Management Model of Port

Model84 MODULE 3 Strengths and Weaknesses of Port Management Models Public Service Port Strength: †¢ Superstructure development and cargo handling operations are the responsibility of the same organization (unity of command). Weaknesses: †¢ There is no role or only a limited role for the private sector in cargo handling operations. †¢ There is less problem solving capability and flexibility in case of labour problems, since the port administration also is the major employer of port labour. †¢ There is lack of internal competition, leading to inefficiency. †¢ Wasteful use of resources and underinvestment s a result of government interference and dependence on government budget. †¢ Operations are not user or market oriented. †¢ Lack of innovation. †¢ No or limited access to public funds for basic infrastructure. Tool Port Strength: †¢ Investments in port infrastructure and equipment (particularly ship/shore equipment) are decided and provide d by the public sector, thus avoiding duplication of facilities. Weaknesses: †¢ The port administration and private enterprise jointly share the cargo handling services (split operation), leading to conflicting situations. Private operators do not own major equipment, therefore they tend to function as labour pools and do not develop into firms with strong balance sheets. This causes instability and limits future expansion of their companies. †¢ Risk of underinvestment. †¢ Lack of innovation. Landlord Port Strengths: †¢ A single entity (the private sector) executes cargo handling operations and owns and operates cargo handling equipment. The terminal operators are more loyal to the port and more likely to make needed investments as a consequence of their long-term contracts. Private terminal handling companies generally are better able to cope with market requirements. Weakness: †¢ Risk of overcapacity as a result of pressure from various private operators. †¢ Risk of misjudging the proper timing of capacity additions. Fully Privatized Port Strengths: †¢ Maximum flexibility with respect to investments and port operations. †¢ No direct government interference. †¢ Ownership of port land enables market-oriented port development and tariff policies. †¢ In case of redevelopment, private operator probably realizes a high price for the sale of port land. The often strategic location of port land may enable the private operator to broaden its scope of activities. Weaknesses: †¢ Government may need to create a port regulator to control monopolistic behavior. †¢ The government (national, regional, or local) loses its ability to execute a long-term economic development policy with respect to the port business. †¢ In case the necessity arises to redevelop the port area, government has to spend considerable amounts of money to buy back the port land. †¢ There is a serious risk of speculation with port la nd by private owners. Source: A. Baird and P. Kent (2001).

College Success and Personal Responsibility Essay

Honesty is the key component in personal responsibility because it shows that an individual can be trusted with key information or completion of homework assignments. There is a strong belief that one’s word is their bond, meaning what the individual states or a claim is valid and true. Other essential components to personal responsibility are dependability, positive attitudes, and professional competence. Some people say that an individual’s character holds a higher value in personal responsibility over honesty, dependability, or a positive attitude. Everyone will have a different definition regarding what personal responsibility means to them. I would define personal responsibility as honesty, dependability, a positive attitude in every aspect of my life, and professional competence. To even further define what personal responsibility means to me, I would need to explain what the words â€Å"personal† and â€Å"responsible† mean to me. Personal to me means that my actions and materials belong to me. Some examples of personal materials that belong to me are my laptop computer, my car, and my homework assignments. These are things that I have purchased or gifts that have been given to me, however my homework assignments are papers that I have written and not plagiarized. Some examples of my actions would be going back to school, completing tasks at work and going to the gym. These things may be in dollar value or just everyday activities that I do. To me responsibility to means that I have the ability to answer for my actions, knowledge of the possible consequences I could receive for my negative actions, accolades for the positive. As a child I was always taught cause and effect and how my actions would affect myself and others around me. The possible consequence of my action not to pay my monthly car payment is repossession of my vehicle. The long-term effect of such action is not having my own transportation to get to work, school, the gym, or any other locations that I may need to go to or want to go, as well as car insurance getting canceled. When an individual possesses the key elements of personal responsibility, the individual will succeed in areas such as professionalism and academics. Several years ago I took personal responsibility for granted. In my failure to be honest and dependable with my finances and health, I struggled and suffered greatly. In the early part of 2002, someone asked me, â€Å"Where did I think I would be at in my life 10 years from now†? I responded to them I do not know. Over the next several years I had allowed others to dictate to my finances, my personal belongings, and even my health. Yes, when you do not have a sense of personal responsibility, everything in your life becomes compromised. The first steps in taking responsibility is stop blaming others and accept that it is up to me to do better (â€Å"Taking personal responsibility,† 2011). Once I stopped blaming others for the downfalls in my life and started owning up to my own actions, I was better able to fully understand what personal responsibility was and what I needed to do. Because I took an active stand toward personal responsibility I was able to improve my finances, health, and other aspects of my life. You may be wondering how professional competence relates to personal responsibility. Professional competence is the ability to understand varied concepts and ideas and also be capable to accomplish tasks (whether school assignments or career tasks on the job) with little or no supervision (University of Phoenix, 2012). By applying professional competence in your academics you will exemplify high moral values in completing class assignments. You will show yourself, instructors, and employers that you have taken the time to do your own work to your utmost ability, and that you can develop new ideas on how to solve not only everyday problems but also new problems as well. The rewards that will be acquired in having personal responsibility and college success are unlimited. Some examples of the reward that go with personal responsibility and college success is completion of my degree program, earning a degree, or a plus is earning a degree with honors, and having the ability to apply the knowledge of my degree in my career field. Personal responsibility does not just apply to academic success; it also applies to career and general success. Gaining and maintaining college success is not only grades and attendance, but it does play a huge part in academic success. It also includes participation in class, group, and forum discussions and dedicating yourself to do your very best when completing assignments in an ethical and competent manner. According to the Quick hints, study tips for college success article published by the Miami Times â€Å"Studies show that students who study often and read their textbooks thoroughly earn better grades.† (â€Å"Quick hints, study tips for college success,† 2005). A student, who demonstrates personal responsibility in college, will gain administrative support from the university staff and instructor when it is needed and maybe even letters of recommendation. An employee who demonstrates personal responsibility in their career may receive bonuses for jobs well done, promotions into higher positions, and letters of recommendation. There are several methods I would use to maintain my personal responsibilities in my academic career. My top methods include maintaining a schedule, reading all material, arriving to class and team meetings on time, by seeking help through various resources, completing all work assignments in a timely and honest manner, and asking questions in class on material that I do not understand. Other methods may include â€Å"Create a good learning space, free from distraction; Take notes in text; and Return to the beginning and repeat the process† (â€Å"Quick hints, study tips for college success,† 2005). All these methods when combined, will not only help me in my education but also in my career by improving my knowledge of work given, meeting scheduled deadlines, meetings scheduled for specific times, and working as a trustworthy employee. Personal responsibility is more than honesty; it is dependability, positive attitudes, and professional competence. These factors are not just limited to academic success but also career and personal success in multiple aspects of your life. They can be used as guidelines for various learning and promotions in self and team enrichment. Therefore, personal responsibility has both positive and negative effects to yourself and those around you. By exemplifying high moral values in personal responsibility you will achieve success in everything you do. References Quick hints, study tips for college success. (2005, October). Miami Times, 83(7), 3B. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/363118060?accountid-35812 Taking personal responsibility. (2011, September). The Daily Gleaner. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/dovview/887612423?accountid=35812 University of Phoenix. (2012). Professional Competence. Retrieved from University of Phoenix, Gen200-Foundations for General Education and Professional Success website.

