The Global Financial Crisis And Protectionism - 1454 Words

Title: The Global Financial Crisis and Protectionism Question: During 2008~2009 many developed nations gave subsidies to their automobile producers. How might this have distorted international trade? Was this a reasonable thing to do given the circumstances? Introduction There was an empirical research study on the effect of protectionism on the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in the United States (US). According to National Bureau Of Economic Research, â€Å"a generalized 10 percent hike against emerging Asia improves the US current account balance as a share of GDP by a mere 0.1 percentage point. The effect disappears after about two years, and in the absence of further adjustment in net saving, it may even revert sign.† So it implies that the protectionism has many negative aspects on one’s economy contrary to the nation’s belief. I could find reasons why protectionism affects international trade in negative ways from several research papers. In this paper, I tried to verify those reasons by using certain economical models. 1. Protection measures benefit domestic producers and affiliated other parties, but society pays the price. Assumption 1) Domestic and foreign automobile products are a perfect substitution. 2) Government offers the domestic producers subsidies by â€Å"s† per every produce. In order to protect less competitive domestic automobile producers, the government offers subsidies to them. It makes the domestic automobile producers feel that cost is reduced andShow MoreRelatedThe Global Financial Crisis and Protectionism675 Words   |  3 Pages------------------------------------------------- The Global Financial Crisis and Protectionism QUESTION 1: Why do you think calls for protectionism are greater during sharp economic contractions than during boom periods? * Protection of their own economic industries and to curb job losses * Interdependent economy to lessen the impact of economic loss on food, fuel and property prices * To protect job losses at national producers and possible bankruptcy * Developing countries wereRead MoreEssay The Global Financial Crisis and Protectionism617 Words   |  3 PagesQuestion 1 Why do you think calls for protectionism are greater during sharp economic contractions than boom periods? Answer: Calls from business for protection could be based on the fact that in times of sharp economic contractions there is generally a reduced demand for goods and services within the local market. This results in foreign companies and their goods and services competing with domestic companies and their goods and services in a local market characterized by a reduction in demandRead MoreThe Effect of Recent Financial Crisis and Regulatory Implications in Asia1532 Words   |  7 Pageseducation. Now on the larger scale is the impact on the institutional level of the global financial crisis. The financial crisis began in United States in 2007 and spread to other countries. The crisis was triggered by a liquidity shortfall in United States banking system and resulted to the collapse of financial institutions. Asia is one major continent in which the recent financial crisis had spread. The impact of the crisis had far reaching effects on the economy of Asia than many people had anticipatedRead MoreThe 2012 Global Financial Crisis2365 Words   |  10 PagesIntroduction The 2008 Global Financial Crisis (GFC) was the worst crisis in history, and has wide range and deep effects on the world financial system and relations (Peihani 2012). The vulnerability of the world financial system was exposed from the 2008 GFC (Mohamed 2011). Hence, countries are trying to find a solution for the heavily market-relied global financial system, and protectionism has drawn the attention from a great portion of countries and researchers (Viju and Kerr 2011). Mohanmed (2011)Read MoreMemo to Chiquita Brands International Essay1748 Words   |  7 Pagesnature threatening the existence of a big player in the banana market, I have tried to go back to history of the company of highly political nature of the international policy making in this trade. I have tried to understand the role of protectionism in the global banana market as it has created a lot of problems for players like Chiquita Brands International. After a careful evaluation of the whole issue threatening the e xistence of our company, I have tried to find the way out. Politics and ChiquitaRead MoreThe Financial Balancing Act1315 Words   |  5 PagesThe Financial Balancing Act Name Institutional Affiliation: The Financial Balancing Act Do you agree with this view? I do not agree with the view provided in the article. Governments and policy makers must enhance the emerging economic growth prospects in order to adjust financial markets and globalization. The current era of globalization has been characterized with financial imbalances and governments must learn to navigate a financial landscape that is fragile. Without the governmentRead MoreSummarization of Article; ‘Finding Your Strategy in the New Landscape’ by Pankaj Ghemawat930 Words   |  4 Pageschanging of business environment in developed countries. The authors predicts that in the next decades the business environment will be characterized by a slow global growth, high unemployment, volatility in the financial markets, costlier capital, a greatly expanded role of government, an increase of taxation or even increased of protectionism. The author however has revealed a huge potential in the emerging market in India and China. Therefore, this article has tried to explain on how the changingRead MoreGlobalization: The Route to Global Destruction Essay675 Words   |  3 Pages Globalization is a confusing concept. For some it conjures up images of electronic communications: an email, global media, and popularization of mobile phones. For others it is about trade: the ability to buy coca-cola in rural villages in Africa. For yet others it is about misappropriation and greed: the suicide of Indian peasant farmers ruined by agri-business and genetically modified seeds. From now on, I will present the negative effects of globalization. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;?gGlobalizationRead MoreWhat Is The Rising Tide Of Nationalism In Trade1237 Words   |  5 PagesThis implementation of nationalist trade protectionism has in solitude served to corrode the openness, trade, and global growth which vitally fuel the national interests which these ideologies seek to defend. While protectionist trading measures have offered an efficient means of opening autonomous and advantageous trade for nations, these measures in isolation regularly fall short of promoting genuine free trade at a global level; instead eroding the global trading system in a web of inconsistentRead MoreElements of The Global Economy Essay2119 Words   |  9 Pagesmore valuable, and therefore restrain people from demanding gold. Instead of increasing interest rates, the Federal Reserve should have lowered rates in order to stimulate the economy. During the mid 1800’s, numerous countries began to adopt the Global Standard in order to establish transactions in a booming world trade market. The Gold Standard was helpful in guaranteeing that any amount of paper money would be able to be redeemed by the currency’s government for the value in gold. This standard

Ike Ethics And Society - 1324 Words

IKEA GB590: Ethics in Business and Society Unit 2 Assignment Nicola Jones Baker Prof: Jackie Deem January 16, 2016 Introduction In 1995 one of IKEA suppliers in India was named for using children for labor in a rug factory. This was alarming to the IKEA Corporation. This news could have been damaging to the entire company if the right preventive measures were not taken. IKEA had to decide on their viewpoint on child labor and then had to make sure that what they did then and in the future was adequate to society standards. They will be watching to make sure that IKEA is true to its word. Stakeholders Stakeholders are people who directly or indirectly affect a company’s ability to operate. In this case, employees, suppliers, customers, NGOs are stakeholders in the success of IKEA‘s operations. Without the stakeholders IKEA will not be able to function. Their part in the process is critical to the foundation and logic of the operation of IKEA’s global needs. The operation of a business take all the stakeholders working together to make it a success. Their actions could have a huge influence on the different segments of the IKEA. Everything that the stakeholders do will affect the operation. IKEA’s stakeholders’ actions in the public view could affect the way people value IKEA to society. The reports on television could cause the company many issues. If child labor was used by one of IKEA suppliers then society with believe that IKEA as aShow MoreRelatedHonda Company Business Plan1689 Words   |  7 PagesHONDA THE POWER OF DREAMS Sameen Kukar Bus115.05 11/29/2011 professor- Steven Saltzman Table of Contents Customers and Competitors Human Resources Globalization Code of Ethics Sustainability Information and Technology Operations Planning Leadership and Motivation Organization Finance Executive Summary. Sochrio Honda was the founder of the Honda Company. He spent Six years as an apprenticeRead More The Ethics in Securing the Internet Essay4456 Words   |  18 PagesThe Ethics in Securing the Internet Introduction In order to understand the concept of internet security and why it is necessary it would be worthy of analysis to discuss what would happen if not enough of it is provided, meaning that the levels of security are not utilized to the full extents. This is exactly where the big issue of hacking and hackers becomes involved. Hackers can benefit from a wide range of weaknesses in security, break into systems, find the information they need,Read MoreWater Happens To Be The Most Fundamental Element On Earth.1848 Words   |  8 Pagesrapidly coming to an end†¦we’re in for a rude shock.† (110) To back this fact, Fishman listed out the fateful stories of several cities and areas that failed to acknowledge this danger that we all face– the water crisis. Like, how the Hurricane Ike destroyed the supply of clean water sources in houses in Galveston, Texas and it was only after that, people there along with Fishman himself realized the true value of water. That it wasn’t all abundant. â€Å"You couldn’t trust the water you were showeringRead MoreExam Malpractice3683 Words   |  15 Pagesfor onward transfer via sms to other students anywhere in the country. Student’s personal digital assistants or cell phones can beam or cell data silently from across a classroom or with a cell phone from anywhere off the school environment. The society does not have control over its communication system. 2.4 Other forms Other forms of exam malpractice also known as Non-sophisticated forms include: sorting: This is a system whereby students negotiate with willing lecturers for undeserved scoresRead MoreBiography Of John Watson s Little Albert 2065 Words   |  9 Pagesnamed Watson after a Baptist minister with the ambition that her son would one day aspire to pursue a ministerial vocation (â€Å"John Watson (1878-1958)†, 2013). His mother’s strict views on faith led her to openly reject controversial vices of free society, such as drinking or smoking. Unlike his mother who held strict religious beliefs, his father’s contradictory lifestyle of drinking and extramarital affairs led him to leave their family in 1891 (Watson, 1999). 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Sedgwick states that â€Å"in any male-dominated society, there is a special relationship between male homosocial (including homosexual)Read More William Faulkners Use of Shakespeare Essay5388 Words   |  22 Pagescase of Christmas, Hightower tries to save the man’s life by fabricating an alibi for Christmas. â€Å"Men!† he screams at the mob, â€Å"Listen to me. He was here that night. He was with me the night of the murder† (439). While Hightower’s situational ethics ultimately fail to save Joe Christmas from the hands of the racist mob, his intervention on Christmas’ behalf marks a major point on Hightower’s progression toward self-awareness, social engagement, and personal responsibility. What is interestingRead MoreThe Nature of Nature15064 Words   |  61 Pageslibera. :ions. True Freedom by Nature does not mean doing what you want to do -.henever you wish to do it; real freedom means having the opportunity and t 5~pport to do what is right to the best of your knowledge and ability as ; . ~:ctated by your society and the receipt of equal justice for all under I : :he law. Freedom of speach by Nature does not mean that one person should I:e allowed to slander and vilify another person because he or she wants to ! :r for a dramatic news story. True Freedom by

