Calculating Questions on ACT Science Interpolating and Extrapolating From Data

Calculating Questions on ACT Science Interpolating and Extrapolating From Data SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips In these questions, math meets science. You might be thinking, â€Å"Wait, but the ACT Science section doesn’t let you use your calculator!†This is true! And this means the ACT Science questions that require calculations will only require very simple math that you can do by hand or in your head. Calculation questions require you to find a specific value based on the figures provided. However, the value will not be shown in the figure.Using the information you are given, you will need to predict what would happen past the edges of the graph or between values on a table.In this article, I'm going to cover interpolations and extrapolations, along with tips and realistic ACT Science practice questions. Interpolations The word itself seems complicated, but it simply means calculations of numbers between known data points (which are provided in the visuals).Let’s check out this ACT Science practice question: Start by trying to locate the relevant data (aka the data mentioned in the question, the average change in AGTB at 75 m from the nearest clearing) in this scatterplot: After examining the scatterplot, I see there are points marked at 70 and 80 m from the center of the plot to the nearest clearing, but not at 75 m, this gap in data is what makes this an interpolation question! You have the data that surround the point, but you need to figure out what the point is. What mathematical calculation could you do (using the data you do have) to find the approximate average change in AGTB at 75 m from the center of the plot to the nearest clearing?Perhaps, averaging the average change in AGTB for 70 m and 80 m from the center of the plot to the nearest clearing?At 70m from the center of the plot to the nearest clearing, the average change in AGTB is about -3.1.At 80m from the center of the plot to the nearest clearing, the average change in AGTB is -2.2. Now, calculate using the average formula: Sum of the values / (divided by) the number of values: ((-2.2) + (-3.1)) / 2 = -5.2 / 2 = -2.6 Then, compare it to the answer choices: so, the answer is G. ACT Science Tip #1: even if you were a little off in your data grabbing (let’s say you said at 80m from the center of the plot to the nearest clearing, the average change in AGTB was -2.1), you see the answer choices are widespread enough that you will get the answer choice right by just picking the answer closest to the average you found in your calculations. ACT Science Tip #2: There is an alternate method to solve these questions when the answer choices are widespread (as they are in the question above). You can simply draw a line connecting the dots in the scatterplot, and then, you approximate the point at 75 m from the center of the plot to the nearest clearing. See my example below: Using this method, you can approximate the average change in AGTB at -2.8. This is closest to answer G, so that is the correct answer. Through this method, you find the answer a lot quicker. However, as I said before, this will only work for widespread answers. If -2.9 had been an answer, this method would not have been very effective, as you may have chosen incorrectly. So only use this method if the answer choices are widespread. Otherwise, stick to theprocess that will always work to answer these questions: Find the relevant data (two data pointsequidistant from the point in question) Average the data together to find the approximate value for the midpoint. Find the closest (or hopefully matching) answer This process gets a little trickierin extrapolations, in which we'll calculate data that is beyond the bounds of what we're given. Extrapolations In order to show how extrapolation works, we are going to work through an ACT Science practice question: Using this table to answer the question: This extrapolation, like all extrapolations, requires identifying a pattern in the data and predicting the next step in that pattern (in whichever direction the question's data lies).These patterns will always be relatively simple, so the steps we take are also relatively simple: Steps for every extrapolation question Pinpoint what we're figuring out: is it a value more or less than what we are given? Identify the relationship between 2 consecutive data points in the table or graph (it doesn't matter which points we use, as long as they are consecutive) Find the relationship between the data in the question and the data in the table Apply the pattern in the table to the new data point Let’s follow these steps to solve the ACT Science practice question above:We're figuring out the density that would match 67.54 g of solution in the graduated cylinder according to the table.The relationship between 60.63 g of solution (the second to last entry in the table) and 64.64 g (the last entry in the table) is +4.01 g of mass and +0.08 g/ml of density. The 67.54 g of solution (from the question) is above the highest step 64.64 g in the table. Figure out the exact mass difference between the two: 67.54-64.64 = 2.9 2.9 g is the mass difference as opposed to 4.01 g between the last and second to last entry.Between the second to last entry and last entry there was a +0.08 g/ml change in density.Since there is a slightly smaller mass change (about  ¾ the amount of change between the last and second to last entry), the density change will be slightly smaller (about  ¾ the amount of change between the last and second to last entry). So, the change should be about +0.06 g/ml.Add that to the last density value in the table (1.29). 1.29 + 0.06 = 1.35 g/ml So, the answer is H.Again, even if you were slightly off, you would have been closest to that answer choice. If you feel unsure of this process, you're about to get some more practice in extrapolating information. Check out this ACT Science practice question: Again, we follow the same steps:We need to use the table above.The highest given capacitance is 1.2 x 10^-6, and we are asked about 1.5 x 10^-6.The time for 1.2x 10^-6 was 8.3 seconds.The second highest given capacitance was 0.6 x 10^-6, and the time for it was 4.2 seconds.The difference in time between 1.2 and 0.6 (the second highest given capacitance) is 8.3 - 4.2 seconds.So the difference is +4.1 seconds. Recap I hope you feel like a calculating machine!For every interpolation question, Find the relevant data (two data pointsequidistant from the point in question). Average the data together to find the approximate value for the midpoint. Find the closest (or hopefully matching) answer. For every extrapolation question, Pinpoint what we're figuring out, is it a value more or less than what we are given? Identify the relationship between 2 consecutive data points in the table or graph. How much does the y-valueincrease or decrease as the x-value increases? Find the relationship between the data in the question and the data in the table. For example, is the data in the question 5 more or less than the data in the table? Apply the pattern in the table to the new data point. Findthe closest (or hopefully matching) answer. What’s Next? Now that you're a calculating machine learn about the other types of questions on the ACT Science section such asfactual questions,interpreting trends questions, experimental design questions, and interpreting experiments questions. In a hurry to study for the ACT? Learnhow to cram. Not sure where you want to go to college? We can help you pick your target school and figure out what should be your target ACT score. Like this article? Want to improve your ACT score by 4 points? Check out our best-in-class online ACT prep program. We guarantee your money back if you don't improve your ACT score by 4 points or more. Our program is entirely online, and it customizes what you study to your strengths and weaknesses. If you liked this Sciencelesson, you'll love our program.Along with more detailed lessons, you'll get thousands ofpractice problems organized by individual skills so you learn most effectively. We'll also give you a step-by-step program to follow so you'll never be confused about what to study next. Check out our 5-day free trial: Have friends who also need help with test prep? Share this article! Tweet Dora Seigel About the Author As an SAT/ACT tutor, Dora has guided many students to test prep success. She loves watching students succeed and is committed to helping you get there. Dora received a full-tuition merit based scholarship to University of Southern California. She graduated magna cum laude and scored in the 99th percentile on the ACT. She is also passionate about acting, writing, and photography. 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3 More Types of Usage Errors

3 More Types of Usage Errors 3 More Types of Usage Errors 3 More Types of Usage Errors By Mark Nichol In each of the sentences below, a word has been misused or is ambiguous, affecting the clarity of the statement. Each example is followed by a discussion explaining the problem and a solution to it. 1. His follow-up comment only further inflamed their passions about his perceived sleight against the higher art. The error in this sentence is homophonic; a word that sounds like but is spelled differently from another word (and, more significantly, has a different meaning) has been used in its place. Sleight is a noun meaning â€Å"craftiness† or â€Å"skill†; it stems from a Norse word meaning â€Å"sly,† seldom seen except in the phrase â€Å"sleight of hand,† which refers to deception or an act of deception, usually in the concept of a magic trick. However, the writer is referring to a discourtesy, so the word intended is slight, which derives from an Old English word meaning â€Å"smooth†: â€Å"His follow-up comment only further inflamed their passions about his perceived slight against the higher art.† 2. This assessment should hone in on how decisions are made, how people collaborate, and how work is conducted. Here, the error is of substitution of a near-homophonic word. To hone is to sharpen or otherwise improve (as in developing a skill); to home in on is to focus on a target. The latter meaning is intended, so the latter word should be used: â€Å"This assessment should home in on how decisions are made, how people collaborate, and how work is conducted.† 3. This approach will help organizations gain operational efficiencies that lower costs and facilitate an increase in loan volume. In this case, an ambiguous word is used at a key juncture- lower can serve as either an adjective or as a verb, and it might be misread as the former when it functions as the latter here. For greater clarity, replace it with an unambiguous synonym: â€Å"This approach will help organizations gain operational efficiencies that decrease costs and facilitate an increase in loan volume.† You can read 3 more types of usage error here. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Usage Review category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:How to Structure A Story: The Eight-Point ArcDriver License vs. Driver’s License8 Great Podcasts for Writers and Book Authors

