge and absorption based heat driven coolers. Evaporative Cooler Fridge The most amazing thing about an Evaporative cooler fridge is its simplicity. It is very simple to make and can be made with the use of minimal resources in third world countries. The diagram of an evaporative cooler fridge is shown below – Source: (score.uk, 2013) Construction The fridge consists of 2 cylinders. The outer cylinder can be made up of cardboard, plastic or any other material. It should have a lot of holes in it to al low the maximum access to solar energy .The inner cylinder should be made up of a good conductor of heat. Iron or steel are the best possible materials which are easily available and also good conductors of heat. The inner cylinder should not have any holes. The space between the two cylinders needs to be filled up with a material which is a good absorber of water. Sand and wool works best here. Food or any other material which needs to be kept cool should be kept in the inner cylinder. The next section explains the working of this refrigerator. Working This fridge works on the simple principle of evaporation of water and conduction of heat. In order to â€Å"start the fridge†; pour water in the space between the two cylinders. This water will be soaked by the sand. It is important to fill the space with sand in order to allow slow evaporation of water and ensure that minimum refills are required for the successful working of the refrigerator. As solar energy falls on the san d evaporation of water from the sand takes place. As water evaporates, the process of conduction of heat will ensure that heat is extracted from the inner chamber in order to help the water evaporate. This conduction of heat will keep the chamber cold and the products inside fresh. The chamber can attain temperature of up to 6 degrees. In order to ensure that the fridge keeps working, the

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

Household Saving In Australia Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Household Saving In Australia - Essay Example Though the household savings rate has improved since bottoming out in 2003, they are still well below typical historical levels. After reaching a high of nearly 15 percent by the 1980s, there has been a steady decline, which hit a modern low of -2.7 percent in 2003 (Statistics portal 2009). The level has remained low and has shown no correlation to the rate of GDP growth during the last 30 years (Statistics portal 2009). However, the declining rate has a significant correlation to the personal debt to income ratio, as "in the 1980's, the average household owed less than $50 in debt for every $100 in income. In just 15 years, the ratio has tripled to almost $160 in debt for every $100 of income" (Gilbert & Disney, 2007, p.1). People are using disposable income to pay down and manage their debt, and there are little left for saving. Individually there are numerous reasons why an individual may choose to put some money aside, or fail to save anything. However, as a population there are some trends. Almost 75 percent of the people that make less than 20K per year had any savings, and this figure increased with income reaching 95 percent for those making over 60K (Harris, Loundes, & Webster 2002, p.209). In addition, people making over 60K were twice as likely to be saving for retirement, while those that make less than 20K were saving for an unforeseen emergency (Harris, Loundes, & Webster 2002, p.209). It has also been reported that women tend to save more than their male counterparts due to their living longer and having more retirement years (Loundes 1999, p.22). Superannuation and other 'forced' mechanisms for savings have been credited for the slight rebound in savings levels in recent years. Societies that saved have traditionally been thought to have healthy economies, but too much saving may reduce demand and slow the economy. Demand side economists suggest that in times of an economic slowdown, consumers and the government should borrow and spend rather than save. According to Skousen (2001, p.362), "if the public decides to save more during an economic turndown, it only makes matters worse". Consumers purchase fewer products, industry lays off workers, and there is less income to save. However, critics of demand side policies contend that increased savings would "have a favourable effect on interest rates, the rate of inflation, the current account deficit and future living standards" (Vamos 2008). The debate on individual savings is no less contentious than it was 75 years ago when Keynes argued that we could spend our way out of a depression. In conclusion, Australia has been following the world trend of a reduced level of savings for the last 30 years. In the current economic downturn, the time may not be ideal to recommend saving for the general public. However, for the individual there is never a wrong time. Savings may be needed for an unforeseen emergency or for their coming retirement, as well as help stabilize an economy that is already in a significant downturn. References Gilbert, R & Disney, S (eds.) 2007, Australia's National Saving Revisited: Where do we stand now, Press release from IFSA's National Savings Report, Sydney, AU, viewed 14 May

Tuesday, September 24, 2019

Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 141

Assignment Example en ways in which supply management has an impact on a firm’s sales are associated the following activities that integrate business management process across the supply chain. Customer relationship management, customer service management, demand management, order fulfillment, manufacturing flow management, supplier relationship management, product development and commercialization and management of returns, all of which determine market demand and production capacity of an organization. Support for strategic supply chain management has to come from the top management of an organization because of several reasons. Firstly, strategic processes require decisions from the top management because they relate to the main objectives of an organization. Secondly, strategic supply chain management involves application of various tactics that heave to be authorized by the top management. Lastly, strategic supply chain management incorporates operational decisions that also have to be directed by the top management because they relate to company objectives. Supply chain management position is important in organizational structure for two major reasons. To begin with, supply chain managers ensure that customer services are boosted hence increasing an organization sales. Secondly, supply chain managers ensure that an organization enjoys high profits by ensuring that product supplies are made quickly and using the most cost effective means. Many organizations use a hybrid approach to decision-making authority in their supply management in order to make informed decisions. In this case, the supply management authorities evaluate different alternatives available for organizations and then decide on one that ensures major objectives are attained. Cross functional teams are made up of stake holders with different skills within an organization. Therefore, individual members can contribute different ideas that can be used to enhance the value of products within an organization. In

Monday, September 23, 2019

Application of CATs in a nursing course Research Paper

Application of CATs in a nursing course - Research Paper Example k, Teacher-Designed Feedback Forms, Group Instructional Feedback Technique, and Classroom Assessment Quality Circles, offers a means for assessment of the student reactions to the teacher and the teaching style of the teacher. The second group of techniques namely Recall, Summarize, Question, Comment, and Connect (RSQC2), Group-Work Evaluations, Reading Rating Sheets, and Assignment Assessments, instead focuses the assessment on the reactions of the students to the activities, assignments, and materials used in the learning environment (Angelo). The essential purpose of Chain Notes is to provide the limited information of the level of engagement and involvement of the students to a particular teaching activity. The Electronic Mail Feedback serves the purpose of providing a channel of communication through which information can be gathered on the basis of the answers provided by the students to questions posed to them. Teacher Designed Feedback Forms provide an easy and quick means to get focused information from students. There are three questions that are central to the efficiency of learning in classrooms namely what students think is aiding their learning process, what are the obstacles in the learning process, and what are the specific suggestions they have to offer for making the learning process more efficient. The Group Instructional Feedback Technique provides a means for teachers to find answers to these questions. Classroom Assessment Quality Circles serve two purposes. The first is that they are the means through which student assessment feedback on their class lesions, readings, exams, and major assignments can be collected. The second purpose lies in the role that it can play in providing a structured and positive means for students play a more active role in the learning activities in the classrooms (Angelo). RSCQ2 technique permits the comparison the ability to recall, understand, and evaluate a class session. It is also capable of informing the

Sunday, September 22, 2019

A Good Man is Hard to Find in Bel Kaufman’s “Sunday in the Park” Essay Example for Free