Oil Use in Latvia Free Essays

Executive sum-up Oil as a natural resource is widely used across the universe in fabricating other of import merchandises. United oil in Latvia is one of the taking companies in the industry of oils and other petroleum merchandises, which is located in Baltic part. The company was set up in 1994, and for about 20 old ages, this company is celebrated and good known when it comes to the production of oils, petrochemicals, lubricators and dozenss of oils. We will write a custom essay sample on Oil Use in Latvia or any similar topic only for you Order Now The usage of oil has increased in Latvia, and this is the ground for high production. However, it is of import that the company realizes the jobs created by the industry of oil and the impacts that oil has to the environment. Example, development of oil has both economic and societal jobs to the society. In add-on, it is besides of import to understand the positive consequence that oil has on the society in footings of trade and economic development. The most of import portion is the company to understand the positive and the negative consequence that industry of oil goes through before the concluding merchandise. Oil production is connected with emanation of pollutants and other volatile organic compounds like methylbenzene, xylols and benzine into the ambiance. The most unsafe portion is that exposure to these compounds has important consequence to the wellness of people such as ; annoyance of the eyes, respiratory system and tegument. Overview of the subject It is of import that Latvia understands oil is a natural resources, which is at hazard of development. The usage of oil production of oil in Latvia has been on addition due to its major applications in the part. However, the usage of oil has been influenced by engineering such as transit, domestic usage, and other contraptions in the state. As a consequence of increasing utilizations of oil and the increasing demand, oil has become one of the trading resources in Latvia. This is because there is an available market for this merchandise. The usage of oil in Latvia has been increasing for the past 10 old ages. However, the usage of oil was high in 2012 and 2013. The following tabular array shows how oil was used in different sectors Latvia. 2012 2013 2013 as % of2012 Transformation sector* 49 540 43 294 92.3 Industry 34 899 33 542 98.0 Conveyance 50 937 51 011 97.2 Agribusiness, forestry 6 096 5 771 97.3 However, the ingestion of oil sometimes remained stable, until the industries like agribusiness, fishing, conveyance were expanded. Initially, the size of these industries merely used a little sum of oil. The domestic usage of oil has been worsening over the old ages, while the usage of oil in other sectors has been bettering. In 2011, the production of oil reduced significantly in the company. As a consequence, about the whole sum of oil used that twelvemonth was imported due to deficits. Oil has besides shaped Latvia concern in many ways that resulted to the enlargement of the market. In 2013, Latvia joined Eurozone, which will assist in economic growing. The production of oil in Latvia has besides resulted to enlargement of concern in Latvia. The fact that Latvia trades with other states, this has expanded concern dealingss with other states like Russia. It is of import to observe that Latvia depends about 100 % on imported oil, which is imported from Russia. Russia has been the chief manufacturer of oil for many old ages, and imports a big per centum of oil across the universe. In Russia, oil is found in most parts like Western Siberian. However, the worst portion is that these parts have been exploited from 1970s. As a consequence, the production of oil has reduced to 1/3 of the original oil produced. The development of resources has influenced the economic system both socially and economically. This includes deficiency of occupations and decrease of the GDP that affects the growing of the economic system. On the other side, the development of oil agencies that the production reduces significantly. Therefore, the monetary values of oil became significantly high in Latvia, which increased the cost of production in companies and the cost of merchandises. Additionally, high monetary values are besides a major cause of high criterions of life. Further, the development of resources has besides caused environmental effects like pollution. Key Wordss There are several words that will be used to depict the findings in this undertaking. These words include ; Pollution- This is a term that will be used to depict the effects of oil to the environment GDP- this will depict the consequence that oil has on Gross Domestic Product Cost of living- This will specify the effects that oil has on life conditions in Latvia Production cost- This term will depict how oil has influenced the cost of bring forthing other merchandises. Exploitation-This will specify the badness of oil usage, which will specify how the beginning of oil has been utilized. Findingss The industry of oil has existed in Latvia for many old ages. The job is many states produce oil without recognizing the consequence that oil has to the environment. In add-on, other companies are non cognizant about the importance of prolonging natural resources to avoid development. In most instances, there has been development of resources where resources are over utilised in many states. The ground for development is that these states concentrate on doing money without believing that they should prolong the environment. Oil is one of the natural resources, which is widely used across the universe compared to other resources. For case, Oil United Company in Latvia is the taking company in the production of oil merchandises. However, the chief job is although this company uses oil, it must be cognizant about the importance of prolonging oil as a natural resource. In add-on, the company must besides be cognizant about the environmental effects caused oil industry. This undertaking was to find the usage and production of oil in Latvia. This undertaking was besides aimed at finding the effects of oil to the environment. However, the most of import portion was to find whether the oil is exploited or sustained. Therefore, this undertaking was to educate the companies fabricating oil the importance of prolonging natural resources. This is to fix them for the demand to implement other options because natural resources are running out of clip. The overexploitation of oil agencies that shortly, these companies will miss natural stuffs and this will hold an impact on the production of the company and general activities. From this undertaking, there are several findings that will be of import to United Oils company in Latvia. From this undertaking, the undermentioned consequences were recorded ; Oil is a natural resource that can be exploited easy The usage of oil in Latvia is high both in industries and for domestic used Oil production contributes to environmental pollution through the emanation of harmful substances into the environment Latvia relies largely on oil from Russia and the development of natural resources in Russia, oil ingestion in Latvia has reduced. The transit of rough oil from Russia to Latvia besides contributes to environmental pollution. It is of import to do certain there is sustainability of natural resources like oil to cut down instances of development. This is due to increasing used of oil in Latvia that has increased the oil imported. It was besides concluded that companies bring forthing oil merchandises pay small attending on the effects of oil, but they merely concentrate on the net income that the company incurs. Thus, United Oils in Latvia pays no attending on the consequence their merchandise has to the environment or development of the resources. It was besides recorded the engineering has played a function in increasing the usage of oil across Latvia. However, the major industries like touristry, fishing, agribusiness, conveyance, and forestry have besides contributed mostly to the usage of oil in Latvia. Reflection/Analysis Exploitation of oil is a serious job that calls for pressing action. This is because shortly plenty, oil and its merchandises is traveling to be scarce. This will impact assorted sectors in the economic system like touristry, agribusiness, forestry, and touristry. Therefore, there are high opportunities that the economic system will significantly be effected in footings of growing. Thus, Latvia as a company must take necessary safeguard to command the usage of oil merchandises. The ingestion of oil in Latvia has been on an addition for over 10 old ages. This means that the rate of pollution caused by these merchandises is besides high in Latvia. This calls for an action to guarantee that the effects caused by air are minimized. United Oils Latvia should present new technological ways to do certain that instances of pollution are reduced. Given the fact that oil has been exploited, this means in the following few old ages this merchandise will non be extracted. Therefore, Latvia must implement other products/ways that could be possible in fabricating oil merchandises. There should be other merchandises that should be encouraged to replace oil, this will assist in cut downing ingestion of oil. Latvia can besides implement particular policies to extenuate the sector of energy. These policies will command the rates of pollution and besides ingestion of oil in the state. Mentions Anon. , 2009.Consumption of energy resources in Latvia.[ Online ] Available at: hypertext transfer protocol: //www.csb.gov.lv/en/notikumi/consumption-energy-resources-latvia-2011-33346.html [ Accessed 31 March 2014 ] . Anon. , 2013.Latvia.[ Online ] Available at: hypertext transfer protocol: //www.eia.gov/countries/country-data.cfm? fips=lg [ Accessed 31 March 2014 ] . Anon. , 2014.Latvia Oil Consumption.[ Online ] Available at: hypertext transfer protocol: //www.indexmundi.com/energy.aspx? country=lv A ; product=oil A ; graph=consumption [ Accessed 31 March 2014 ] . How to cite Oil Use in Latvia, Essay examples

