Advanced Organizational Behavior

Change can not be avoided because of the competition that is there today in the world of business. Businesses cannot survive without changing their strategies, products, policies, etc. according to the time and situation. However, changing anything about an organization requires a lot of planning.This is why it is necessary that a systemized method is followed when a change is being implemented as this decreases the chances of making faulty decisions. This paper aims to present a change model that I believe is ideal for every type of organization and will surely produce the positive outcomes of change.DiscussionA change model is a systemized process of implementing change in a business. Change is very crucial for every type of organization because this facilitates the organization into making better decisions.Therefore, we need a step-by-step process which leaves no room for errors or misjudgments in the entire sensitive process of implementing change. There is not a fixed ‘cha nge model’ since the nature of changes that take place also differ. This is the reason why different change models are use by organizations and they handle it differently.The change model developed in this paper consists of nine steps. This model has been selected as my change agent because this model takes into consideration each and every step of the change process from accepting the need for change to document the process and conclusions. It is very detailed and discusses every aspect of the change process which leaves a very low chance of making faulty judgments at any stage.The management and leadership can support the change model discussed by trusting the team selected for the change process with all necessary decision making. It could delegate the team members with maximum work. The input on the part of management could include ensuring that the team does not ignore any values of the organization in the entire change process by monitoring every step.The input on part of the employees and the staff which would support the change model involves them to be ready to accept the changes in operations that would be the result of the change process. It can be supportive during the entire change process by being less resistant to change and innovation. They must be motivated and must trust the process carried out by the change process team. The eight steps change model is as following.Accepting that there is a Need for ChangeThe first step to effectively implement a change is to always accept the fact that there is a need for change. This step involves creating awareness of the need for change among anyone and everyone related to the change that is occurring (Change Management Learning Center, 2008). This step helps build the energy needed to do something. It makes an organization realize the need to take action and motivates it to be strong.This strength and motivation is very necessary as change is a big step and every member of the organization must b e able to handle it. Usually various groups within an organization are not willing to accept change because this means switching from the everyday routine. This step also makes all those who are not willing to accept change ready for implementation of change.This step is the fuel needed to ignite the process of implementing change (Koberg and Bagnall, 2003). There is not much action involved in the step of accepting that there is a need for change. The organization must inform everyone related to this about the need to change and that something needs to be done about it. The organization at this point must ask itself what change is needed and why?Creating a Guiding CoalitionOnce the need for change has been accepted, the organization must move to the next step of creating a team that will guide the entire organization towards achieving this goal (Kotter, 1996).There must a team that is responsible for this as such a team would plan the process of change and ensure that the organizat ion is moving towards its goals and everything is going as it was planned initially. The organization must ensure that the people selected for the team are ideal for the situation.These people must be committed to the change process and must have the right skills necessary for the process. This team will develop the entire change process from planning to evaluation therefore whatever the team members decide will determine the fate of the company. The team members must have the skills to carry out this process in the most efficient and careful manner.Defining the NeedOnce the need for change has been realized within the organization and a team has been selected which be responsible for implementing the change within the organization, the need for change must be defined. This process is absolutely necessary because in order to effectively deal with a situation, one needs to have full knowledge about what exactly one is dealing with.Without knowing this, the team responsible for implem enting the change will never be able to approach the change with the most effective strategy. Consequently, the third step is defining the problem. This step involves identifying what needs to be change and why? It must also recognize what will be accomplished once the change is executed and everyone’s role in the entire process.Generating a Range of ApproachesThe next step involves coming up with a range of strategies that can be used to work out change. It is not sensible to concentrate on only one approach as this could lead to flawed judgments. The change process team must consider all the possible approaches before it decides on which one is the most effective as this will increase the probability of the team selecting the most effective strategy. In this step, a range of possible solutions must be generated and all of them will be considered.Selecting the Appropriate ApproachAfter all the approaches have been generated, each approach’s pros and cons will be evalu ated separately. This evaluation will help the organization prioritize the solutions according to their effectiveness. The organization will consider each one approach and will look into the cost benefit analysis of each one. It will consider how each approach will help them and what will be its drawbacks.Once this is done, whichever approach seems the most effective will be selected by the team. The criteria necessary for an approach to be appropriate largely depends on the situation, but generally, the approach must be practical, manageable, long term and of course relevant to the situation. The selected approach will then be applied to implement the change process.Implementing the ApproachThis step is the most important step in the entire problem solving process because this is actually where the change is implemented. The fact that implementing change is very sensitive has already been established and this is why this step of implementing the approach is very crucial.As a result , the change process team needs to be patient during this step which is applying the solution. A sensible approach to implementation could be to plan the approach in extensive detail before hand in order to avoid any kind of mess ups.Collecting Data Regarding the Implementation ResultThe next step is to collect data related to the implementation of the change approach. This data depends on the situation but in a case where the change was made in the marketing strategy, the data would be change in sales as a result of that change.Another example of data collected at this stage would be if the production process was changed, the data would be regarding the change in productivity as a result of the approach of the result used. This data will be used by the organization in the following steps.

Culture and History of Spain Essay

The golden age of Spain does not refer exactly to the economic and military hegemony of Spain, as Spain was on the verge of political, economic, and military collapse during this time. Spain engaged in expansionist policy abroad that had necessitated the government to impose an increased taxation, which leads to the revolts in 1640 first in Catalonia, then in Portugal. From then on, Spain was weakened economically, politically and culturally. Rather, the golden age refer to the flourishing in arts and literature in Spain. The main topics during this period were literature and the arts rather than economic or military victories abroad. The period of the Spanish golden age according to John A. Crow and Patricia Craig as featured by AOL Hometown in their article â€Å"Spain’s Cultural life: Literature and the Fine Arts† was between 1530 and 1680. During this time, theatre works, poetry and novels were very popular, and the most well known was the work of Cervantes entitled Don Quixote published in 1605. (AOL Hometown) Among the most popular names were dramatists like Lope de Vega, Tirso de Molina, and Calderon, which had premiered fine works of Spanish theatre. Spanish Famous artist during this time includes Velasquez, El Greco, Zubaran, Rebera and Morales which were held to be the greatest of their times. The reason behind Spain’s golden age was perhaps the existence of these fine artists whose works captivated even the highest nobility. The golden age of Spain according to history (an article entitled â€Å"Spain†) began with the ascension of Philip II to the Spanish throne. It was during his time that the popularity of arts and literature reached to highest level. However, the consequence of the golden age was the political and economic as well as military decline of Spain both in the home front and in overseas. An article entitled Spain in History (iExplore) pointed out that because of the prominence of art, the Hapsburg monarchy became increasingly less able to deal the empire’s somber problems particularly during the 17th century causing the empire’s gradual economic collapse. Most historians attributed this economic failure to the inability of the monarch to rule the empire because their interest was in the arts rather than in improving the economy. Another consequence of the golden age is the ‘feminization of Spain. Feminization refers to the gender emphasis that proliferated in the Spanish societies during the golden age. Men during this time adopted the customs of women such as mode of dressing and cosmetics. In the summary of Sidney Donnell’s book Feminizing the Enemy featured in the website article LAFAYETE the article pointed out that the gender anxieties during the golden age was related to the emphasis on arts and culture that was prevailing during this period of Spanish history. The Role of Religion in the Rules of the Hapsburg (or Habsburg) Kings During the period of 16th and 17th centuries, Spain was under the rule of the Habsburg dynasty, which was the dominant power in the Central Europe with capital in Vienna, Austria. Spain then was ruled by many kings that brought Spain both success and fall; and that, the â€Å"church enlarged its already dominant position in Spanish life† (High Beam Encyclopedia, par. 27). The Obvious topic during this time was Catholic Faith and Church membership as the reigning Monarchs were committed to impose Catholicism through the empire. The role of religion in the rules of Hapsburg kings according to Victor Perez Diaz (1998) was that the Hapsburg viewed society in the context of teleocratic state, which put society in a secondary position. It means that in view of the Hapsburg Kings, society can be a sphere in which they can generate resources to be use by the ruler to accomplish its mission. The implication of this was that the Hapsburg Kings uses religion or the so- called politics of faith to fulfill their mission. In other words, religion has become a powerful apparatus with which they achieved their aims. According to Diaz, although the Hapsburg kings respected the socioeconomic order, yet they were also devoted to some shared goals that necessitate systematic interventions in the social fabric to reinforce the sovereign’s authority. Thus the Hapsburg, Diaz pointed out, marshaled resources for protecting Catholic faith and shaped the moral character of its subjects, making membership in the church the means to recognition in the political community (Diaz). The reason for this was, the Roman Catholicism became the official state religion in Spain in 1492 after Ferdinand V of Aragon, and Isabella I of Castile married which linked the kingdoms. Because both monarchs were devout Catholics they wanted to impose the purity of the Catholic faith as well as to enhance the royal power. Because of the close relations of the Hapsburg to the Holy Roman Empire they were so dedicated to the Catholic Church prompting them to establish the Inquisitor in order to prosecute, and confiscate property owned by the Moors (Spain Life and Culture). Ferdinand and Isabella imposed religious uniformity through out Spain by aggressive campaign to convert the Moors and the Jews or they face expulsion (Spain Life and Culture). However, the consequence of their emphasis in the purity of Catholic faith, leads to the persecutions of Protestants, which resulted to war with protestant England. This prompted Philip to send a great Spanish Armada against England in 1558 unfortunately, it was defeated, and it marked Spain’s decline of power (Spain). Thus the consequence of the Hapsburg use of religion to enhance their power and to strengthen their rule was costly and it cost the gradual collapse of the Spanish hegemony not only in the home front but also abroad. The Bourbon kings in Spain (efforts to improve Spain) The Spanish Bourbon was one of the most vital royal families in Europe that held thrones in Spain during the 17th century. Philip V of Spain became the first Bourbon ruler of Spain after the death of Charles II (1665-1700). The bourbons ascended to the Spanish thrones during the end of Spain’s hegemonic power with the death of Charles II. In the view of J. Clayborn Laforce, with distressing vulnerability Spain slipped into an embarrassing sequence of decline, which continued until all of Spain’s greatness was gone. However, with the ascension of Philip V, Spain crossed a new threshold marked by the extraordinary progressive participation by government in Spanish economic dealings. The main topic during the Bourbon’s rule was economic recovery, in which the Bourbon monarch had implemented series of economic measures designed to improve the economic condition of Spain. Obviously a learned man, Philip’s knowledge in French mercantilism had helped him in improving the economic condition of Spain. Philip launched a series reform policy and programs for commercial and industrial revival and promotes the production of merchandise of high value that previously had been purchased abroad. The next Bourbon king to inherit the Spanish throne was Charles VII (1759-88) Like Philip; Charles was one of the most enlightened Spanish Monarch, which had contributed to Spain’s short-lived cultural and economic revival. The reason behind all these efforts was that through production of these commodities, the government would minimize its dependency on imported commodities. The third Bourbon Monarch to rule Spain was Ferdinand VII (1784-1833) which perhaps marked the end of the short economic revival started by Philip V and continued by Charles VII. It was during the brief reign of Charles IV, an incompetent Bourbon monarch that the flame of economic revival dies down. The reason for the short live economic revival was the squabble in the royal family that prompted Napoleon of France to invade Spain, and gave the Spanish throne to his brother Joseph Bonaparte. Spain after this was engaged in wars that halted its economic hope of revival. The consequences of disunity in the royal family had not only weakened the economic reforms put in place by Philip V but it also invited napoleon to invade Spain and claimed the Spanish throne for himself. It also led to war against England that further pushed Spain to humiliation and defeat. Indeed the misery of Spain cannot be attributed to the Bourbon rule as they merely inherited a declining kingdom. Had the momentum of economic growth that was laid out by the first two-bourbon monarch, Spain could have recovered from its drooping. Spain’s history was indeed very intriguing and full of difficulties, which are a good source of both learning and inspirations for the student of Spanish history. It features the rise and fall of the empire that had conquered much of the known world through sword and religion, but it had collapsed also because of religion and sword when it wage against protestant England in the name of religion. Work Cited Diaz, V. P. (1998) State and Public sphere in Spain during the ancient Regime Vol. 137 La Force, J. C Royal Textile factories in Spain, 1700-1800 The Journal of Economic History, Vol. 24 No. 3(Sep. , 1964), pp. 337-363 Http://links. jstor. org/sici? sici=0022-0507(196409)24%3A3%3C337%3ARTFIS1%3E2. 0. CO%3B2-N http://www. questia. com/googleScholar. qst;jsessionid=HRpGVQQzlhZJSZhM6QdwhnXtr7jp8dDwrBlY2dyNPJ6GGnyjVrvH! 1976250333? docId=5001368566 Spain http://www. geocities. com/CapitolHill/8823/aboutes. html Spain’s Cultural Life http://www. hometown. aol. com/antmagictg/culture. html Spain History I Explore http://www. iexplore. com/dmap/Spain/History Spain. http://www. geocities. com/CapitolHill/8823/aboutes. html Spain. High Beam Encyclopedia. Retrieved March 7, 2008. http://www. encyclopedia. com/doc/1E1-Spain. html Sidney Donnell will Talk about â€Å"Drag Performance and Hapsburg Spain† today. Lafayete http://www. lafayette. edu/news. php/view/5137/