A Good Man is Hard to Find in Bel Kaufman’s â€Å"Sunday in the Park† Essay The story â€Å"Sunday in the Park† by Bel Kaufman presents both characters of man according to a woman’s point of view negatively, thus stating that a woman could never find a â€Å"good man†. The setting which the narrator paints as a common Sunday afternoon sets up the mood wherein she expresses her desire to have a good life with a good man by her side. It has built a surrounding of peace and calmness which the narrator proudly states to herself. Unfortunately, such expectations are easily defeated by the upturn of events when her son is suddenly bullied by another child and the surrounding suddenly emits a certain tension wherein a mother is poised to protect her child. But the worst scenario that the woman encounters is when her expectation from her husband does not materialize. The character of Morton is shown as an educated family man bound to his books and his social role. He portrays a weak and frail man who cannot defend himself; therefore instead of facing problems, he runs or avoids them. His evasive character creates an impact wherein the woman feels that no one will be able to defend neither her nor her child. Faced with the arrogant father, Morton says â€Å"Come on, let’s get out of here† (Kaufman). His character is a disappointment because of her earlier realization that she wants her child to learn to fight for himself. The narrator mentions, â€Å"She always said that she wanted Larry to learn to fight his own battles† (Kaufman). She also expects that her son would not be running from problems, but what Morton has showed is cowardice and a total contradiction to what she wants Larry to learn. A woman wants her husband to be the protector, one who would show courage or great strength, but in the story the character of the guy is that of a loser which is also shown by some men who are very good in earning money but poor in facing problems. The narrator does not really want a fight to happen just as a woman who wants peace in her everyday life. But as a wife, she has her own expectations from her husband; thus when a man runs away from his own problems the woman is there to gather greater strength from within. The narrator expects herself as dictated by the society to be the weaker one and backs off when she sees her husband: â€Å"She felt a sudden weakness in her knees as she glanced at Morton† (Kaufman). He has become aware of what is happening, which shows that she gets weak as expected of a woman to be and the man to fight for his family as he is expected to. There is a major dent in that certain role of expectations as when a man is with a woman. He should be able to protect her and to show off what he is capable of doing, but Morton is not that kind of man. Thus in this story, a woman learns to live life struggling alone knowing that she has only herself. The reality that the woman has learned to defend herself has taken step to the point that she finds security in herself rather than in the shadow of a man. She has pulled herself to the point that certain roles in the society are put aside. A woman wants something more than someone to support her but also give her the sense of security and the feeling of being protected, — â€Å"She felt dimly it had something to do with her and Morton, something acutely personal, familiar, and important† (Kaufman). This statement points to the implication to the woman of the confrontation episode she just witnessed. To her, what happened is bigger than what is seems because it affects both her and her son’s capability to stand up for himself. She then takes every aspect into consideration after everything that has happened not only in the physical and financial aspect but also the moral and emotional part of the family. The character of the antagonist who is the bully of a father portrays a very negative aspect of a man pointing out the fact that there are physically endowed men who are shallow yet daring and bold enough to show courage only in their physical aspects. The arrogant father shows protection to his child in the wrong way. His being uneducated is shown by how he deals with the situation that happens between his son and Larry: â€Å"You go right ahead, Joe,† he says loudly (Kaufman). â€Å"Throw all you want. This here is a public sandbox. † His arrogance was supposedly a means of self-defense, hiding his idiocy. The character also shows the lack of proper behavior by some men who would fight even for the wrong reasons. He has showed a justification of his child’s wrong actions and the implication that even it is wrong he teaches his child that he should fight for his so-called rights: â€Å"My kid’s got just as good right here as yours, and if he feels like throwing sand, he’ll throw it, and if you don’t like it, you can take your kid the hell out of here† (Kaufman). The point of view of the narrator which is limited omniscient describes the story as something personal and something the reader should ponder upon with his or her own opinion and add it up with his or her own point of view. The narrator’s point of view wherein she does not fully understand the character of her own husband, Morton and the part wherein what she expected of him is not what he did, would bring the reader to think about the partner in life that he or she is with or is about to be with. The point of view also reveals how the woman assesses the situation and reveals the real dilemma in the story. In the story it is strongly emphasized that neither characters portrayed a good man. It proves the truth behind those superficially strong guys who are actually weak intellectually and are just arrogant in the outside but shallow in the inside and the truth behind those men who are very successful in business or have professional status but are weak in terms of facing reality. The story demonstrates that a woman could never find a â€Å"good man†, or someone who would fit all the qualifications and expectations that a woman wants a certain man to be. It tells that no man would be capable of doing everything that a woman expects him to do that is why a woman should choose carefully and properly who she should spend her life with. This is not a matter of finding a â€Å"good man† but in finding the â€Å"best man† for a certain woman. A man should compliment what a woman doesn’t have and a woman should be what that man is not. Finding a man doesn’t have to be dictated by social rules nor by social status because there will never be such a thing as a â€Å"good man†. Work Cited Kaufman, Bel. â€Å"Sunday in the Park. † Professor Emeritus Bruce Taylor Page. University of Wisconsin Eau Claire. 2009. 12 March 2009 www. uwec. edu/taylorb/Short%20Fiction%20Eng%20274/274%20files/Sunday%20in%20the%20Park. doc