#10 El Nino Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

#10 El Nino - Essay Example In normal years, ocean current flows to the north towards the Equator down the western coast of South America. The water on the ocean surface was being drawn away from the continent and to be replaced by cold nutrient-rich water pushed upwards from the ocean depth. This process is known as upwelling. During this season, a good harvest is being anticipated by fishermen of the area. Further, colder weather is experienced by the people living in this area since the ocean surface is cold during this time. During El Nià ±o year, the warm pool of water flows eastward until it spreads in the entire Pacific Ocean. For this reason, the cool water of the South American coast is replaced by warmer waters, thus weakening the upwelling process (Trenberth 1997). In effect, the surface of the sea temperature rises beyond the normal range. This occurrence means heavy rainfall and eventual flooding in some South American countries and drought and very dry season in Indonesia, Australia, the Philippines, Papua New Guinea, and Northeastern South America with altered patterns of tropical storms in the tropical belt (Enfield n.d.). Global warming is also a great contributor to this kind of phenomena. The coastal warming is being associated with a more widespread irregular ocean warming to the International Dateline and it is this Pacific basin-wide phenomenon that forms the link with strange global climate patterns. This component joined to El Nià ±o is called the Southern Oscillation (Trenberth 1997). ENSO (El Nino-Southern Oscillation) is the phenomenon where the atmosphere and ocean collaborates together. The El Nino phenomenon is the warm phase of ENSO, and its opposite, La Nià ±a, the occurrence where cooling of the tropical Pacific takes place corresponds to the cold phase of ENSO. The El Nià ±o, or ENSO for scientists, can be considered as a normal occurrence based on nature patterns studied by some scientists. But still, it greatly affects global climate

The history of computer crimes Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The history of computer crimes - Term Paper Example In 1969, a student riot in Canadian school building resulted to damages totaling around $2 million. The students were protesting against a racist professor when their riots resulted to a fire breaking out and destroying computers and other university property. 97 students were arrested in the incident (Concordia University, 2008). In 1970, several computer crimes were reported. A bomb at the University of Wisconsin resulted to $16 million worth of computer damage; a Molotov cocktail bomb caused $1 million damage to the Fresno State College; and students at the New York University wanting to free a jailed Black Panther damaged computers by placing fire-bombs on top of the Atomic Energy Commission (Kabay, 2008). Computers were often damaged during the 1970s in order to make a statement; antiwar protests in Australia resulted to the shooting of an American firm’s computers; terrorists poured gasoline on a university’s computers and burned them; and a peace activist destroy ed a computer at the Vanderburg Air Base in California as a sign of protest against American military policies (Kabay, 2008). From 1970 to 1972, Albert the Saboteur created problems for the National Farmers Union Service Corporation of Denver. Albert enjoyed having the repair crews over every time the computer crashed. As a result, he deliberately caused the computers to crash about 50 times in the span of 2 years. He lived an isolated life as a night shift operator. He finally got company and human interaction because of the computer crashes, and he could not help but cause one crash after another just to have company (Kabay, 1996). In 1970, Jerry Schneider posed as a PT&T employee and ordered $30,000 worth of equipment from PT&T. He retrieved PT&T computer printouts from dumpsters. He was later able to collect detailed information on various procedures in the company and as a result was able to successfully steal $1 million worth of equipment from

Hate Crimes and the Homosexual Community Essay Example for Free

Hate Crimes and the Homosexual Community Essay Abstract In this paper I am talking about Hate crimes against the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community. I show that though Hate crimes are classified as crimes that are evoked by sexual orientation, race, identity, gender, or religion. Hate crimes are more common amongst the gay and transgender men. I show states with highest conviction rate in 2012. I also show the upward incline in numbers since 2005 until now. I offer explanations as to who commits these crimes and why. Lastly I show the progression of time and how prejudice and hate crimes although upward in numbers are really being accepted in our communities. Hate crimes and the Homosexual community After the Civil war the Government passed the first Hate crime Law in America. Recently, in 2009 sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, and disability were added to the categories covered by the law. According to ( Stotzer,2012) these crimes are more common among homosexual men and the transgendered community, because most hate crimes are committed by heterosexual men. Even though lesbian women are victims of hate crimes, statistics show that hate crimes are more common among homosexual men and the transgendered community, because heterosexual men commit most hate crimes (Stotzer, 2012). Studies also find that twenty in 200,000 lesbians, gay men and bisexuals reported being victims of hate crimes. 52 in 200,000 gay men reported being victims of hate crimes. Yet only twenty in 200,000 reported being victims of hate crimes. Hate Crimes against Homosexual and Transgendered â€Å"There were 15,351 anti-homosexual hate crime offenses during 2002-2011†. (Potok, 2012, para. #). According to the (Intelligence Report, winter 2010, Issue Number: 140. The numbers show that gay men are two times more likely  to suffer a violent hate crime attack than Jews. Gays are 3 times more likely to be attacked than blacks, and five times more likely than Muslims. FBI reports say that hate crimes against gay men have been on the rise since 2005. Violent hate crimes against LGBT people grew by 48 percent from 2005 until 2011. In 2010 Census.gov shows that half of all hate crimes were based on sexual orientation bias (Census.Gov, 2010). In 2011 reports show that there were 26 transgendered murders reported in the USA alone. In 2010 the Uniform Crime Reporting Survey in USA found that approximately 75% of sexual-orientation related hate crimes were of a violent nature.(Stozer, 2010) Physiological Research on Straight Men Who Kill or Physically Harm Homosexuals Mison (year) states that [a] murderous personal reaction toward gay men should be considered an irrational and idiosyncratic characteristic of the defendant and should not be allowed to bolster the alleged reasonableness of the defendants act(Dressler, 1995, p.4). Helena L. Alden and Karen F. Parker also state â€Å"that homophobia and gender stratification directly influences the incidents of hate crime victimization† (Alden, Parker, 2004). People who commit hate crimes are not limited to but mostly are Caucasian lower-class men who commit the crimes for fun or simply in resentment toward a certain group (Comstock 1991: 60-62; McDevitt and Levin 1993). Studies say that most men who commit these crimes have no physiological defects or problems. This means that these men are committing these hate crimes knowing exactly what they are doing. These studies ultimately prove that the victim is not at fault for the attack. These crimes are being committed out of sheer hate, hence the name â€Å"Hate crimes†. Examples of Hate Crimes against Homosexuals Matthew Shepard In 1998 the sad and horrifying murder of Matthew Shepard woke people up to just how serious hate crimes are getting. Matthew Shepard was only 21 years old. He was first robbed, then beaten within inches of his life and left for dead by two men. The two men told shepherd they were Homosexual and wanted to hang out with him. Matthew went with them and was led to a desert where he was beat to death. They did not charge the men with a hate crime;  therefore it kept them from receiving the maximum punishment. Following the attention and emotion evoked by Matthew Shepard’s death People’s eyes begin to open, both in the public and in the political office. 11 years after Matthew’s murder Obama passed an act to include sexual orientation, identity and gender. In honor of Mathew this act was named after him and James Byrd Jr. The Act is the first federal law to extend legal protections to transgender persons (James, 1998). Gwen Araujo Gwen Araujo – born Edward â€Å"Eddie† Araujo was a pre-operative transgender teen. Eddie was born as a boy and began living life as a girl at the age of 14. Her name was legally changed to Gwen Amber Rose Araujo two years after her death. In the early hours of Oct. 4, 2002, Gwen was killed by a group of men in her hometown of Newark, California then buried in a homemade grave after they found out she was born male. The men were convicted of second-degree murder in connection to the killing of Gwen Araujo who was beaten, tied up and strangled, according to previous media reports. (Heinrich, 2006) States That Have Highest Rate of Hate Crimes against Homosexuals New York and California are the two states with the highest anti-gay hate crime rates.in 2011 in California a three fourths of hate crimes were motivated by the sexual orientation of the victims. The majority of hate crime reported in that category targeted gay men. â€Å"These crimes continue to disproportionately affect LGBT people of color,† (Marroquin, 2012, p. #). The second highest state is New York with a percentage of 19.6 in 2010 and 39.4 in 2011. (Lovett, 2011). In 2011, the most common reported types of bias motivation in hate crime incidents involved: race/ ethnicity religion, and sexual orientation leading at 40.6 percent.(Lovett,2011). Incidents with a sexual orientation bias increased 15 percent, from 119 in 2010 to 167 in 2011 (Lovett,2012). Consequences of hate crimes and conviction rates Haider (2001) states that â€Å"Hate crime policy implementation is shaped by the support and efforts of officers, the tractability of the problem, the support of police leaders, and the presence of state hate crime policies, police resources, and public opinion.†(p.1). The Hate Crime Statistics Act of 1990 required the U.S. Department of Justice to collect data on incidence  of hate crimes. This Act was passed by Bush in 1990. As a response to the murders of Matthew Shepard president Obama passed the most recent act in 2009. This Bill helps protect the LGBT community against hate crimes. Hate crime laws seems to be good but due to lack of enforcement a lot has still gone undone. There are still many hate crimes unsolved as well as unreported. Numbers have not gone down but, they have gone up. (Parfaite-Claude, 2012). Conviction Rates are shockingly low. According the Attorney General’s Report, only 51% of cases filed as â€Å"Hate Crimes† result in Convictions . Conclusion In conclusion, No matter what state you are in the statistics say that anti-gay hate crimes are leading in numbers. Sadly, Crime against persons is number one. Second is crime against Property. What must be taken into consideration is that more than half of anti- gay hate crimes are not reported, Due to fear, pride, or embarrassment. Although America has come a Long way with its hate crime laws and convictions, something more must be done. The enforcers of the law must do their jobs and remain loyal to their promises to their communities. In effect the people will feel more protected, which will in turn help them to feel more comfortable in reporting crimes. The key to overcoming hate crimes is to overcome hate. References Gay men more likely victims of hate crimes. (2012, May 23). Windy City Times Altschiller, D. (2009). Hate crimes: V.1: Understanding and defining hate crime; v.2: The consequences of hate crime; v.3: The victims of hate crime; v.4: Hate crime offenders; v.5: Responding to hate crime. Choice, 46(12), 2418-2418. Brownworth, V. A. (1992, Hate crimes: Confronting violence against lesbians and gay men. Lambda Book Report, 3, 34-34. Coker, C. T. (2011). Hope-fulfilling or effectively chilling? reconciling the hate crimes prevention act with the first amendment. Vanderbilt Law Review, 64(1), 271-299 Dressler, J. (1995). When heterosexual men kill homosexual men: Reflections of provocation law, sexual advances, and the reasonable man standard. Journal of Criminal Law Criminology, 85(3), 726-726. Fernandez, J. M. (1991). Bringing Hate Crime into Focus-The Hate Crime Statistics Act of 1990, Pub. L. No. 101-275. Harvard Civil Rights-Civil Liberties Law Review, 26(1), 33. Haider-Markel, D. P. (2001). Implementing Controversial Policy: results from a national survey of law enforcement department activity on hate crime. Justice Research and Policy, 3(1), 29-62. Herdt, G. (1995). The protection of gay and lesbian youth hate crimes: The rising tide of bigotry and bloodshed by jack levin and jack McDevitt / violence against lesbians and gay men by gary david comstock. Harvard Educational Review, 65(2), 315-315 Herek, G. M. (2000). The psychology of sexual prejudice. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 9(1), 19-22. Heidenreich, L. (2006). LEARNING FROM THE DEATH OF GWEN ARAUJO?—Transphobic Racial Subordination and Queer Latina Survival in the Twenty-First Century. Chicana/Latina Studies, 50-86. Hoffman, S. W. (2011). Last night, I prayed to matthew: Matthew shepard, homosexuality, and popular martyrdom in contemporary america. Religion and American Culture : R AC, 21(1), 121-164. Lampinen, T. M., PhD., Chan , K., Anema, A., Miller, M. L., R.N., Schilder, A. J., Schechter, Martin T,M.D., PhD., . . . Strathdee, S. A., PhD. (2008). Incidence of and risk factors for sexual orientation-related physical assault among young men who have sex with men. American Journal of Public Health, Mariana Marroquin(2011), L.A. Gay Lesbian Center’s Anti-Violence Project. Martin, S. E. (1995). A cross-burning is not just an arson: Police social construction of hate crimes in baltimore county. Criminology, 33(3), 303-30398(6), 1028-35 Morin, S. F. (1977). Heterosexual bias in psychological research on lesbianism and male homosexuality. American Psychologist, 32(8), 629. Nadine, R. R., Davison, G. C. (2002). Articulated thoughts about antigay hate crimes. Cognitive Therapy and Research, 26(4), 431-447. Nolan,James J., I.,II, Akiyama, Y., Berhanu, S. (2002). The hate crime statistics act of 1990: Developing a method for measuring the occurrence of hate violence. The American Behavioral Scientist, 46( 1), 136-153. Parfaite-Claude, D. (2012). Gay-bashing, interrupted: the effects of the presence of state hate crime statutes on the prevalence of hate crimes against gay individuals. Stotzer, R. L. (2008). Gender identity and hate crimes: Violence against transgender people in los angeles county. Sexuality Research Social Policy, 5(1), 43-52. Stotzer, R. L. (2010). Sexual orientation-based hate crimes on campus: The impact of policy on reporting rates. Sexuality Research Social Policy, 7(3), 147-154 Tejeda, M. J. (2004). Egalitarianism and self-esteem as correlates of hate ideation against gay men and lesbians. Journal of Multicultural Nursing Health, 10(1), 42-50 Wilson, M. S., Ruback, R. B. (2003). Hate crimes in pennsylvania, 1984-99: Case characteristics and police responses*. Justice Quarterly : JQ, 20(2), 373-398