Cross-Cultural Perspectives Essay

The Coca Cola Company, the world’s largest multinational beverage manufacturer and corporation, operates bottling plants and sells its products in more than 200 countries across the globe (The Coca Cola Company, 2014). Coca Cola’s massive global presence requires the organization to understand the different cultures of its many host countries; the laws within each country; and the business norms, styles, as well as practices of each country it conducts business operations in. The company has developed and implemented numerous policies, regulations, and guidelines for its suppliers, operation management, and employees in its various host countries. But, all of this detailed undertaking to address transparencies in the corporation’s supply chains throughout the world did not stop its El Salvadoran bottling and manufacturing plant’s management from purchasing refined sugar from a mill which used child labor. According to Human Rights Watch (HRW), up to one third of the workers on El Salvador’s sugarcane plantations are under the age of 18, with many starting to work in the fields between the ages of eight and eleven (HRW, 2004). Even though, the national and international child labor authorities prohibit minors under the age of 18 from performing hazardous or harmful work, plantation owners define these young children and teenagers who work with their parents as â€Å"helpers† instead of the workers they actually are (Veracity, 2006). The above paragraph represents one of the many cross-cultural issues facing Coca Cola and the myriad of other multinational organizations interactions outside the United States. In these various host countries having your children working beside you is considered common cultural practices; it provides additional income for the family’s survival because the poor state of many of their country’s economy (such as El Salvador) allows these injustices to continue. Regardless, of why these children are working in the sugarcane fields, and the fact that Coca Cola does not actually purchase its  refined sugar directly from the plantations, the company is in direct violation of its own â€Å"Guiding Principles for Suppliers to Coca Cola Company† policy. The policy states that, â€Å"Suppliers will not use child labor as defined by local law,† but Coca Cola fails to extend this policy one step further in the supply chain to include the supplier’s supplier of raw material (Veracity, 2006). So, in the long-term means that the organization is just as socially and ethically responsible for the use of child labor as well as the harm working in the field create as the suppliers and the plantation owners. The Coca Cola formula was invented in 1886 by pharmacist John Stith Pemberton in Columbus, Georgia; and the formula as well as the brand was purchased in 1889 by Asa Griggs Chandler who incorporated The Coca Cola Company in 1892 (The Coca Cola Company, 2014). Throughout its many years of operations the business always demonstrated strong market orientation; exhibited strategic decision making processes; and took actions to attract, satisfy, and retain customers. All of these positive actions have just added to company’ s advantage and profitability over competitors in the beverage industry, which is why they are number one in the world. Nevertheless, as the organization began to expand its operations into more and more host countries around the globe it has been involve with quite a number of misconduct and questionable unethical behavior. As a result, these legal and ethical problems have had an impact on the corporation’s financial performances, investor trust, and reduced its sales levels. Today’s Coca Cola Company is now engaging in an operation to rebuild its brand image and credibility, improve its sells, and reinforce its reputation by developing and implementing stronger company ethical and social responsibility throughout its entire global marketplace (The Coca Cola Company, 2014). There have been a number of events other than child labor in El Salvador where Coca Cola has been involved and held accountable in unethical behavior. In Colombia, Turkey, and Guatemala bottling plants the company has been accused of hiring paramilitary mercenaries to assassinate, torture, and coerce workers, their family members, and union leaders as they attempted to unionize to protect workers from unfair treatment and abuse by the host countries’ employers. These incidents sparked an campaign entitled, â€Å"Stop Killer Coke†, and a 2009 PBS documentary filmed by German Gutierezz and Carmen Garcia entitled, â€Å"The Coca-Cola Case†Ã‚  to reveal the company’s practices to consumers around the world (Huff, E. A., 2010). Of course, Coca Cola denied the allegations against the company and its bottling partners, where cleared of any wrong doing in the foreign courts. When the case was brought to the United States, Coca Cola fought and succeeded in having its name removed from the lawsuit (Huff, E. A., 2010). Another ethical and social responsibility issue the company encountered, actually there are two environmental issues concerning the depletion of groundwater and polluting of water in India. Coca Cola operates 52 water intensive bottling plants in India using 3.8 liters of freshwater to generate a liter of carbonated drink. While in the Southern Indian village of Plachimada in Kerala state groundwater along with loca l wells dried up forcing residents to rely on water supplies trucked in daily by the government due to persistent droughts, and the company’s bottling plants. In the rural Indian state of Uttar Pradesh where farming is the primary industry the residents have been experiencing similar conditions, only the government is not supplying enough water for the crops. As a result of the groundwater depletion situations the business is not only responsible for the loss of livelihood and hunger for the many citizens across India, but the creation of thirst. In 2003, the other issues of polluted water were discovered near the Kerala and Uttar Pradesh bottling plants. Sludge containing high levels of cadmium, lead, and chromium was given to farmers as free fertilizer to tribal farmers who lived near the plants, but the need for fresh water was overlooked by Coca Cola. As a side note, an Indian nonprofit group tested 57 carbonated beverages made by both Coca Cola and Pepsi at 25 bottling plants were found to be contaminated with between three and five different pesticides (The Corporation, 2009). Although, the organization denied creating the problems, the Indian government ordered Coca Cola to shut down one of its $25 million plants. The organization then thought long and hard about its corporate social responsibility (and lost revenue); and decided to improve their business practices in the local communities, reduced the water usage by 34%, started rainwater harvesting, and returned substantial amounts of water to depleted aquifers. They also stopped distributing sludge, joined with the Indian government to develop additional solid waste disposal sites, and began treating the water used to make soft drinks with activated carbon filtration (The Corporation, 2009). Coca Cola conducted all of these improvements to regain the trust of the local communities and the Indian government. But, my question would be, why not practice these ethical and corporate responsibility policies from the beginning? As more and more organizations are utilizing the opportunity of transitioning into multinational operations, they will have to research how business is conducted, the local laws, as well as the government policies and operation methods of every host country they wish to operate in. Then they will have to incorporate and implement all of their ethical and corporate social responsibility they employ in their home country universally throughout the entire business operation. Creating a unified culture that will adhere to a high level of business behavior in all global operations, respecting all of the local workforces’ cultures and traditions, and eliminating the use of any unethical values or behaviors from home and abroad. References Huff, E. A. (2010, May, 22). Coca Cola’s Murderous Record of Anti-Union Activity Exposed Retrieved from http://www.naturalnews.com/028844_coca-cola_html. The Coca Cola Company (2014). Retrieved from http://www.coca-colacompany.com/our-company. The Corporation (2009). Ethical Issues Concerning Coca-Cola in India. Retrieved from http://imaginecorporation.blogspot.com/ethical-issues-concerning-cocacola-in.html Veracity, D. (2006). Coca-Cola, Human Rights and Child Labor Retrieved from http://www.naturalmatters.net/article.asp?article=1301&cat=219