The Gods Must Be Crazy

The funny film showed that the contrasting worlds of the civilized area and the primitive yet calm society of the bushmen manifest an also contrasting example of worlds in terms of the equation I = P x A x T, an equation formulated to describe the impact of human activity on the environment. [where Human Impact (I) on the environment equals the product of population (P), affluence (A: consumption per capita) and technology (T: environmental impact per unit of consumption)]. In the primitive population of the Bushmen, it would be believed and manifested in the film that their human impact on the environment of the Kalahari Desert is apparently less than that of the civilized world found on the city since the living Bushmen are not too many in number, they are just about twenty or so. Being primitive, they also had a very low level of technology. They are just using soft raw materials provided by their environment, thus, they cannot produce more products, putting their affluence also on a low level. In the civilized world somewhere in South Africa, the city, which is densely populated by busy civilized individuals (since the rise of the industrial societies equates to an exponentially increasing human population), greatly developed their technology which in return enormously aid in developing their affluence, has indeed a greater human impact on the environment of the area they are residing in South Africa relative to the primitive population of the bushmen living in the Kalahari Desert, as seen with the tall buildings, long roadways and road bridges and other landscapes that could attest to this great impact. The Gods Must Be Crazy â€Å"The Gods Must Be Crazy† This film tries to send a message on how globalization can negatively affect a culture such as the Sho tribe of the Kalahari Desert. The people of a technologically advance and â€Å"civilized† culture decide to casually discard an empty â€Å"Coca Cola† bottle from the window of an airplane. A member of the â€Å"primitive† Sho tribe witnesses this object falling from the skies and considers it a â€Å"gift from the gods†. In his mind this is an object to be worshiped and must have been sent by the Gods to benefit his tribe, therefore he gave it to his people.Prior to the introduction of the â€Å"Coca Cola† bottle the people of the tribe were peaceful, satisfied, and shared with each other. There was no sense of possession or greed, no jealousy, nor did they physically harm one another physically or purposefully. The tribe found many beneficial uses for this â€Å"gift†, such as making music, pounding on dough, and grinding flour. All of these things were accomplished before the appearance of the bottle, however now the task seemed to have been made easier.Since all of the members of the tribe had different uses and needs for the bottle, it became a commodity, a desired possession of value; it was no longer a worshipped object. This created discourse among the people and led to the physical injury of a child, due to a malicious act that resulted in hitting the child with the bottle. The tribe now felt shame at their behavior and questioned the â€Å"Gods† for sending them this â€Å"evil thing†, which the tribe removed from their presence and returned to their peaceful cultural ways.A current example of the above situation would be the introduction of cell phones and laptops to a culture based on home phones and office computers. One would consider the technological advances of cell phones and laptops as a gift, that will simplify their life, free up more personal tim e and save them money. Instead what has occurred is that you spend more time on learning how to use these items, you are now more easily available and thus more occupied, and you spend more money on the attachments and upgrades needed to keep these items current and functional.Now your life is more complicated and busier than ever, however unlike the Sho tribe most people in our culture cannot or more importantly will not go to the end of the earth (or their trash can) and toss them away. Another important point that this films illustrates is the differences in communications and personal views in different cultures. Such as how in most civilized cultures shaking your head from side to side indicates â€Å"No† or negative, however to the Sho tribe this gesture means â€Å"Yes† or positive.This causes a lot of confusion when communicating between the two cultures. There is a scene in the movie when the man from the Sho tribe sees a white woman for the first time, which accurately portrays the cultural differences in personal views and taste. He contemplates her appearance, her actions and physical build. Though the woman in her own culture would be considered quite pretty, normal and physically fit, to this man of the Sho tribe she was ugly, crazy and too fat.In his view the woman’s skin is too white, it was a very hot day yet she is fully covered in clothing, she has a large body shape and must require too much food to sustain her. This can be seen as a difference in opinion, if it were not for the extremity of the opposite points of view. The two cultures considered the woman in different ways because of what they are accustomed to as well as where and how they were raised. When thinking in terms of Globalization a person generally feels that their culture is the best.That their culture should be universal and those that follow other cultures are primitive, difficult, and wrong. Consider how some cultures attempt to change others through political, business, and religious means. For example the United States tries to influence other countries to change to a democratic system of government because it is the â€Å"best†, however they do this mostly to promote or facilitate the political agendas of the United States. Coca Cola uses the popularity of its products to influence other countries to buy more by inundating them with advertisements and business opportunities.As for religion, look at how many cultures within the United States now celebrate Christmas along with or in place of their cultural holidays that occur during the same time period. The movie for the most part points out the differences between a â€Å"modern civilized society† and â€Å"an old world civilization† and how they view life, religion, and politics in totally different ways. However there were also some similarities in the cultures which assist in the processes of communication, in business transactions, and political deali ngs with each other.

Booking system Lab Report Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Booking system - Lab Report Example Booking system The managers should adopt a strategic perspective to utilise technology in tourism. There should be excellent communication between tourist boards, agencies and convention bureaux. The managers should ensure that they improve facilities, legitimate distribution channels, and transport access to meet the needs of the growing global trade in the industry. Conferences are extremely vital since the organization need to continue generating revenue. The conference will provide valuable information regarding the management and implementation of a new booking system for the industry and, therefore, very vital for managers to attend. The buyer This refers to one of the main stakeholders who operate in the MICE industry. They are the planners, and may refer to the organization that holds the event, which is a non-routine occasion. With the help of the intermediaries, the buyer organizes an event meant to educate people. Buyers include corporate who are profit oriented, associate who are not in terested in profit, the government, and others who include entrepreneurial and academic buyers. Characteristics of the buyer The buyers identify the emerging issue in the market that existing organizations should adopt. They then create an event to communicate the information to the people. They sell places to the people who have an interest in attending. The buyers have an orientation to provide services to members. The buyers can be either international or national provided they possess the necessary experience. They should select destinations in rotation and have a long decision making process. The delegate Refer to the people who attend an event and may include presenters. An event is a non-routine occasion that people set apart from daily life activities. The Delegates are the consumers of the information that the buyers present. Characteristics of the delegates They should expect the buyers to charge them a fee to meet the costs of the event. The buyers should consider the del egates when deciding the venue to hold the event so that it takes place in a favourable place where the delegate wishes. This will increase the probability of the attendance of the venue. They expect the buyers to charge them a sensible price, and hence the buyers have to sensitive when deciding the price to charge them. They also expect quality delivery of information regarding the benefits of the new booking system in the industry. The buyers have a duty to ensure that they analyze and explain various areas of concern. Suppliers These comprise destinations, venues, and support suppliers who include audio-visuals contractors. These are tremendously influential and actively involve by providing the conference facilities. Transport operators and telecommunication companies play a vital function in ensuring that the event is successful (Buhalis 18). Additional suppliers The suppliers are supremely beneficial in facilitating the performance of the conference. They play a crucial role i n providing transport facilities to the delegates, venues, accommodation, local businesses and food and beverage. They will ensure that the delegates acquire all the necessary materials that they require during the two days of the event. For the tourism industry to perform efficiently, they have to ensure that the state develops

Proposed Guidelines for Civil Commitment Research Paper

Proposed Guidelines for Civil Commitment - Research Paper Example The police run criminal background records of that particular individual and also collaborate with prison warders to establish the conduct of the person while they had been confined. This information together with that of mental health workers is presented in front of the judge or jury as evidence against the release of the sex offender and if the evidence is substantial, the person is incarcerated once again in order to protect the human rights of the society at the expense of that of an individual person. The evidence is usually based on the level of danger the person poses to the society and to himself or herself once released, if it is more on the society (which is usually the case), then the sex offender is incarcerated (Melton et al. 2007). Washington Law which was passed several decades ago allowed for release of dangerous sex offenders. Following cases of violent attacks in the 1980s, this law was changed and a community protection Act of the 1990 was passed. This act provided provisions for formation of civil commitment laws in the states which allowed incarceration of a person previously determined as a sex offender based on the reasons of mental abnormality (Leon 2011). In 1997, the Kansas v. Hendricks case further acted to cement the civil commitment. In this case, the Supreme Court used civil commitment to continue to incarcerate a sex offender who was found to have mental abnormalities which was said to pose a danger to the community. The court acted according to the constitution and hence protected the society whose rights and interests are deemed more important than individual interests (Mears 2010). Following this policy set by statutes, other states have come up with state-specific laws that are connected with the civil commitment and which serve to strengthen the evidence of incarcerating a sex offender for the interests of the society. The mental health civil commitment act of Minnesota is one such example and which defines sex offenders

Cast versus forged engine pistons Research Paper

Cast versus forged engine pistons - Research Paper Example Centrifugal casting has been used for the production of cylindrical parts since time immemorial. The two types of machines used to achieve these are broadly classified as horizontal and vertical types. The horizontal ones are named so because they usually rotate around a horizontal axis while the vertical ones rotate around a vertical one. The horizontal machines are typically used to make pistons and other castings that are simple in shape. The vertical machines are best suited for making castings that are not regular in shape (Soares, 22). The importance of pistons can not be bargained. In a typical engine, pistons are used in order to convert the thermal energy into mechanical energy. Pistons are used to convey the gas forces through the linking rods to the crank shaft. They are also used in order to seal off the combustion part against the possible gas leaks in the crankcase. In addition to preventing leakages, they also help to avert any possible infiltration of oil that might e manate from the crankcase into the combustion part of the system. Last but not least, pistons are used to release the heat absorbed as a result of the combustion thereby assisting in the function of the cooling oil. The pros and cons As we have observed, aluminium is a preferred material in pistons, whether one is using casting or forging. Aluminium has a high thermal conductivity which makes it a very ideal material for the job. The modern gasoline as well as diesel engines have created a need for the creation of pistons that are lighter in weight but at the same time that have a greater capacity of thermal load. This has been made possible due to the novel designs through the use of innovative coating technologies. Pistons are usually exposed to very robust conditions. The mechanical load that the pistons have to handle comes from the very high pressure in the combustion part. The pressure typically goes up to 200 bars. Another source of mechanical load is the extreme force of ine rtia. This is as a result of heightened acceleration of reciprocating motion pistons (Soares, 27). Pistons can either be produced from cast or from forged aluminium alloys. There are different types of alloys that are used in the casting or forging of pistons. The first type is the standard piston alloy. It is an eutectic Al-12% Si alloy. On average, it has at least one percent each of Cu, Mg and Ni. In order to meet the demands of the current modern engines, there have been special eutectic alloys developed in order to achieve better resistance to extreme conditions. The hypereutectic alloys typically have eighteen and twenty four percent of Si. They come with the advantage of lower thermal expansion but they have the disadvantage of lower strength. Developers of pistons usually have their own customizations in order to fit the different unique requirements but they are generally based on these underlying principles. Most of the pistons on the market are developed using the gravity die casting technique. One important advantage of casting is that the optimized alloys in conjuction with the controlled environemtn of production make the development of the pistons that are low in weight possible (Soares, 23). Forged pistons however, win over their casted counterparts when it comes to withstanding higher pressure. The forged