Saturday, September 21, 2019

Federalism uneven regional Development

Federalism uneven regional Development The pursuit to bring together both the goals of regional and national development in multinational countries gave rise to federalism. This is used to describe a system of government in which the sovereignty is constitutionally divided between a central governing authority and constituent political units like states or provinces. A federal entity is characterised by harmony, conflict, satisfaction and dissatisfaction. (Pritam) Regional development is the provision of aid and other assistance to regions which are facilitated by the national pattern of development. It is likely to lead to a successful and strengthened federation and at the other end, will cause the federation strain in the neglect of a region or a region being sacrificed for the sake of national development. This according to pritam, is as a result of the necessity to centralise control over the utilisation of resources or because of the necessity to transfer resources from one region to the other. (Schoenfield et al cited in Pritam Federalism and development attracts more scholarly attention where federations fail or are in crisis than when they are successful (pritam page 1). Federations as it is, represents some of the largest national entities in the world which includes countries like india, china, Mexico, Brazil, Canada, Great Britain, France, Italy, United states, Argentina, Germany, Venezuela, Pakistanm, South Africa and Nigeria. Pre-second world war federations like USA, Australia, Canada, and Switzerland have been noted as cases of successful federal entities despite Canada having some crisis in its Quebec region. (PRITAM PAGE 2). Contrary to this, some failed federal entities include Pakistan, Yugoslavia, Czechoslovakia; Ethiopia has been split into independent nation states (pritam page 2). Other federal entities such as Nigeria and sudan in Africa, india and Sri Lanka in Asia, spain in Europe have felt a high level of tension in theor federal political arrangement(birch 1989, pritam pg 2) Instances of lessening regional inequality and stressing regional inequality have acted as a medium for regions to feel dissatisfied with federal arrangements (pritam pg 2). A situation whereby regional inequalities are accompanied by conflicts of ethnicity and nationalism, the relationship of a region to the federal centre becomes more conflict ridden.(pritam pg2). The most likely cases of regional conflict with the federal centre are likely to be those where the regions because of its relative economic backwardness, feels dissatisfied with prevailing structure of the economic relations with the centre.(pritam pg 2) Uneven regional development is a universal phenomenon with its presence found in almost all large countries, be it a developing or developed country. The problem of regional inequality that results from uneven development is of interest for a variety of reasons. First, the issue of regional disparity is a problem of economic growth. If all regions had grown at the same pace, there would be no income differences between regions in the first place. Even if regional gaps exist, as long as poor regions are able to grow faster than rich ones, the former would converge with the latter and the initial differences would thereby disappear in due course. To find the root causes of regional inequality, we have to trace the long term growth paths of different regions in the national economy and to understand the dynamics of regional growth. Second, regional disparity is an ethical issue. Less the process of economic development is intrinsically even, society is always confronted with the fundamental contradiction between ethically motivated efforts to establish socio economic parity in space and the economically more advantageous strategy of letting inequality increase, as long as it makes the whole economy grow faster. No one denies the importance of attaining a high overall growth rate, but the question being posed is; who benefits from the rapid economic growth? Both economic growth and fairness in the distribution of income are desirable. Unfortunately, the two goals are often in conflict with each other. The maximisation of growth could worsen the problem of inequality, whereas the pursuit of equality may slow down national growth. A development strategy should not concern itself simply with the maximisation of one objective at the expense of the other; it has to consider the trade off between them. On another note, regional disparity is an issue of political significance because regional economic disparities may have adverse effects on the political stability and unity of the nation. The relationship between inequality and political instability is a close one. In countless instances, real and perceived imequities give rise to political conflicts. Inter regional inequality could be a source of political conflict, just as inequalities between groups are. Residents of one region tends to care more about the welfare of other residents than about the welfare of the inhabitanrs of other regions. As a result, there tends to be a widespread sense of grievence among the people living in regions where average incomes are nocticeably lower than in other regions of the country, or the incomes are growing noticeably slower. They may regard an insufficiently sympathetic central government as partly responsible for their plight. Meanwhile, those living in more developed regions are likely to perceive that their economies are the backbone of the nation. If the central government intervenes to corrct regional disparites in such a way that the high income regions have to subsidise the poor one, then these regions are likely to believe that such fiscal transfers to low growth regions ae just a waste of money because in their view, trying to sustain inefficient economic activity is irrational. Thus any attempt to redistribute resources across regions is likely to provoke resistance from rich regions. Thus persistence regional disparities may not only frustrate people living in impoverished regions but also alienate those living in affluent regions. History suggests that when regional disparities becomes excessive, it could lead to massive political consequences especially when ethnic, religious, language differences are combined with ethnic disparities. Examples of such include Biafra in Nigeria, Punjab in India, Wales and Northern Ireland in Great Britain. NIGERIA AS CASE STUDY WITH REFERENCE TO NIGER DELTA REGION Nigeria is the most populous African country with a population of 154 million people who account for 47% of West Africas population and nearly a fifth of sub-Saharan Africas population. Nigeria is Africas largest oil producing country, and it is the eleventh largest producer and the eight largest exporter of crude oil in the world. In 2006, Nigerian oil production averaged approximately 2.45 million barrels of oil per day (World Bank, 2011) Oil has been the dominant factor in Nigerias economy for the past 50 years. In 2007 over 87% of government revenues, 90% of foreign exchange earnings, 96% of export revenues, and almost half of GDP was accounted for by oil (Watts 2008:43). Despite its vast resources however, Nigeria has been a disastrous development experience, and Nigerias performance since independence has been dismal at best. Today, out of a population of 140 million, approximately 70 million people live on less than $1/day, 54% of Nigerians live below the poverty line, over 1/3 live in extreme poverty, 1one in five children die before the age of five, 3 million people are living with HIV/AIDS, and 7 million children are not attending school (Higgins 2009). In an attempt to gain access to the allocation of oil revenues, each ethnic group in Nigeria had to seek its own state or local government council. This is why Nigeria, which originally had only 4 regions and 50 local governments, now has 36 states and 774 loca l governments. According to the United Nations Development Program, Nigeria ranks in terms of the Human Development Index (HDI) a composite measure of life expectancy, income, and educational attainment number 158 out of 177 countries, below Haiti and Congo; over the last 30 years the trend line of the HDI has been upward but barely (UNDP, 2006a). Nigeria also appears close to the top of virtually everyones global ranking of corruption, business risk, lack of transparency, fraud, and illicit activity; Nigerian fraud even has its own FBI website. According to former World Bank President Paul Wolfowitz, at least $100 billion of the $600 billion in oil revenues accrued since 1960 have simply gone missing. Nigerian anti-corruption chairman noted that 70% of the countrys oil wealth was stolen or wasted; by 2005 it was only 40%, and by most conservative estimates, almost 130 billion was lost between 1970 and 1996. After the discovery of oil in Mongolia, a local leader announced: We do not want to become another Nigeria (Watts 2008:43-44). This rise in oil wealth has not translated into significant increases in living standards in Nigeria, however. In fact, the rise in poverty and inequality coincides with the discovery and export of oil in Nigeria. As Sala-i-Martin and Subramanian (2003:4) show, in 1965, when oil revenue was about US$33 per capita, GDP per capita was US$245. In 2000, when oil revenues were US$325 per capita, GDP per capita was stalled at the 1965 level. Evidence such as this has led to widespread acceptance that Nigeria has suffered from the resource curse and according to Sala-i-Martin and Subramanian (2003:24), waste and poor institutional quality stemming from oil has been primarily responsible for Nigerias poor long-run economic performance. The Niger Delta region is the area covered by the natural delta of the Niger River and the areas to the east and west. The Niger Delta consists of 9 of the 36 states in Nigeria, 185 local governments (UNDP, 2006: 44)occupying about 12% of Nigerias territory (Figure 2).These states include Abia, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Edo, Imo, Ondo and Rivers state. The Niger Delta is a region that has been somewhat marginalized from Nigerias national development despite being the region that generates