Going Concern Concept free essay sample

According to this concept, it is assumed that the business will continue for a fairly long time to come. There is neither the intention nor the necessity for the purpose of liquidating the particular business venture in the foreseeable future. This is because if the results of the business operation were to be accounted for on the basis of the expected liquidation it would be almost impossible for suppliers to supply goods and services and other business firms to enter into any economic transactions with the business entity. On account of this concept, the management accountant while valuing the assets does not take into account the forced sale value of the assets. Moreover, he charges depreciation on fixed assets on the basis of their expected life rather than their market values. In exceptional situations, where the accountant has fairly good means to believe that either the whole or part of the business is going to be liquidated, it will be appropriate for the firm to report the resources/assets at their liquidation value. We will write a custom essay sample on Going Concern Concept or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Circumstances under which an enterprise may not be going concern: It will be useful at this juncture to study the circumstances which give indications about the fact that the enterprise is not a going concern or it may cease to be a going concern very soon. In many situations, several circumstances may be present at the same time. The circumstances involving liquidity problems: An enterprise is said to be suffering from liquidity problems in a case where it is unable to generate sufficient cash from operations in order to satisfy its current obligations including long term debt maturities and possibly dividends. Such a company may not have problems as a going concern in the short period since it may acquire the required funds by raisingthe debts, advances from the holding company, further issue of shares etc. However, such a situation is found not to continue indefinitely. Following are the circumstances under which a going concern can be taken as suffering from the problems of liquidity. Relationship with suppliers: In case a going concern is not in a position to take advantage of the cash discounts, the firm has to pay interests for late payments and its shipments are stopped because of failure to meet terms of payment or suppliers are prepared to supply the goods only on prepayment terms. In such a case it can be concluded that the concern is having some liquidity problems. Turnover ratio: In case the turnover ratios in respect of receivables and inventories are more found to unfavourable than those prevailing in the industry, the enterprise is found to be suffering from problems of liquidity. Using of short term funds for meeting long term requirements: In case the concern is required to use current assets for the purpose of financing long term requirements (e. g. plant expansion or product development) without the capacity of ability to refinance such requirements on a long term basis, the concern is bound to suffer from liquidity problems. Pledging of additional assets for the purpose of securing existing debt: This shows that the existing creditors are losing faith in the company on account of its vulnerable financial position. Default on loan agreements: This shows that the firm is having difficulty in repayment of the loans.

Black Holes Essays (3493 words) - Black Holes, Star Types

Black Holes Black holes are objects so dense that not even light can escape their gravity, and since nothing can travel faster than light, nothing can escape from inside a black hole . Loosely speaking, a black hole is a region of space that has so much mass concentrated in it that there is no way for a nearby object to escape its gravitational pull. Since our best theory of gravity at the moment is Einstein's general theory of relativity, we have to delve into some results of this theory to understand black holes in detail, by thinking about gravity under fairly simple circumstances. Suppose that you are standing on the surface of a planet. You throw a rock straight up into the air. Assuming you don't throw it too hard, it will rise for a while, but eventually the acceleration due to the planet's gravity will make it start to fall down again. If you threw the rock hard enough, though, you could make it escape the planet's gravity entirely. It would keep on rising forever. The speed with which you need to throw the rock in order that it just barely escapes the planet's gravity is called the "escape velocity." As you would expect, the escape velocity depends on the mass of the planet: if the planet is extremely massive, then its gravity is very strong, and the escape velocity is high. A lighter planet would have a smaller escape velocity. The escape velocity also depends on how far you are from the planet's center: the closer you are, the higher the escape velocity. The Earth's escape velocity is 11.2 kilometers per second (about 25,000 M.P.H.), while the Moon's is only 2.4 kilometers per second (about 5300 M.P.H.).We cannot see it, but radiation is emitted by any matter that gets swallowed by black hole in the form of X-rays. Matter usually orbits a black hole before being swallowed. The matter spins very fast and with other matter forms an accretion disk of rapidly spinning matter. This accretion disk heats up through friction to such high temperatures that it emits X-rays. And also there is some X-ray sources which have all the properties described above. Unfortunately it is impossible to distinguish between a black hole and a neutron star unless we can prove that the mass of the unseen component is too great for a neutron star. Strong evidence was found by Royal Greenwich Observatory astronomers that one of these sources called Cyg X-1 (which means the first X-ray source discovered in the constellation of Cygnus) does indeed contain a black hole. It is possible there for a star to be swallowed by the black hole. The pull of gravity on such a star will be so strong as to break it up into its component atoms, and throw them out at high speed in all directions. Astronomers have found a half-dozen or so binary star systems (two stars orbiting each other) where one of the stars is invisible, yet must be there since it pulls with enough gravitational force on the other visible star to make that star orbit around their common center of gravity and the mass of the invisible star is considerably greater than 3 to 5 solar masses. Therefore these invisible stars are thought to be good candidate black holes. There is also evidence that super-massive black holes (about 1 billion solar masses) exist at the centers of many galaxies and quasars. In this latter case other explanations of the output of energy by quasars are not as good as the explanation using a super-massive black hole. A black hole is formed when a star of more than 5 solar masses runs out of energy fuel, and the outer layers of gas is thrown out in a supernova explosion. The core of the star collapses to a super dense neutron star or a Black Hole where even the atomic nuclei are squeezed together. The energy density goes to infinity. For a Black Hole, the radius becomes smaller than the Schwarzschild radius, which defines the horizon of the Black Hole: The death explosion of a massive star, resulting in a sharp increase in brightness followed by a gradual fading. At peak light output, supernova explosions can outshine a galaxy. The outer layers of the exploding star are blasted out in a radioactive cloud. This expanding cloud, visible long after the initial explosion fades from view, forms a supernova remnant. So, a black hole is an object, which is so compact that the