Analyze Henrik Ibsen's(1879) and Susan Glaspell's(1916) treatment of Essay

Analyze Henrik Ibsen's(1879) and Susan Glaspell's(1916) treatment of relationships and roles in the time period plays were written - Essay Example When the play "A Doll's House" was performed for the first time in Copenhagen in 1879, it revoked severe criticism from the society as it was against the society's values and attacked men's dominance over women (Templeton 142). Similarly, the play "Trifles" by Susan Glaspell was written, at the time when, like other educated women at this time, Glaspell "grew restless with the numerous restrictions on women and became inspired by the avant-garde social, political, and cultural movements happening in the United States and Europe" (McMichael, et al. 1108). At the time when "A Doll's House" was written by Henrick Ibsen, the role of women was limited to bringing up children, supporting their husbands and keeping their house clean and comfortable. Society disliked women who wanted to step out for their authority and freedom. Politics, decision making and work was left for men and they had authority over women because women had little role in business, politics or social activities. In this setup; freedom, liberty and equality of women were regarded as a bad thing which the society frowned upon. Ibsen's portrayal of the society emphasizes how middle-class life is limiting, brutal, and unforgiving. He cleverly exposed these hypocritical norms and faults of society and suggested the outcomes of this suppression of womenfolk which compelled Nora to secede from the society's values and decided to leave her husband and children just to live a life of her own: "There is another task I must undertake first. I must try and educate myself--you are not the man to help me in that. I must do that for myself. And that is why I am going to leave you now (Act III). This clearly indicates the relationship between husband and wife. In this play, the relationship and role of characters are characterized by the desire of dominance and authority. In the first act, we see Torvald trying to dominate over Nora by dictating her not to be extravagant and spendthrift. Then we come across ill fate of Nora when her husband is nearly on death bed and needs to be taken to Italy for treatment. Nora's compulsion is exploited by Nils Krogstad who extracts a bond from her, which later in the play, he uses for threatening her and ultimately ruins her whole life. The role of Nils Krogstad demonstrates hypostatical values of society and a lust for power with mala fide intention. His relationship with Nora exposes faults of society and the law which have nothing to do with humanistic aspect of Nora's sufferings and to save her husband's life. The best presentation of the relationships and roles is given by Henrick in the last act of "A Doll's House" when we find Nora in dejected situation with Torvald. Nora tells her husband that h er husband and father were alike in that both of them used her to amuse and play with her and never thought of herself in context of her own imaginations and desires. In "Trifles" we find women struggling for their identification being unduly treated by their husbands. Minnie is sick of her husband and comes up to the point to strangle him just because he had strangled the Canary. This story begins with Martha leaving her home and accompanying Mrs. Peters to the Wright farm. There they find Minnie strangled her husband. The sympathetic women tried to discover the reason

Managing Business Organizations (business studies) Essay

Managing Business Organizations (business studies) - Essay Example and these differences and similarities a multi-national organisation â€Å"ZARA† is compared with a local UK architecture firm Purcell Miller Tritton (PMT) LLP. Zara is a renowned brand and flagship chain store of Inditex Group. It has gradually gained major popularity since its first store was opened in Spain. Zara has operated with an aggressive management style towards the business. It has proven many theories wrong, theories related to economies of scale, supply chain, etc. The company’s operation can be divided into philosophy, capability and payoff. Zara has kept a philosophy to keep 5 fingers touching the factory and five touching the customer i.e. they have kept a very quick movement between the production of their stock and the immediate transfer of that stock to the stores. Their main capability is to design, produce and deliver in 15 days as compared to the six month industry average. This is the major area in which the company has excelled over its competitors and has kept them way behind and it is because of these unique strategic capabilities that the company took over the clothing industry giant GAP in their first quar ter of 2010. Zara’s main and the innovative approach is their fast fashion trend, which makes their product available in stores after just two weeks in the designing process. Besides such a fast and flashy approach, they keep their production limited i.e. the batch of clothing in merchandise is only available for just that two weeks time period and after that it is not available in the stores. This approach of scarcity and the customer’s perception towards rarity has helped Zara to boost their Revenues significantly. (Bonnin, 2002; Tokatli, 2008) The main distinctive feature about Zara is its co-operative nature i.e. every staff member of the organization is involved in some business process for the entire organization. Each store manager and the store assistant are really participative in collecting and providing information

Flood control in river basins has become more important in recent Essay

Flood control in river basins has become more important in recent years. Discuss various techniques used for flood control and t - Essay Example The flood defenses were strong barriers that prevented water from flooding into the plain land (Woods & Woods 2007, p.5). Floods occur when flowing surface water spills over the confining banks into the dry land. Floods are a natural phenomenon, which occur in almost all river systems. Areas prone to flooding include those located downstream of dams and the low lying regions. Flooding causes immense losses, which include loss of human and animal life, soil erosion, damage on properties, destruction of vegetation and many environmental damages. In addition, areas affected by floods are highly susceptible to famines and prolonged droughts. This further causes loss of human and animal life due to starvation. Floodwaters are usually contaminated with harmful microorganisms derived from raw sewage. This puts people affected by the floods at greater risks of getting infectious diseases (Proverbs, et al., 2011, p. 221). Floods may contribute to some positive impacts on the ecosystem. One of the benefits of flooding includes offering fresh water for domestic use and irrigation. The other benefit includes massive deposition of minerals and nutrients into the affected areas. Apart from these benefits, floods also help in improving the condition of aquatic ecosystems. However, they can be regarded as the most damaging compared to volcanic eruptions and earthquakes. Therefore, stringent measures must be undertaken to prevent the massive losses incurred during floods. This paper discusses various techniques used in controlling floods and their environmental impacts (Gruntfest & Handmer, 2001, p.12). Methods used to control floods Techniques applied in controlling floods entail the modification of the river environment and areas located close to the river. Flood control techniques can be applied on the river channel, floodway or on the floodplain (Ghosh, 1997, p.55). Techniques applied in floodplains Floodplains are those regions that lie below the flood elevation and exclus ively on the floodway and river channel. Majority of techniques applied on the floodplains lie far from the river, but are designed to reduce damage from floods. Levee around structures This technique entails the construction of a levee/floodwall around structures located in floodplains. Levees can either be permanent or temporally. Construction of the levee requires the use of strong, natural or artificial material that can withstand pressure from the floods (Hyndman & Hyndman, 2010, p.356). The essence of using levees and other barriers is to raise the height in structures located in floodplains which floodwater must rise to in order cause flooding. These structures offer protection to structures but put other structures into a high risk of flooding due to increased water retention in the floodplains. In addition, serious damage to protected structures can arise when the levees are unable to hold back the floods. This is because the pressure at which the floods hit the structure i s extremely high compared to when there is no barrier (Green, 2004, p.36). The use of levees, floodwalls, and dykes has a negative impact on natural river processes (Harmancioglu, 1994, p.42). Ideally, water spills emerging from a river should form a natural channel which provides a way for the floods to flow. Therefore, levees reduce the ability of the floodplains to process floodwaters. In addition, the

Taxation Law in the UK Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Taxation Law in the UK - Essay Example VAT system is a type of indirect tax. According to the canons of taxation, an indirect tax must not be levied on basic necessities. Adam Smith made a distinction between goods that are necessities and the goods that are luxuries. He advocated the levying of taxes on luxuries. Necessities are mostly exempt under the VAT system in modern times. Adam Smith might have applauded this aspect of the VAT. His argument in favor of low indirect tax was just not related to the welfare of the poor; it was also due to the fact that the rich can also suffer from high indirect taxes as they become less productive as a result. VAT system’s definition of ‘necessaries’, however, seems to be a tad different from that of Adam Smith’s. According to Smith, â€Å"†¦necessaries†¦[include] not only the commodities which are indispensably necessary for the support of life, but whatever the custom of the country renders it indecent for creditable people, even of the lowest order, to be without. A linen shirt, for example, is, strictly speaking, not a necessary of life. The Greeks and Romans lived†¦ very comfortable, though they had no linen. But in present times†¦a creditable day-laborer would be ashamed to appear in public without a linen shirt, the want of which would be supposed to denote that disgraceful degree of poverty, which it is presumed, nobody can well fall into without extreme bad conduct.† According to the canon of equality, the tax should be linked to an individual’s ability to pay. VAT is generally similar for all the individuals. As the marginal utility of money is more for the poor than for the rich, poor suffer more. This means that VAT is regressive in nature. This is why it can have a significant impact on the distribution of income.

General Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

General - Research Paper Example rom past years has resulted to several models, assumptions and principles as well as explanations that fully support adult learning and act as a base for improvement, it’s certain that none of these theories is bound to have significant help on all adult students. Understanding this fact in addition to knowledge on the adult learning theories helps adult educators effect their practice. Several theories have been put forward and they include: andragogy, self-directed learning, active learning, transformational learning, problem solving and problem based learning, multiple intelligences, theory of learning conditions among many others. The principle of andragogy was established by Malcolm Knows (1980) in an effort to differentiate the means by which adults learn from those of young ones. This was the basis of all other theories as it tends to emphasize that adults are self directed and are anxious of being involved in decision making. . Malcolm contrasted this principle with the art of teaching a child referred to as pedagogy. His contrast was based on several assumptions about adult learners that in addition to them knowing the reason to study something, the content has to have immediate value. Another assumption is that adult learners also approach learning as a way of solving a particular problem and thus learning should be done experientially. Malcolm also pointed out that the motivation to study is more from internal factors than any external pressure. Therefore, andragogy calls for a clear explanation as to why the student should acquire knowledge on something and any adult tutor should adhere to it. However the principle of student incentive to self decision neglects the fact that the teacher should act as the primary source of information, knowledge and to some extent direction (Brookfield 2003). This draws back the andragogy to some point. Studies have shown that a great percentage of adult learning is self-directed (Cross 1981) whereby they take full

Mary Shelley- Frankenstein Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Mary Shelley- Frankenstein - Essay Example However, one must ask him/herself whether all these experiments, explorations and research now are not as dangerous, or even more dangerous than those described in this novel. Victor Frankenstein, a young man, devastated by seeing his mother die is firmly resolved to study natural philosophy, particularly chemistry, with one purpose only: to find the secret to creation of life and preventing diseases from degrading, disintegrating, decaying of the human bodies, and maybe discover the secret to eternal life, or in other words to infuse life into an inanimate body. â€Å"†¦To examine the causes of life, we must first have recourse to death. I became acquainted with the science of anatomy, but this was not sufficient; I must also observe the natural decay and corruption of the human body†¦My attention was fixed upon every object the most insupportable to the delicacy of the human feelings. I saw how the fine form of man was degraded and wasted; I beheld the corruption of death succeed to the blooming cheek of life; I saw how the worm inherited the wonders of the eye and brain. I paused, examining and analyzing all the minutiae of causation, as exe mplified in the change from life to death, and death to life, until from the midst of this darkness a sudden light broke in upon me – a light so brilliant and wondrous, yet so simple, that while I became dizzy with the immensity of the prospect which it illustrated, I was surprised that among so many men of genius who had directed their inquiries towards the same science, that I alone should be reserved to discover so astonishing a secret† (â€Å"Frankenstein†, chapter 4, p.p.28-29). Similarly, Robert Walton, the captain of a ship exploring the northernmost part of the earth and narrator of Victor’s story, is in a similar search of the â€Å"country with eternal light†, mentioned in his first letter to his sister. Eternal light should be understood as his own search of ultimate knowledge.

Convergence Law and Its Relevance Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Convergence Law and Its Relevance - Essay Example As such, the paper discusses the multiple factors that have had an influence on the formation and convergence of European law. Primarily, this convergence is the result of the necessity of uniformism that has been demanded since the European Union first formed. As a result, integrations have taken place based on the interpretation of individual laws, as well as entire constitutional understanding. As the idea of citizenship has been defined to incorporate an individual into the greater whole of the European Union, likewise individual interpretations of existing law has been forced to be understood, fabricated, and analyzed through the very same constructs. As a vehicle for understanding this concept, Tryfonadou introduces the topic of free movement of persons and free movement of goods as it evolved in the late 1990’s through early 2000’s. Perhaps, one of the best examples of this convergence can be seen in what Tryfonadou describes as the â€Å"restriction† and â€Å"discrimination† of free movement law. ... persons, existing laws have made an attempt, according to Tryfonadou, to juxtapose the two and come to a common understanding and definition in the scope of the laws. (1) The author goes on to explain to the reader the differences between subsidiarity law principles and proportionality principles. Subsidiarity requires that the community adopt the legislation only if it is a requirement to achieve a given object. Accordingly, proportionality requires that the burden of the law’s enactment be proportionally weighted so as not to be too heavy with relation to the objective that is trying to be achieved. An unavoidable facet of the European Union’s construction requires that one understand and realize the importance of the many different legal systems that make up its component parts, as well as how each of these systems begins to find a certain commonality within the law, i.e. the convergence principle that Tryfonadou has written. Due to the additional fact that the Europ ean Union is made up of a multiplicity of differing legal systems of its member states, recognition of the defining legal principles which each system espouse combined with the aforementioned principles of subsidiarity and proportionality lead invariably to a form of legal diversity. In short, even though the diverse systems of law that are extant within the European Union espouse similar legal views on a variety of different and diverse topics (i.e. Roman, Anglo-Saxon, and Scandinavian law) all have a host of commonalities with which to draw from. Regardless, the formation of the European Union has provided a type of centrifugal force that has worked to mold each of the aforementioned member states particular understanding into a more common and generally accepted form of jurisprudence which had

Academic appeal letter Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Academic appeal letter - Essay Example I was elated as Nursing has always been my passion. During the last semester, I suffered from a number of health conditions including High Blood pressure (Medical note will be presented on request). This took a toll on me, I was unable to focus on my studies, my energy level consistently kept dropping and I had to invigorate myself, which was not easy. Towards the end of semester ----- in 20--- I experienced considerable stress due to the breakdown of my relationship with my husband. His long hours of work and rotating shifts coupled with my endeavor to succeed, created an isolation period in the relationship. This was an extremely traumatic time for me as there were times when I taught he was seeing someone else. In addition to my own feelings, I also had to provide support to my son who was also going through a difficult time in Texas, where I left him. I found it extremely difficult to concentrate on completing university requirements both in terms of how I was feeling and also my need to attend to practical elements of our relationship. I was diagnosed with depression (please see attached letter of support from my counsellor). Unfortunately on November 11, 2011, my mother-in-law passed away and I was obviously very distressed as she was much close to me. I accompanied my husband to Grenada for the burial, which gave me very little time to study for my finals. I was granted special considerations during the semester in the form of extensions to my assignments but unfortunately the biggest impact was on my exam preparation. I perhaps should have applied for deferred examinations but I felt that it was better to push on and keep myself occupied with my studies. Unfortunately my preparation was significantly impacted on, as was my exam performance. While I continue to experience the impact of my relationship breakdown, I believe that my situation has improved enough for me to

How Enzymes Work in the Home and in Industry Essay Essay Example for Free

How Enzymes Work in the Home and in Industry Essay Essay This essay aims to explore the ways on how enzymes are used in home and in industry, and it aims to explain the advantages and disadvantages of using enzymes in the home and industry. An enzyme is a protein that is formed by the body that acts as a catalyst to cause a certain desired reaction. Enzymes are very specific. Each enzyme is designed to initiate a specific response with a specific result. Firstly, the AQA Science Biology textbook published in 2011 by Nelson Thornes Ltd suggests on page 172 that â€Å"in the past, people boiled and scrubbed their clothes to get them clean – by hand! Now we have washing machines and enzymes ready and waiting to digest the stains. † This is telling us how people now use enzymes at home and it is much easier from the past. This is an example of how enzymes are used in homes. Enzymes are used to get rid of the stains that are on the clothes in washing machines. Enzymes are used to break down proteins and fats that are in the stains. This is evident in the same textbook on the same page number mentioned above when it says, â€Å"many people use biological detergents to remove stains such as grass, sweat and food from their clothes. Biological washing powders contain proteases and lipases.† Proteases and lipases are those enzymes that are used to break down the proteins and fats that are in the stains. In addition, it is better to use biological detergents instead of non-biological detergents at lower temperatures because that is when the enzymes work at their best, if the water is too hot then they are denatured and this also means that you use less electricity. The edited book version called ‘Enzymes in Industry’ written by Dr Wolfgang Aehle published in 2007 suggests that â€Å"in the food industry enzymes are used to improve dairy products like cheese or to supply us with breads that have the right crumb structure and give us the right mouth feel while eating.† This is showing how and why enzymes are used in industry. They are used to improve dairy products or to supply with breads that are good enough for us. Protease enzymes are used to make baby foods. In the book ‘Chemistry at a glance’ published by Roger Owen and Sue King it says on page 116 â€Å"proteins in baby foods may be pre-digested by proteases (enzymes which digest proteins). Babies are not very good at digesting the food when they first begin to eat solid foods. By using protease enzymes in the food, makes it easier for a baby’s digestive system to cope with it and then the babies can also get the amino acids that need from their food more easily. There are more enzymes used in industry like carbohydrases to convert starch into sugar (glucose syrup). There are many advantages and disadvantages of using enzymes. Enzymes can be good to use. In the AQA Science Biology textbook published in 2011 by Nelson Thornes Ltd suggests on page 173 that â€Å"in industrial processes, many o the reactions need high temperatures and pressures to make them go fast enough to produce the products needed. This needs expensive equipment and requires a lot of energy.† The good thing is that by using enzymes it would solve industrial problems like these. On the same page, it says the enzymes â€Å"catalyze at relatively low temperatures and normal pressures. This is why the enzyme-based processes are cheap to run. This is an advantage showing that by using enzymes it is cheaper and easier. There are also disadvantages of using enzymes. This is evident in the same book on the same page as it mentions, â€Å"one problem with enzymes is that they are denatured at high temperatures, so the temperature must be kept down†. This shows that by using enzymes they can be denatured so you would have to be careful and keep an eye on the temperature. In addition, the pH needs to be controlled and it costs money to control these conditions which means it is bad. You would have to pay to control theses conditions and if you do not then the enzymes would denature which is not good. The original BBC Bitesize GCSE website in the science section suggests that there are many enzymes, which are expensive to produce. This is evident on the website as it says, â€Å"In industry, enzymes allow reactions that normally need expensive, energy-demanding equipment to happen at normal temperatures and pressures. On the other hand, most enzymes are denatured at high temperatures.† This shows that many enzymes are quite expensive to produce and this is a disadvantage of using enzymes. In conclusion, enzymes are used in many places like homes and in the industry because they can be good in ways such as using them in baby food, which would help the digestive system of babies. However, there are also some disadvantages of using enzymes for example some enzymes can be very expensive to produce. I believe that enzymes should be used in some places and should not in others, this way I think that there would not be trouble caused.