Nigerias oil wealth (Higgins 2009:1). The oil boom in Nigeria has been driven by oil extracted from the Niger Delta region. Oil wealth, from the Niger Delta region, is largely responsible for sustaining the Nigerian Federation (UNDP, 2006: 62). Despite fuelling much of Nigerias economic growth, the Niger Delta is somewhat marginalised from Nigerias national development. Higgins writes that, Essentially there is a significant disconnect between the wealth the region generates for the Nigerian Federation and the transnational oil companies extracting oil from the region, and the regions human development progress (Higgins 2009:3). The regions human development index is 0.564 and while this is slightly higher than the Nigerian HDI of 0.448, the area rates far below regions or countries with similar gas or oil reserves (Venezuela is 0.772 and Indonesia is 0.697) (UNDP, 2006: 15). Table 5 shows incidence of poverty in the Niger Delta from 1980-2004, and according to Higgins, Analysis of poverty and human development indicator s paints a dismal picture for the Niger Delta. Poverty incidence increased in the Niger Delta between 1980 and 2004 as Table [5] shows (Higgins 2009:3) As well, when further disaggregated to the local government level, the Niger Delta Human Development Report shows that state and regional HDI scores mask inequalities in human development among oil producing communities. Significantly, local government areas without oil facilities appear to have fewer poor people than those with oil facilities (UNDP, 2006: 15). The report also concludes that decline in the HDI has been steeper for the Niger Delta states than the rest of Nigeria (UNDP, 2006: 137). In addition, the high earnings of some oil industry workers leads to localised price distortions, driving up prices and so constraining the purchasing power of ordinary people and making it difficult for many to meet the costs of basic needs such as housing, healthcare, transportation, education and good and making poverty more pervasive tha n conventional measures reveal (UNDP, 2006: 57). CONSEQUENCES 1. Social and political exclusion: The two post-military national elections (1999 and 2003) are widely agreed to have been extensively rigged in the Niger Delta states, with fraudulent results sustained by violence and threat and so leaving a serious democratic deficit. The political process is held in complete mistrust and considered exclusionary and corrupt. Formal institutions have failed and local customary institutions have become eroded. Youth have turned to violence and militancy to challenge the government and extort oil from oil companies (World Bank, 2007b). 2. Economic exclusion: Despite substantial resource flows to the State government, and significant natural resource endowments the people of the Niger Delta are destitute. The panel described the Niger Delta as an iconic representation of destitution amongst the possibility of wealth. The people of the Niger Delta feel excluded from the wealth generated by their resource rich region substantiated by the region having the highest rate of unemployment in Nigeria (World Bank, 2007b). Remote rural communities have very limited economic opportunities and often cannot tap directly into the employment. benefits of the oil industry because they lack capital resources or skills (UNDP, 2006:17). 3. Poor governance and corruption: Corruption, especially at the state and local level, is endemic and at the root of many of the regions problems. Large sums are received at both the state and local level, but there is little evidence of this being applied to productive development endeavours. This situation exacerbates the sense of hopelessness, exclusion and anger of the citizenry of the Niger Delta, who have lost faith in existing governance structures (World Bank, 2007b). 4. Poor infrastructure and public service delivery: The panel (World Bank, 2007b) describes the current situation as akin to a human emergency and UNDP describes infrastructure and social services as generally deplorable (UNDP, 2006: 15). The general neglect of infrastructure, often rationalised by the difficult terrain of the region, has worsened the populations access to fundamental services (UNDP, 2006: 16). For example, the town of Edeoha, in the state of Rivers, lacks basic services such as water, education, healthcare and electricity and jobs are hard to come by. There is no local government office in the town, the primary schools lacks chairs and desks, and the nearest hospital, which lacks medicine and equipment, is twenty kilometres away (International Crisis Group, 2006: 17). Analysis above highlights the poor human development of the region. 5. Environmental degradation: Oil exploration and production gas led to environmental damage on many levels: land, water and air pollution, depleted fishing grounds and the disappearance of wetlands (World Bank, 2007b). These environmental changes have had significant implications for local livelihoods, and the alienation of people from their resources and land has led to the inefficient use of resources that remain and poor or inequitable land use practices (UNDP, 2006: 17). Measures to counterbalance environmental damage are inadequate and this is a major focus of community disconten (World Bank, 2007b). 6. Escalating violence and disorder: The democratisation of the means of violence has emerged, as the state has lost monopoly power over the use of force. This violence has emerged in many forms, and exists between communities over host community status, resource and land claims and surveillance contracts; within communities over compensation distribution; between communities and oil companies; and between communities and security forces. The fault lines of these conflicts often coincide with, or are justified in terms of, ethnic differences (World Bank, 2007b). Persistent conflict, while in part a response to the regions poor human development, also serves to entrench it as it is a constant drag on the regions economic performance and opportunities for advancement (UNDP, 2006: 16). 7. A vicious cycle of violence: Conflict has become militarised, with the intensive proliferation of arms, sabotage, hostage taking and the emergence of warlords and youth cults. This process is fuelled by the illegal bunkering of oil fuels (World Bank, 2007b). Since January 2006, the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) have been central to this violence (International Crisis Group, 2006:i). 8. Landownership: There is much juridical ambiguity over land rights. While the Land Use Decree of 1978 formally vested all land in State governments, the expropriation of this has never been accepted by the individuals, families and communities that have made customary claims to the land. This has resulted in a double system, and combined with weak judicial systems has resulted in long running conflicts and ambiguity at many levels (World Bank, 2007b). GOVERNMENT POLICY TO REVERT THE SITUATION The marginalisation and poor human development progress of the Niger Delta has not gone unnoticed by successive Nigerian federal governments. Since the late 1950s, the Niger Delta has been recognised as a region requiring special development attention (Osuoka, 2007: 5). A number of special agencies have been created by the federal government to address development in the Niger Delta. These have included the Niger Delta Basin Development Board, established in 1965 and the Oil Minerals Producing Areas Development Commission, established in 1992 (Osuoka, 2007: 5). it established a new body called the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) to offer a lasting solution to the socio-economic difficulties of the Niger Delta Region (UNDP, 2006: 31). In 2006, the NDDC launched the Niger Delta Regional Development Master Plan, which states the development goals and objectives of the Niger Delta. For the foundation phases (2006-2010), the key programmes are the economy, physical infrastructur e, human and institutional resources, human and community needs and natural environment. Focusing on some key elements, these will seek to create an enabling environment for enterprise; improve the functioning of key markets and access to them; increase agricultural (and fisheries) productivity and micro-investment; protect and develop human capabilities; protect natural resources and mitigate harm. (For a summary of the NDDC Master Plan Programs and Areas of Focus, see Annex 1). The NDDC clearly aims to have a redistributory function, with nearly a quarter of the funding coming from the Federal Government 1, with additional contributions expected from oil companies operating in the Niger Delta, the Ecological Fund and States of the delta. Unfortunately, States have yet to contribute to the Commission, and oil companies are still wrangling over how much they should contribute (UNDP, 2006: 31-32). But assessment of development in the Niger Delta since the NDDC was established shows that poverty reduction progress has been slow, particularly given the Niger Deltas substantial natural resource endowments and additional federal government resources. And, as mentioned above, according to UNDP, the worsening of the HDI has been more acute for the Niger Delta states than for the rest of Nigeria (UNDP, 2006: 137). However, we do not really know how effective the NDDC is. We also do not know much about which programme components are more or less effective at achieving the programmes overarching goals. This is a really important data gap, as given the programmes multisectoral nature clearly attributable information about causality would go a long way to telling us which approaches might be best at reducing spatial disparities and regional inequalities. If we look at a range of indicators, we can see how significant the challenge still is. Disaggregated human development indicators pa int a dismal picture. The prevalence rate of HIV/AIDS is among the highest in Nigeria (UNDP, 2006: 17). Energy availability is poor, despite the region providing the United States with one fifth of its energy needs (UNDP, 2006: 25). For example, in Bayelsa State is not linked to the national electric power grid (UNDP, 2006: 110). Similarly, while the delta region has a dense network