Human Computer Interaction Essays

Human Computer Interaction Essays Human Computer Interaction Essay Human Computer Interaction Essay The study of how people interact with computers and to what extent computers are or are not developed for successful interaction with human beings. What is HCI? â€Å"Human-computer interaction is a discipline concerned with the design, evaluation and implementation of interactive computing systems for human use and with the study of major phenomena surrounding them† (ACM SIGCHI definition of HCI). Creating usable systems (1) HCI investigates interaction between Human (1 user, a group, sequence of users) Computer (any computer big or small, process control, embedded, etc) used to perform various tasks in particular environments. Creating usable systems (2) The human factors †¦ different users different conceptions or mental models about their interactions different ways of learning, keeping knowledge and skills cultural and national differences user preferences change as they gradually master new interfaces Creating usable systems (3) The com puter factor †¦ different devices Smart phones, Touch Screen Kiosks, †¦ different capabilities and limitations Computing power, Input/output devices, †¦ different operating systems user interface technology is changing rapidly it offers new interaction possibilities to which previous research findings may not apply Visual, Tactile, Gesture based, †¦Also read about  Knowledge of PC boot processCreating usable systems (4) What about the interaction? Communication between user and computer Direct interaction Dialogue with feedback Control throughout performance of the task Indirect interaction Batch processing Intelligent sensors controlling the environment Creating usable systems (5) It aims to achieve 1. Usability (Useful, Usable, Used) 2. Safe 3. Effective 4. Efficient 5. Enjoyable system Creating usable systems (6) User compatibility Product compatibility `Task compatibility Work flow compatibility Consistency Familiarity Simplicity Control Creating usa ble systems (7)HCI focuses on user needs by assessing interface design amp; implementation according to usability criteria. ? Makes use of new, novel techniques amp; technologies. It applies usability design principles to achieve more productive amp; usable systems and more satisfied users. Creating usable systems (8) EC Directive 90/270/EEC Requires employers to ensure the following when designing, selecting, commissioning or modifying software: suitable for the task easy to use where appropriate, adaptable to user’s knowledge amp; experiences Creating usable systems (9) provides feedback on performance displays information in a format amp; at a pace that is adapted to the user It must conform to the principles of software ergonomics (Ergonomics is the science that deals with the interaction between people/work/environment/psychology.It considers the functions of the human body in the design of tools, equipment, etc. ) Designers amp; employers can no longer afford to ign ore the user!! Question †¦ Have you ever used a system that exhibit good HCI with the users? Give a few examples †¦ What systems have you used that exhibit bad HCI with the users? Name a few †¦ and why do you think they were bad? Historical basis of HCI (1) Second World War †¦ Study of interaction between humans amp; machines in order to produce more effective weapons (Bletchley Park, Enigma, Colossus) Ergonomic Research Society formed (1949) Research in Man-Machine Interaction began to spread Historical basis of HCI (2) Historical basis of HCI (3) Historical basis of HCI (4) Basic Interaction (1) Graphical Objects 1963 (MIT) Graphical Objects manipulated by a pointing device (light pen) Objects could be selected, moved, resized, etc. 1966 (Imperial College, London) Icons, Gesture Recognition, Dynamic Menus, etc. 1970 (XEROX PARC) Object selection and manipulation WYSIWYG Basic Interaction (2) Mouse 1965 (Stanford Research Lab [SRI]) Created to be a cheap re placement for light pens 1970 Adopted at Xerox PARC First appeared commercially as part of The Xerox Star (1981), The Apple Lisa (1982), The Apple Macintosh (1984). Basic Interaction (3) Windows 1968 (Stanford Research Lab [SRI]) 1969 1974 (Xerox PARC) Smalltalk System 1974 (MIT) EMACS Text Editor 1981 (Xerox PARC) The Cedar Window Manager 1981 Xerox Star 1982 Apple Lisa 1983 (Carnegie Mellon University funded by IBM)) Andrew window manager 1984 Apple Macintosh The early versions of the Star and Microsoft Windows were tiled, but eventually they supported overlapping windows like the Lisa and Macintosh. Applications (1)Drawing programs uses a mouse for graphics (1965) uses a tablet (1971) handling of lines and curves (1975) Text Editing first word processor with automatic word wrap, search amp; replace, user-definable macros, scrolling text, amp; commands to move, copy, and delete characters, words, or blocks of text (1962) screen editing amp; formatting of arbitrary-sized strin gs with a lightpen (1967) mouse-based editing (1968) first WYSIWYG editor-formatter (1974) Applications (2) Spreadsheets initial spreadsheet was VisiCalc (1977-8) for the Apple II HyperText the idea where documents are linked to related documents (1945) Ted Nelson coined the term hypertext (1965) NLS system was one of the first on-line journals, and it included full linking of articles (1970) HyperCard from Apple (1988) significantly helped to bring the idea to a wide audienceTim Berners-Lee used the hypertext idea to create the World Wide Web in 1990 at the government-funded European Particle Physics Laboratory (CERN) Mosaic, the first popular hypertext browser for the World-Wide Web Eg: Cosmic Book Applications (3) Computer Aided Design (CAD) first CAD systems similar to drawing programs (1963) pioneering work on interactive 3D CAD system (1963) first CAD/CAM (manufacture) system in industry was probably General Motors DAC-1 (about 1963) Video Games first graphical video game was probably SpaceWar (1962) the first computer joysticks (1962) early computer adventure game was created (1966) first popular commercial game was Pong (about 1976). Up ;amp; Coming Areas (1) Gesture Recognition first pen-based input device used light-pen gestures (1963) first trainable gesture recognizer (1964) a gesture-based text editor using proof-reading symbols (1969) gesture recognition has been used in commercial CAD systems since the 1970s came to universal notice with the Apple Newton (1992)Multi-Media multiple windows with integrated text and graphics (1968) Interactive Graphical Documents project was the first hypermedia system which used raster graphics and text (1979-1983) Diamond project explored combining multimedia (text, spreadsheets, graphics, speech) (1982) Up ;amp; Coming Areas (2) 3-D first system 3-D CAD system (1963) first interactive 3-D system used for molecular modelling (1966) the late 60s and early 70s saw the flowering of 3D raster graphics funded by the government the military-industrial flight simulation work of the 60s 70s led the way to making 3-D real-time Virtual Reality original work on VR funded by Air Force (1965-1968) study of force feedback, early research on head-mounted displays and on the DataGlove (1971) Up ;amp; Coming Areas (3) Computer Supported Cooperative Work remote participation of multiple people at various sites (1968)Electronic mail, still the most widespread multi-user software, was enabled by the ARPAnet (1969) and by the Ethernet from Xerox PARC (1973) an early computer conferencing system (1975) Natural language and speech Speech synthesis Speech recognition HCI as a business necessity Can the users be ignored? (Linux, Windows,†¦) NO HCI + Usability engineering are a crucial business necessity Good Interface ;amp; Interaction Design should not Be added after system is built Supporting users is an integral part of the design. To do this one must consider †¦ International Standards in HCI and Er gonomics User population is growing (size, diversity, etc. ) Expanding awareness amongst users of what can be achieved Case Study (1) A mechanical syringe was once being developed. An input device had to be created in order to enter the injected dose. Design such a device †¦ Case Study (2) A prototype was developed by the manufacturing company and demonstrated to the hospital staff.Happily they quickly noticed the potentially fatal flaw in its interface. Case Study (3) The doses were entered by a numeric keypad: an accidental keypress and the dose could be out by a factor of 10! The production version had individual increment/decrement buttons for each digit . Safety-critical systems (1) Poor designs Very common in Safety Life-critical Which all depend on computer-control We need to understand why Disasters Accidents Frustrations happen? Can you mention some examples? Safety-critical systems (2) Computer failure hits post office Lancashire,  UK   Sep 5, 2006 A VILLAGE post office has been struck by a technical glitch, leaving customers unable to pay bills and collect benefits. Edgworth 999 Ambulance Computer Failure Putting Lives at Risk International News Service,  Australia   Aug 23, 2006 LIVES are being put at risk because of a crisis with London Ambulance Services computer-controlled 999 system. US Department of Energy sponsors storage research CTR,  CA   20 hours ago The data storage institute will focus its efforts in three areas: collecting field data about computer failure rates and application behaviors, disseminating Temporary failure hits Houston 911 center abc13. com,  TX   Sep 8, 2006 system. This past July, the Houston Emergency Center experienced a computer failure which knocked out the automated dispatch system. Warning on need for super reserves The Australian,  Australia   Sep 10, 2006 must maintain 4 per cent of assets in liquid form to meet any immediate needs, rising from banking and operational risks, such as computer failure or staff Book on IT debacles urges caution Stuff. co. nz,  New Zealand   Aug 27, 2006 That is the central theme of Dangerous Enthusiasms – E-Government, Computer Failure and Information System Development, a 160-page book just published by Search is on for escaped McMinn inmates Chattanooga Times Free Press,   USA   Sep 8, 2006 A computer failure that left 225 inmates under supervision of just four corrections officers may have contributed to the 4:59 pm | Computers delay Charlotte flights Charlotte Observer,  NC   Sep 6, 2006 two dozen US Airways Express flights going in and out of Charlotte were canceled Wednesday after a thunderstorm in Ohio led to a computer failure that affected Homes facing night without water BBC News,  UK   Aug 20, 2006 and Powys. The Pant storage tank ran dry after the water firm was not alerted to the problem because of a computer failure. She Safety-critical systems (3)Air-traffic control Aircraft crash due to problems pilot had to interpret information on cockpit display Manned spacecraft On June 4, 1996, the maiden flight of the European Ariane 5 launcher crashed about 40 seconds after takeoff. Media reports indicated that the amount lost was half a billion dollars. The error came from a piece of the software that was not needed during the crash!! Safety-critical systems (4) Nuclear power plant (The Meltdown at Three Mile Island 1979) â€Å"As alarms rang and warning lights flashed, the operators did not realize that the plant was experiencing a loss-of-coolant accident. They took a series of actions that made conditions worse by simply reducing the flow of coolant through the core. Medical Institutions Break down in the scheduling system led to delays in reaching seriously ill patients. (UK) Disaster examples 1988 USS Vincennes shot down an Iran Air A300 Airbus with 290 people aboardAegis weapon system had Sophisticated software to identify potential threats BUT Was una ble to provide up-to-date altitude information on its large display (this could be read from other screens) In the confusion, the Airbus which leveled off at 12,500 feet was taken to be an F-14 fighter descending to attack! ‘User Hostile’ example Poor HCI can lead to User Hostile systems rather than User Friendly ones †¦ John has a stereo system with a matched set of components made by the same manufacturer: a receiver, a CD player, and a cassette deck, stacked in that order. They all have the on/off button on the left side. Every time John goes to turn off all three components, he presses the top left button on the receiver, which turns it off; then he presses the top left button on the CD player, which turns it off; then, naturally, he presses the top left button on the cassette deck which pops open the cassette door. It’s obvious †¦It seems obvious that the manufacturer could have improved the interface putting all three buttons in the same locatio n But it clearly wasnt obvious to the systems designers!! Most actions used to accomplish tasks with an interface are quite obvious to people who know them, including, of course, the software designer. But the actions are often not obvious to the first-time user. Another example †¦ Imagine a first-time user of a computer 1. he has been shown how to login to the system 2. has done some work 3. is now finished with the computer for the day ? Experienced computer users will find it obvious that a logout command is needed. But it may not occur to first-time users that a special action is required to end the session. People dont log out of typewriters or televisions or video games, so why should they log out of computers? Learning to predict problems like these by taking the users point of view is a skill that requires practice. Who studies HCI? (1) Multi-discipline field †¦ Who studies HCI? (2) Conclusion (1) HCI studies Interaction between users amp; computer systems In order to build systems which are: Usable Safe Efficient Effective Enjoyable Conclusion (2) Important points to keep in mind †¦ 1. You need a lot of common sense 2. You must be ready to accept criticism 3. Think ‘user’ 4. Try it out (They know what they want! ) 5. Involve the users 6. Iterate Exercise If we take a toaster Describe: the users the machine seems to be designed for; the tasks and subtasks the machine was evidently designed to support; the interface part of the machine; the part of the machine that is NOT the interface. What about an electric drill