Autism Essays -- essays research papers fc

Autism 1. Definition Autism- is a developmental disability significantly affecting verbal and nonverbal communication and social interaction, generally evident before the age of 3, that adversely affects a child’s educational performance. Other characteristics often associated with autism are engagement in repetitive activities and stereotyped movements, resistance to environmental change or change in daily routines, and unusual responses to sensory experiences. 2. Common Characteristics Inability to use speech for communication Withdrawal from people Unusual bodily movements and peculiar mannerisms Abnormal responses to one or more types of sensory stimuli, sound or touch Lack of appropriate play Preoccupation with hands (flapping) Fluctuation between passive vs. aggressive behavior Need for patterns or sameness 3. Teaching Strategies Use a consistent behavior modification program Teach in a less stimulating area Use an established routine with repetitive transition strategies Be predictable Use vigorous aerobic exercise to reduce self-stimulating behavior   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Be aware of safety hazards in their environment 4. Causes Scientists are unsure of the cause but evidence indicates that autism results from biological abnormalities in brain structure and function. Mutations in genes are important in causing autism. 5. Suggested Activities Any aerobic exercise: Walking, Jogging, running, bicycling, swimming, in-line skating, dancing, basketball, cross country skiing 6. How Autism effects movement Autism causes repetitive physical movements that can impair their learning and communication abilities. Autism I. Introduction Autism, also known as autistic disorder and infant autism, is a disorder that severely impairs development of a person's ability to communicate, interact with other people, and maintain normal contact with the outside world. The disorder was first described in 1943 by American psychiatrist Leo Kanner. Autism is a condition occurring in young children before the age of three years. One of the most common developmental disabilities, autism affects 2 to 5 out of every 10,000 children. It is four to five times more common in males than in females. II. Characteristics Autism is often referred to as a spectrum disorder, a disorder in which symptoms can occur in any combination and with varying degrees of severity.... ...nd movements, social withdrawal, and impaired language development. The disorder appears before the age of four and affects only girls. Some experts regard these disorders as mild forms of autism rather than as separate disorders. Conclusion   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Autism is a disorder that impacts a person’s ability to communicate and interact with other people and the outside world. Symptoms of this disorder are evident during infancy and the earlier this disorder is diagnosed the better. With proper treatment symptoms can be suppressed to the point where it is difficult to see that the person is autistic. It is also very possible for an autistic person to lead a normal life. The best treatments for autism are physical therapy and aerobic exercise. Works Cited 1. Autism retrieved November 1, 2001, from www.content.health.msn.com 2. Gillberg, Christopher. What is Autism? Retrieved November 1, 2001, from www.autism-society.org 3. Sherrill, Claudine. (1998) Adapted Physical Activity, Recreation and Sport: 5th edition. Boston: McGraw Hill 4. Use of Physical Activity to Improve Behavior of Children with Autism. Retrieved November 1, 2001, from www.palaestra.com/autism