Thomas Jefferson Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Thomas Jefferson - Essay Example In 1698, much before the birth of Jefferson, Locke wrote in the second chapter of his famous Second Treatise on Government: â€Å"All men by nature are equal†¦in that equal right that every man hath to his natural freedom, without being subjected to the will or authority of any other man; †¦ being all equal and independent, no one ought to harm another in his life, health, liberty or possessions†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Jefferson understood these natural rights to be the most significant for the preservation of human dignity and happiness. He said: â€Å"Perhaps it will be found that to obtain a just republic (and it is to secure our just rights that we resort to government at all) it must be so extensive as that local egoisms may never reach its greater part; that on every particular question, a majority may be found in its councils free from particular interests, and giving, therefore, an uniform prevalence to the principles of justice†. For him the ideal political system for America was one which respected and upheld these rights, the rights which were a man’s by birth, which could not be created by a government but could of course be violated by it. To this end, Jefferson’s contribution to the constitution were the first ten amendments which together constitute the â€Å"The Bill of Rights†. These were put in place to ensure that the American government could never supersede the natural, God-given rights of the American citizen. Jefferson’s vision for America saw a nation where the people were the first priority, not the institutions and organizations. He never wanted institutions to have the power to manipulate people, and saw governments, organized religions and commercial monopolies as threats to the people. He opposed the formation of banks, commercial monopolies and a standing military. To Jefferson, the agrestic ideal of a farming community seemed ideal, where the the people were not dependent on

Cadbury Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Cadbury - Essay Example It is interesting to note that the Cadbury family were Quakers (The Story of Cadbury, n.d); as Quakers, it was their job to carry out reforms to bring positive changes to the social and industrial life of society. The Cadbury family even tried to eliminate poverty and deprivation; John Cadbury actually introduced chocolate and related products to act as substitutes for alcohol since he believed alcohol was the main cause of poverty in the lower classes of society (The Story of Cadbury, n.d). More of the Cadburys dedication towards improving life for others can be seen in the way in 1893 120 acres of land were bought by them near the Bourneville factory, to house the workers (The Story, n.d), and from the way they were producing chocolates on a large scale and thus affordable for everyone and not just limiting it to the elite classes (The Story, n.d). The Cadburys even encouraged their customers to interact with them and their production process by setting up tours of the factory in 1 988 (The Story, n.d). In my opinion, this kind of humanistic attitude should be there in managing businesses; customers are the only reason why businesses can sell their products and make profits, and it only makes sense that the customers should be paid attention to and taken care of. I especially liked how the factory tours were set up which would allow the customers to witness the production process themselves and even feel part of and connected to the business on a personal level. The Cadbury family had created a favorable public image of themselves and their chocolate business, and this image has been maintained throughout the years into today. In my opinion, a business is nothing without its consumers; businesses have to construct a favorable image of themselves in order to sell a product. For example, it has set up the Cadbury Cocoa Partnership and provide money to small cocoa farms in Ghana, India, Indonesia and the Caribbean (The Story, n.d); this money is used

Applebee's strategy (some parts) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Applebee's strategy (some parts) - Essay Example volumes in existing restaurants by improving the fundamentals of Applebee’s concepts and placing less emphasis on new restaurants development for company-owned markets in past. As part of this strategy, we are concentrating leveraging our value proposition and broadening our appeal to guests through an improved menu and consumer messaging.† DIFFERENTIATION STRATEGY. In its quest to capture a large portion of the casual dining industry, Applebee has focused on employing a differentiation strategy which primarily separates itself from the other players in the market. It should be noted that its more than 1,900 stores carries the same aim of â€Å"attractive, friendly, neighborhood, establishment featuring moderately priced, high quality, food and beverage items, table service, and a comfortable atmosphere which speaks to all ages† (Company Overview, 2007) of focusing on a narrow market, Applebee’s strategy is to appeal to a broad clientele regardless of age, gender, and status. The company stresses that its aim is to appeal to a wide range of customers including young adults, senior citizens, and families with children (Annual Report, 2006). In its business operation, Applebee maintains its capability of being unique by stressing the quality of its products. Recognizing that casual dining is not just all about offering sumptuous dishes and beverages but also accompanies an intangible component, Applebee also differentiates itself from its competitors by extending excellent customer service (Ronsefeld, 2000). Through these efforts, the industry leader is able to make its distinct mark relative to its rivals. The company’s utilization of differentiation strategy is supported by the following complementary and specific strategies. 1. Product Development. Applebee recognizes that even though it needs to maintain its traditional and signature recipes, the palate and general preferences of its market changes over time necessitating the introduction of new

Basic Principles of Curriculum & Instruction Essay

Basic Principles of Curriculum & Instruction - Essay Example The book consists of 5 chapters. Chapter 1 carries the title - What educational purposes should the school seeks to attain?. The chapter deals with defining appropriate learning objectives. Tyler’s book was in 1949 and yet it was forward looking as he as was able to things at present times in the light of was happening back then. In the book, he argued that learning could take place through the actions of the student. He thus said â€Å"It is what he does that he learns, not what the teacher does† (Tyler p. 63). This statement is still powerfully true up to time. Tyler therefore posited that the main player in learning is the student who wants to learn. He was in effect stating that the design of curriculum should be based on what the students does, his experience in the school and in the community. Chapter 2 is entitled â€Å"How can learning experiences be selected which are likely to be useful in attaining these objectives?† This chapter deals with introducing useful learning experiences that would enhance learning. This proceeds from the premise that what had happened in the student in the process of learning is useful in developing further learning. If we equate it with modern times, it may amount to what the present curriculum requirement for reflective learning. These are observed in many curriculums until today which implies that the work of Tyler still finds application. Chapter 3 is entitled: â€Å"How can learning experiences be organized for effective instruction?† The chapter deals with organizing experiences to maximize their effect on instruction. In this chapter, Tyler agreed with the wisdom of having to present experiences in a relevant and logical manner for understanding of the effective purpose of what were designed as educational objectives.

Land Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words - 4

Land Law - Essay Example both personal and proprietary rights to land exist and an individual may not technically own land but a series of rights related to the use of the land1. From a jurisprudential standpoint, the distinction between personal rights and proprietary rights to use land is critically important today as it was in the past. This is particularly because land leases remain personal property in the contemporary English property laws. As such a clear distinction between personal rights and proprietary rights may be required in solving a wide range of land use disputes and other legal issues pertaining to land ownership, inheritance, leasing, and contractual agreements. However, despite some of the clear legal benefits of drawing the distinction between personal rights and proprietary rights to use land, there have been a number of opposing arguments questioning the necessity of distinguishing the two rights. For example, many critics argue that the distinction may not be necessary due to the diminishing divide between personal rights and property rights in the contemporary English laws. According to this argument, the collapsing boundary between the proprietary rights and personal rights are mostly attributed to the current persistent commercial pressure. This paper argues that it is both necessary and possible to draw a clear distinction between personal and property rights to land use. The conceptual distinction between the property rights and the personal rights in the English law can best be seen in the fundamental differences between a land lease and a license. Firstly, whereas a lease usually confers exclusive possession and greater protection of the tenant (proprietary rights to the land), a license only confers personal permission with no exclusive possession rights and the licensee cannot enforce any of its rights against third parties. In this regard, a license does not qualify as a proprietary right. In the case of Errington v Errington Woods  [1952], Lord