Management Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Management - Assignment Example For example, the sales department had pointed out that there was inadequate support from the marketing department and for this reason, poor sales had resulted. On the other hand, according to the Director of the marketing department, the design and quality of the product were the major causes of the problem. In order to deal with the problems, a restructure plan was required to be formulated which would best suit the company. The following restructure model can be used: Source: 1 Chinese Apparel Industry Facts From the year 2003, there has been an increase in the market size of the Chinese apparel sector from USD 47,194 million to USD 78,459 million in the year 2009 at a CAGR of 8.8%. In the year 2009, there was a sharp decline in growth rate, where the market slumped due to economic chaos. From USD 95,540 million in the year 2008, the market declined to USD 78,459 million in the year 2009, which was estimated to be a decline of 17.9% of growth2. Diagnosis Internal Analysis of the Sp ortswear Company in China There were multifarious reasons that led the sportswear company in China to suffer losses such as lack of support from the marketing department and poor design and quality of the products. ... They should be aware of different rules and regulations imposed by the government including the taxation policy. Since the Sportswear Company in China is itself manufacturing the products, there is possibility of unfavorable changes in political and trade relations between Singapore and China. The political instability in China, increase in labor costs, or unfavorable weather conditions could considerably get in the way of the production and the shipment of the products of the company, which would in turn affect their operations and financial results. Economic: The sportswear company is also affected by the economy of the country. The stability of interest rate in the country is also a significant factor which can have an impact. A high rate of interest will result in the fall of demand of the product making the borrowings expensive and savings attractive. On the other hand, a low rate of interest leads to increase in the inflation. The company should also take the tax into considera tion. Mainly the taxes are of two types namely direct and indirect. Direct tax cannot be avoided and it affects the personal disposable income. People can avoid Indirect tax such as VAT by not purchasing the products. The high rate of interest in China has led to the fall in the demand of the products in the last two years thereby resulting in the losses for the company. But with the improvement in the living standards of the people of China and also changes in their consumption level, sportswear companies are becoming popular among the people, thereby enhancing the businesses of sportswear manufacturing companies in China. Social: The company should also take into consideration the

Economic and Political Motives for European Expansion into Africa Essay

Economic and Political Motives for European Expansion into Africa - Essay Example Missionaries persuaded their respective European governments to colonize Africa and thereby provide a supportive environment for the expansion of commerce. European powers used mineral exploitation, large-scale agricultural production, mixed economies as well as the supply of labor as modes of economic activity to generate revenue in colonial Africa. The major political reason that led to European expansion in Africa was political rivalries between the countries. England and France loathed one another for a considerable length of time due to the infamous hundred year’s war, and they both wanted to outdo each other in Africa. Nonetheless, the race for power was not limited to France and Britain. Other European nations wanted to benefit as well. Nationalism was popular among most western European nations as each nation wanted to be strongest. Nationalism is a strong identification with and pride in one's nation.This resulted in competition between European powers leading to wars . This competition made most nations to acquire more territories to uphold the spirit of nationalism in order to be seen superior than other nations. The strategy was another political reason for colonization of Africa. Most European countries were keen to maintain control of specific territories for strategic reasons. The British considered that South Africa offered a useful stop for ships on their way to India. Besides, the Suez Canal in Egypt significantly created a much shorter route between the UK and her colonies further east.

Elder abuse Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Elder abuse - Essay Example Remember that perpetrators spend months, and sometimes years, to set up their victims for exploitation. Conclusion: By the time Patricia Murtaugh was finished with her two victims, she had emptied their bank accounts of almost half-a-million dollars and used the money to open up a business and purchase homes, cars, and a boat. Her victims were broke and although Murtaugh was arrested and convicted for her crimes, it is doubtful that they will ever see their money again. Murtaugh went to jail, but most victimizers get away with their crimes. Breton, T. (January 9, 2007). A Trust Betrayed: How Two Women in Their 90s Were Fleeced by a Helper. Rhode Island News. Retrieved from http://www.projo.com/news/content/Murtaugh_01-07-07_2034LD5.21a31c1.html. We’ve all heard, I’m sure, of severe cases of elder abuse, in which older people are physically abused by younger people, usually family members. There are some horrific cases of the elderly being victimized, sometimes to the point of death. I’d like to talk about another type of elder abuse—economic exploitation, which is often just as devastating. One of the most notorious cases of economic exploitation of the elderly happened in 2007 in New York. Patricia Murtaugh swindled hundreds of thousands of dollars from two women in their nineties, women who had spent fifty years wisely saving their money. Over a period of months, she gained their trust and then stole their life savings. At first, she was helpful, providing both women with the assistance so that they could keep their independence, in the form of bill paying and much-appreciated companionship. Eventually, she was able to gain access to their finances, a common approach of many a victimizer. This kind of elderly abuse is more common than you may think. One in five elderly Americans are victims of financial exploitation, and in some areas, that figure may be as high as 50%.