Staff Training And Development Essay

Sustaining Effective Staff Training And Development Essay IntroductionWhat is training and development?Training and development is a concept in management which allow the organisational activity to be aimed directly at performance of individuals, groups and the organization (Landale, 1999). There are three main activities under the guise of training and development which are interlinked – training, education and development. It is not just the role of the employer to identify training and development needs, the employee also needs to be able to identify their role in the organization and how they can effectively develop themselves (Landale, 1999). Van der Bossche et al (2010) acknowledge that due to the rapid advancements in technology and knowledge require the individual to participate in personal and professional development. The development of talent within the organization is necessary for competitive advantage to exist, it is also necessary for the retention of employees. The organization needs to identify talent and to support the individuals through all their training needsStaff Training and Development is described asthe necessity to cover the essential skills used in the everyday work situation. Within the promotion of training and development, the individual needs to be focused on the goal of developing their skills, knowledge and understanding of how the organization exists within its environment (Jerling, 1996). If the manager can motivate the employee in their work and can encourage development then the employee will see it in a positive light and will work towards the goals.I I Background Having effective employees is instrumental to the success of any business organization. This is the case because of the high employee turnover rates and high unemployment rates evident in most countries. Since the 2008 recession in the U.S, other countries of the world have experienced the ripple effects as the world largest economy struggles to recover. The European nations have suffered under the current debt crisis that has shrunk economies in Europe. Other countries in African and Asia have also felt the impact, as their economies are most dependent on both the U.S and European markets for trade. The subject of having effective employees has therefore, gained relevance as employers look for ways to sustain their workers. In an effort to keep their most important asset, organizations are heavily involved in the training and development of employees (Hung &Wong 2007). Training and development has been a tool used by organizations to mitigate the risks of losing employee to other or ganizations. It has also been used to groom future leaders of the company, as well as assist organizations in saving time and money. This essay shall discuss two theories that discuss employer support and training, as well as the impacts of employee performance in relation to training and development of employees.III Development Humphry Hung and Yiu Wong have come up with two theories that discuss the relationship between the employer and the workers when it comes to training, continuing education and work study performance (Hung and Wong, 2007). The theories were introduced because of a case study of Hong Kong students who were in school and worked at the same time. The authors then came up with the theories to help explain the student or employee’s performance in relations to their employees and employer relationship (Hung and Wong, 2007). The first theory was the psychological contract theory while the second one was the expectancy dis-confirmation theory. The researchers realized the need for employees to have an education so that they are able to move up the ladder as far as the work force is concerned. The researchers used the employee and employer relations as the subject of research, and came up with a model to explain how training and development can be effectively used in the workplace (Hung &Wong2007).Psychological contract theoryAccording to the psychological theory, the employer and the employee have a set of beliefs, promises and obligations that go beyond the formal contract between the two. This psychological contract theory is attributed to the second wave of research in this subject, namely where the basis is a mutual loyalty between employees and organization (Hall and Moss, 1998). The elements of the third wave of research on the psychological contract, which measures the attitudes and perpceptions of employees towards organization are demonstrated below (Robinson, 1996). In other words, once an employer hires an employee, the employee has to abide by certain rules while the employer is obligated to behave professionally. This means that the employees expect to exchange their loyalty and productivity for wages and other forms of compensation (Kimberly 2009). This theory may be regarded to be limited in delivery of depth of investigation of relations between organization and employees (Robinson and Morrisson, 1995). This suggests that recent research has failed to acknowledge the fact that psychological contact theory is more multi-dimensional as opposed to what has been presented in the research (Trunley and Feldamn, 1999a). As a result, there were two kinds of contents presented, namely transactional and relational. Transactional content involves measurable economic exchanges between the two parties. For instance, an employee works 40 hours a week for a paycheck at the end of the week. Relational contents are based on trust and long-term relationships. In such a case, an employee can delegate a certain role to the employee based on trust (McConnell 2004). In the study, three principles can emerged. First, there is interaction at an individual level, mutual relationship between the two parties and finally tactical exchanges. Most people believe that the relationship between the employee and the employer is based on personal ties because the employer is an embodiment of the organization, and the experience of their interaction dictates the success of an organization (Hung &Hing 2007). On the other hand, some believe that there has to be a mutual relationship between the employer and the employee for organizations to succeed. The mutual obligation is based on the belief that the employer is obliged to the employee in return for a commitment. Finally, the tactical exchanges occur between the workers in which case, the employee insists on a mental connection between the two parties (Kimberly 2009). The significance of the psychological contract theory is that it attempts to explain the employee’s behavior in regards to how he is treated by the employer. In other words, the employee relationship to the employer is imperative to matters regarding how employees react when subjected to training by organizations. The development of the employee dictates the performance of the employee in the continuing work-study. The research found that students who had a good working relationship with their employer performed well in their training and education compared to those who had a bad relationship (Hung &Hing 2007). Another limitation is attributed to the assumption, that psychological contact theory fails to address the specifics of individual work behaviour (Robinson, 1996a). From methodological perspective, this theory was developed on the basis of employee’s self-appraisals. As a result, it failed to include the actual supervisor’s appraisals, which are perceived to be quite crucial in delivery of objective opinion on the subject of job performance (Keeney and Svyantek, 2000).Expectancy disconfirmation theoryThe expectancy disconfirmation theory is similar to that of consumer dissonance. Only that in this case, it deals with the employee, as opposed to the consumer. The theory was brought about from the comparison of a worker and a consumer when dealing with their products. An employee is believed to have positively disconfirmed their role in the organisation when their perceived performance exceeds their expected performance (Roughton&Mercurio 2002). The opposite is true and r eferred to as negative disconfirmation. Negative disconfirmation occurs when an employee believes that their expectations exceed their perceived The ability for the organisation to be able to sustain effective staff training and development in the workplace is a necessity in the global market. The purpose of this paper is to reflect on training and development in the workplace (Venkatesh and Goyal, 2010). Other considerations which must be taken into consideration when discussing this topic are in relation to the culture and structure of the organisation as well as the importance of communication and the impact of the leadership styles on the overall behaviour of the organisation (Venkatesh and Goyal, 2010). The global market has allowed the transfer of skills and knowledge through migration and the internationalisation of organisations. Training and development are important to how the organisation can compete in the market, if the organisation can sustain their employees through training and development they will be able to compete in the market. The effectiveness of employees will prove to be a valuable asset to the organisation and it is important that the organisation holds on to their employees (Klein, 1998). It has been argued that the resources of an organisation are the key sources of competitiveness. There is a need to examine the background of the organisation – culture and structure to see how these can determine how the organisation perceives training and development opportunities within the organisation. This theory has also proved to have some limitations attributed to it. This implies that it has been a subject to limitations imposed on the methodlogical approach. This implies that there have been some concerns reported in relation to the measurement of expectations that have been met (Irving and Meyer, 1999). This implies that direct measurement which is utilized in prediction of the disrepency between the expectations in relation to the job and actual behavioural intentions (Irving and Meyer, 1999).Strategic ManagementStrategic management is an essential process which needs to be considered in any organisation. Thompson & Martin (2005) explain the process as being concerned with organisational actions and activities which identify and deal with threats, opportunities etc in both the internal and external environment. How strategic management is managed shows how well the organisation can adapt to change and how training and development will be welcomed in the organisational conte xt. Lamb (1984) states that strategic management assesses competitors of the organisation and sets goals and strategies which can be seen in the context of training and development and how the organisation views the importance of its employees. One of the most important strategic processes is the practice of retaining employees. It is best practice to keep the skills and knowledge available to the organisation to remain competitive and to be able to recruit the most talented individuals in the market. If an organisation has the pick of the talent through their recruitment process they can sustain their competitive advantage which will allow them to compete consistently. The type of culture is reflected through the recruitment and selection processes as well the organisational structure and culture. If an organisation can effectively train and develop their workforce as well as retain their employees. Performance management and a competitive incentive programme can enhance the ability of the organisation to select and recruit the individuals they want to recruit to positions and not just because they have to fill the position (Phillips & Pulliam Phillips (2002). Lambin (2000) defines the strategic process as allowing management to identify advantages and disadvantages. It will be important to identify the advantages and disadvantages of training and development further on in this paper but it is extremely necessary that these are identified so that the organisation can identify the skills and knowledge which they require in their organisation. The human element to the resources of the organisation are extremely important, Armstrong (2006) cites that the skills and competencies identified within the human resources process need to meet the future demands and challenges of the organisation and the environment. It will be necessary for the organisation to meet the pressures from the competitive environment and it should be prepared for this. Most organisations would not be able to function effectively in their environment without sustaining effective training and development in their workplaces. It is important that employees can be motivated i nto performing and target meeting.Organisational CultureThe culture of the organisation is an integral factor of organisational activity. Holbeche (2006) believes that there are issues linking corporate social responsibility, accountability and the stakeholder environment. The culture of the organisation will impact on the behaviour of the employees in reference to how they behave, their work attitudes, the ability to embrace change and how the organisational objectives are achievable or not. Motivational theory is extremely important (Alderfer, 1969, Vroom, 1964, Maslow, 1943, Herzberg, 1966) link the goals of the organisation to the performance and achievement of personal goals which in turn can be fuelled by how skilled and knowledgeable the individual is. The culture of the organisation can be linked to success through the achievement of the competitive advantage. Deal & Kennedy (1982) believe that the most important factor for the success or failure of the organisation is the c ulture. Culture by its very nature is implicit of behaviours within the organisation. Leadership and management are also essential to the understanding of culture and how it affects all mechanisms within the organisation (Rabey, 2003). This is also essential to the concept of training and development within the organisation as the development of management within the organisation, as the leadership role needs to grow both personally and professionally thus the impetus is on the development through training and development. The leader plays a role in the development of the organisation and if this individual is in tune with the development and training of the human resources, the organisation will embrace this concept. Schein (2004) reflects that the leadership and culture are inseparable. Structure is also important to the training and development environment within an organisation. The more rigid the hierarchical structure the less likely the culture will embrace training and development p ractices. While many organisations realise the need for progressive training and development it should be noted that not every organisation is a learning organisation (Schein, 2004).LeadershipIt is necessary to understand leadership as a concept before attempting to evaluate training and development. The development of the leader, according to Pedlar et al (2003), is that the concept is based on unexamined assumptions. There is no single definition of a leader, however, there are many attributes attached to leadership such as an ability to adapt, to make decisions, to be flexible and to be able to recognise skills within themselves and within others. The ability of the strategic manager is to be able to create an environment where employees want to participate and make a significant contribution to their role in the organisation. It is through this communicative process that the leader can identify the development requirements of the employee. The employee should be able to trust t he judgement of the leader to allow them to participate in any programmes for development and learning within the organisation (Rabey, 2003). It is also necessary that the leader can identify any developmental needs in their own career progression. If the leader is forward thinking they will bring the organisation into line with the requirement of the selection and recruitment process to enhance the competitive nature of the organisation. The performance of the individual is impacted by the authority figure in the organisational relationship and can be highly influenced by the use of incentives. One such incentive which can be used to motivate the employee is that of training and development opportunities. These types of incentives are extremely important in today’s global environment with the internationalisation of organisations and the free movement of the workforce. The more skilled the workforce, the more ability the employee