of freshwater distributaries and vast groundwater reserves, no part of the region has a regular supply of potable water (UNDP, 2006: 110). Some health indicators are below the national average. As Table 3 indicates, the Niger Delta region (South-South) has a higher than average infant mortality rate and the highest post-neonatal mortality rate in Nigeria (UNDP, 2006: 125). The region also fares comparatively poorly in terms of accessing health treatment. For example, only 25.1% of children with acute respiratory infections and fever sought medical treatment from health providers, compared with 49.5% in t he North Central region and 52.6% in the South West region (UNDP, 2006: 123). The South-South zone also had the largest proportion of births attended by traditional attendants (UNDP, 2006:123). Interestingly, in a 2003 NDHS survey, the Niger Delta had the largest proportion (34.8%) of respondents identifying the distance between their residence and health facilities as a major problem. In this same survey, nationally, 30.4% of women cited a lack of money as a barrier to accessing health care. In the Niger Delta, this was 47.1% and the highest regional figure (UNDP, 2006: 125). Additionally, there is an intense feeling among the people of the Niger Delta that they should be doing far better: the Niger Delta has a self-assessment poverty rate of 74.8% (UNDP, 2006: 58) Policy Recommendations The policy recommendations address the issue of regional inequalities and overall national developmentandmodemisation in Nigeria. As we saw during the review, regional imbalance has been perpetuated in the country over time. The result has been the prevailing unwarranted uneven distribution of resources and benefits of development Warranted unevenness is inevitable during the incipient growth and development of any country because of inadequate administrative machinery, lack of clear direction of redistribution mechanisms, non-diversification of the economy and technology and limited employment opportunities for the majority of people. During the early stage of development income development surpluses and even hierarchy of cities are not adequately distributed. However in a country such as Nigeria where development aided by the petro-dollar has proceeded for quite a long time, the perpetual existence of unwarranted inequalities among individuals and regions is unpardonable. Individual and regional equity based on consensual socio-political policies, especially in the form of Acts, is still possible. Attractive socio-political, economic and administrative consensus policy options that are likely to be acceptable to every region and individual will be those which 74 EbenezerAka promote a change that is desirable in its own right: for example, a multicultural po.licy on ethnocentrism, capacity-building, and sustainable self-reliant peoplecentered development. Ethnocentrism has been a major driving force which has fueled and perpetuated regional imbalance in the country over time. For the problems of ethnicity to be ameliorated in the country, a concerted effort by the local, regional and federal governments is needed urgently. The effort will ensure that all references that vilify individuals or incite unwarranted division and unnecessary competition are removed by law from the mass media and other instruments of propaganda (Nnoli, 1978). According to Nnoli the concept of the existing North/South and East! West that mark the social, cultural, historical and ethno-linguistic divisions and affinities for socio-economic development planning should be applied with caution. At times in Nigeria this creates the notion of us versus them. A new set of references is needed which explains the countrys present socioeconomic predicaments. For example the concept of developed and backward or depressed regions stemming from the differences in regional distribution of natural and mineral resources including income, employment and welfare, should replace the North/South and East/West distinction or dichotomy. Moreover, in order to realise a long -term solution, strategies to accommodate the major ethnic groups in the development process should be pursued. For example, the languages and histories of major ethnic groups should be taught in schools for the understanding and appreciation of each other; information for important social services (public or central services) should beprovided in major languages, and the political system and its policy and decision-making apparatus should be representative of multiethnic groups in the country, in order to allay the fears of the minorities. Socioeconomic planning administration, and management based on the new concepts are likely to enhance socio-economic and political equity if constantly pursued over a long period of time. A cogent remedy to regional inequality also lies in the creation of a nationally integrated economy rather than on the creation of mushroom states based on ethnolinguistic sentiments for sharing the national wealth. The suggestion here is a gradual shift of emphasis from the existing centre-down, urban-biased, productioncentred organisation to a sustainable, self-reliant, people-centred developmenL What is actually advocated is a bi-modal or dualistic strategy of development where both paradigms are operative. According to Korten (1984:309) ifpeoplecentred development is to emerge it will bean offspring of the production-centred industrial era. The new paradigm should focus on ruraVregional development based on the community or basic needs approach. The federal government should use its authority to improve the relative and absolute shares of the poor regions or states because the free market mechanism Regional Inequalities in the Process of Nigerias Development 75 does not operate in Nigeria to guarantee the redistribution of the benefits of socioeconomic development. TIle Nigerian market is imperfect, corrupt and not well developed. Distributive measures should be initiated by the government to include: industrial decentralisation by giving priority to lagging regions; job-training programmes as a targeted policy for the poor, the underprivileged and the minorities; and direct income transfers. The aim is to improve on the economic base of those regions, as well as their employment potential and income which will eventually make the local economy richer. The aim of the people-centred or grass-roots approach to rural and regional development is to create a society that is secure and sustainable. Growth which has occurred so far becauseofa production-centredapproach, has not been accompanied by equivalent increase in employment, thereby resulting in individual and regional poverty as well as socioeconomic inequalities. To create jobs and ensure that all share in the benefits of economic growth, government should make markets more people-friendly by: investing more in basic education and worker retraining; ensuring universal access to markets; redesigning credit systems and fISCal incentives to support small-scale 6nterprises and informal employment; and using tax breaks to encourage labour-intensive technology and production in ruraltowns, agro-towns, or small- and intermediate-sized cities (Collins, 1993:4). The new concept focuses on human security based on environmental sustainability, employment, and provision of basic needs. Perhaps, this is what Strong (1993:5) calls, in both environmental and economic terms, eco-industrial revolution. Strong goes on to say that for the government to effect economic sustainability, it will require a fundamental reorientation of policies and budgets, redeployment of resources, and reshaping of the system of incentives and penalties that motivate economic behaviour. In order for the resources to be adequately managed and for long-term economic sustainability to be entrencbed in Nigeria, the federal government should embark on capacity-building. This will enhance the existing management capacity of Nigerian public institutions and private economic agents, and also help provide the much needed top-level managers and policy-makers. Capacity-building willachieve littleinNigeriawithoutpolitical development. TheNigeriangovemment mustdevelopaform of governance thatpermits free expression and full participation in the development process. Participation empowers the local people to take charge of their lives by increasing their potency ,as theiraltemative ideas, social techniques and technologies are released. Political development is likely to create societywide trust and predictability, and foster a stable political order that is the sine qua non for a long economic growth. Without creating more states in Nigeria, which often depends on ethnocentric sentiments, a decentralised administrative structure can be achieved which is capable of providing stability, creativity, and civic 76 EbenezerAka commitment of every Nigerian, and more importantly, capable of reducing regional inequalities. Regional inequalities can bealleviate in terms of administrative decentralisation. The recently created local government areas throughout the country could be strengthened and employed as a seeding agent for local and regional growth, development, and modernisation. There exist today 449 local government areas with their headquarterS or capitals. These capitals Egunjobi (1990:22) calls third-order centres(6). Administrative decentralisation plays an important function in the redistribution process during a deliberate national development effort, especially by strategically locating the headquarters or capitals for the newly created administrative areas. The local government area capitals should be targeted as development and modernisation diffusion agents, and also as the agro-political units for the provision of basic needs using local materials, manpower, and small-scale enterprises. That is, these capitals can be deliberately employed to act as innovation nodes or poles by which growth and modernisation impulses could diffuse or trickle-down to their tributary areas. Inother words, they should provide development stimuli and act as a change agent to their hinterlands or catchment areas. As a process of national urbanisation, socioeconomic and modemisation strategy, administrativedecentralisation sho