Challenges of special needs education Essay Example for Free

Challenges of special needs education Essay Efforts involved in implementation of Special needs education in Uganda today have got challenges that are facing them. These challenges are Handling the problems of an inclusive classroom. The concept of having classrooms that contain both special needs students and students who are developing typically is becoming a popular one. This type of education poses new challenges for a special education teacher. For example, many students who have no disabilities are unaccustomed to dealing with those who do. Teachers in these classes are charged with eliminating cruelty and insensitivity from among  their students and ensuring that those with special needs are treated with respect. Professional Isolation. The nature of a special education teacher’s work is very different from that of traditional teachers; the result of this is that standard classroom teachers may not view them as colleagues. There may be a professional stigma attached to the work of teaching â€Å"slow† students. Special education teachers often work with smaller groups and may focus on skills rather than content, thereby leading to the perception that their work is easier or less important. Lack of support from parents. Some parents of special needs children are disinterested in the welfare of their children and fail to provide them with adequate care. Alternatively, they may be overly protective. Both can be problematic for the child and for their teacher. Disinterested parents may have no involvement with their child’s education or interaction with their teachers, WHEREAS OVERPROTECTIVE PARENTS MAY HAVE UNREALISTIC EXPECTATIONS FROM THE CHILD AND THE CHILD’S teachers. Both attitudes can shape children in negative ways. Parental disinterest may make special needs students less motivated and parents who are overprotective often diminish their  child’s confidence and make it harder for them to learn. 2 [emailprotected] com The difficulty of discipline in a special needs classroom. Disabled children may have behavioral issues including restlessness and moodiness. They may also exhibit problems like a short attention span or an inability to understand what is being taught. Special education teachers have to learn how to deal with these problems as well as how to take appropriate disciplinary measures. Budget problems. Across the nation, special education programs are facing increasing enrollment and decreasing budgets. The result is that there are fewer teacher assistants available, which results in a greater workload for special education teachers. They may also face shortages of essential resources and equipment for delivering effective lessons. Shortage of teachers to handle learners with special needs. Most of the teachers refuse to offer a hand once told to handle a class and later identify that learners in that class are disabled in one way or the other. Many teachers like to teach only learners who are able to do things without any difficulty. They fail to understand that ability is not to everyone. Shortage of teaching materials. Some schools in Uganda today support the learners with special needs but they are faced with a problem of the materials they are to use to teach the learners for example having brails for the blind. This poses a challenge to special needs education in Uganda today. Statistics about the number of the children with special needs. There is no correct statistical approximation of the number of the children with special needs in Uganda today. Supplemented by the enumeration of people taking place after a long period. With miss appropriated number of  children with special needs, there comes a challenge to the state to budget for them in terms of the resources like human resource available. 3 [emailprotected] com Rigid curriculum. Rigidity of the curriculum is also a challenge as it does not clearly show how to handle people with disabilities. The curriculum provides the content but not the pedagogy. This poses achallenge to the teachers who handle learners with special needs on how to handle and present or deliver the content. There are few schools that offer special needs education in Uganda today. They are faced with  a problem of handling the whole multitude of learners all over the country. The population of learners in those schools is high becoming a challenge to teaching and special needs education in general. There are few training institutions for those who would wish to understand the necessary basics of handling learners with disabilities. Assumptions tend to be taken that it is automatic that an individual cannot fail to handle a person with any form of disability. This is a real misconception as for example a person may just think that he knows but when a disabled person asks him for some help, he directs him to specialists. Despite the fact that Special needs education is faced with a number of challenges. Some of those challenges can be mitigated. I suggest the following ways that can be used to act as solutions t the number of challenges above are:- Comprehensive review of state laws, regulations and policies should be done to in cooperate policies for efficient implementation of special needs education in Uganda today. In addition government policies should be put in place with clearly well-defined measures to the rights of the disabled and what is expected from the community as far as providing special needs education is concerned. This will enable the learners to be helped in whatever form the help may be but not being isolated and thus their presence in society thought of as being useless. 4 [emailprotected] com Tertiary institutions that train teachers should in cooperate into their curriculum courses that train teachers to handle learners with special needs. This will help increase the human resource that handle learners with special needs eliminating the challenge of the shortage of teachers with skills of handling learners with special needs. Sensitization of stake holders of their roles regarding the support they should render to people  with disabilities. This will make parents not to keep their children at home rather send them to schools where they may be fully partially included in regular classes thus will end up having achieved their right to education. Parents should made aware of the consequences of not rendering a hand in the education of their children. The government should consider the special needs education sector on their budget. This will make them cater for the materials that the students need to learn. With these materials like the brails available, the implementation of education of learners with special needs will not have  much trouble. Review of the curriculum to check where people with various forms of disabilities can be infused into the system needs to be done as this will help teachers have at least some basics of handling the disabled not leaving everything tothose whom they claim to be experts inthat field. With maximum cooperation of teachers in the school, all the students will thus be catered for. REFERENCES Fanning, B. , Veale, A. , OConnor, D. (2001). Beyond the pale: Asylum seeking children and social exclusion in Ireland. Dublin: Irish Refugee Council. Farrell, P. (1997). The integration of children with severe learning difficulties: A review of the recent literature. Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities, 50(2), 26-31 Ferguson, D. L. (2008). International trends in inclusive education: The continuing challenge to teach each one and everyone. European Journal of Special Needs Education, 23(2), 109-120 Gutman, L. M. , Midgley, C. (2000). The role of protective factors in supporting the academic achievement of poor African American students during the middle school transition. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 29(2), 223-248.