has to dictate their position within the organisation. This position allows the employee to hold some power over the authority figure as they can determine where they want to go in terms of their career and their development. Communication is key to this process so that the employee knows what kind of training is available to them and for the leader to be able to communicate the type of training which may best suit the employee. It is important that the leader can apply self development to themselves before they apply it to the individuals within their organisation and there should be an ethos throughout the organisation on lifelong learning .Learning OrganisationIn today’s global environment the concept of lifelong learning is extremely important and it is necessary for all employees to keep their development and learning up to date. The availability of learning to employees should be a pre-requisite to any organisation who profess to be a global leader. It is necessary for all employees to keep their skills, resources and knowledge updated so that they can compete in their business market. The markets while very dynamic and complex are also extremely competitive, and organisations are always looking for the right individual to take up a position within the organisation, who will ultimately enhance their competitive advantage (Lambin, 2000). Lifelong learning as a concept is not new, however, the concept of learning within the organisational context is very new. This allows the individual to learn around their own experiences. Both the organisation and the individual should be in synch with each other to allow their goals to be achieved. The service which the individual can apply to their customer greatly leaves a mark on the organisation as to how proficient it is in dealing with its customer. The ability of the organisation to provide professional training for their employees will successfully promote the organisation as well as the role of the employee. It is necessary that lifelong learning should be promoted more readily in today’s global markets due to the expansion of business and the free movement of employees to other countries. Lifelong learning can be provided throughout the organisation and does not necessary mean that it must be formal, it can be on the job training, but it should be used to encourage and motivate the individual. It is important to understand that the concept of lifelong learning is not without it disadvantages and within many organisations the facility is very much available. However, it is up to the individual to decide that they wish to partake in any programme, and also up to the manager to put the employee forward for training and development. This is very much about communication. Depending on how free flowing communication is, depends on the availability of these facilities. If the employee does not push for these opportunities they can hardly be expected to be handed the opportunity. However, the manager must communicate that these opportunities are available to the employee and explain the positive features for the employee. It is also necessary that the vision and politics of the organisation match the service and opportunities which can be given to employees. The need to preserve the abilities of employees within the organisation has become increasingly important, especially for the organisation to retain the skills, knowledge and resources which it currently holds. Lifelong learning can in effect change the labour market and the direction which the organisation is heading. Smith (2001) identifies the need of an organisation to be progressive, to allow the individual to gain more knowledge throughout their career and to persuade the individual to use the resources available to them for educational and growth purposes.Benefits of Training and DevelopmentTraining and development is a particularly helpful feature to the organisation as well as the individual. The process allows both the organisation and the individual to grow alongside with the global market. It allows the individual within the organisati on to recognise that they should be motivated to perform their job to the best of their ability because they can feel more valued by the incentives which they can receive from the organisation. There are many benefits to the organisation and the employee but it should also be recognised that there are also disadvantages to this. Lifelong learning does not necessary mean that the employee has to go off site on participate in in-house training, it also means a variety of opportunities within the organisation such as job rotation, secondment etc. These types of roles allow the employee to try out the role but also it means that they can avail of training in other positions within the organisation. This type of training can also motivate the employee as it can be seen as a performance reward for their hard work. It would seem in today’s environment, the emphasis would be very much on a culture of performance equals rewards. Other types of training and development include attending classes and online courses.Advantages and disadvantages of Training and DevelopmentThe advantages which can be beneficial to the organisation is the retention of the current employees who are competent in their positions and have the ability to take on new roles within the organisation. If the employee can be trained in other po sitions it will benefit the organisation when it comes to employees leaving, thus the need for an urgent replacement for the position is no longer made a priority as the organisation can often promote or second from within. This allows the organisation some time to proceed with the recruitment and selection process to allow for them to find the right candidate. This also allows the employee to try other positions within the organisation and to decide if they wish to apply for these positions. With these types of training and development opportunities, the employee gets an opportunity to experience other roles and they may also provide a monetary incentive such as a pay rise while they are in the position. The ability of the organisation to provide these types of roles will also allow the organisation to retain their workforce and the skills and knowledge which come with that. It also enhances the skills of the employee. While there are advantages to training and development, there are also disadvantages. These disadvantages are predominately to the organisation but those which are important factors to the employee are the amount of time they would have to spend on the training and they may not be fully aware of the training opportunities which are afforded to them. This could be due to a lack of communication within the organisation or that the organisation is not overly interested in the development of their employees. One major reason that an organisation may not provide training and development would be down to cost in time and money. It may not be convenient for the organisation to spent time and money on an employee when the end result could be that they lose the skills and knowledge of the employee to another organisation due to the training and development they received. This has become more common as employees are more empowered and acknowledge the freedom to move to another job, even to mov e to another country.How Training and Development is ChangingGarrison & Anderson (2003: p.i) state that ‘The growth of e-learning is being described as explosive, unprecedented, and above all, disruptive.’ E-learning is associated with providing a framework for understanding the application and to goal set. This method of learning has become increasingly adopted as technology is evolving and transforming work practices. Many organisations have acknowledged the need to change according to reviewing the values and culture of their organisations. It has become increasingly important for organisations to adapt to the new learning environment. Training and development has changed rapidly due to global expansion. The employee no longer needs to take time off work to participate in training. Along with on the job training, it has become cost effective for employees to educate themselves through online and DVD/ CD’s. Technology has afforded organisations and employees easier ways to participate in training and development. Study can take place at the workstation or at home rather than the traditional format where the employee had to leave the workplace and travel to a destination where they could be facilitated. This has become extremely cost effective for the organisation as they are not losing man hours when the employee is studying/ on their course and it also means that workloads are not high because the work is still being completed. Along with the rise in popularity of the Internet and its main feature, namely interactivity, the human resource managers have found out that this may be used to the advantage for training and development purposes (Venkatesh and Goyal, 2010). The internet, as an interactive and communication medium provides wider access to the information and enables distance learning for knowledge transfer purposes. This suggests that it is much easier to engage in learning programs from any location in the world, if an individual has an Internet connection (Venkatesh and Goyal, 2010). Additionally, it has been estimated that the Internet is associated with lower costs, imposed on the training and development strategies. This implies that the main costs are reduced in the areas of physical distribution of training and development programs and the need for hiring a specific staff in order to maintain those. Online training allow the individual to manage the training program by himself, where he is r egarded to be in control over the situation (Venkatesh and Goyal, 2010). Van Dam, (2002) suggests that online training is utilized in combination with the offline channel, suggesting that in the majority of cases, the users of the online training system tend to maintain an offline contact whilst receiving the necessary instructions. The online training system is mainly utilized for the development of computer skills, job-related skills and technical competencies. Recently, there has been an emergence of economic recession that has affected the planning and implementation process of training and development programs. This implies that economic recession has made the companies to reconsider their costs and thereby plan the cuts, where necessary. CIPD, (in EWCO, 2009) has estimated that the performance of the majority of companies in the previous 12 months has been worsened. With regard to training and development, it has been estimated that 32 % of surveyed companies have reported cuts in the training and development budget in the previous 12 months. However, in the light of recession, despite the imposed cuts in budget, the majority of companies has estimated that training and development has not been viewed as an expendable commodity. This implies that the management of the companies still view training and development programs as the key priority for company’s achievement of organizational objectives (CIPD in EWCO, 2009; Bourke, 2009) . This suggests that there is a great potential for further investments in training and development programs, given its significance in the corporate world.Methods used in Training and DevelopmentThis type of training also encourages the employee as they can do all their study with the use of a pc and can do it during working hours at their workstation. It also allows the employee to have more say in their development and to enhance their skills. The use of IT has allowed the development of more globalised skills which are transferrable. It is also appropriate for the organisation to provide the employee with the information about training and development opportunities which is extremely easy compared to how the traditional methods had been. The employee and the organisation can research the courses/ training and development opportunities. The manager has the ability to distinguish worthwhile courses/ training opportunities according to the need of the employee with the use of IT. T his is where the ability to communicate and identify the individual needs of the employee as well as their own needs. References 1.Alderfer, C.P. (1969): An Empirical Test of a New Theory of Human Needs, Organizational Behaviour and Human Performance, Vol. 4, Issue 2, May, pps. 142-175 2.Armstrong, M., (2006): A Handbook of Human Resource Management Practice, 10th Edition, Kogan Bourke A. (2010). ‘Recession Affects Training and Development Programs’. Available from: http://www.aicpcu.org/MediaCenter/docs/articles/Recession_Affects_Training_and_Development_for_Web_10-09.pdf. Last Accessed: 13th Feb. 2012 CIPD in EWCO (2009). ‘Impact of recession on workplace training’. Available from: http://www.eurofound.europa.eu/ewco/2009/09/UK0909039I.htm. Last Accessed on 13th Dec. 2012 3.Deal, T.E., & Kennedy, A.A., (1982) :Corporate Cultures: The Rites and Rituals of Corporate Life, Harmondsworth, Penguin Books 4.Garrison, D.R., & Anderson, T., (2003) :E-Learning in the 21st Century, RoutledgeFalmer, Taylor & Francis Group Hall, D. T., & Moss, J. E. (1998). ‘The new protean career contract: Helping organizations and employees adapt’.Organizational Dynamics, 26, 22–37. Herzberg, F. (1966) :Work and the Nature of Man, Staples Press Holbeche, L. (2006), Understanding Change: Theory, Implementation and Success, Elsevier Butterworth-Heinemann Hung, H. & Wong Y. (2007), ‘The relationship between employer endorsement of continuing education and training and work and study performance’: A Hong Kong case study’. International Journal of Training& Development, 11, 4, pp. 295-313. Irving, P. G., and Meyer, J. P. (1999). ‘On Using Residual Difference Scores in the Measurement of Congruence: The Case of Met Expectation Research. A Longitudinal Analysis’, Personnel Psychology, 52(1), pp. 85-95. Jerling K. (1996). Education, Training, and Development in Organisation. Pearson: South Africa Keeney, M. J., & Svyantek, D. J. (2000). ‘A review of psychological contract theory and research: Promise nothing and they still may get angry’. Current Trends in Management, 5, 65–94. Kimberly, W. 2009, Value Initiatives Improving Performance in the Workplace. NY:GRIN Verlag 9.Lamb, R., (1984) Competitive Strategic Management, Prentice Hall 10.Lambin, J.J., (2000) Market-Driven Management: Strategic & Operational Marketing, MacMillan Business Landale A. (1999). Gower handbook of training and development. 3rd ed., Gower Publishing: UK 11.Maslow, A.H. (1943), ‘A theory of human motivation’, Psychological Review, Vol. 50 No. 4, pp. 370 – 396. 12.McConnell, C. R. 2004, ‘Managing Employee Performance’, Health Care Manager, Vol. 23, No. 3, p. 273, Supplemental Index. 13.Pedler, M., Burgoyne, J., & Boydell, T., (2003) A Manager’s Guide to Leadership, McGraw-Hill Phillips, J.J., & Pulliam Phillips, P., (2002) Retaining Your Best Employees: In Action Case Study Series, American Society for Training and Development Rabey, G., (2003) The Paradox of Teamwork, Industrial and Commercial Training, Vol. 35, No. 4, pp. 158 – 162 Robinson, S. L. (1996). ‘Trust and breach of the psychological contract’. Administrative Science Quarterly, 41:574–599. Robinson, S. L., &Morrison, E.W. (1995a). ‘Psychological contracts and OCB: The effect of unfulfilled obligations on civic virtue behavior’. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 16: 289–298 Roughton, J. &Mercurio, J. 2002, Developing an effective safety culture: A Leadership Approach. NY: Butterworth-Heinemann 17.Schein, E.H. (2004): Organizational Culture and Leadership, Jossey-Bass 18.Thompson, J.L., & Martin, F., (2005) Strategic Management: Awareness and Change, 5th Edition, Thomson Learning 19.Smith, M. K., (2001) ‘Peter Senge and the learning organisation’, the encyclopaedia of informal education, available online at www.infed.org/thinkers/senge.htm Turnley, W. H., & Feldman, D. C. (1999a). ‘The impact of psychological contract violations on exit, voice, loyalty, and neglect’. Human Relations, 52, 895–922. Van den Bossche, P., Segers, M., & Jansen, N., (2010) Transfer of Training: The Role of Feedback in Supportive Social Networks, International Journal of Training and Development, Vol. 14, Iss. 2, pp. 81 – 94 van Dam, N. (2002). E-learning by design: Can a better-designed course help you learn moree-learning. 3(1), 38-39. Venkatesh, V. and Goyal, S.(2010). ‘Expectation Disconfirmation and Technology Adoption: Polynomial Modeling and Response Surface Analysis,’MIS Quarterly 34, (2), 281-303 Vroom, V.H. (1964), Work and Motivation, John Wiley