Friday, September 20, 2019

Retail Management On Hardware Store Information Technology Essay

Retail Management On Hardware Store Information Technology Essay My term paper is to open up the retail store of the HARDWARE GOODS. The name of my store is COMPLETE HOME. This store to be contains the number of variety and assortment of the hardware goods. My retail store COMPLETE HOME to be contain the Binding wire, Paint, Putty, Cement, Wood Varnish, Door Handle, Lock, Fevicol, Polish, Primer, Needle, Ply wood, Screw, Nut Bolt etc In general description I can choose the type of store which open in the market and also made mission goals and objectives of the retail stores. Hardware stores, sell household hardware including: fasteners, hand tools, power tools, keys, locks, hinges, chains, plumbing supplies, electrical supplies, cleaning products, house wares, tools, paint, and lawn and garden products directly to consumers for use at home or for business. Home Hardware consists of four separate banners, offering goods such as the following: Home Hardware house wares, tools, paint, garden supplies Home Building Centre lumber, plumbing and electrical supplies, building materials Home Hardware Building Centre full range of Home Hardware and Home Building Centre items Home Furniture furniture and major appliances Business Mission The mission of Complete Homes Hardware is to offer quality  hardware products in a customer-friendly shopping environment. Our customers will get assistance quickly and will leave the store prepared to get the job done right the first time. Complete homes Hardware will also focus on anticipating the seasonal needs of its customers and providing the best products at competitive prices.   Most importantly, Complete homes Hardware will make the additional 15 minute drive to a mega-hardware store, too far to go and too expensive to entertain. INDUSTRY ANALYSIS Market -In Indian retail sector rapid growth in sales from Hardware stores. Sales from Hardware stores are set to expand at growth rates ranging from 37% to 57% during year 2003-2008. Customer- This customer group can have the most frustrating experience in the hardware stores. If they cant make the scheduled demos or trainings, they are left to sort thing out with whoever they can flag down in the store help them. Complete homes Hardware will be set-up to provide resources and assistance as soon as they walk into the store. Technology- Today more technology used in the hardware stores. There are some obvious area and some hidden areas where cost can be pruned and the benefit of this lower cost of retailing can be passed on to the customer as lower prices, which in turned should fuel demand. Competitors- At present time in India market there is more competitor who give competition to each other. Keys to Success Location:   Complete Homes Hardware is located in  Chunchura town near Edwardian Clock Tower.   The foot traffic in the tower is very strong.   The towers primary tenants are the areas successful supermarket, drug store, and appliance store.   Edwardian Clock Tower has easy access points on both of the areas major cross streets and is the biggest shopping center in  tower residential area. The closest hardware store to the clock tower area is a 45 minute drive. Seasonal Products: Each season has it own unique demand on a homeowner.   Complete homes Hardware will focus on this pattern and bring in local customers by marketing these items at competitive prices. Repair/Project Resource Area: The first section customers will find when they enter is a repair/project resource area that they can use to  plan repairs or projects.   There will be a repair/project resource person to answer questions and direct them to the  section of store where the needed products are.   In-Store Expertise: Store employees will be knowledgeable in home repairs/projects.   In addition, the repair/project resource area will be used to conduct short trainings and demonstrations in home repair and home projects. Products And Services of Complete Home Hardware Stores Complete homes Hardware offers the parts, material, and advice to tackle any home repair, as well as lawn care.  The primary focus will be to satisfy the seasonal needs of the areas customers. Fall/Winter: Weatherization projects. Spring: Garden/lawn projects/home improvement projects. Summer: Outdoor building projects. Complete homes Hardware will offer traditional retail hardware.   These products include electrical supplies, automotive, hardware, house wares, lawn and garden, building supplies, paint, plumbing, tools and rental.   There are other small services that will be offered including key cutting, glass cutting, and other small repairs.   C.H Hardware will work with Building Blocks to develop the right product mix.   The initial order of inventory will take into account the fact that this is an urban store and the product mix may contain different items than a suburban store.   Complete homes Hardware will stock traditional retail hardware items.   The product mix will be changed slightly from suburban stores.   Complete Homes Hardware will open the Tool Room Rentals store within the hardware store.   This is a program that will help cash flow as well as increase sales of rental accessories and support items.   Future Products and Services Complete Homes Hardware will listen to its customers to understand what other needs are not being met.   Those needs could include additional store locations in the future and an expansion of products and services offered at the current location.   There may be other businesses that can be offshoots of retail hardware that help service or provide convenience to C.H customers CREDIT SERVICE- We give services to the our customer in which one of the services is to be credit service means a customer can purchase product without pay cash but he/she will pay after some period of time. And this facility depends on the price of the product. DISCOUNTS discounts was also important factor for our store. Because many people want to good quality goods in low price so we also give discount on the product which helps to us in growing. Marketing Plan Now I open my Hardware store in Chunchura town because oldest cultural hubs of west Bengal so I can do survey to check the demand of my Hardware store in that area and we also need to check preference of consumer. Focus on Target Markets The goal is to have our customer base become  reliant on Complete home to  stock items and have solutions  for their needs.   The customers will soon understand the value of the relationship.   Each of the  market segments will have sales initiatives to focus on each group. Complete homes Hardware  cant just market and sell products and services; we must actually deliver as well.   We need to make sure we have the knowledge-intensive business and service-intensive business we claim to have.   This service has to be consistent and deliver what the customer is looking for. Complete homes Hardware will also place ads in the News paper.   The news continues to be a source of a good number of customers. TV9 kannda local  morning TV show goes on location to promote local businesses.   Radio can be used in many different ways,  radio remotes for the opening of the store.   Monthly west Magazine has already identified an issue, a follow up story is very appropriate.   The Monthly west covers new and significant businesses in west Bengal; Complete home feels this store will fit that description. Sales Strategy Complete homes Hardware  will be offering a  convenient solution which  all Chunchura residents need.   Customers will be introduced to C.H through targeted advertising, direct mail,  signage, and word of mouth.   C.H will also take advantage of all the Building Blocks programs that help create loyalty and awareness among the potential customers in the market.    The focus will be on property managers and all Chunchura town businesses to create an awareness of the store location and the fact that the store is a potential solution for retail hardware needs. The sale strategy of Complete homes Hardware is simple. First, create a shopping environment that will create confidence in the customer that he or she will get the needed material, part, or instructions to get the job done right the first time. Second, make the store easy to navigate, so customer can get in and out as quickly as possible. Third, know your customers seasonal hardware needs and offer it at competitive prices . Sales Forecast The goal of Complete homes Hardware will be to develop programs that take as much slack out of the sales as possible and get them in line with the rest of the sales year.   There is a 25% growth predicted for the second year of sales driven by awareness, growth in rentals and growth in commercial sales.   The immediate goal is to achieve  robust sales in the first year.   It is thought that double digit percentage total sales increases  can be achieved and maintained throughout the  five years of this  business plan. Sales Programs Building Blocks has loyalty programs like Building Blocks Rewards that Complete homes Hardware  will participate in.   This program has been developed to build a loyal following of customers that use the card for shopping benefits.   This program will allow these customers to shop  and  make it easy for them to pay for items on account Competitive Edge Location is the biggest key to this business.   There are no true competitors in our business in Chunchura town.   Our future customers have had to work harder to get the same or lesser service less conveniently.   We will be in their back yard and be easy to work with and have products they need.   Complete homes Hardware have staff that understand customer service and how to treat customers so that they want to shop in the Complete homes Hardware environment. Operational Plan Management Summary Gurpreet singh is a excellent staff supervisor and will do very well in managing the staff of Complete homes Hardware. Personnel Plan Complete homes Hardware will have the following staff members: Manager. Assistant Manager. Office Manager/Accountant. Checkers (full time and part time). Two Customer Assistants. Stockers (full time and part time). LAYOUT For opening the hardware store (COMPLETE HOME) for the effective and efficient layout must be based on the following consideration:- Selecting a layout while allows for complete presentation of the merchandise to the customer. A good layout encourages customer to move around the complete store and at times, make an unplanned purchase. Keeping this objective in mind, we have different entry and exit points for the store. We also striking the right balance between space used for displays and services areas so that the returns on the investment is maximized. We also designing the store needs of women, the elderly and disabled person who may visit the store, need to be taken into account and provided for. In our Hardware store also has to be designed keeping in mind the merchandise that we sell in the store and it also target audience. LOCATION So location of my department store in Chunchura town because oldest cultural hubs of west Bengal . Location of retail store is important aspect as customer point of view because location is the critical factor in consumer selection of store and whenever we opened a retail store than we have assumed the different factor which showed our retail store features like as: Demographic features(to know about the potential customer in that area, metropolitan statistical area) Competition(to know about the competitors and how they far from my retail store) Strategic fit(to must know about the life style of potential customer) Operating cost(different area have different cost) No. of small shops in that area Economy of scale MULTI CHANNEL DECISIONS COMPLETE HOME use the multi channel, These channel were used for selling the Hardware good. My Hardware retail use all three channels to interact with its customers. These are following STORE CHANNEL It is provide the browsing to the customers before purchasing of products It is also provided touching and feeling products opportunity to the customer Store channel to given advantage for the customer to get the product immediately after they buy it. INTERNET CHANNEL Our hardware retail provides the information to customer about which the hardware good are available in our retail store. These Internet channels also contain the all information about hardware good price. The benefit of Internet channel as compared with the other two channels is the vast number of consumers to purchase the product easily. RETAIL FORMAT In which I have included the different strategies which lead our business and used different competitive promotional planned which make our retail store attractive and effective. And these should be done according to these points; Nature of merchandise and services offered Pricing policy Advertising and promotion programs Store design and visual merchandising Customer services FINIANCIAL PLAN FOR OUR HARDWARE STORE In this project a huge funds is needed for the Building hardware store so then we can project that how much amount will be need, so it organized into six sections; 1) Cost of project-First step is to be estimate the cost of project and represents the total of all items of outlay associated with a project which are supported by long term funds. It is the sum of the outlays on the following: Land and Site development Buildings and civil works Miscellaneous fixed assets Pre-operative expenses 2) Means of Finance-after estimate cost of project the following means of finance are available: Share capital- there are two types of share capital A) Equity capital-represents the contribution made by the owners of the business B) Preference capital- represents the contribution made by preference shareholder Term Loans-In this project a huge funds is needed for the hardware store so in this way I take a secure loan from bank for this hardware store I secure my own property now which present market value is 3cr it is sufficient for the bank security to give me loan for my project. Miscellaneous source- A small portion of project finance also from miscellaneous source like unsecured loans, public deposits, and leasing and hire purchase finance. 3) Cost of production-The cost of production may also worked out. The major components of production are: Material cost Utilities cost Labour cost Factory overhead cost Profitability projections-The project profitability is good as I choose a profitable location in the heart of the city. My target is that to earn good profits in year. For this goal I really to do work hard and do many things like publicityadvertisent in this way people know about the new hardware store is open in the city. And also projected the profit and loss for the four years. Personnel Plan Year 1 Year 2 Manager 36,000 40,000 Assistant Manager 36,000 39,000 Office Manager/Bookkeeper 36,000 39,000 Checkers 32,400 35,500 Customer Assistants 60,000 68,000 Stockers 39,600 44,000 Other 0 0 Total People 9 9 Total Payroll 240,000 265,500 5) Projected cash flow statements- Then after project profit we also shows the movement of cash into and out of the firm and its net impact on the cash balance. So with this better financial planning, project evaluation and fund control. We also projected the cash flow statement Cash Received (RS IN LACS) Cash from Operations Cash Sales 964,000 Subtotal Cash from Operations 964,000 Additional Cash Received Sales Tax, VAT, HST/GST Received 0 New Current Borrowing 0 New Other Liabilities (interest-free) 0 New Long-term Liabilities 0 Sales of Other Current Assets 0 Sales of Long-term Assets 0 New Investment Received 0 Subtotal Cash Received 964,000 Expenditures Year 1 Expenditures from Operations Cash Spending 240,000 Bill Payments 648,662 Subtotal Spent on Operations 888,662 Additional Cash Spent Sales Tax, VAT, HST/GST Paid Out 0 Principal Repayment of Current Borrowing 0 Other Liabilities Principal Repayment 0 Long-term Liabilities Principal Repayment 30,000 Purchase Other Current Assets 0 Purchase Long-term Assets 0 Dividends 0 Subtotal Cash Spent 918,662 Net Cash Flow 45,338 Cash Balance 166,338 Projected balance sheet- we also in the last projected our assets and liabilities of the business. With this we know about our financial strength. Projected balance sheet PARTICULAR OPENING BALANCE CLOSING BALANCE Assets Current Assets Cash 166,338 Inventory 46,200 Other Current Assets 0 Total Current Assets 212,538 Long-term Assets Long-term Assets 30,000 Accumulated Depreciation 4,284 Total Long-term Assets 25,716 Total Assets 238,254 Liabilities and Capital Year 1 Current Liabilities Accounts Payable 61,715 Current Borrowing 0 Other Current Liabilities 0 Subtotal Current Liabilities 61,715 Long-term Liabilities 120,000 Total Liabilities 181,715 Paid-in Capital 80,000 Retained Earnings (79,000) Earnings 55,539 Total Capital 56,539 Total Liabilities and Capital 238,254 Net Worth 56,539 CONCLUSION So after project all the things like market plan, operational plan and also financial plan then we all plan put into the action and control them so the work was going effectively and efficiently. As I select the take a loan from the banks and some fund collect by issue of securities so I have build a good Hardware store which become attractive. So my hardware store name is COMPLETE HOME which means complete your dream home. And we always aim to provide the good product and services to our consumer . REFRENCES www.businessplan.com http://www.bplans.com/hardware_retail_franchise_business_plan/financial_plan_fc.cfm http://www.scribd.com/doc/21040477/Retail-Formats http://www.indiahardwarestores.in/ BOOKS SWAPNA PRADHAN PRASANA CHANDRA