Neural Grafts for PD Symptoms

Neural Grafts for PD Symptoms New Neurons for Old The Swedish neuroscientist Patrik Brundin was twelve years old when his father was diagnosed with PD. He resolved to devote his life to finding a cure for the disease and elected to study medicine at Lund University in Sweden. In the late 1990s, he joined Anders Bjà ¶rklund, a pioneer of neural transplantation, to work on a series of neural grafts aimed at reversing the symptoms of PD. A neural graft is an experimental procedure for transplanting neural tissue into the brain. The operations were controversial because the transplanted neural tissue came from aborted fetuses. Research had shown that the optimal time to transplant human fetal-brain tissue from the substantia nigra was from six to eight weeks after fertilization. Because only 10 percent of the fetal cells are likely to survive the entire procedure, the neurosurgeon may need to implant cells from multiple fetuses in one operation. To prepare for the operation, the fetal tissue has to be dissected under the microscope so that only those cells whose destiny is to make dopamine would be transplanted. Attached to the substantia nigra tissue are cells that have different fates to become cartilage, skin, etc. If the surgeon isnt careful and grafts these cells into the brain, theyd grow into big bits of skin and cartilage. It is a delicate process. The entire fetus is only the size of a fingernail; the substantia nigra, the size of a pin. After hours of painstaking dissection, the fetal cells will be mixed with a chemical called trypsin to dissociate the cells into a liquid suspension. Researches with rats had shown that fetal cells grafted in the substantia nigra did not reverse PD-like symptoms, because the grafted nerve fibers could not grow long enough to reach their targets in the striatum. So the neurosurgeon will implant the fetal cells in the striatum. In the 1990s, 18 cases of neural grafting operations were conducted at Lund, and over 300 worldwide, with encouraging results. By 1999, many people believed this method is the only way to cure PD. But for others, the results were uncontrolled trials with a potential for a placebo effect. This led two teams in the United States to propose controlled blind trials of fetal tissue transplantation operations. Patients entering the trial would be assigned to one of two groups: a treatment group and a control group. Patients would not know which group they were in and would continue taking their regular dopaminergic medication. The first study performed the trial separately for people over and under sixty. The doctors held follow-up meetings with the patients for twelve months. In 2001, the team reported the results. The over-sixty treatment group experienced no measurable improvement compared to the control group. The under-sixty treatment group got some improvements, but the researchers found worrying evidence of adverse side effects: facial dystonias and dyskinesias. Unlike L-dopa-induced dyskinesias, which disappear as patients medication wears off, these dyskinesias were coming from the graft, and they were permanent. The second study assigned the patients randomly to two treatment groups one using material from a single fetus, the other using material from four fetuses and a control group. The groups were followed for two years and tested using UPDRS. There was no difference between the three groups, showing that fetal dose didnt matter, and again some patients developed graft-related dyskinesias. These two studies killed the field of neural transplantation. A decade after these studies, Brundin is still a strong supporter of neural grafting. He claims the studies had numerous flaws. Brundin may be correct about neural graftings efficacy. It worked in the cases of two patients in the Lund series. The two patients were diagnosed thirty years ago. Both responded well to L-dopa, but developed severe L-dopa-induced motor complications. In the 1990s, they went to Lund, where the surgeons transplanted dopaminergic fetal tissue into the striatum on both sides of their brains. After four years, both patients could drop all dopaminergic mediations. Their PET scans showed clear signs of new dopamine production in the striatum, and their motor states, as measured by the UPDRS, showed a sustained benefit. These cases showed that this bold strategy can work and serve as a caution against dismissing neural grafts prematurely. The early scientific trials of levodopa failed. But scientists like George Cotzias persisted and worked out the correct dosing regimen, and the failure turned into spectacular success. In Europe, a large trial called TRANSEURO is under way involving some 150 patients. The work might redeem neural grafting. In the last few years, a potential alternative to fetal cells and embryonic stem cells has become available. In 2006, Japanese researcher Shinya Yamanaka showed in mice that ordinary skin cells could be reprogrammed to become pluripotent capable of becoming any cell. Soon after, Yamanakas technique was achieved with human skin cells. Rather than using fetal cells, researchers can take a patients own skin cells, reprogram them to become so-called induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), then let them develop into dopamine neurons. These neurons can be studied in the lab or grown for neural grafts. Such iPSCs not only bypass the ethical issues plaguing embryonic stem cells, but also have other advantages. Because iPSCs are derived from the patients own cells, there is no need for immunosuppressive drugs. But because there is a risk that such cells might turn cancerous, it may take decades to develop a safe and effective procedure. Key Takeaways In the late 1990s, Patrik Brundin worked on a series of neural grafts aimed at reversing the symptoms of PD. Two controlled blind trials of fetal tissue transplantation operations conducted in the United States in early 2000s showed that the treatment group experience no measurable improvement compared to the control group. It was also worrisome that some patients developed graft-related dyskinesias. In 2006, Shinya Yamanaka showed that ordinary skin cells could be reprogrammed to become pluripotent.

Exploring Traumatic Brain Injury in Children Essay -- Medicine

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a leading cause of death and disability among children and adolescents (Yeates, 2005). The Center for Disease and Control (2010) reported an estimated 1.7 million individuals sustaining TBI annually with 51% of these injuries occurring during periods of cerebral development. Children (0-4 years), older adolescents (15-19 years) and older adults (65+ years) are most likely to sustain TBI (CDC, 2010). Brain injuries often lead to severe, pervasive, and potentially irreversible impairments in one’s neurological, cognitive, emotional, and social functioning (e.g., Wilde et al, 2012; Yeates, 2005). This analysis will examine the etiology, prevalence, and impact of traumatic brain injury in the developing brain of children. Classifications & Diagnosis of TBI Brain injuries can be classified into three different categories: mild, moderate, and severe TBI. Classification is mostly done using the Glasgow coma scale (GCS) which has gained broad acceptance for the assessment of the severity of brain damage (Bauer & Fritz, 2004). This scale is based on a 15 point scale which measures individual’s level of consciousness based on verbal, motor, and eye responses to stimuli, as well as the overall social dependence on others. One study scrutinized the elements of the Glasgow coma scale (GCS) from 27,625 TBI cases in Taiwan. A correlation was found between the survival rate and certain eye (E), motor (M) and verbal (V) score combinations for GCS (scores of 6, 11, 12, ) that were discerned to be statistically significant. This illustrates that the fundamental elements comprising the Glasgow coma scale (E, M, & V) are predictive of the survival of TBI patients. The researchers assert that this observation is cli... ...sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0020138309005609) Wilde, Merkley, Bigler, Max, Schmidt, Ayoub, McCauley, Hunter, Hanten, Li, Chu, Levin, Longitudinal changes in cortical thickness in children after traumatic brain injury and their relation to behavioral regulation and emotional control, International Journal of Developmental Neuroscience, Volume 30, Issue 3, May 2012, Pages 267-276, ISSN 0736-5748, 10.1016/j.ijdevneu.2012.01.003. (http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0736574812000044) Yeates, Armstrong, Janusz, Taylor, Wade, Stancin, Drotar, Long-Term Attention Problems in Children With Traumatic Brain Injury, Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, Volume 44, Issue 6, June 2005, Pages 574-584, ISSN 0890-8567, 10.1097/01.chi.0000159947.50523.64. (http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0890856709616336)

Prejudice and Discrimination Essay

What is social psychology? Social psychology is defined as the scientific study of how a person’s behavior, thoughts, and feelings are influenced by the actual, imagined or implied presence of other human beings. As we look back over the past few years, we see that some form of prejudice and discrimination still exist today in society. I want to elaborate on and define the types of prejudices and how people discriminate, how they are learned, and how to overcome prejudice. Prejudice is defined as a preconceived judgment or opinion that is usually based on limited information about a group or groups of people. Some people would commonly agree that prejudice is stereotyping. Discrimination is prejudicial attitudes that cause members of a particular social group to be treated differently than others in situations that call for equal treatment. There are many kinds of prejudices or attitudes, but discrimination is a result of prejudice. Several ways in which people are discriminated upon include age, race, and sex. People are often prejudice toward those form different ethnic groups, those form different religions, those from different economic levels, those who are overweight, and those who are too thin. Prejudice vary in two different types of groups called the in-groups and the out-groups or the â€Å"us† versus â€Å"them†. These groups are formed early in childhood. The in-groups are considered to be the particular person for whom they are identified with and the out-group is to be considered everyone else. Soon after the in-groups are established, the prejudice and discriminatory treatment of the out-group or groups soon follow. Then the out-groups are stereotyped based on the color of their skin or color of their hair and can be difficult. There are many laws that are in place to minimize or control the discriminatory behavior, but there is no law against having a certain attitude. The realistic conflict theory in prejudice is the increase of prejudice and discrimination by a degree of conflict between in-groups and the out-groups over limited resource, such as land or a job. A current example not related to land but religion would be, according to, â€Å"Neal Broverman, of The Advocate, Virginia’s lower house passed that would allow student groups at public universities to deny members because they conflict with the groups’ religious beliefs. This bill would prohibit discriminating against a student organization or group on the basis of the religious, political, philosophical or other content of the organization or group’s speech. † The bill also allows religious or political student organizations to determine who will not be allowed in their membership â€Å"in furtherance of the organization’s religious or political mission. â€Å"