Replacing Fossil Fuels | Dissertation

Replacing Fossil Fuels | Dissertation Abstract This research provides guidance as to the most successful style of renewable energy in replacing the current dominant fossil fuels in the future. This success is based on a number of key variables, not least the implications of cost, management and longevity that are intertwined with developing, installing and running a renewable energy source. The case-study focused on the four main types of renewable energy, solar power, wind power, biomass energy and geothermal energy and came to some interesting conclusions. A mixture of qualitative and quantitative research was used, with the majority of the findings coming from the qualitative research. However, the quantitative research was in the form of two case studies highlighting the effectiveness of two types of renewable energy in certain household situations and how the energy can replace that of traditional fossil fuels. The findings show that while no one particular renewable energy type gained a majority backing from the research, knowledge about these types of energy is still perhaps too limited for any person to make a correct and informed choice as to the development of renewable energy. The qualitative research indicated that there are many strengths and weaknesses to each type of energy, while the quantitative research stressed that in certain situations renewable can be very effective. Another key finding of the literature was that general knowledge and understanding of renewable energy is not at an acceptable level in terms of the general public and leads to the recommendation of increased awareness. Aims and Objectives This section is designed to provide a detailed overview of the research aims and objectives of the present dissertation and the research questions that the study will try to answer in as comprehensive a manner as possible within time and resource constraints. Research Aim The aim of this study is to establish the possible options for renewable energy available in the United Kingdom for future use. This will be conducted through a comparative analysis of the four main types of renewable energy currently available, solar energy, wind, biomass and geothermal energy. The main aim of the research is to: o Identify successful alternatives to the non-renewable energies in the United Kingdom In order to achieve this, a number of objectives will need to be met. The aim of the research is to be able to conclude with clarity, the most attractive option or options available to the United Kingdom and its government in terms of renewable energy, for the current day and moreover, into the future. The uncertain prospect of the traditional non-renewable energies, coal, oil and natural gas, have meant that renewable energies have had to be developed with the aim that in the future, these newer, more environmentally friendly options will gradually take over the burden of energy supply in the United Kingdom. Research Objectives Based on the research aim outlined in the previous subsection, the research objectives that the present study will seek to achieve are as listed below: o To undertake an investigation into the four main sources of renewable energy; these include Solar Energy, Wind, Biomass and Geothermal energy. o To gain an understanding of the history and development of these energies is needed to fully understand the extent to which the United Kingdom can rely on them in the future. o An analysis of the benefits and disadvantages of each particular type of renewable energy o To explore how well the government is backing renewable energy with incentives o To examine the financial implications – to gain an insight to how much renewable energy will cost in installation, what grants are available? o To examine design implications – installation of renewable sources, aesthetic, dimensional requirements. Research Questions There are particular research questions that will need to be addressed when attempting to analyse possible future energy alternatives. These include: * How significant is the extent of cost when attempting to replace non-renewable energies with the more environmentally friendly types? * How far does the government wish to develop all four types of energy? Do they have a particular idea as the market share that each one should ideally hold on providing energy to the United Kingdom? * What can history tell the research about the likelihood that these renewable energy methods will succeed over a longer period? * Can (and will) these renewable energies ever fully replace the non-renewable energies that the United Kingdom (and globally) has relied heavily and dependently upon since the beginning of the Industrial Revolution? The research will attempt to address these questions and objectives whilst trying to meet the aim of the entire project; identifying successful long term strategies to replace dwindling non-renewable energy sources with abundant renewable sources while still enabling the United Kingdom to grow and hold its position of relative power and influence on a global scale. 1: Introduction Ever since the realisation that non-renewable energy sources (coal, oil and natural gas) are exactly as the description suggests, and that the level of these are reducing rapidly due to the global appetite for energy consumption in the continuing race for power, influence and development, it has been apparent that renewable energy sources would have to be developed to enable this global growth to continue. The United Kingdom, whilst overtaken in recent years by countries such as the United States and China in terms of energy consumption, has had a history intertwined with this notion. The Industrial Revolution, beginning in the United Kingdom in the 18th Century, acted as a catalyst for the rapid consumption of a large proportion of the world’s traditional, non-renewable energy sources. This has led to the necessity of developing renewable energy forms to supplement these more traditional energy types, with the aim to take over the burden of energy supply in the future. Brown (cited in Miller Spoolman, 2008:211) states that in terms of history, the 19th Century belonged to coal and the 20th Century to oil. However, the 21st Century will belong to the sun, the wind and energy from within the earth. This belief is widely held for a number of reasons and highlights the importance that the development of renewable energy sources has on the current agenda of policy makers and governments on a global scale. However, this will prove to be a difficult challenge. As Sawin (2004) stresses, over the previous decade, the World Bank funding for fossil fuel projects (totalling $26.5 billion) far exceeded that for renewable energy (Sawin, 2004:13). It is this type of obstacle that can make the development and mainstreaming of renewable energy difficult to implement and is why it is so crucial to research this issue, highlight the financial costs of renewable energy as a long term successor to the fossil fuels and increase public knowledge of renewable energies an d their benefits. The renewable energy options are possibly limited to four main types. Whilst many various options have been and are being developed by researchers and scientists, only four are currently at a stage where they could develop enough energy to be able to supplement and then eventually succeed non-renewable energy. These are highlighted as solar energy, wind power, biomass and geothermal energy (Tiwari Ghosal, 2005:17). These four types of energy will therefore form the focus of the research with each particular strand of energy being investigated to establish whether it is feasible that any one (or perhaps a combination) of these energies can ever be relied upon to replace fossil fuels. This is the long term aim of renewable energy, whilst at the current time, they are still on the periphery in terms of usage when compared to non-renewable energy forms. The research will identify strengths and weaknesses of each of the four types of energy, particularly focusing on people’s opinions and other variables such as cost, performance and design issues that may gain or lose support depending on the results. The research will be conducted through two different approaches. Firstly, there will be a qualitative analysis of the literature available on each of the four main sources of renewable energy. This coupled with official government information detailing about each type of energy will form the majority of the research. In this manner, the proposed research will be qualitative based. However, the success of the mixed method approach to research, as championed by Maxwell (2005:183), highlights that the research should include quantitative data research as well. This will be conducted through two case studies, analysing the effects of two of the renewable energy sources on a small scale. These will be focused around particular individ uals’ attempts to use a form of renewable energy to replace more traditional fossil fuel energy in their home. The quantitative data achieved by these two samples will provide evidence as the success of the renewable energy type in replacing more established non-renewable energy in an everyday life situation. This will enable the research to identify key areas that surround the debate over renewable energy sources and the suitability of each of the four main types in their possible future role as the majority providers of energy to the United Kingdom. 1.1: Solar Energy Solar energy is perhaps the most prominent of all the renewable energy sources currently available. Solar energy has existed in many forms for thousands of years (Craddock, 2008:28). He stresses that early users of solar energy include the Romans who used the suns’ rays to heat their rooms and designed south facing windows to make use of the heat provided by the sun. In the modern era, technology has developed rapidly and solar energy is now seen as much technical and efficient than ever before. The literature review will analyse solar energy and emphasise the strengths and weaknesses of the energy as a possible candidate for large scale usage on a national level. As Figure 1 highlights, when the sun’s rays shine upon a solar panel, the effect converts the light energy to electrical energy. In this instance, the power from the solar panel is directly proportional to the amount of light shining on it, so if the light from the sun is three times as bright on a particular day than the previous day, then you will receive three times the power. (Stubbs, 2008:4) The development of solar energy has occurred due to the understanding that our current way of life cannot continue if we remain economically dependent on fossil fuels. A champion of solar energy, Scheer (2004) supports the theory that it is imperative that we make comprehensive use of solar energy, not just to augment fossil fuels but to replace them before they either run out or critically damage the world through pollution and dangerous emission levels (Scheer, 2004:4). There are two main formats that solar energy takes. These are passive and active formats (Craddock, 2008). A passi ve solar energy system uses the sunrays directly to heat water or gas. The active system converts the sun’s energy into electrical energy by using a photovoltaic semiconductor material called solar cell (El-Sharkawi, 2005:89). The researcher also provides evidence that solar power can be relatively low in terms of its efficiency stating that the electrical power output of the solar panel, arrived at by multiplying the solar power input by the efficiency of the panel (Figure 2), can often produce a low amount of energy. The energy produced in the equation above is only high enough to power two light bulbs. This can be countered by increasing the size of the panel and the efficiency of the panel. These two changes will increase the output (El-Sharkawi, 2005:89). Developments made recently should, according to Jones (2003:48), allow solar cells to operate more efficiently. The recent innovation of solar concentrators is used in solar thermal technology to generate heat to power turbines. With solar concentration technology, mirrors or lenses focus light onto specifically designed cells. The older versions of solar cells have solid absorbing layers that require clear skies and direct sunlight to produce energy. However, new solar concentrators follow the sun’s path through the sky during the day allowing a better chance at finding direct sunlight. This highlights that solar power is increasing in efficiency and from a relatively un-technical beginning, solar power is now a real possibility at pr oviding alternative power to fossil fuels in the future. 1.2 Wind Wind power is perhaps the most striking of all of the recent developments in renewable energy. The wind turbines that adorn high peaks across the country are constant reminders of the attempts by the government and industry to develop renewable energy. Wind power is generated through the utilisation of large scale convective currents that carry heat from lower latitudes to more northern destinations. These create rivers of air that are used by newly developed wind turbines to generate power. (Figure 3) Winds are strongest at high peaks and specifically more frequent and at their strongest along the shores of lakes, seas and oceans, restricting the placement of wind turbines to coastal regions in many parts of the world (Gipe, 2004:24) As Figure 4 highlights, the power of wind can be increased to almost two hundred percent of its normal speed as it reaches the crest of a peak, thus ensuring the positioning of the wind turbines. These have led to many criticisms of the aesthetics of the turbines, given that they are large and seen as imposing by some onlookers. The wind turbines can produce a large volume of energy but are dependent on nature and days of unusually low wind speed can reduce the effectiveness of the turbines remarkably. When the wind speed is above the level needed to produce the maximum efficiency, no power losses are achieved in the system. It is only when the wind speed drops below the necessary level that the efficiency of the wind turbine drops (Hau, 2006:489). There are a number of strengths and weaknesses of wind power and these will be assessed in the literature review. However, the UK has increased its share of the wind turbine market recently (at an average rate of 35% per annum) in its attempts to increase the percentage of which all electricity generated will come from renewable sources by 2020 (This has been set at 20% : Government White Paper, 2003). There are various types of wind turbines, in different shapes and sizes, developed to harness the wind power at a particular geographical location. The main two versions of the modern wind turbine are based around the axis. The two different types are the horizontal axis and the vertical axis. The horizontal axis (Figure 5 above) is the most commonly seen in the United Kingdom and is popular due to the high efficiency rating. The higher the tall tower base, the higher the wind speed and the more output that can be created. This is why the horizontal axis is the most popular. However, this is also one of the disadvantages with complaints arising about the sight of these wind turbines on the horizon from many locals when they are installed. Vertical axis wind turbines (Figure 6) are less common in the United Kingdom. These vertical axis turbines are less common due to the fact that they are generally less efficient, because of the nature of its rotation and the stress on the blades. This leads to frequent replacements and therefore a higher cost. They are, however, less tall than horixontal axis wind turbines and therefore less of a distraction on the horizon for those that are angered by the horizontal axis types. 