Trade, Money and Capital

B. TRADE, MONEY AND CAPITAL Features of a modern economy 1. – Specialization and division of labor 2. – Measure economic values 3. – Stock of capital * Trade, specialization and division of labor. * Specialization: occurs when people and countries concentrate their efforts on a particular set of tasks, it permits each person and country to use to best advantage the specific skills and resources that are available. * Division of labor: dividing production into a number of small-specialized steps or task. * Specialization and trade are the key to high living standards. * Globalization Globalization: is used to denote an increase in economic integration among nations. Increasing integration is seen today in the dramatic growth in the glows of goods, services, and finance across national borders. * Money: the lubricant of exchange * Money: is the means of payment in the form of currency and checks used to buy things. Lubricant that facilitates exchange. * Governments control the money supply through their center banks * Money is the medium of exchange.Proper management of the financial system is one of the major issues for government macroeconomic policy in the countries. Capital * Capital: a produced and durable input, which is itself an output of the economy. It consists of a vast and specialized array of machines, buildings, computers, software, and so on. * Capital has to be produced before you use it. * Growth from the sacrifice of current consumption * Economic activity involves forgoing current consumption to increase our capital. Every time we invest we are enhancing the future productivity of our economy and increasing future consumption. * Capital and private property In a market economy, capital typically is privately owned, and the income form capital goes to individuals. * Capital goods also have market values, and people can buy and sell the capital good for whatever price the goods will fetch. * The ability of individuals to own and profit from capital is what gives capitalism name. * While our society is one built on private property, property rights are limited (taxes and government) *Property rights for capital and pollution * Property rights define how individuals or firms can own, buy, sell, and use capital goods and other property. An efficient and acceptable legal framework for a market economy includes the definition of clear property rights, the laws of contracts, and system for adjudicating disputes. C. THE VISIBLE HAND OF GOVERNMENT. * All goods and services are voluntary exchange for money at competitive market prices that reflect consumer valuation and social costs. * No economy actually conforms totally to the idealized world of the smoothly functioning invisible hand. * Economic imperfections lead to such ills as pollution, unemployment, financial panics, and extremes of wealth and poverty. Governments operate by requiring people to pay taxes, obey regulations, and consume certain collective goods and services. * Government have 3 main economic functions in a market economy: * Increase efficiency (public goods) * Promote equity (taxes) *Foster macroeconomic stability and growth (economic growth) * Efficiency * Perfect competition: Refers to a market in which no firm or consumer is large enough to affect the market price. * Imperfect competition: When buyer or seller can affect a good’s prices. Leads to prices that rise above cost and to consumer purchases that are reduced below efficient levels. Monopolist: a singles supplier who alone determines the price of particular good or service. * Externalities * Externalities (or spillover effects) occur when firms or people impose costs or benefits on others outside the marketplace. * Government regulations are designed to control externalities like air and water pollution damage from strip mining, hazardous wastes, unsafe drugs and foods, and radioactive materials. * Public Goods * Public goods: are commodities, which can be enjoyed by everyone, and form, which no one can be excluded (national defense). * Taxes The government must find the revenues to pay for its public goods and for its income redistribution programs. *All levels of government collect taxes to pay for their spending. * Taxes are the price that we pay for public goods * They are involuntary. * Equity * Markets do not necessarily produce a fair distribution income. A market economy may produce inequalities in income and consumption that are no t acceptable to the electorate. * The reason is that incomes are determined by a wide variety of factors, including effort, education, inheritance, factor price, and luck. To reduce income inequality: * Engage in progressive taxation: taxing large incomes at a higher rate than small incomes. * Transfer payments: which are money payments to people. * Macroeconomic growth and stability * Thanks John Maynard Keynes we know how to control the worst excess of business cycle. By careful use of fis cal an monetary polices, governments can affect output, employment, and inflation *The fiscal polices of government involve the power to tax and the power to pend. * Monetary policy involves determining the supply of money and interest rates. Macroeconomics polices for stabilization and economic growth include fiscal polices along with monetary polices. * Mixed economy: in which the market determines output and prices in most individual sectors while government steers the overall economy with programs of taxation, spending, and monetary regulation. * The rise of the welfare state * Laissez-faire (leave us alone): holds that government should interfere as a little as possible in economic affairs and leave economic decisions to the private decision making of buyers and sellers. Welfare state: is one un which markets direct the detailed activities of day-to-day economic life while government regulates social conditions and provides pension, health care, and other necessities for poor f amilies. * The mixed economies. * The success of market economies may lead people to overlook the important contribution of collective actions. * The tools of economics are indispensable to help societies find the golden mean between an efficient market mechanism and publicly decide regulation and redistribution * The good mixed economy is perforce the limited mixed economy