Thursday, September 19, 2019

The Open Boat Essay -- Literary Analysis, Stephen Crane

â€Å"When it came night, the white waves passed to and fro in the moonlight, and the wind brought the sound of the great sea’s voice to the men on the shore, and they felt they could then be interpreters† (Crane 370). â€Å"The Open Boat,† written by Stephen Crane, describes the journey of four men stranded in a dinghy in the middle of the ocean and the hardships that had to be faced in order to survive. This story is not only a riveting story, keeping readers on the edge of their seat, but the story also makes the reader realize how precious life truly is. Sometimes people have a tendency to take life as a grain of salt and do not think about the realization that life can be taken away within the blink of an eye. As in â€Å"The Open Boat,† the crew members learned they could not survive alone, and their only option was to work together as a team. We need to have that same perspective toward our everyday life when we, or someone we see, are struggling. The Captain is a major character in the story, and his character holds the other crew members heads up keeping them motivated during times of distress. He was the captain on the original boat, but after the boat sank, he become injured and could not physically participate in keeping the dinghy afloat. In the beginning, the captain feels that he has lost his sense of direction due to not being used to letting others take charge. Without his sense of authority intact, he feels disconnected from the world, and his spirit becomes dismantled. However, since he was not able to contribute in the way he preferred, he led the way by giving specific instructions to the other characters in order to keep the dinghy afloat. Every member on the boat follows his directions. He commands very respectably. This... ...ibing two different qualities that is being used together in the same statement. In summary, â€Å"The Open Boat† is a highly intriguing story that can not only be read for pure enjoyment, but it also has a moral to the story. No matter where someone comes from in life, whether someone is the richest or the poorest person on Earth, he or she should always make sure to make it a point to look out for someone and have their back when they are struggling. By looking out for each other, just as they did in â€Å"The Open Boat,† they created strong everlasting friendships. If someone is being looked out for by someone else, then that person will make a point to return the favor as well. Life is just like the ocean. We might have our ups and our downs, but life never changes. The only thing that will affect the outcome of our lives is the perspective that we put toward our life.

Wednesday, September 18, 2019

Capital Punishment Essay: Benefits of the Death Penalty :: Persuasive Essay, Argumentative

The Benefits of the Death Penalty Crime is everywhere. Wherever we look, we find criminals and crime. Criminals have become a part of our daily lives. Does this mean we let them be the darkness of our society? No, definitely not. Eliminating crime and criminals is our duty, and we cannot ignore it. Getting the rightly accused to a just punishment is very important. Some criminals commit a crime because they have no other option to survive, but some do it for fun. I do not advocate death penalty for everybody. A person, who stole bread from a grocery store, definitely does not deserve death penalty. However, a serial killer, who kills people for fun or for his personal gain, definitely deserves death penalty. Death penalty should continue in order to eliminate the garbage of our society. Not everybody deserves to die, but some people definitely do. I support death penalty because of several reasons. Firstly, I believe that death penalty serves as a deterrent and helps in reducing crime. Secondly, it is true that death penalty is irreversible, but it is hard to kill a wrongly convicted person due to the several chances given to the convicted to prove his innocence. Thirdly, death penalty assures safety of the society by eliminating these criminals. Finally, I believe in "lex tallionis" - a life for a life. Deterrence means to punish somebody as an example and to create fear in other people for the punishment. Death penalty is one of those extreme punishments that would create fear in the mind of any sane person. Ernest van den Haag, in his article "On Deterrence and the Death Penalty" mentions, "One abstains from dangerous acts because of vague, inchoate, habitual and, above all, preconscious fears" (193). Everybody fears death, even animals. Most criminals would think twice if they knew their own lives were at stake. Although there is no statistical evidence that death penalty deters crime, but we have to agree that most of us fear death. Suppose there is no death penalty in a state and life imprisonment without parole is the maximum punishment. What is stopping a prisoner who is facing a life imprisonment without parole to commit another murder in the prison? According to Paul Van Slambrouck, " Assaults in prisons all over US, both against fellow inmates and against staff, have more than doubled in the past decade, according to statistics gathered by the Criminal Justice Institute in Middletown, Connecticut" (Christian Science Monitor, Internet).