1.3 Biomass Biomass energy is defined as any solid, liquid or gaseous fuel source derived from recently dead biological material. This is opposed to fossil fuels that come from long dead biological material. Biomass constitutes the largest non-hydroelectric renewable source of primary energy in the United States and its presence is growing rapidly in the United Kingdom (Turner Doty, 2009:443). This is highlighted by Chiras (2006:21) who stresses that many countries are now turning to biomass as an alternative fuel source due to its relative ease in creating energy and the low cost involved. Biomass includes a wide assortment of solid fuels, such as wood, and liquid fuels such as ethanol derived from corn and biodiesel, a liquid fuel made from vegetable oils. The wide variety of forms that biomass can take can be found in figure 7. Biomass is remarkably popular as an energy source, as stated previously due to the low cost and relative ease at obtaining the materials needed for conversion. The three main conversion types are anaerobic digestion, fermentation to alcohol and the thermal process which produces a range of fuels and by-products including methane, methanol and ethanol that can produce heat, power and light, as well as fertilizers and fibres that can be used to produce food, textiles and plastics. (Figure 8) This range of products and power that it can produce make it very flexible and attractive to those who support the development of renewable energy. However, one key advocate of biomass energy states that currently most use of biomass energy is not clean or sustainable. The pollution caused by burning wood, manure and agricultural waste is causing severe health problems. It is also true that some energy crops have a bigger energy and environmental cost than they return. Thomas (2007:44) indicates that if biomass is to be a vital part of the future energy mix then there needs to be methods developed to process and use it in sustainable way over a long period of time. Biomass energy has accounted for over thirty percent of the United Kingdom electricity generation from various renewable energy types over the past five years. This amount is only second to that of hydro power (Institute of Physics Report, 2010). Although the total amount generated by renewable energy is still relatively small compared to that of traditional fossil fuels, it highlights that if biomass can be developed on a larger more industrial scale, and if more environmentally friendly processes can be created, then the usage of biomass technology may increase dramatically in the near future. Support within the United Kingdom exists for the development of the biomass energy industry. A recent report (European Wind Energy Association, 2009:524) highlights that the United Kingdom government has developed grant schemes (funds reserved from the New Opportunities Fund) for investments in energy crops and biomass power generation of at least  £33 million over three years. This will ho pefully enable the biomass industry to develop cleaner, more sustainable methods of creating biomass energy that can be used on a much larger scale. 1.4 Geothermal Geothermal energy is identified as power extracted from heat stored in the earth. It has a long history of use, from simple ways such as bathing to the modern use; that of generating electricity. In recent years, geothermal power has developed but still only supplies around 0.5% of the global electricity. Geothermal power is identified as cost effective, reliable, sustainable and environmentally friendly. However there are setbacks in the development of the energy. The main negative aspect of geothermal energy is that it is has been historically limited to regions that are close to or on tectonic plate boundaries (Craddock, 1998) Geothermal power works through a relatively simple process, exploiting the heat of the earth and transforming it into electricity. Figure 9 highlights how this process occurs. Capehart (2007) underlines the abundance of geothermal power and states that the resource base for the power can be drawn from shallow ground to hot water and rock several miles below the Earth’s surface to even further down, to molten rock known as magma (Capehart, 2007:377). There are three types of geothermal power plants operating in the world today. These are dry steam plants, flash steam plants and binary cycle plants. Dry steam plants directly use geothermal steam to turn turbines. Flash steam plants pull deep, high pressure hot water into lower pressure tanks and use the resulting flashed steam to drive the turbines. Binary cycle plants pass moderately hot geothermal water by a secondary fluid to flash to vapour and then this vapour then drives the turbines (Capehart, 2007:337). Geothermal energy is seen as very reliable in that it has an average system availability of 90-95%. This is far higher than other sources of renewable energy. There is however a negative aspect in the aesthetics of the geothermal power plants, with many scholars highlighting the unattractive nature of the plants (figure 10) as well as negative public opinion on this matter (Saunders, 2007). The benefits of geothermal power have been harnessed by countries such as Iceland and the United States for a number of years but only now is the United Kingdom beginning to realise the potential of this renewable energy process. An article by Morris (2009) notes that with the recent development of planning for the United Kingdom’s first geothermal energy plant, the most suited region may be that of Cornwall due to the granite located there lending itself to the process. Morris (2009) emphasises that those behind the Eden scheme believe that Cornwall could provide as much as 10% of the United Kingdom’s electricity for the next one hundred years from geothermal plants. He also identifies other granite basements in the north of England and the north-east of Scotland. Geothermal power is therefore a currently underdeveloped source of renewable energy in the United Kingdom but has the potential to become a reliable and environmentally friendly source of power over the next few decades. The development of technology should also help to strengthen the support behind geothermal energy, given that at any location on earth, deep down in the core there is the potential energy for geothermal power. If developments can be made the energy to be harnessed away from tectonic plate boundaries, then the power of geothermal energy could perhaps become unrivalled when compared to other renewable energy sources. The literature review will continue this debate as to the strengths and weaknesses of each particular renewable energy resource. 2: Literature Review This literature review will provide part of the secondary research into the research question posed at the beginning of the work. The aim; to identify successful alternative renewable energy sources to replace that of non-renewable energy sources (fossil fuels) that currently are in demand today. Morgan (2007:9) stresses that while fossil fuels bring enormous benefits to the world, in term of the production of mass energy that has allowed global industry and technology, as well as levels of living to rise rapidly in the last one hundred and fifty years, there a number of negative aspects to non-renewable energy sources. The limited nature of the resources is one, but also the affects that the use of coal, oil and natural gas has on the environment is also a key factor in the need to develop renewable energy sources that are environmentally friendly. Therefore this literature review will attempt to identify the strengths and weaknesses of the four main renewable energy types; solar, wind, biomass and geothermal and highlight a possible successful candidate or candidates that could take over in producing the large majority of global energy. In this manner, the four main types will need to be analysed in a number of key areas; cost, effectiveness, affect to the environment and aesthetics. Cost A good overview is provided by Freris Infield (2008). They highlight that after the United Kingdom government set the target of achieving 20% renewable energy in electricity supply by the year 2020, it became possible to analyse a cost for the proposed energy developments. An analysis completed in 2003 suggested that the extra cost for the development of renewable energy processes would represent an additional 0.3p/kWh on consumer electricity bills. This was focused primarily on wind power, as wind power is expected to contribute the majority of the renewable energy target (Freris Infield, 2008:215). Other scholars also support the view that wind power is the most expensive of the renewable energy processes. Ackermann (2005:300) acknowledges that the use of wind energy in remote areas is an exceedingly expensive option when trying to harness power from the earth, rather than using non-renewable energy sources. Quaak, Knoef and Stassen (1999) indicate their preferred method, through cost analysis, is that of Biomass. They state that the initial start up costs are less expensive than wind, solar and geothermal energy plants and also the longevity of the plants as compared to that of wind turbines (that need parts replacing on a regular basis) is a key factor in the cost analysis and that biomass is by far the cheapest of the renewable energy sources currently available (Quaark, Knoef Stassen, 1999:1). However, although Walker (2007) identifies that biomass is currently the cheapest form of energy, the scholar also states that solar power could become, over time, the cheapest form of energy. While solar panels are expensive, this is only because of the low number of them. Walker (2007:7) notes that solar cells would become dramatically less expensive if more people bought them, allowing the solar cell companies to reduce prices due to a healthy competition. The simple nature of solar power, combined with a drop in prices could aid the overall cost of the energy source, allowing it to become cheap and competitive with other renewable energy sources. Sass Duffield support the view of the cheap costs of geothermal energy as opposed to wind, biomass and solar energies. They state that geothermal energy, despite high initial installation and start-up costs, can dramatically lower monthly energy bills and therefore in the long term, or within a few years, the cumulative energy savings e qual the extra up-front costs and can become less expensive than other forms of energy. An interesting viewpoint is provided by Orr (2009:23) who indicates that at the current time, none of the existing renewable energies are cost effective and it is why governments across the globe are having to provide grants to develop them. The competitive nature of global society means that only cost effective and profit generating products succeed. Therefore, designers of renewable energy processes need to find ways to lower the costs of purchase for these energies in an attempt to rival cheaper and more established fossil fuel production. It is only in this way that renewable energies can hope to develop rapidly; to the benefit of the Earth. Effectiveness and reliability The effectiveness and reliability of an energy source is the most fundamental issue that surrounds its development. An energy that has low levels of effectiveness and low reliability rates will usually never be mass developed, due to the restrictive nature and high costs to gain a substantial yield. Wind power is suggested to have a relatively high effectiveness rating by Spilsbury Spilsbury (2007). However, other scholars stress that wind power is the least effective of all of the different renewable energies due to the loss of potential power through its design (Petersen, 1999). Other energies such as geothermal, with a 95% availability (Bracaloni et al, 1995) have a far higher efficiency rating. Quaark, Knoef Stassen (1999:52) also highlight the relative low efficiency rating of biomass energy, stating that conditions at times only allow a 25-35% efficiency rating. Lomborg (2001:134) stresses that the efficiency of solar cells is also around the 20% mark, indicating that geother mal energy is far more efficient that other forms of renewable energy. Environmental effects One of the key weaknesses of the fossil fuels and their use in energy production today is the negative effects that they have on the environment. The creation of carbon dioxide from the processes needed to create energy from coal, oil and natural gas has acted as a catalyst in lowering climate conditions across the globe. Therefore, one of the main aims for new renewable energy sources is to promote an environmentally friendly strategy. Lomborg (2001) identifies that one of the renewable energy sources being discussed lacks this strategy. Lomborg stresses that biomass energy production gives rise to a slew of pollution problems such as suspended particles, sulphur, nickel, cadmium and lead. This is supported by the Council of Europe (no date) who indicate that the weakness of biomass energy is that it produces relatively large amounts of fine particles and often also other air pollution like polyaromatic hydrocarbons and heavy metals. Compared to this, the Council stress that wind energy only causes some carbon dioxide and fine particle emissions in the construction phase, whereas solar energy appears to be the most environmentally friendly of the renewable energies. Chiras (2009) identifies this and supports the notion that solar power is perhaps the most environmentally friendly of all of the renewable energies. The construction phase causes less emissions than any other renewable source and the fact that industrial plants (such as that used for biomass and geothermal energy) are not required for solar power means that like wind power, once constructed there is no harm to the environment, with the solar panels soaking up the heat of the sun and transferring this into energy. Aesthetics The aesthetics of renewable energy is a key factor in gaining support for possible renewable energy sources. Gipe (2004) stresses that wind power often comes under a lot of scrutiny due to the developments of horizontal axis wind turbines that dominant certain landscapes. Gipe indicates that communities are generally against these being developed because of the ugly aesthetical factor. However, he also notes that due to the nature of wind turbines and wind energy, these locations are generally remote and therefore do not affect the majority of people. There is also the development of wind turbines at sea, which could possibly aid the reduction of resentment towards wind turbines. Moreover, Scheer (2007:200) underlines that the rejection of wind power on grounds of aesthetic landscape pollution is treacherous and short-sighted and cites key examples of previous architecture such as skyscrapers as precedents. He also argues that the benefits of wind power far outweigh any argument on a esthetics and therefore feels it is a pointless debate. Chandrasekharam and Bundschuh (2002) feel that there is a similar argument for geothermal and biomass energy plants. The aesthetic factor may often be overriding but the success of creating environmentally friendly (geothermal in particular), renewable energy should outweigh any decision as to the aesthetical impact of these new sources of energy. Summary A number of key concepts were analysed in this literature review. The review suggests that opinions over renewable energy sources and their potential success rates are divided. While there appears to be agreement in the literature over the importance of developing renewable energy sources due to the fact that fossil fuel supplies are decreasing dramatically and that they have an adverse effect on the environment, there is real debate as to the preferred methods of renewable energy. Perhaps the most important contributing factor may come down to cost, and the literature review suggested that the current cost for all renewable energy forms are too high and