Charles Loring Brace Essays

Charles Loring Brace Essays Charles Loring Brace Essay Charles Loring Brace Essay Charles Loring Brace Founder, Children’s Aid Society New York City Beth Boersma University of Georgia SOWK 6011 Fall, 2010 Introduction Charles Loring Brace is recognized as one of the founders of child welfare reform in the United States, particularly in the area of foster care and adoption. His work was conducted in the nineteenth century in New York City, in the midst of one of the most prolific eras of change in U. S. history. This paper will describe and summarize Brace’s background and the influences that led to his work, the impact of his work on the society of his time, the legacy of his work, and its influences on child welfare efforts today. Social Background Charles Loring Brace was born June 19, 1826 in Litchfield, Connecticut, described as a small but prosperous village, wholly lacking in urban luxury or vice, but providing its residents with something approaching urban levels of learning and culture. It was the home of the nation’s first law school†¦.. also the home of one of the first secondary schools for girls in the United States, the Litchfield Female Academy, graduates of which included Harriet Beecher Stowe and her sister Catherine Beecher† (O’Connor, 2001, p7). Charles was the second of four children born to John and Lucy Brace and, in the Puritan tradition of the time, he was primarily educated by his father. John Brace was a teacher at the Litchfield Female Academy, where he displayed a progressive slant on education by reforming the curriculum typically taught to girls to include more challenging subjects â€Å"including science, higher mathematics, logic and Latina curriculum that at the very least equaled that of most boys’ academies† (O’Connor, p. 8). Young Charles often sat in on his father’s classes and was undoubtedly influenced by the senior Brace’s feminist philosophy that female children should be educated on an equal level as males, in order to â€Å"improve woman’s ‘rank in society, placing her s the rational companion of man, not the slave of his pleasures or the victim of tyranny’† (O’Connor, p. 8). John Brace and his wife also believed strongly in the Calvinist traditions of duty, diligence, sacrifice, fortitude, and self-control and passed these values on to Charles. The Braces valued nature and Charles developed a strong connection between the beauty and grandeur of the outdoors and his related feelings of joy and immense satisfaction of being alive. Perhaps the most enduring value that Charles learned from his family was moral philosophy, or â€Å"the attempt to determine the nature of one’s obligation to one’s fellow man- and to God- and the attempt to discipline one’s character so as to fulfill that obligation to perfection†. (O’Connor, p. 18). Another early influences in Charles’ life was Horace Bushnell, a Congregational minister in Hartford, CT, where Charles and his family lived after John Brace took a position at the Hartford Female Seminary (founded by Catherine Beecher). Bushnell is â€Å"regarded by many as the most important American religious thinker of the nineteenth century† (O’Connor, p 18). Rev. Bushnell promoted the ideals of spiritual development throughout the lifespan, which was in direct opposition to Calvinistic beliefs of the innate depravity of humans from birth. This idea would deeply impact Charles’ later work. Charles entered Yale in 1942 at age sixteen and he proved to be an excellent student. At Yale, Charles became close friends with his roommate, John Olmsted, as well as John’s brother, Frederick Law Olmsted, the future architect and urban designer. During his years at Yale, which also included some time at the Yale Divinity School, Charles demonstrated a strong interest in philosophy and he explored a variety of the world’s religions and spent lots of time debating various issues and ideas with his friends and classmates. This led to Charles’ development of a set of beliefs that would guide his life’s work: First, despite the societal attitude that poverty and criminality were synonymous, Brace believed that a truly just system would see that â€Å"lawbreakers might have motives or other qualities that redeemed them, and that God cared less about human law than about romoting happiness† (O’Connor, p. 30). Second, Brace believed that the family was the primary method of shaping humans, as well as the tangible â€Å"image of God’s relationship to humanity: God was a father who loved His children and only wanted only their happiness† (O’Connor, p. 31). Brace went on to view G od’s father figure as trying to mold or improve the character of His children, a value that justified Brace’s efforts to use Christianity and Protestant values as the guiding principles in his work. After the death of his beloved sister, Emma, in 1850, Charles spent a few years travelling across Europe as a foreign correspondent for American newspapers after college and he also used this time to visit schools and other organizations that served the poor in Germany, Hungary, Ireland and England. One result of this time of exploration, observation and study was that Charles came to understand Protestant Christianity as the most advanced, and therefore most superior, guide to moral behavior. He viewed the improved social standing of women and advances in the care and treatment of children as the direct result of the influence of Christianity. Brace stated that â€Å"of all practical changes which Christianity has encouraged or commenced in the history of the world, this respect and value for children is the most important, as it affects the foundation of all society and government, and influences a far distant future† (Bullard, 2005, p. 31). Social Context Throughout Charles’ life thusfar, cities in America had been experiencing tremendous change. The Panic of 1837 had significant impact on levels of unemployment and homelessness, as well as a loss of faith in the idea that religion could be a primary means of change (Nelson, K, 1995, p. 57-58). Events such as the Astor Place riot (1849) and rampant outbreaks of disease caused citizens to believe that â€Å"the foundations of civilization were crumbling at their feet† (O’Connor, p. 42). Movement toward industrialization and urbanization, as well as the swell of immigration during this time contributed to unprecedented levels of population, crime, violence, and other social concerns such as drunkenness, prostitution and domestic violence. The transition from a primarily agricultural society to an industrial one, while beneficial in many aspects, was producing social problems that needed ways of being addressed. After completing his studies at Yale Charles, believing that he heard a call to the ministry, moved to New York City in 1848 to study at Union Theological Seminary. His friend, Frederick Law Olmsted, was already in New York and had written to Charles about his visions for the work they might do to impact the current circumstances of people in the city: â€Å"Throw your light on the paths in Politics and Social Improvement and encourage me to put my foot down and forwards. There’s a great work wants doing in this our generation, Charley- let’s off jacket and go about it† (O’Connor, 2001, p. 26). Upon arriving in New York City, Charles was shocked to see the levels of poverty in the city. Slums overflowed with immigrants and workers who had flocked to the factories that proliferated with the boom of industrialization. Working-class families lived on the edge of poverty; when they slipped over that line, their children were forced to supplement their parents’ income with what they could earn on the streets. Those from the most destitute families- ravaged by disease, alcoholism and violence- often never returned home. (Eviatar, 2001, p. 25). The prevailing response to the increasing numbers of street children was to place them in orphanages, prisons, asylums or indentured servitude. Members of the privileged Victorian upper classes viewed poor children primarily as future criminals and miscreants. Charles Loring Brace, however, saw these children a little differently: Although he thought there were some things that were truly ‘dangerous’ about this class of children (not only as future rioters and robbers but as voters who might elect presidents out of ignorant rage), Brace was one of the first public activists to recognize their authentic virtues and their tremendous potential for good. He truly liked the children he worked with, but more important, he respected them† (O’Connor, p. 78). Brace admired the self-deprecating humor, energy, independence, resolve, moral code, generosity and resourcefulness of the children of the streets. When Charles Darwin’s The Origin of the Species was published in 1859, Brace read it repeatedly and came to view these children, the survivors of â€Å"the struggle for existence† in the fiercest environments, as potentially the most evolutionarily advanced individuals in the nation. â€Å"The problem, as Brace saw it, was that the very environment that bred these robust and most characteristically American of Americans often led them to employ their natural abilities in the worst possible manner, with respect to both their own well-being and society’s† (O’Connor, p. 80). Contribution to Social Work In her textbook, A New History of Social Welfare, sixth edition, Phyllis Day describes Charles Loring Brace thusly: Brace believed that pauper families should be prevented from getting any kind of relief that would keep them together. His solution was to relocate children with families in the West, where they might learn the benefits of hard work in an untouched environment. For twenty years, haphazardly and without follow-up, often simply â€Å"taking† (kidnapping) children they felt were in need, agents loaded children on trains and shipped them to cities in the West, where they were â€Å"picked over† and chosen by families. Unfortunately, many families just wanted the extra help and badly mistreated the children. Many simply disappeared, either running away, getting lost, or dying (Day, 2009, p. 233). Upon further exploration, however, Brace actually had a much deeper desire to help further and deepen the lives of the street children of New York, and he made developing ways of assisting them the primary focus of his work. Brace worked in several settings in New York City (missions, almshouses, tenements, etc. in the early 1850s and honed his focus: â€Å"The way to save the children of the slums, then, and to allow the nation to benefit from their enormous potential, was to find a way to alter their environment so that their best qualities could thrive and become a boon rather than a curse. All of the early projects of the Children’s Aid Society would be attempts to modify the environment of poor children so as to replace the worst influences exerted on them with more â€Å"Christian† one s (O’Connor, p. 80). In January, 1853, Brace met with a group of concerned individuals to discuss these ideas and issues and they founded the Children’s Aid Society (CAS), with a goal of helping the children of the streets by â€Å"plac(ing) them in an environment where their most basic physical needs could