Promoting a Healthy Lifestyle through Food

Promoting a Healthy Lifestyle through Food The Scope As part of the Occupational Health and Safety programme at my place of work (a public service small medium enterprise), I have discussed and come to an agreement with the management to deliver a workshop on the importance of eating healthy in order to prevent obesity and cardiovascular diseases. Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, (2013) illustrate that workplace health programs are of great potential benefit to both employers and employees. Such educational and awareness programs or strategies enable both worker and the organisation to achieve a holistic lifestyle for better healthy living. These health programs could potentially save costs on absenteeism among employees. They may also reduce the cost of overtime to replace absent employees, as well the costs to train replacements. The scope behind this program is to give employees guidance on how to choose local fresh produce, rather than the imported or preserved food. This initiative will also raise the awareness about which food to choose and the importance to read the nutritional facts label. It is scientifically proven that fresh products are more beneficial to our health than the imported or preserved ones, both in taste and in vitamin content, because they arrive at our shops soon after being harvested and thus fresher. Yates (2009) supports this theory by quoting that scientifically, meat, fruits and vegetables are more nutritious when eaten as fresh as possible. Malta has a high rate of obesity according to surveys done by the European Commission. Eurostat (2011) reports that Maltese men occupy the top position of the European obesity rankings while Maltese women placed themselves second. In their ‘Paediatric Obesity’ journal, Fox and Jago (2011) who are both established researchers in pa ediatric studies, claim that Maltese children are the second fattest on the globe. Plan of Action The presentation is aimed mainly for both employees who cook at home and those who buy their snacks from vending machines or take away snack shops making them aware of how to choose healthy options, such as choosing baked not fried food, brown bread instead of white bread, fresh instead of processed or preserved food products. The employee age bracket varies from 18 to 50+ years of age. The workshop would be planned with the human resources department and it will be held in the training room of the company. Employees will be notified by means of a letter distributed internally for at least two weeks before. The workshop would take place during working hours, one in the morning and one in the afternoon in order to give the opportunity for everyone to attend at their preferred time. The workshop will be delivered by a qualified person in the matter and illustrated with charts and pictures accompanied with some motivational quotes. To support this strategy, the vending machines will be supplied with more genuine healthy choices rather than the usual junk food as per agreement with the supplier. Another initiative is that the company will supply a service of surveillance scheme by launching free optional medical check-ups every 12 months sponsored by the company. Information and facts about eating Years of research studies were carried out to come out with the result on what is contributing to the development of cardiovascular diseases. The WHO (2013) reported that a lifestyle based on high saturated fats, dairy products rich in fats and processed meat is the main cause for obesity and cancer reported. There is no doubt that all the food that we consume can have an important effect on our health and well being. Nestle and Nesheim (2012) reports that the daily average calories consumed by men must be not more 2,500 calories while women must consume 2,000 calories supported with some physical exercise. To lose weight, one must either consume fewer calories than needed or burn calories through physical activity. The combination of both is the ideal way to obtain fat loss while maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Anyone who eats more calories than he/she burns will put on weight as the extra calories are stored as fat by the body. Therefore, with the right diet and by controlling eating habits and with a routine of physical activity, any person can lose weight. The benefits of eating healthily are; having more energy, self-confidence, a healthier heart, respiratory and circulatory system (Hunter, 2003). Nowadays, the best method to of determining the ideal body weight is by measurement kn own as Body Mass Index (BMI). BMI can be calculated by dividing the body weight in kilograms by the square of body height in meters (Kg/(m)2) and the ideal BMI reading should be 20 to 22. If it is more than 30 there would be the need for a change in lifestyle and to eat healthy and exercise more often. Ideally, this needs to be a way life and not a short term quick fix. During the presentation information and guide tips will be given to the employees on how to choose the right food and drink wisely. This presentation will also explain how the body works and how important it is to eat the right food and take smaller portions regularly. Carbohydrates are the main energy source for the human body. Carbohydrates are found in a wide array of foods such as wheat, potatoes and pasta. Food rich in carbohydrates is ideal to be taken in the morning since carbohydrates are what give energy to the body. Some popular diets project carbohydrates as the source that generates body fat and obesity build up. However, the truth is that we do need carbohydrates in our diet, but not exceeding the required amount and not those containing unhealthy fats. For instance, wholegrain carbohydrates are the best choice since they contain vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients that are essential for good health. Lack of carbohydrates will make you feel weak and without drive, so one should not cut them completely but choosing healthy options. â€Å"Protein is found throughout the body, in muscle, bone, skin, hair, and virtually every other body part or tissue† (Harvard School of Public Health, 2014). Protein builds up, maintains, and replaces the muscle tissues in our body. The human body is made up of at least 10,000 proteins. However, the body functioning system does not store amino acids. On the other hand, it does store carbohydrates and fat. Therefore a daily intake of amino acids is needed to build new protein. Best protein sources with law saturated fat is found in lean beef, chicken or turkey breast, liver, fish, eggs, dairy products such as cottage cheese, nuts (almonds and hazelnuts), seeds, beans and lentils. It is highly important to choose the right protein in your food choices since some protein is rich in saturated fats. Beans, vegetables, and whole grains, are the best choice, as they are rich in healthy fibre, vitamins, and minerals. Almonds and hazelnuts are rich in healthy fats. Fish, chicken bre ast and beef liver are considered as the best animal protein and if you go for red meat try to choose the leanest cuts and try to avoid pork, lamb and processed meat such as burgers, sausages, breaded fish/poultry since the latter contain high amount of fats. If someone decides to dine out, as starter one could avoid high carbohydrates foods such as pasta and instead have an antipasto involving salmon, which is rich in protein and vitamin D and Omega 3. Apart from the calories and carbohydrates pasta contains, the sauces that go with it are mostly fat laden and therefore as a starter it would already be too filling. One can also opt for chicken salad, soup or skip the starter altogether. As a dressing, one can go for squeezed lemon, olive oil or balsamic vinegar instead of mayonnaise. As main course, one could opt for fish steak, lean fillet, or chicken breast and avoid processed or fried food. Instead of fries one can choose baked potatoes and try to cut down the bread intake. As a dessert, instead of indulging in a high calorie cake rich in sugars and fats one can opt to fruit salad which at least contains natural fructose and vitamins. In this manner, one can be enjoying food which is still tasty but is healthier. As a drink, it will b e ideally that one will opt to drink water or a glass of dry wine rather than soft drinks which contain a large amount of calories and sugars. Sugar-sweetened soft drinks are non-beneficial to the human body. It is understood that these beverages are contributing to diabetes and heart disease. Harvard School of Public Health (2014), argue that by cutting down sugar-sweetened beverage intake will reduce the risk of obesity-related illnesses and that such statement is backed up with sufficient scientific evidence. A snapshot of the presentation’s content: Avoiding illness through the food we eat By the end of 1945, the Life Expectancy (LE) of EU citizens started to increase. There were improvements in the sanitary system, more epidemiological data and more quality improvements in medical cure. Furthermore, statistics estimate issued by the Malta Statistics Office reveal that the LE of a person born in Malta in 2013 is 82.2 for females and 78.0 for men (NSO, 2013). The World Health Organisation (WHO) has long since been promoting healthy eating patterns. As much as humans need clean air and access to water, food is a vital necessity for human health but it has to be healthy. Our health is particularly affected by agriculture and the other sectors involved with food supply. Therefore, to promote a healthy way of living there must be ongoing publicity to instruct the public the benefit of eating healthy food (Danzon, 2000). Nevertheless, although life expectancy in Malta has increased, statistics still show that the average Maltese person spends 7.1 years (9% of LE) with illnes s, due to lack of adequate knowledge about health (WHO, 2005). Hunter (2003) argued that by being obese, one is subject to high probability risk to serious health issues such as diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke, reproductive disorders, gallstones, osteoarthritis and certain type of cancer. Moreover, the WHO (2005) issued a report about non-communicable diseases (NCD) in Malta and such illnesses accounted for about 84%. NCD vary from heart disease, stroke (cerebrovascular accident), cancer disease, chronic lung disease and diabetes. Food produced locally Healthy eating campaigns promote the intake of small portions of healthy food every three hours to prevent weight increase, whilst related research studies acknowledge that the lack of combined healthy nutrients increases the risk of non-communicable diseases (WHO, 2000). Moreover, locally produced vegetables and fruits are fresher, with high source of nutrients content than the stored produce that are imported. Imports have the disadvantage of long distance travelling until they reach our market. During transportation, the source of nutrients is highly likely to be reduced while repetitive exposure to oxygen may quicken the deterioration process as oxidation may change its composition. The Food Revolution (2014) argue that since the food system is dominated by a few producers, when there is no other option for healthy food, the industrial food production methods (un-healthy) are determining our well-being. WHO (2000) stretches out that by having at hand the availability and the acce ssibility of fresh produce, there will be less need to buy long shelf-life products, with lack of vitamins and minerals and abounding in high calories, preservatives, salt and sugars. Farming and fishing is part of the Maltese heritage, so promoting healthy and fresh produce contributes to the local market, a good economy and a healthy lifestyle. Expected outcome Through this information awareness workshop, I hope that the targeted audience will choose to eat healthier, to buy more fresh local produce and to start preparing their food for their working day cooked in their kitchen, rather than buying junk food from the vending machines or take away shops. Due to family commitments, responsibilities, and other social obligations, for the majority of people engaged in a full time job, the maintenance of their individual well-being is often seen as a difficult task to meet with all the day demands. The adoption ofhealthy behaviourswill reduce risks for life threatening diseases from developing, it will reduce their associated costs and moreover it will improve the quality of life (Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, 2013).This will hopefully help out in today’s fast paced world and also help to minimise the consumption of ready-made and fast foods which are contributing to ill-health, obesity and disease. This is costing the govern ment and employers millions in treatments and in sick pay and medical support. Moreover, it is hoped that following these guidelines will help to extend a good quality of life and reaching WHO-Europe’s aims and goals. Such targets are that by the year 2015, our society will adapt to healthy patterns of living by having good quality of air, access to water and a lifestyle based on healthy eating and physical activity.