Community Resettlement Following Residential Care

Community Resettlement Following Residential Care Promporn Dokphutsa Task 1 Explanation of Te Tiriti O Waitangi and its application in the social services Te Triti O Waitangi was signed on 6th February 1840 at Waitangi. It significant to maintain the benefits of Maori people who living in New Zealand. It is concluded 4 important principles which are partnership, protection, participation and permission. These 4 principles are the basic necessary needs for Maori in term of living and culture. Therefore, while Maori people get engage into any social services, it is responsible for social workers to be aware and make sure that Maori clients have been treated with appropriate services. Firstly, partnership refers to working together for agreed outcomes. A a social service organisations must ensure providing policies that the needs of Maori are taken into description when cooperating with Maori client and their family/ whanau. By building trust and rapport with Maori clients and their family/ whanau is the first thing to consider introducing yourself and getting to know more detail of clients by making friendship. As well as involve clients in every processes of care plan such as let them sign the contract to ensure health safety support and fully inform need to be used. Secondly, protection focuses on client’s privacy and safety. The social workers may following the Code of Rights and Code of Conducts to maintain client’s confidentiality while attending social service. As well as respect the right of Maori to enjoy their taonga in social service settings. To be able to make important decisions those are in their best interests. Thirdly, participation is focused on service accessibility for Maori to make sure that their needs are met by asking or allowing them to participate in their care plan until discharge from residential care. Also family/ whanau engagement at all levels of service is another way to practice participation principle. Lastly, permission is important for social workers to be considered while engaging to social service. Maori clients must be free to speak Te Reo Maori and participate in any Maori spiritual or culture practices. To sum up, 4 principles of Te Tiriti O Waitangi are using to maintain and promote Maori’s physical and mental well-being and safety. Therefore, social workers have to provide as much as possible resources for Maori clients to make sure they needs are met and bi-cultural perspective by following Te Tiriti. Task 2 Manage the intake process of a person discharged from residential care. Context setting Residential support to Adult(18-65yrs) with an intellectual disability Individual Group Summary of reason residential care was required SH Adult (23) A Maori lady is being discharged from a residential care after she has completed to 6 months stay. SH had diagnosed with Perthes Syndrome (Childhood disease of hip joint) since she was born. But when she is growing up she started showing challenging behaviour included physical and verbal aggression such as throwing, hitting, kicking, spitting, swearing and pinching. Therefore, her family/ whanau suggested transferring her to stay in the residential care facility to develop social skills and to be independent in her environment. Contribution to managing intake process Date Notes/ key of information provided to the person 01/03/14 Receiving and collecting information of SH. Receiving and recording referrals for a meeting. Contacted SH family/ whanau and other key people and gave them access to the information for the meeting. 02/03/14 Service co-ordinator, house leader, CSW, Mother, GP, caregiver and healthcare professional have a meeting regarding to the improvement of SH. 03/03/14 All parties were agreeable that SH is ready to go back to the community. Summary of information provided to the person regarding the role, function, services and legal responsibilities of the social worker and social service provider. The intake process helps to identify and assess a client’s current situation, issues and needs as well as to determine the most appropriate and effective means of helping the client. Social workers and social service provider have to concern about client’s safety and wellbeing first before making any decisions during the process of discharged. Therefore, gathering data (qualitative e.g. interview/ quantitative e.g. number) to get personal information of client is necessary. It could come from the client, family’ whanau, friends, health care professional or other keys people who relevant to the care plan. Also physical and mental wellness of client is important to make sure the client is ready to go back to the community independently. Intake and Assessment is a reverential, organized process of gathering personal information of either clients or clients’ caregivers in order to facilitate service providers as well as clients to make informed decisions about the provision of the programme and/ or services. Social service organisation should make sure that they have progress their own timeline for intake and assessment that suits their programmes which lead in safe environment and suitable for the client/client’s caregiver. Notes/ key points of how you completed intake procedures according to the discharge plan, legislation, ethical practice and in accordance with your workplace standards/ requirements. Roles and responsibilities As a social worker will need to create suitable and focused on working together with clients, taking into account individual differences and the cultural and social context of the clients situation such as understands the concepts of culture, class, race, ethnicity, spirituality, sex, age and disability. Allow client to participate in the processes by motivates and encourages participation. Assists clients to gain their self-determination over their own environments. Provides choices for the client, gives accurate information by which the client can best decide. In working with clients, the social worker uses her/his personal characteristics appropriately. May attends supervision to develop best practice. Written policy and procedure Admission criteria. Intake and Assessment procedures. Documents to be completed and retained. Procedures to follow when a client cannot be assisted /referring on. Information to be provided to clients. Legislation relevant to the organisation. Others notes/ reflections on the intake process. Client’s safety and wellbeing must be the first consideration of the social service provider before completed intake procedures according to the discharge plan. Task 3 Contributions to assisting the person to manage the transition from residence to the community Date Notes/ key points of any meeting or other communication details of actions related to assisting the person. 05/03/14 SH’s family/ whanau was consulted about the discharge from residential care facility. 06/03/14 Discuss with SH about her interests and goals. 08/03/14 Support SH in term of decision-making in her interests and being independence. How did the assistance you provided encourage self-determination and discourage dependency on the social service worker or social service provider? Respect the right of clients to self-determination and assist clients in their efforts to identify and clarify their goals. As well as giving an opportunity for clients to request and ask for their interests or needs, but always have to be considered about safety and wellbeing of client and people around. Social workers should use clear and fully inform clients of the purpose of the services, risks, limits to services, relevant costs, reasonable alternatives, clients’ right to refuse or withdraw consent, and the time frame covered by the agreement. Then, social service worker or social service provider has to be responsible to follow and review of client’s self-improvement after discharge from the residential care. What people did liaise with in the community and how did this assist parties to the plan to contribute to the person’s resettlement? Disability service agency is responsible to provide resources that suitable to the clients by following client’s needs and requests. Also assisting connects the client with plans and resources in order to help them cope. However, relevant factors may include client’s abilities, her resources, her needs, client’s goals, and identify what is important to the client, also any risk factors. What resources did you manage, and what arrangements needed to be made for the transition from residence to community? -Safety is the most important and first consideration for the social service provider to be aware and ensure client’s physical and mental is safe. -As a social service provider has to be aware of â€Å"client’s cultural needs† to practice as a Maori. As well as promoting spiritual practice to maintain client’s customs and beliefs. Additional, cultural assistance should be provided to avoid of cultural conflicts. -Disability needs of client is another factor to be considered. To ensure client is living in safety and friendly environment with her disability. And maintain physical comfort in her daily routine. -Health needs for client may assist by regular visited of health care professionals and assist her with medication needs. -Language and communication should be clear and understandable to client and her family/ whanau. Additional, interpreter may provide if needed. Other notes/ reflections on the transition to community As a social service provider makes sure the client is living in safe environment and surrounding with positive people and activities. Therefore, it may help client to improve her social skills and being independence in community. Task 4 Assist the person to resettle in the community following residential care Date Notes/ key points of any meetings or other communication details of actions related to the person 09/03/14 Provide choices and opportunities for SH in term of her interests. 10/03/14 Allow SH to make her decisions by ensure respectful and confidentiality. 11/03/14 Fully inform to SH family/ whanau regarding to her decisions. Then discuss how to provide service and make her needs to be met. How did you encourage self-determination and discourage dependency on the social service worker or social service provider? Encouraging self-determination: -Outlined agency’s objectives and appropriate legislations, backing up agency orders/kaupapa. Provided information and fully informed SH of the limitations and possibility of the meeting, and allowed her to define the best options and which issues I could help her with. Discouraging dependency on social services: -Allow SH to express her possible solutions and choose her own best options. -Where possible the agency would step away, so that SH could step up. -Allowed SH to figure out so called â€Å"emergencies†. How did you assist the person to identify requirements for life in the community, i.e. set aims and objectives? Organised first meeting to provide intake assessment and referral accepted. Then second meeting had set up to interview with SH to discuss her particular needs at this point in time. Ensure effective communication is being used and document her needs and prioritise what need to be done first into an action plan. Lastly, arrange the key persons who would be responsible to action each of the itemised needs. How did you assist the person to evaluate their participation in the community against their aims and objectives? Identify progress against plan and review. Then asked scaling questions as to where SH felt she was in agreement to her hopes and her interests. How did you assist the person to establish a community lifestyle that focused on both their safety and the safety of others? -We established community supports before her transition such as 24/7 emergencies call if need any help. -Educate basic skills to her family/whanau how to deal with her aggressive behaviour while she is living in the community. -We discussed goals that will motivate her to gain her social skills and make more friends. What progress against the discharge plan was achieved? Her mental health status was unstable, according to the Epilepsy. Therefore, her seizures are managed by medications and need to be observed by health care professionals at all time if possible. What further options (if any) were identified? It is important to note that staffs have to be familiar and consistent with client when giving her social services to avoid of challenging behaviour and accident that may happen. Other notes/ reflections on the re-setting of the person Avoid confrontations with client and do not say â€Å"NO† to her. Do not say â€Å"Don’t do that† try to say â€Å"First you do†¦ (Something she may not like to do), Then you can do†¦ (Something she like to do)†. Task 5 Application of social service theory Maori Model of Practice -Maori model of practice within utilised social work practise research and validated to provide best practise. -Maori models of practise have holistic approach -Wellness of whakapapa focus opposed to individual focus. For example -Te whare Tapa Wha (four cornerstones of Maori health) including: i.)Taha tinana (physical health): healthy eating, sleep, physical activities, safety awareness and proper hygine. ii.)Taha wairua (spiritual health): beliefs, culture religion. iii.)Taha hinengaro (mental health): positive thinking, positive behaviour and healthy lifestyle. iv.)Taha whanau (family health): emotional support, financial and responsibilities. Social work knowledge, skills and values (Te Kaiawhina Ahumahi 2000) was a useful resource for the social workers to be used as a guideline to work in appropriate way and proper practice while giving services to the clients. Social policy theory involves the study of the social relations necessary to promote human wellbeing and things that affect the kinds of life. It can be love and safety, a job and money. References: http://www.polity.co.uk/shortintroductions/samples/dean-sample.pdf http://workplacewellbeing.org.nz/mana-mahi-resource/workplace-wellbeing-guide-6-working-with-te-tiriti-o-waitangi/ http://www.hdc.org.nz/education/presentations/the-health-and-disability-commissioner-act-and-the-code-of-rights-and-methadone-treatment