be met and their own most healthy and virtuous impulses would make them want to improve themselves, to become the very best men and women they could be† (O’Connor, p. 82). Brace was selected as the leader of the organization, with responsibility for developing plans for the agency’s work as well as the marketing and advertising strategies that would support it. While Brace’s primary intent for the CAS was to follow his belief that Christian men had â€Å"a responsibility to God† to care for the less fortunate children, he also developed a method of appealing to wealthy New Yorkers, the potential financial backers, by showing the advantages of the CAS’ work in attempting to ensure that future society would be protected from the potential negative impact of leaving these children to their own devices on the streets. The CAS borrowed some ideas from existing social service agencies of the time, such as holding â€Å"Sunday meetings† and opening Industrial schools, which were designed to provide an opportunity for the street children to develop basic reading, writing and arithmetic skills, as well as to develop useful job training and trade skills that were of benefit to society. â€Å"Girls learned the ‘needle trades’ (sewing, and dress- and hat-making) and skills they could use as domestics (housecleaning, cooking, serving). Boys were taught such skills as carpentry and shoe- and box-making† (O’Connor, p. 86). Most of the children served were teenagers and the CAS treated them as competent individuals, capable of deciding on their own whether or not they wanted to participate in CAS services. The CAS did employ strong persuasive and evangelical techniques, in an effort to encourage participation, but did not force anyone to participate against their will. Unlike asylums, orphanages, houses of refuge and prisons, which attempted to reform poor children by submitting them to inflexible routines of training, religion and work, the CAS primarily attempted to shape children’s character through the choices it offered and the ‘unconscious influence’ exerted by its ostensibly virtuous staff. Brace believed, in fact, that the offering of choice itself was character-building because it encouraged autonomy and independence† (O’Connor, p. 87-88). The New York newsboys became the face of the children served by the CAS. Popular books by Charles Dickens and Horatio Alger had put the newsboys in the forefront of societal awareness and Charles Loring Brace viewed the newsboys as the personification of the strengths and qualities that he admired most about the children of the streets. The CAS opened the first Newsboys’ Lodging House in 1854, in order to provide reasonably-priced lodging as an option to sleeping on the streets. Residents of the lodging house were expected to pay six cents for a bed and four cents for a meal, in accordance with Brace’s beliefs in self-sufficiency and independence. The lodging house also provided various opportunities for children to engage in reading the Bible and learning about the Golden Rule and the love of God. However, as time passed, Brace saw the benefits of providing practical information and education to the children, such as financial management and educational skills, haircuts, and basic medical treatment. In the lodging houses children were, as Brace described it, â€Å"shaped to be honest and industrious citizens; here taught economy, good order, cleanliness, and morality; here Religion brings its powerful influences to bear upon them; and they are sent forth to begin courses of honest livelihood† (O’Connor, p. 93). As the railroads expanded West, Brace developed another option for assisting homeless children of the city. Expanding on the seeds planted by Rev. Bushnell in his youth, Brace came to believe that, as the moral and spiritual development of children had the potential to be impacted by all they came in contact with, facilitating the move of the street children to more â€Å"decent and properly Christian† environments would be the best way to preserve and enhance their character. By using his contacts with a railroad executive and patron of the CAS, Brace developed an â€Å"Emigration Plan†, in which children who were orphans or from destitute families could sign up for train transport West, towards placement with a new â€Å"family†. Brace strove to maintain the importance of the child’s independence and did not follow the â€Å"indenture† plan of earlier times, in which children were bound to their new family for a period of time in order to pay off debts related to their inclusion in that household. Under Brace’s plan, the CAS or the child’s family maintained guardianship and the relationship between the child and the placement family could be dissolved at any time if either party was dissatisfied. The child was expected to work as a member of the new family, in order to â€Å"pay† his/her way. The new family was expected to provide room and board, make arrangements for education of younger children, provide opportunities for the child to develop work skills and experiences, and provide them some money upon reaching age 21, at which time the child was expected to assume full independence and responsibility for himself. According to CAS archives, CAS moved an estimated â€Å"105,000 children between 1853 and the early 1930s† (O’Connor, p. 49) to the West. While the â€Å"orphan trains†, as they became known, were a massive undertaking, Brace also maintained focus on the local efforts in New York, opening the first Girls’ Lodging House in 1862 and continuing to work with the CAS until his death in 1890, consistently working to enhance the reputation of the CAS, as well as to provide support for children in need. Criticisms Critics of Brace have identified several issues with his work. Throughout the Orphan Train activity, there were consistent complaints that these efforts were, in fact, a move to proselytize Catholic youths (the majority of the street children) and to send them to Protestant families in the West, where they would lose connection with the faith of their ancestors. After Brace’s death, his sons took over the management of CAS and they actually took steps to focus efforts on Protestant children in order to decrease this criticism. Catholic children in need were the focus of Catholic-specific aid agencies. Another complaint was the lack of consistent record-keeping on the children served, especially those sent West. CAS did not take steps to verify the circumstances of children who showed up to take a train trip and there were many who were critical of the fact that some of the children who were sent away were, in fact, from intact functional families. A third issue for critics was that Brace appeared to be somewhat selective in the information that he made public regarding CAS’ work, apparently choosing to idealize the results and minimize the facts related to those whose cases did not end positively. The vast majority of the children who were sent West did not receive any follow-up; neither was there any screening mechanism to determine if placement families were actually upstanding people, or if they might be taking advantage of, or abusing, the children placed with them. In promotional writings, Brace frequently depicted the orphan train efforts as having very high success rates, but in actuality, â€Å"approximately 20 percent of records made under Brace’s stewardship are so incomplete that it is impossible to get any idea of how a child fared in his or her new home, and most of the remaining files are so fragmentary that conclusions based on them can only be educated guesses at best† (O’Connor, p. 49) Clay Gish (1999) identified another criticism that still affects child welfare efforts today: â€Å"One of Brace’s most enduring- and most problematic- legacies to modern social services is that he made it acceptable policy to intervene in the lives of the poor on the grounds of protecting their children† (Gish, p. 137). Summary Charles Loring Brace made many contributions to child welfare reform in the nineteenth century. As described by Howard Husock (2008), â€Å"the scale of what Brace did is stunning, especiall y for those who believe that only government can undertake large-scale efforts to help the poor. Over its first 27 years, the Children’s Aid Society provided temporary assistance and moral instruction to the 170,000 children who passed through its seven Lodging Houses. It also placed 50,000 orphans and other street children in homes in Michigan, Wisconsin and other points west, in order to bring them under the ‘healthy influence of family life’. And it established ’21 day schools’- vocational schools for older kids- ‘and 14 night schools, with an aggregate annual attendance of about 100,000 children† (Husock, p. 4). Husock continued: â€Å"In a manner now familiar, he (Brace) identified and described a social problem: child homelessness and its potential to fuel ‘the dangerous classes’. He established a freestanding organization, not linked, for instance, to any one church; assembled a board; successfully solicited thousands of donors; and brought together volunteers and paid staff† (p. 5). Brace arguably impacted the crime rates in New York City as a result of his work as well. A review of crime records in New York from 1861-1871 (O’Connor, p. 75) shows that, while the city’s population grew consistently, arrest rates for vagrancy and petty larceny (the primary crimes children were arrested for) decreased each year. Brace also positively affected the implementation of truancy laws in the city, through his consistent and vociferous support of compulsory education for all children. As time has passed and Brace’s work has been reviewed, many critiques and p roblems have been identified. However, when viewed in the context of nineteenth-century society, Brace’s work shows a progressive ideal that undoubtedly made a difference. The efforts had decidedly mixed results and certainly did not end in overwhelmingly positive outcomes for every child involved. However, research shows that Brace’s true intent did indeed appear to be to help those in need, in accordance with his personal religious mandate of having an obligation to do so. As a child who was adopted at birth, this writer can appreciate Brace’s efforts to facilitate the movement of children in need to more positive and family-oriented situations. I certainly feel for many of the children and families that were separated, whether as a direct result of Brace’s efforts or by some ther circumstance, as this was surely a heart-wrenching experience to have. Then again, I recognize that I am viewing these situations through a twenty-first century lens, which colors my perspective a bit. In the nineteenth century, children were expected to work and be contributors to the family’s well-being as opposed to current views of children a s â€Å"special† beings primarily in need of love and support in order to grow, develop and become productive and upstanding members of society. Charles Loring Brace lived during the beginnings of the shift in societal views on children and their roles. In review of his work, it appears that he did what he was capable of to make a difference in the lives of those he was called to serve.