The problems with Indian education system and recommendations

The problems with Indian education system and recommendations Introduction The Indian education system has come a long way since independence. Several prestigious institutes have been set up including primarily, the Indian Institutes of Technology which are ranked amongst the top 50 engineering institutes in the world. The recent education boom has is a testament to how education in India has become a business today. The full-fledged privatization of Indian educational institutions is by no means a bad thing. This model has worked quite well in the USA and UK. This model fails to be as successful in India however for the following prime reasons: In the USA non-college educated people can still maintain a decent standard of living. In India having a college education is imperative to ensure an above average standard of living. A pure 10th standard graduate in India earns on an average not more than Rs. 40,000 a year. An average BE graduate earns around Rs. 2.5 lakhs a year In India because of a tradition rooted in the class system blue-collar jobs are considered demeaning. To attain a white collar job, even if, for an entry level clerk position, a bachelors degree in arts or commerce is expected. The aforementioned points created a massive market for educational institutions over the last decade. The IT boom has led to a flood of engineers being churned out by the system every year. The value of degree today, ranks above the value of education On an average a BE graduate from an above average engineering college finds a job irrespective of the scores, academic performance and extra-curricular activities. This is driven by the sheer demand for engineers generated by Indias software boom. This demand has in turn created a large number of engineering colleges and institutes across India. It was only with the recent economic downturn that this demand saw a plunge and for the first time in the last 4 years: 22,000 seats in the MHT-EN-CET remained empty Students realized that a degree from a 2nd tier engineering institute held limited value when the time came to take up a job. The education business in India needs to be revamped. The unfettered and uncontrolled growth of educational institutes has led to a dip in the quality of education provided. The educational landscape India as a culture has conventionally focused on the wrong aspects of education. This trend may be partially attributed to the rote style of learning things propounded by the classic system of Gurukul from ancient India. This encouragement of rote style of learning begins from the primary school level. Primary and secondary school 73% of primary schools are government funded and 27% are privately owned schools As a general rule government schools: Have a poor teacher to student ratio >1:40 Less focus on extra-curricular activities Less focus on all-round development Private schools provide only marginally better services. But it is clear that to succeed in India getting high marks through intense rote-style studying has become unavoidable. Primary school and secondary school education in India suffers from the following clearly visible setbacks: Focus on rote learning for all subjects Logical and analytical thinking is not promoted Students are not encouraged to develop opinions Students are discouraged from participating in extra-curricular activities which can help in all round development Broken down subject-wise following deficiencies are commonly observed: Mathematics: More focus on learning up multiplication tables and rapid mental calculations as opposed to theory building Sciences: Less focus on practical experiments Languages: Very high focus on rote learning of poetry and literature as compared to language and vocabulary development Social sciences: Very high focus on rote learning of dates, names and events as compared to development of opinion and creation of social awareness A major consequence of this rote-style of education is that students forget their lessons by the time they go to college because the object of their studies had been examination oriented. At a time when an individual is expected to study integrated circuit technology he/she may have forgotten the three orders of a lever. Junior college In our system after the 10th standard board examinations the student has to attend 2 more years of college before moving into graduate education. Depending upon the location of the student he/she has three choices: State board ISC board CBSE board Students who intend to get into the engineering stream have the following choices: Get into the state board and try for local engineering colleges Get into ISC or CBSE board and try for AIEEE national institutes of technology or give JEE to get into the prestigious IITs Students who want to get into medicine have to work towards AICTE or give try out for the local medical colleges. The few students who intend to avoid both are at liberty to opt for any of the boards without much consideration. The prime educational set-backs faced here assuming the student intends to enter a science stream are as follows: The student may not be able to adapt to the shift of focus away from languages and social sciences Students tend to neglect college education in favor of studying for upcoming entrance examinations including AIEEE, JEE and CETs In essence this 2 year period proves to be a study leave of sorts. The students studies during these two years focuses on scraping through the entrance examination at the end of the tunnel as opposed to the studies at hand. Higher studies The Indian education system is known for its highly competitive nature. The top two most difficult academic entrance examinations in the World today are Indian. By acceptance rates: IIT Joint Entrance Examinations with a 0.3% acceptance rate IIM Common Admission Test with a 0.5% acceptance rate Earlier academic performance is rarely an indication of success in the JEE. Only 30% of 10th standard board toppers make it through JEE This is largely attributed to the inclusion of languages and social sciences in the board results. But more significantly JEE demands a higher level of application of physics, chemistry and mathematics than the students are exposed to. Students are engineered to answer board examination papers in school with repeated questions and theoretical redundancies. The JEE is an examination where questions are rarely repeated year on year and it is very difficult to engineer a student to clear this examination. Everyone wants to get into IITs but not everyone can. The JEE is one of the most difficult examinations to get through in the world ranked at number 3. IIT Joint Entrance examinations have an acceptance rate of less than 0.3% The result of this acutely low figure is that 99.07% of JEE applicants have to settle for inferior options. The unfortunate truth about Indian engineering colleges is that there are a lot of options but very few good options. The JEE is one of the toughest exams to clear and a major This is true for other fields as well. In comparison most American universities provide a higher quality of education as compared to an Indian institution. The fact that out of the top 100 institutes in world today 67 are American and 4 (the IITs) are Indian supports this contention. Barring financial constraints, it is 40 times easier to get into MIT or Stanford than it is to get into the IITs It is 30 times easier to get into Harvard and Oxford business schools than it is to get into an IIM in terms of acceptance rates. These eye-opening statistics clearly show the bleak situation of our higher education system. A general trend among ambitious students has been to leave the country if they dont get into the prestigious Indian institutes. Students with financially strong backgrounds have limited incentive to stay on and go for a third tier college when they can simply go for higher education to the USA in a more world renowned and reputed university. It is hardly a wonder then that In 2010 more than 88000 students from India travelled to the UK and USA for higher education. This is a strong factor in the huge amount of brain-drain that has been occurring through the last decade. The statistics show that even the recession has not slowed down the exodus of Indian students to universities abroad. Once the students get settled there and have paid in dollars it almost becomes an imperative that they earn in dollars as well to cover up their Recommendations for the Indian education system: At Primary and Secondary school level: A best-of system should be introduced to encourage where only a certain number of subjects would be considered for the students assessment. Other significant subjects must enforce a nominal passing percentage requirement. This system will help a student focus on his/her interests and not be held back or bogged down by his weaknesses. There should be a grading system where extra-curricular and co-curricular activities should be made compulsory where every student may choose an area of his/her liking. This will work towards the students all-round development. The student should be given credit for his/her extracurricular activities. A full-fledged review needs to be performed to revise the whole curriculum. Education focus needs to shift from rote-based learning to application based learning. These steps are necessary to ensure a strong base is created for higher education. At junior college(11th and 12th standard) level: The 2 years between 10th standard boards and graduate education are critical to every student as they help them develop a compass for the future. It is in these years that the students develop a sense of their career ambitions and goals. During this period the student should be given exposure to all possible fields to develop a potential career. Extensive counseling should be provided to ensure that the student develops a good idea of what is a feasible course for the future. To the farthest extent possible entrance examination studies should be incorporated into elective geared towards the syllabi of these examinations The above recommendations strike at the government policy level and are by no means easy to implement. Moreover while they have an almost utopian quality, these policies are bound to be bogged down by bureaucratic hurdles and administrative red tape. Most significantly implementing these policies would require the kind of political will that has not been seen at the centre or state governments since independence. These policies are bound to raise several objections amongst people doubting their soundness. They are however nothing but an extrapolation of the more successful education practices implemented in the USA and the UK placed into the Indian scenario. Following are recommendations at a graduate and post-graduate level of higher education. Higher education in India is not controlled by the government to the extent primary and secondary school education is. At the graduate and post-graduate level: The most glaring deficiency at the graduate and post-graduate level of education in India is the inflexibility of the system. The single-track attitude of Indian education has led to extreme focus on specialization and the aversion to shift streams and take electives unrelated to the stream. US universities have a highly flexible system at the graduate level allowing someone to start off as with a computer science major and shift into economics through the course of his bachelor degree. The credit system works greatly towards this. Following are a few facilities that a new age university may provide: Indian colleges usually lack the University format prevalent throughout the western world. Barring a few, most Universities do not have a common campus and several colleges function almost as autonomous entities. Setting up University towns is a solution that may work towards this end. Real-estate in large cities is hard to come by; setting up towns with self-sustaining infrastructure could work towards this end. Flexibility in electives can be implemented more easily in the University format. While flexibility is detrimental at the post-graduate level it is certainly a feasible option. Credit systems prevalent in the west can be used to achieve this end. 72 % of engineering graduates aspire to get placements in management consultancies and banks* This is attributed to a higher level of remuneration offered by these corporations. It would hence be profitable to the universities if they offered electives relevant to economic, management and finance along with engineering. The universities need to have a high quality of education and need to revamp their system. Most new age colleges blindly follow outdate practices to adhere to prescribed norms to be associated with a University. Mumbai University has seen a sharp decline in quality over the past decade. Colleges tend to adhere to non-value adding activities like maintaining lab-journals. In reality students rarely actually perform the experiment. A large amount of students time is spent conforming to degree requirements then actually learning something. 84% of Mumbai university engineering graduates are dissatisfied with their education* 75% of Mumbai university engineering graduates do not know how to use MS Excel* If the process were consisted irrespective of how inexorably marred with red-tape and formality it were, then it would be acceptable. But the evaluations in the centralized examinations in the first and fourth years are rampant with administrative incompetence. A Mumbai university teacher is given around Rs.30 paise per paper for evaluation This shocking statistic clearly shows that the teacher rarely has any strong incentive to evaluate the paper sincerely. It should hardly come as a surprise then that Around 30000 papers are sent for reevaluation every year despite the cumbersome procedure and a Rs. 500 fee The new-age university needs to avoid the mistakes made by Mumbai University. It has degenerated in terms of quality of education over the years. The university must maintain a high standard to ensure that it remains economically sustainable while catering to the needs of the students. Things move slowly at the government level but if the private sector were given a strong incentive (financial) then certainly world class universities can be set up. Students in India are willing to pay a large amount of money for education a good university abroad. An average student pays $50000 as the total expenditure for a post-graduation degree and $80000 for a graduation degree including sundry expenses abroad Amounting to more than Rs. 300000. It is clear that there is a large enough market of students from economically strong backgrounds that would be willing to pay a large sum of money necessary to maintain an international standard of quality of education. For a private university it will be difficult to build up a brand name instantly. The best way for the private sector to ensure a rapid brand building exercise could be: Associated with a corporate brand like the TATAs have done with their institutes. People are more likely to join institutes associated with respected corporations. Get international brand associations with other world class universities. Having an association with Harvard or MIT would certainly justify the high fees that these institutions are likely to charge Since sundry costs in India will be considerably lower than those of foreign institutions it is undeniable that student will end up spending considerably less than the expenditure incurred in education abroad. A university providing a world class education at premium costs but lesser than the costs of education abroad would cater to a large untapped niche audience. There is a large potential for such world class universities. Conclusion The recommendations made in this paper are by no means easy to implement. But as mentioned in the beginning education has become highly privatized and become a business. The recommendations provided in the paper requiring a change in governmental policies will be extremely difficult to implement. It will be an unpopular move for any government to stir up a system that has been designed to be politically correct as opposed to productive. But at the university level strong measures can be taken to encourage private investors into the idea of a network of world class universities to rival the IITs and the IIMs.