A Worn Path Essay -- essays papers

â€Å"A Worn Path† â€Å"A Worn Path† is a story of determination and true strength of a grandmother through her journey to her grandson’s salvation. The title itself explores a cyclical path that each of us encounters in our lives and will continue to do so in the future. â€Å"The Worn Path† begins and ends throughout the course of Phoenix Jackson’s journey. In the story "A Worn Path" by Eudora Welty, an old woman whose human spirit is full of devotion, dignity and high drive overcomes tremendous impediments of life in the name of love for her grandson. Phoenix’s feebleness is evident through a description given portraying her as an elderly worn out woman whose hindered walk resembled â€Å"pendulum of a grandfather’s clock†. Her weaknesses and frail characteristics were plainly an impediment...

shirley jackson :: essays research papers

The Irony in "The Lottery" Shirley Jackson wrote the story "The Lottery." A lottery is typically thought of as something good because it usually involves winning something such as money or prizes. In this lottery it is not what they win but it is what is lost. Point of views, situations, and the title are all ironic to the story "The Lottery." The point of view in "The Lottery" is ironic to the outcome. Jackson used third person dramatic point of view when writing "The Lottery." The third person dramatic point of view allowed the author to keep the outcome of the story a surprise. The outcome is ironic because the readers are led to believe everything is fine because we do not really know what anyone is thinking. This point of view enables the ending to be ironic. The situations in "The Lottery" are ironic. The author's use of words keeps the reader thinking that there is nothing wrong and that everyone is fine. The story starts by describing the day as "clear and sunny"(309). The people of the town are happy and going on as if it is every other day. The situation where Mrs. Hutchinson is jokingly saying to Mrs. Delacroix "Clean forgot what day it was"(311) is ironic because something that is so awful cannot truly be forgotten. At the end of the story when Mrs. Hutchinson is chosen for the lottery, it is ironic that it does not upset her that she was chosen. She is upset because of the way she is chosen. She shows this by saying "It isn't fair, it isn't right" (316). The situation is extremely ironic to the story. The title of the story "The Lottery" is ironic. By reading the title of the story the reader may think that someone is going to win something. In actuality when the reader gets to the end of the story, he finds just the opposite to be true. Jackson shows every day as if it is any other summer day. Jackson foreshadows the events to come by writing: School was recently over for the summer . . . Bobby Martin had already stuffed his pockets full of stones, and the other boys soon followed his example, selecting the smoothest and roundest stones; . . . eventually made a pile of stones in one corner of the square and guarded it against the raids of other boys.

“White Man’s Burden” Essay -- Literary Analysis

Rudyard Kipling’s 1899 poem â€Å"The White Man’s Burden† epitomizes the European man’s view on imperialism, Euro-centrism and social Darwinism. Four centuries before 1899, such ideas were briefly hinted in the letter from Christopher Columbus to King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella, however by 1899 these attitudes strengthened and developed fully into their complete meaning. The U.S and Europe’s imperialism in the nineteenth century were the most influential ever in the history of human civilization. The immense motive for imperialism came from social factors including religion and Social Darwinism. Missionaries frequently rushed to Africa and Asia to convert its people to Christianity. On the other hand, social Darwinism argued the survival of the fittest- applying science to racism, which fed ideas of European racial superiority. After landing on the African continent, Europeans felt they had a duty to civilize Africa, which is explicitly indicated by â€Å"The White Man’s Burden.† When white men invaded countries in Africa, they saw a new group of people who wore very little clothing and lived in simple buildings. This gave the Europeans the idea and need to help these people become more developed and evolve socially (Bentley and Ziegler 912). Rudyard Kipling’s "The White Man's Burden" encouraged the United States to impose colonial rule in the Philippines. Stanzas like â€Å"To wait in heavy harness,†¨ On fluttered folk and wild – Your new-caught, sullen peoples, †¨Half-devil and half-child†, indicates that Kipling believed main taining oversea colonies was a burden for the colonial empire because the empire was responsible for the inferior people. His reference to Filipinos as being both half devil and half child explicitly means that new ca... ...entley, J. H., Ziegler, H. F. Traditions & Encounters: A Global Perspective on the Past. Vol II – From 1500 to the Present. Fourth Edition. McGraw Hill, 2007. 2. Reilly, K. Worlds of History: A Comparative Reader. Third Edition. Bedford / St. Martin’s, 2007. 3. â€Å"Napoleonic Wars (1799-1815).† History of War. 2000. Dugdale-Pointont. 27 April, 2008 . 4. â€Å"Convention Revising the General Act of Berlin, February 26,1885, and the General Act and Declaration of Brussels, July 2,1890.† American Journal of International Law. 1921, 15(4), 314-321. 5. â€Å"Social Darwinism.† Explore the World of Replicators. 2000. Think Quest. 27 April, 2008 . 6. â€Å"Age of Discovery.† HCS-OSU. 1992. OSU. 27 April 2008 .

Review of Literature of Risk Analysis in Portfolio Management

REVIEW OF LITERATURE * Ananth N Madhavan (2003) once a fairly esoteric subject, risk analysis and measurement have become a critical function for both portfolio managers and traders. Yet accurate measurement and analysis of risk presents many practical challenges, including the choice of risk model, portfolio optimization pitfalls, horizon mismatches, and out-of-sample testing. This detailed overview of recent developments in risk analysis and modeling focuses on practical applications. While risk management tools can provide invaluable insights as to portfolio risk, they must be applied with considerable care. Risk analysis, as it stands today, is as much an art as a science. * Peter Brooke (2009) suggested that  the easiest way to build a very diverse portfolio is via investment funds. The choice of funds is now enormous and nearly every asset class is covered by them. This means it is very easy and inexpensive to put several funds together and have a very broad spread. There are now some very good ‘multi asset' funds which provide exposure to all of these different classes in one professionally managed place. These multi asset managers may also be able to access some funds which are still not available to the retail investor, such as private equity. Peter Brooke is a financial planner to the English speaking expatriate community. This article (Portfolio Construction) was published in the July 2009 edition of Dockwalk magazine * Anita Bhoir, (2011)Portfolio construction& services offered by banks and brokerages to face heat ; MUMBAI : Regulators may put an end to discretionary portfolio management services offered by banks and brokerages after a series of frauds, including high-profile ones at City and Standard Chartered, said a person familiar with the thinking. You can read also Portfolio Management Quizzes RBI, SEBI and a sub-committee of the Financial Stability and Development Council are working on the proposed guidelines for portfolio management, said the person requesting anonymity. â€Å"RBI is likely to ask banks to stop discretionary portfolio management,† said the person. * RaghavanR. S, (2011) -Core and satellite portfolio construction& evaluation a popular investment method ; the seznsex has not been in the pink of health for a week now. The steep fall in the global indices and teetering economies have been weighing on the Indian quity market, which, in turn, has dented the value of equity portfolios. It's in times like these that the benefits of the core and satellite strategy towards investing become obvious. How it works the core and satellite portfolio management is a popular form of investment strategy with money managers and their clients. * ET Bureau, (2011), How to pick a portfolio construction ; evaluation scheme; Equity portfolio management schemes (PMS) are today quite attractive from the perspective of high net worth individuals (HNIs) or ultra HNIs. However, investor and distributor awareness of this product category is quite low and one must understand the benefits of using this mode for investing. Typically, the minimum application size in PMS products is rather high? With the minimum being Rs 10 lakh and some even having ticket sizes running into crore. Most equity PMS products could involve a slightly higher degree of risk as they are offered to investors who desire that extra bit of return.