Tuesday, September 17, 2019

Nurse practitioner scope of practice

Nurse Practitioner Scope of Practice in the United StatesNurse Practitioners are registered nurses who are outstandingly recognized for providing primary care and treating acute and chronic illness and diseases. They acquired practiced skills and experience through advance education and medical training, and are authorized to serve as health and medical care resources and interdisciplinary consultants for diverse populations during health and illness. Nurse Practitioners may be generalists, like family nurse practitioners, or specialists whose areas of expertise include pediatrics, geriatrics, and psychiatry.Nurse Practitioners render a wide range of different types of preventive and clinical services as authorized by a state's Nurse Practice Act that vary from state-to-state in which some allow independent practice for nurse practitioners. In the United States, the state from which a nurse practitioner is practicing gives the nurse practitioner’s license being certified by th e American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC). Since the profession is regulated by the state, the extended care-giving role played by Nurse Practitioners varies. Nurse practitioners in the community may be engaged in health maintenance organizations, home health care agencies, public health departments, school or college clinics, and physician’s offices, to mention a few.With increasing demand for primary care services to underserved groups and communities, nurse practitioners are successfully qualified for rendering such service, being fully equipped with appropriate knowledge and training. Standards for practice developed by the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners (1993) provide the specific activities that a nurse practitioner can perform and govern the services granted.In general, regardless of specialty, the scope of services practiced by nurse practitioners is divided into three categories. The first category covers the assessment of health status. This includes ac tivities such as obtaining medical and health record of an individual, performing nursing assessments, and conducting physical examination on patients. Nurse practitioners also perform preventive screening procedures based on the patient’s age and history. Such screening includes those for hearing, sight, and cancer. Identification of medical health risks and requirements is also under the scope of practice of this profession.The second category is the application of suitable diagnosis based on previous examinations and clinical findings. They execute and interpret diagnostic studies such as routine laboratory tests, EKGs and X-rays. Diagnosing, treating, evaluating, and managing minor and common and acute and stable illness and diseases such as injuries, diabetes, and high blood pressure are being employed by nurse practitioners. Also, with proper training or with supervision, they are also allowed to perform minor surgeries and procedures and may be First Assistants in the OR.Central to the care provided by nurse practitioners are the conditions of the patients and the further effect of illness on the lives of the patients and the patients’ relatives. Thus, supportive counseling and educating patients regarding their health behaviors stressing out health promotion and citing preventive measures on illness and diseases are also under the practice of nurse practitioners. Providing prenatal care, conducting well-child screenings and immunizations, prescribing rehabilitation treatments and medications, though limited in some states, are also being practiced. All of these fall under the third category and can be summarized as the management of the case.This further identifies the needs of individual, family or community the assessment and interpretation of data collected.   Evaluation and execution of plan of care are also being stressed in the practice of such profession. Nurse practitioners also establish collaborative working relationship with physicians to provide comprehensive care and refer patients to other health professionals as needed to meet the appropriate health and medical goals.Nurse practitioners with specialization may include other specific activities in their scope of practice in line with their acquired specialty to further serve the target population. For pedriatric nurse practitioner, for instance, one may include the analysis of factors that may affect the child’s growth and development. Studies relating to abnormal and normal development in relation to anatomical, physiological, motor, cognitive, and social behavior of the child may be included in his scope of practice. Women’s health care nurse practitioner may perform fertility counseling and infertility management and may also give prescription and management of birth control pills and diaphragms or provide family planning services.To further improve the scope of practice, there are nurse practitioners that take advance training for c ertain clinical procedures. These procedures which can be accomplished by nurse practitioners with effective training which depends on previous experience and practice limitations of individual state Nurse Practice Acts.The continuing progress to cope with changing health care needs of the society is the responsibility of the nurse practitioners. They unite the role of being a care resource person, counselor and educator, researcher and administrator especially in the field of primary health care.   Members of such profession are liable for the expansion and improvement of the practice of such profession and this can be achieved through involvement and active participation in professional health care organizations and their activities as they ensure that the standards on the scope of practice for nurse practitioners are maintained.ReferencesKozier B., et al. (1998). Fundamentals of Nursing: Concepts, Process and Practice.Addison Wesley Longman, Inc.Nurse Practitioner Scope of Prac tice. (2007). American College of  Ã‚   Nurse Practitioners.    Retrieved 02 December 2007 fromhttp://www.acnpweb.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=3465Pulcini J., & Wagner M. (2007). Nurse Practitioner in the United States: A Success   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Story. Retrieved 02 December 2007 from    http://www.aanp.org/NR/rdonlyres/etftrynjxwmtu4xkmt6ttfi5retun5uy2cuh4zwyz  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   dh7yghw2wiei4dne2mth4imdafkhk6uyikihb/051-056%25252ePulcini_new.pdfSherwood G. et al. (2007). Defining Nurse Practitioner Scope of Practice:Expanding Primary Care Services. Journal of Advanced Nursing Practice. Retrieved 02 December 2007 fromhttp://www.ispub.com/ostia/index.xmlFilePath=journals/ijanp/vol1n2/scope.xml

Monday, September 16, 2019

Obstacles in intercultural communication Essay

Introduction As industry and trade continues to spread globally and communities intermingle, the difficulty of language barriers becomes more prominent. This barrier includes not only language, but a way of thinking also. Simply learning a language does not infer that the culture of the language learned is comprehended. This can lead to major communication difficulties in all areas: intercultural marriage, working or teaching abroad, relocating to another country, and negotiating any aspect of daily life. Intercultural communication demands much more than simply speaking a language; it demands good listening skills, an open mind and the ability to step outside one’s own culture mentally. This type of learning doesn’t happen with everyone, but with some sense of adventure and the willingness to see beyond one’s own mind set, it is rewarding for both parties. This paper will look at various obstacles to intercultural communication, how they occur and suggested methods for circumventing them. Wherever we are born, our culture defines us. We may be American, but from the South, very different in culture from the West Coast. Every country has its own sections of culture, ethics, morals and dialects. When different cultures come together and attempt to communicate, even in each other’s languages, difficulties arise due to culture more than language itself. Even though nations have varying cultures within them along with a common language, the variance is not enough to cause the difficulties that arise when people of two very different cultures interact. Perceptions, values and beliefs are the root of cultural differences (Anna Jones & Xuan Quach, 2004). First of all, bridging the gap in regard to intercultural communication involves perception. People of different cultures perceive things in different ways, according to the way they were raised. Perceptions in terms of beliefs and values are learned early in life, then they become an integrated part of an individual’s way of thinking; the way the individual conducts his or her life will bring about societal consequences that are wide and varied. According to Jones and Quach, awareness of perception is the beginning of understanding. What works well for one culture may disgust or offend another, and these things may not be obvious. What is â€Å"common sense† in one culture will not be to another. Therefore, knowing another language does not introduce an individual to a culture. Culture is easy to observe, but not to define, since it is based upon perceptions. Culture is basically learned behaviors shared among people who, for the most part, share the same language and live in the same place (Richard Brislin, 2002). Culture is passed on from generation to generation not specifically through overt teaching and learning, but through familiarity and repetitive exposure. Culture is person-made behaviors, collectively. Contributors to culture may be climate, topography, economics and technology (or lack of it), but is people that make the culture around these external factors. An individual from a technologically advanced culture would have some amount of difficulty understanding an individual from a Third World culture, and vice-versa. The individual from the ease of high-tech life will have difficulty understanding the slower and less frenzied ways of a low-tech individual. In this case, we can compare Americans to rural Mexicans. Americans expect services and tasks to be accomplished expediently and efficiently. Rural Mexicans (and even Mexicans in cities) do not have the advantage of equipment and technology to expedite tasks such as landscaping, home repair, even making a driveway. They work with hand tools and the work is slow. They do not set time limits in terms of â€Å"deadlines† as Americans tend to do. Therefore, an American living in Mexico would need to understand that while the job will eventually get done, it might not get done as fast as it would back at home. This is an example of differences in value. Americans tend to value speed and efficiency, and do not tolerate having to wait very well since technology has made nearly everything on-demand. A very good example of potential culture clashes can be illustrated in the following conversation, between an American living in Mexico and a Mexican technician who is to install a satellite dish (A = American and M = Mexican).