Technology in Education; Where it has been, Where it is now, and Where

â€Å"Technology in Education; Where it has been, Where it is now, and Where it is Going† â€Å"Before you become too entranced with gorgeous gadgets and mesmerizing video displays, let me remind you that information is not knowledge, knowledge is not wisdom, and wisdom is not foresight. Each grows out of the other. And we need them all† (Re-inventing 1995). These words spoken by the distinguished author, Arthur C. Clarke, bring to light where exactly the technological situation in education is and the direction it is going. The discussion and debate of introducing and improving classrooms with technology has been a relatively heated topic as of late. Many have even claimed that if schools are to survive it is imperative for us to stand back and carefully rethink our notions of intelligence, learning, instruction, and evaluate the situation in light of the new age of communication. In discussing the use of technology in education a distinction needs to be made between itself and ‘tech ed’. The common definition of technology education is that it is an action based program for all students to use resources to design, produce, use, and assess the impacts of products and services that extend human potential to improve and control the natural and human made development (Patterson 1999). While these skills and practices are integrated into using technology in education it does not fully explain or utilize what is needed to provide affective technology in the classroom. A mission of this program is to help students apply technology to effectively make decisions and contribute to a rapidly changing technological society. But more than that, the purpose is to give students the best possible education for their generation with the suppli... ...y. http://education.indiana.edu/keyfrick.html Jackson, Lorrie, (n.d). Teaching and learning about technology. (2005. May 9), Education World. http://educationworld.com/a_tech/tech/tech219.shtml Kaplan, Erez, (n.d.). Calculating Machines. (2005. May 7), http://www.webcom.com/calc/calculatingmachines Patterson, Jason, (n.d.). The history of computers during my lifetime. (2005. May 9), http://pattosoft.comau/jason/Articles/HistoryofComputers/index.html Re-inventing schools, the technology age is now. (2005. May 9), National Academy of Sciences. http://www.nap.edu/readingroom/books/techgap/index.html Schrum, Lynne, (n.d). Technology in the classroom: asking the right questions. (2005. May 8), http://www.enc.org/topics/edtech/context/document.shtm?input=FOC-000694-index Whelan, Debra Lau. (2005) Let the games begin: School Library Journal, 51, 40-44.

The Sea in Beowulf and in Other Anglo-Saxon Poems Essay -- Epic of Beow

The Sea in Beowulf and in Other Anglo-Saxon Poems      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Is the sea mentioned only in Beowulf or is it a common element in all Anglo-Saxon poetry? Is the sea described the same way as in Beowulf? In Beowulf there is one reference after another to the sea. When Scyld died, â€Å"his people caried him to the sea, which was his last request,† where he drifted out into the beyond on a â€Å"death ship.† In the Geat land Beowulf, a â€Å"crafty sailor,† and his men â€Å"shoved the well-braced ship out on the journey they’d dreamed of,† to rescue the Danes from Grendel. â€Å"From far over the sea’s expanse,† the Geats came, â€Å"brave men who come over the sea swells.† In his welcoming speech Hrothgar recalls that the hero’s father â€Å"sought us Danes over the rolling waves,† and his warrior Unferth remembers that the hero â€Å"struggled with Brecca [youthful companion] in the broad sea in a swimming contest †¦ risked his life in the deep water †¦ hugged the sea, gliding through the boiling waves †¦ toiled seven nights in the sea.† A Dane â€Å"was tending to every courtesy† for Beowulf, for â€Å"such in those days could a seafarer expect.† King Hrothgar and Queen Welhtheow gave rich gifts â€Å"to those on the mead-bench who made the sea-journey.† In the Finnburh Episode, Hengest had to spend the winter months with Finn because â€Å"he could not steer his ring-prowed ship on the cold sea.†Ã‚   â€Å"Guthlaf and Oslaf spoke of their grief after the sea-journey.† The Danes carried Hildeburh, the queen of Danish ancestry, â€Å"over the sea.† â€Å"The surging waters† received Beowulf as he swam in pursuit of Grendel’s mother. During the battle Hrothgar and his retinue stared down at the â€Å"turbulent water.† Finally Beowulf returned, â€Å"protector of sailors, strong swimmer, to land.† Hrothgar, i... ... beat across wastes of water: far warmer to me are the Lord’s kindnesses than this life of death lent us on land. . . .   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The Seafarer concludes with a rather lengthy prose exhortation to his heareres to fix their hopes on heaven.    The characters in the Old English poem Beowulf certainly delighted in the seas. From this essay it can be appreciated that their attitude toward the sea is both conflictingg with and comparable with that expressed in other Old English poems.    BIBLIOGRAPHY    Alexander, Michael, translator. The Earliest English Poems. New York: Penguin Books, 1991.    Chickering, Howell D.. Beowulf A dual-Language Edition. New York: Anchor Books, 1977.    TheSeafarer. In The Earliest English Poems, translated by Michael Alexander. New York: Penguin Books, 1991.   

Defining the Humanities

Defining the Humanities Defining the Humanities The purpose of this paper is to differentiate the humanities from other modes of human inquiry and expression. I will define the humanities of a cultural event of music and how music was an expression of what I know about the humanities, art, style, genius, and culture from the 60s. I will also discuss how the music of the 60s compares with other forms I know about from the same period.One of the definitions of humanities, according to the American Heritage Dictionary, is â€Å"Those branches of knowledge, such as philosophy, literature, and art, that are concerned with human thought and culture; the liberal arts. † Culture is a big part of humanities. Culture, as defined by the American Heritage Dictionary, is the totality of socially transmitted behavior patterns, arts, beliefs, institutions, and other products of human work and thought. These patterns, traits, and products considered as the expression of a particular period, c lass, community, or population (American heritage dictionary, 2000).Music is an artistic form of sound communication via musical instruments and voice that produce sounds and tones. Music is as old as mankind and cultures past and present have music. The â€Å"oldest known song† dates back 4,000 years ago and was written in ancient cuneiform. Cuneiform is a character or characters formed by the arrangement of small wedge-shaped elements and used in ancient Sumerian, Akkadian, Assyrian, Babylonian, and Persian writing (American heritage dictionary, 2000).The certainty of how or when the first musical instrument was invented, however, most historians point to early flutes made from animal bones that are at least 37,000 years old (Bellis, 2010). The music of the 60’s in America is the humanities or culture of the American people of that era. Many changes going on in the 60s including revolutionary changes, extraordinary levels of sexual freedom among youths, and revolting teenagers like no one has ever seen before. Music has consistently been influenced by the trends of its time; reflecting the politics, economics, and lifestyles that exist.The Baby Boomer generation lived during a time when war had a powerful impact on everyone's life. Drugs became, perhaps, one of the most influential variables apparent in the music of the 60s. In the early 1960s a band named the Byrd’s and guys like Dylan changed the way many people looked at music. These bands started an underground wave that flowed throughout the 60s, this became known as the â€Å"Psychedelic Era. † This era introduced drugs to be an important aspect involved in the creation of the music, and was used by the listeners to enhance their experience.Bands such as the Byrd’s and Grateful Dead started experimenting with such drugs as LSD, marijuana, and acid. They believed that drugs could help them create music that would blow the music of the fifties away, and it did (â€Å"T he music of the sixties–the psychedelic eraâ€Å", 1998). The music of the 60s came in many styles. Some of the genres of the era are: Soft rock, (also referred to as mellow rock, light rock, or easy rock) is a style of music that uses the techniques of rock and roll (often combined with elements from folk rock and singer-songwriter pop) to compose a softer, more toned-down sound for listening.Soft rock songs generally tend to focus on themes like love, everyday life, and relationships (â€Å"Soft rockâ€Å", 2010). Hard rock – modify rock and roll (blues, country, and gospel), adding to the standard genre harder sounds, heavier guitar riffs (A short rhythmic phrase), bombastic (long winded) drumming and louder vocals (â€Å"Hard rockâ€Å", 2010). Country rock – formed from the fusion of rock with country (â€Å"Country rockâ€Å", 2010). Folk rock – combining elements of folk music and rock music (â€Å"Folk rockâ€Å", 2010).Punk rock – They created fast, hard-edged music, typically with short songs, stripped-down instrumentation, and often political, anti-establishment lyrics (â€Å"Punk rockâ€Å", 2010). Shock rock – is a wide umbrella term for artists who combine rock music with elements of theatrical shock value in live performances (â€Å"Shock rockâ€Å", 2010). Rhythm and Blues (R;B), Soul, Funk Influenced by R;B (â€Å"Rhythm and bluesâ€Å", 2010). Many artists’ musical roots come from gospel. For example, Elvis Presley started out singing gospel when he was only a few years old later moving onto Rock and Roll (Nite, 1974, p. 95). The art in America of the 60s was influenced by the desire to move into the modern age or future that the space age seemed to forecast. As with the music of the 60s, drugs had an influence on some of the art of the 60s. This art came to be known as psychedelic art (ex. Brummbaer). Major works by Alexander Calder (mobiles and sculpture) or Helen Frankenthaler (non-representational art) showed a desire to escape from details to interpret. Artists wanted to inspire the viewer to leap into the unknown and experience art in their own way.A new artist who appeared was Andy Warhol, a leading name in pop art. Other forms evolving during this time were assemblage art, op art (or optical art) (ex. Vasarely), or kinetic abstraction (ex. Marcel Duchamp), environmental art (ex. Robert Smithson), and pop art, (ex. David Hockney) (Goodwin, 2009). In conclusion, humanities or cultures have been around since the beginning of mankind. Cultures can be estranged in their beliefs hence the creation of new cultures. Music, dance, theater, art, literature, or other cultures can change over time trough many influential channels.For example, the way the war and drugs influence the cultures of the 60s with the songs of war protests and psychedelic art. When changes come about the changes will usually have an effect on the, music, dance, theater, art, literature , or other cultures of the era. The one thing mankind can count on through the years, decades, centuries, and millennium is change.References American heritage dictionary. (4th ed. ). (2000). Chicago, IL: Houghton Mifflin Company. Bellis, M. (2010). Inventing musical instruments. Retrieved from http://inventors. bout. com/od/mstartinventions/tp/musicalinstrument. htm Country rock. (2010). In Country rock. Retrieved May 5, 2010, from http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Country_rock Folk rock. (2010). In Folk rock. Retrieved May 5, 2010, from http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Folk_rock Goodwin, S. (2009). American cultural history 1960 – 1969. Retrieved from http://kclibrary. lonestar. edu/decade60. html Hard rock. (2010). In Hard rock. Retrieved May 5, 2010, from http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Hard_rock Nite, N. N. (1974). Rock on. New York, NY: Thomas Y. Crowell. Punk rock. (2010). In Punk rock. Retrieved May 5, 2010, from Rhythm and blues. (2010). In Rhythm and blues. Retrieved May 5, 2010, from http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Rhythm_and_blues Shock rock. (2010). In Shock rock. Retrieved May 5, 2010, from http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Shock_rock Soft rock. (2010). In Soft rock. Retrieved May 5, 2010, from http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Soft_rock The music of the sixties–the psychedelic era. (1998). Retrieved from http://library. thinkquest. org/21342/text/1960. htm