Cold Sassy Tree essays

Cold Sassy Tree essays In the novel, Cold Sassy Tree, Olive Ann Burns explores timeless issues of love, death, and the ties that bind families and generations. The story also shows the modern age coming to a small southern town. Will Tweedy, a 14-year-old boy, who could always make a good story better in the telling, narrates this story. By the story being told in the first person point of view, the reader is able to experience the thoughts of the characters. The first person point of view brings the reader directly into the scene. Will looked up and saw T.R. raise his head to listen, but he thought, surely it wasnt near time for the train. He heard clickety-clack and screeched the train was coming. After reading this, the reader can share Wills feelings with him. Then, both the reader and Will, start to think how will is going to get off the trestle before the train gets there. Will could have gotten away easily, but as he scrambled to his feet, I stumbled and fell, he said, and I saw I couldnt possible make it off the trestle. In sudden shock, the reader takes a quick breath with Will. This makes the reader start to worry and wonder, even more, what Will is going to do to get away from the train. In conclusion, first person point of view helps the reader experience the thoughts of the characters. This novel is very rich with emotion, humor, and love. Olive Ann Burns does a good job in keeping the reader so interested in the book that they do not want to put it down. ...

A Gab of Sky by Anna Hope Essays

A Gab of Sky by Anna Hope Essays A Gab of Sky by Anna Hope Paper A Gab of Sky by Anna Hope Paper To be united with many, and still feel so alone In the vastness of great cities a feeling many can relate to. Every man and woman wakes up, steps out into world, making their way through the endless clutter of human beings, each one with a vast amount of goals, that must be achieved and destinations that must be reached. Part of growing up has, in stereotypical fashion, been said to be to accept this reality; the reality of having to check off the to-do-list every day. It might only be a luxury of youth that one can refrain from this, and let ones Instinctive ambition and desires ale. To be controlled by the Immediate wants and thoughts of ones mind and heart. This is exactly what Elli, the main character of A Gap of Sky, by Anna Hope, does. Engulfed by the city, and its pulsating, never-ending tempo the reader follows the young Elli in her simple goal of purchasing some computer ink. On her quest though, she is taken over by sudden urges and curiosity. She lets herself sway away from her path. Elli is a 19 year old girl, living the carefree and extreme life, in the buzzing city of London. One assumes she Is studying English at some sort of university, due to the fact her mall goal for the day Is to write an essay on Virginia Wolf. As she lies in her bed, the reader meets her waking up from a crazy night on the town, enriched with alcohol and drugs. She regrets nothing and seems to be living the life, where every moment is precious and must be enjoyed to the fullest. Suddenly she realizes it is Monday, and the harsh realities creep up upon her. She must write and hand In this essay the next day, but she has no printer Ink. So she sets herself the goal of buying the printer Ink, and thereafter writing the essay. It Is a bright, sunny, yet cold day, that wraps her body and hurts her lungs, as she scatters through the city in search for a computer store. She is overwhelmed by all the impressions, and seduced by her curiosity she wonders off her path. In an odd exhibition of some sort her head begins to throb. The pain brings about a sense fear, desperation and despair in her. The concept of death begins to dance in her consciousness. She seeks out a river, to relieve her from this agonizing pain. On her way she begins to feel better, and following a stranger she enters a store of some sort. There she picks up a little stone: a stone that brings about a melancholic sensation in her. She begins to reminisce about her mother, who the summer before had given Elli a stone like this one, for good luck. She repeats her mothers name to herself, picturing her in her head, which make her feel lighter, alive and beautiful. A feeling she hopes the world can see. She wants to share it with the world. Walking out onto the street again, she sees how, all around people are Interconnected by the bond of love, that she herself feels. Skirting away again, remembering her need for imputer-ink, she once again makes her way through the city. She has though, not forgotten the river, she searches a terrace from where she can admire it. The night above receives her, and she at the end notes to herself all her goals, and how all is good. The narrator is a third person-omniscient, using the narrative technique; stream of consciousness, a technique the writer and feminist Virginia Wolf used In many AT near works I Is . N stream casts ten reader In many alertness, Owe to Ell being very distracted and unfocused. This technical reference to Virginia Wolf could e considered an inter-textual element. It could be a result of ingesting drugs she changes her focus by the second, for example; Monday. It is Monday. Essay there is an essay due, important, due for Tuesday morning ( ) and so on. Her thoughts are hurriedly rushed through. The narration Jumps from subject to subject, as if one were inside the head of the young Elli. It is chaotic and frantic, much like the city of London, which is the setting of the story. It could be concluded that this is the authors purpose. Her mind is dark, and almost lacks a sense of structure, much like en could say about a big busy city, like London. Elli is constantly on the move, drawing parallels to the pulsating city. Her attitudes towards things seems rebellious, exemplified by her content and giggle when she sees a glove on a fence, flicking the world off. She does not feel accountable to anyone. The exhibition she stumbles upon has the theme Living and Dying, a theme is very precedent throughout the story. She does not feel ready to die; she is alive, and grateful to be so. The city does though have a power over her. It can both bring her down and up again. At one moment the city brings about fear, and sadness in her, making her feel nasty, brutish, and short (A. Hope, pig. 4 1. 8). As her headache passes, light is cast down onto the street, leaving her feeling rancid and worn. She realizes how short and precious life is. An epiphany described as a Gab in the sky. Making her way to the river, representing a crossroad in her life, she is faced with a choice. She can either drown herself in the cities murky river, like Virginia Wolf did, who is referred to earlier in the story. Or she can wash herself clean -clean from drugs.

Foreign Exchange Markets and Globalization Essay

Foreign Exchange Markets and Globalization - Essay Example For corporations the four main roles of the foreign exchange markets are: currency conversion, currency hedging, currency speculation and currency arbitrage (Madura, 1992). Currency conversion is one of the most used functions of the exchange for corporations trading or doing business internationally. Entities use the exchange to convert one currency to another. From the purchase of finished goods or raw materials from foreign suppliers to being able to sell your product or service internationally being converting one currency to another efficiently is paramount to global business. The foreign exchange quotes two rates the spot and forward rate prices. The current daily exchange rate between two currencies is called the spot exchange rate (Bodie & Kane & Marcus, 2002). It is used for immediate payments or financial transactions. The value of any currency is realized by the interaction between the demand and supply of a currency relative to the demand and supply of other currencies. I t is a dynamic market where rates are constantly changing based on the volume of activity for any given currency. Since a lot of business transactions do not require payment until a later date, the forward exchange rate provides a currency exchange rate for 30, 60 and 90 days.

The wrongs of Obama Care Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

The wrongs of Obama Care - Research Paper Example es to develop as they tend to have a lesser margin of profit and does not have extra costs compared to large businesses.4 Under these conditions, it can be implied that such act as the Obamacare could only generate a negative impact towards the health care system and it even makes erroneous government programs towards the workers employed in small businesses that do not support health insurance. Similarly, Nina Bernstein of the New York Times reported that the Affordable Care Act establishes state exchanges in reducing the cost of commercial health insurance, however, it needs a proof of citizenship or legal immigration status by the immigrants in order to â€Å"take part and apply for Medicaid benefits† provided under the law.5 This essay seeks to discuss and analyze the essential components characterized by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), or Obamacare as recognized by most people. These features include funding, regulation, taxing, and individual mand ate, wherein President Obama himself considers such legislation to be favorable and beneficial to the US economy. 2.0 Funding In one of the latest news concerning Obamacare, John Fund reported that the plan to cut $200 billion from Medicare Advantage and use the money in subsidizing the coverage of expansion to millions of Americans uninsured in the government’s program for the poor, or Medicaid is one of the misleading falsehood or deceptions of Obamacare, wherein such deception remains to be concealed as the US presidential election is fast approaching.6 Accordingly, the administration also plans to direct an approximately $8.3 billion to the Medicare Advantage, which according to the news, is sufficient to compensate about 71 percent of the cuts intended for the program this year and until 2014. However, California Representative, Darrell Issa says that the attempt to direct $8.3 billion into the Medicare Advantage is the primary reason to hide the possible trouble of havi ng a $200-billion cut, and the so-called â€Å"demonstration project,† as Representative Issa noted, is a â€Å"political fiction† that can be used in buying the votes of the electorate in this year’s upcoming election.7 Unfortunately, the probabilities of implementing Obamacare and be legally enforced into the health care system will eventually compel the seniors to retract to the traditional system of Medicare at an expense greater than the current one, and in the long run, this could spur doubts on President Obama’s statement that under such law, anyone who supports his program on health insurance are capable of sustaining it.8 As provided under section 1311-1313 of the Act,9