Song of Roland

The textbook displays Charlemagne as an astounding and great military leader but examines a few of his flaws as well. The Song of Roland creates the image of Charlemagne that is an extraordinary, legendary leader. They both tell about what great things he accomplished in his life, the many wars he won and how his bravery carried him through everything. The Song of Roland praised him in such a legendary way to create the impression of a heroic leader.By doing this it establishes a strong positive view of the Frankish Empire. In the ninth chapter of the Making of the West, the authors describe the Carolingian king, Charlemagne and the various views of his life that historians have. While admiring his greatness the authors analyze a few negatives about Charlemagne. For example, he liked the Pope but hated that the Pope crowned him emperor. He liked being king and calling himself king but at first didn’t want the title of Emperor.Another criticism to Charlemagne’s great wor k as a military leader is that he did all of his work winning wars and conquering lands that he destroyed the states surrounding his original empire and gaining control of them but by doing that, he lost his buffer. So soon after all the wars were finally over for Charlemagne, hew invasions started occurring on the borders of his new kingdoms. One more concern historians claim he did was what he had done when he arrived at the Saragossa Town after the winning the war with the Saxons.Apparently when he got to the city, the citizens were resisting conversion to Christianity and he wasn’t happy about it. He forced mass conversion of the Muslim citizens with the threat of his sword. This act goes against the whole idea of Christianity to be accepting of other faiths and tolerant of them. These examples only demonstrate a few criticisms to Charlemagne’s leadership but still explain that he was a great emperor overall. The Song of Roland describes Charlemagne as an amazing m ilitary leader.He had Counts and Bishops in charge of leading wars to gain lands for the Franks in every direction and he was successful in doing so. He was a very emotional man, he wept over the deaths of fellow comrades and warriors, friends and relatives. Charlemagne was also a spiritual man in that he prayed everyday and asked for God to protect the bodies of the fallen soldiers and keep them safe. The angel St. Gabriel came down to him many times to give Charlemagne advice or to encourage him to continue his missions and to fight.He fought with courage and bravery, he was afraid of nothing. After his victory against Emir, he still felt the need to serve God and all his kingdom respected him for that and obeyed his power. Charlemagne is described as a courageous, spiritual, loyal and extraordinary emperor and leader full of pride for his kingdom. All of the words Charlemagne can be indentified with help bring about the view of the Frankish Empire. Because of the things Charlemag ne did and more importantly they way he went about them, the Frankish kingdoms were viewed as prestigious and in control.They gave off the impression of high power and other kingdoms were going to have a challenge if they wanted to fight the Franks. The Making of the West textbook and the book The Song of Roland discuss how great Charlemagne was and how what he did made a difference in the view of the Frankish Empire. Although he had some flaws or contradictory actions, he was still an astounding emperor. He expanded his kingdoms and defeated many enemies. He had become a heroic military leader for the Franks and the Frankish Empire.

Benefits Of Reading Books Essay

I’ve found that no matter what I read, the act of reading every day has helped me in nearly every aspect of my life. Here are a few of my favorite ways that reading has improved my quality of life, and will definitely improve yours. 1. Mental Stimulation Studies have shown that staying mentally stimulated can slow the progressof (or possibly even prevent) Alzheimer’s and Dementia, since keeping your brain active and engaged prevents it from losing power. Just like any other muscle in the body, the brain requires exercise to keep it strong and healthy, so the phrase â€Å"use it or lose it† is particularly apt when it comes to your mind. Doing puzzles and playing games such as chess have also been found to be helpful with cognitive stimulation. 2. Stress Reduction No matter how much stress you have at work, in your personal relationships, or countless other issues faced in daily life, it all just slips away when you lose yourself in a great story. A well-written novel can transport you to other realms, while an engaging article will distract you and keep you in the present moment, letting tensions drain away and allowing you to relax. 3. Knowledge Everything you read fills your head with new bits of information, and you never know when it might come in handy. The more knowledge you have, the better-equipped you are to tackle any challenge you’ll ever face. Additionally, here’s a bit of food for thought: should you ever find yourself in dire circumstances, remember that although you might lose everything else—your job, your possessions, your money, even your health—knowledge can never be taken from you. 4. Vocabulary Expansion This goes with the above topic: the more you read, the more words you gain exposure to, and they’ll inevitably make their way into your everyday vocabulary. Being articulate and well-spoken is of great help in any profession, and knowing that you can speak to higher-ups with self-confidence can be an enormous boost to your self-esteem. It could even  aid in your career, as those who are well-read, well-spoken, and knowledgeable on a variety of topics tend to get promotions more quickly (and more often) than those with smaller vocabularies and lack of awareness of literature, scientific breakthroughs, and global events. Reading books is also vital for learning new languages, as non-native speakers gain exposure to words used in context, which will ameliorate their own speaking and writing fluency. 5. Memory Improvement When you read a book, you have to remember an assortment of characters, their backgrounds, ambitions, history, and nuances, as well as the various arcs and sub-plots that weave their way through every story. That’s a fair bit to remember, but brains are marvellous things and can remember these things with relative ease. Amazingly enough, every new memory you create forges new synapses (brain pathways)and strengthens existing ones, which assists in short-term memory recall as well as stabilizing moods. How cool is that? 6. Stronger Analytical Thinking Skills Have you ever read an amazing mystery novel, and solved the mystery yourself before finishing the book? If so, you were able to put critical and analytical thinking to work by taking note of all the details provided and sorting them out to determine â€Å"whodunnit†. That same ability to analyze details also comes in handy when it comes to critiquing the plot; determining whether it was a well-written piece, if the characters were properly developed, if the storyline ran smoothly, etc. Should you ever have an opportunity to discuss the book with others, you’ll be able to state your opinions clearly, as you’ve taken the time to really consider all the aspects involved. 7. Improved Focus and Concentration In our internet-crazed world, attention is drawn in a million different directions at once as we multi-task through every day. In a single 5-minute span, the average person will divide their time between working on a task, checking email, chatting with a couple of people (via gchat, skype, etc.), keeping an eye on twitter, monitoring their smartphone, and interacting with co-workers. This type of ADD-like behaviour causes stress levels to rise, andlowers our productivity. When you read a book, all of your attention is  focused on the story—the rest of the world just falls away, and you can immerse yourself in every fine detail you’re absorbing. Try reading for 15-20 minutes before work (i.e. on your morning commute, if you take public transit), and you’ll be surprised at how much more focused you are once you get to the office. 8. Better Writing Skills This goes hand-in-hand with the expansion of your vocabulary: exposure to published, well-written work has a noted effect on one’s own writing, as observing the cadence, fluidity, and writing styles of other authors will invariably influence your own work. In the same way that musicians influence one another, and painters use techniques established by previous masters, so do writers learn how to craft prose by reading the works of others. 9. Tranquility In addition to the relaxation that accompanies reading a good book, it’s possible that the subject you read about can bring about immense inner peace and tranquility. Reading spiritual texts can lower blood pressure and bring about an immense sense of calm, while reading self-help books has been shown to help people suffering from certain mood disorders and mild mental illnesses. 10. Free Entertainment Though many of us like to buy books so we can annotate them and dog-ear pages for future reference, they can be quite pricey. For low-budget entertainment, you can visit your local library and bask in the glory of the countless tomes available there for free. Libraries have books on every subject imaginable, and since they rotate their stock and constantly get new books, you’ll never run out of reading materials.