Artical Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Artical - Assignment Example Another notable characteristic of Eisner is that he emulates dictatorial leadership style. For example, he consolidated his power by isolating board members in order to weaken them (James 88). Similarly, Eisner embarks on stripping the directors of their functions once they seem to ask question regarding his leadership techniques. Based on the high compensation that Eisner is exposed to and conflict of interest within the board of directors, the CEO seems not to provide good leadership strategies that may jeopardize the operations of Disney. Walt Disney Company financial position is negatively affected by the management practices adopted by Michael Eisner. Instead on paying the shareholders significant dividends, the CEO only increases his compensation at the expense of shareholders. As a result, Walt Disney is viewed as a company that does not engage all the stakeholders in its activities despite the quality products it produces. In terms of internal business processes, the CEO seems to interfere not only with the business activities but also with the management. By not allowing directors to undertake their duties freely, the CEO hinder business processes thus affecting the profitability of the company. As indicated by a balanced score card, a key perspective is learning and growth. This covers the way a company innovates, creates value and improves its performance. Even though the company has adopted modern designs in its premises, through the support of Robert Stern, one of the directors, Walt Disney does not provide ample opportunity that would allow the directors to come up with new products. In addition, the company shares seem to perform poorly since Eisner took the office as the

The Battle of Mogadishu Essay Example for Free

The Battle of Mogadishu Essay The Battle of Mogadishu took place in the narrow streets of Mogadishu, Somalia October 3-4 1993 over 17 hours. 160 United Nations combatants under the command of US General William Garrison fought an estimated 2000 supporters of the warlord, General Mohammed Farah Aidid, head of the Somali National Alliance. The Battle generated considerable public interest and debate, impacting US foreign policy and future UN missions. Among many books on the incident are those by Mike Durant, a combatant and Mark Bowden, who conducted extensive interviews. Parker’s Military History online contains useful data. The background was the outbreak of civil war after dictator Mohammed Siad Barre had been ousted by clan chiefs in January 1991, who set their differences aside long enough to topple him. Their unity did not survive and civil war began. Two parties emerged, one under Aidid and one under Ali Mahdi. The civilian population, caught in the middle, experienced severe hardship. More than 300, 000 died from starvation (Durant 2). Thousands crossed into neighboring states as refugees. When the international community responded with food aid, warlords hijacked supplies to use them to purchase arms. The UN launched Operation Provide Relief (United Nations Operation in Somalia – I) in April 1992. This did little to halt the crisis because hardly any food actually fed anyone. The United Nations then requested members to send combat troops to Somalia, to protect the food convoys. President George H. W Bush of the United States agreed to deploy 250,000 US troops. Known as Operation Restore Hope, or UNITAF (United Nations Unified Task Force) the mandate, dated December 3 1992, was restricted to supporting the humanitarian effort. This mandate was extended in March 1993 to include â€Å"nation building†- ending the war, establishing a stable state and a democratically elected government. When Bill Clinton became President, he reduced the level of US involvement to 1200 combat and 3000 support troops. Italy, Pakistan and Malaysia also joined the UN force, now called UNOSOM-II, established in March 1993. UNOSOM-II consisted of 15,000 military and police personnel. Fifteen of the sixteen clans agreed to cooperate with the UN force. Aidid refused. The UN subsequently ordered its forces to disarm Aidid’s militia. On June 5 1993 a contingent of Pakistani soldiers engaged in this task clashed with Aidid’s troops in Mogadishu, suffering 24 casualties (Bowden 427). The UN responded by ordering the apprehension of those responsible for their deaths, so that they could put on trial. US troops received intelligence that Aidid’s foreign affairs advisor and chief political advisor were at the Olympic Hotel in Mogadishu to attend a high level meeting, possibly with Aidid himself. Based on this intelligence, a US led strike code named Operation Gothic Serpent was planned for October 3, 1993. The force consisted of 160 men drawn from Delta Force (US Special Operations Force), Rangers from the 75th Regiment, Navy SEALS and from the Air Force, supported by 19 M H-60 Black Hawk helicopters from the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment. The plan involved personnel fast-roping down from the helicopters, securing the targets so that they could then be retrieved by ground vehicles (12 in number) then transported back to the US headquarters. The Humvees were due to reach the Hotel shortly after the operation began. Under Captain Michael Steele, four Rangers secured the perimeter to prevent anyone entering or leaving the Hotel. Another Ranger blocked the road, while the Delta team entered the Hotel at 15: 32 (Bowden 4). Colonel Danny McKnight commanded the ground convoy, whose SEALS were meant to assist the assault team (Bowden 59). At 15: 42, the first Delta operatives hit the Hotel, capturing both men and 22 other senior Aidid aids. One Ranger, Todd Blackburn lost his grip and fell 70 feet, injuring himself (Bowden 4). By 15: 47 Somalis had crowded the area around the Hotel, impeding the progress of the ground convoy, making it impossible to keep to schedule. At 16: 20, an enemy rocket hit Black Hawk Super 61, which crashed five blocks North of the Hotel. Both the â€Å"ground assault element† and the â€Å"exfil convoy† were â€Å"ordered to re-group† at the crash site (Durant 20). Although the supporting helicopter crews tried to send warnings about roadblocks and detour information to the convoy, the communication system was too slow. The helicopters could not speak directly to the convoy but had to do so via their commanders. By 16: 35, the convoy had lost its way. Search and rescue teams were dispatched to assist the stricken helicopter, which resulted in the US switching â€Å"the point of attack† from the Hotel where the prisoners and their Delta force captors were waiting to be retrieved to â€Å"three hundred yards West† (Stevenson 94). At 16: 40, Black Hawk Super 64 was brought down a mile to the southwest of the Hotel. Again, a rescue team was sent to retrieve the crew. As soon as the aircraft hit the ground, hundreds of armed Somalis, some civilian some members of militia, appeared at the scene. 99 US personnel were surrounded at the first crash site. At 16: 42, two members of Delta force volunteer to lower themselves to the second downed helicopter to help defend the injured crew. At 17: 40 both were killed, together with all members of the helicopter crew except the commanding office, Mike Durant who was dragged away by militia. The ground convoy and a rescue convoy failed to reach their targets, returning to HQ at 17. 45. At 19. 08, Black Hawk 66 dropped supplies and ammunition to the soldiers trapped at the first crash site. A new rescue squad, including Pakistani and Malaysian soldiers, left HQ at 23. 23, reaching the trapped men at 1. 55 October 4. At 5. 30, the troops are able to begin to leave the city on foot heading for the Pakistani compound. By 6. 30, it had been confirmed that 13 US soldiers were dead, 73 injured with six missing. The final toll was 18 dead. Durant was released on October 14. March 24, 1994 all US troops left Somalia, followed by all UN troops the following year. Between 200 and 500 Somalis died. Subsequently, the US and the UN became reluctant to commit forces where little real agreement exists on the ground between rival parties. Washington became reluctant to commit troops to situations that present no direct security threat to the US itself. In addition, strategic lessons have been learned from the battle. These are especially relevant in situations where insurgents blend with local populations. First, intelligence – the US did not know that Aidid possessed rocket propelled grenades. Aidid planned to neutralize US air support, then flooded the battle zone with superior numbers. He was also prepared to use civilians as â€Å"human shields† (Stevenson 94). Claims have been made that Italian soldiers tipped Aidid off about the operation, which would explain why militia with rockets reached the scene so quickly. Also, better knowledge of â€Å"Somali city streets† would have helped the ground forces reach their targets (O’Hanlon 119). The Somalis had the advantage of local knowledge. Second, direct communication from air support to ground may have prevented convoys from getting lost. Thirdly, too few troops were deployed against a much larger foe – albeit crack troops against irregular and poorly trained insurgents. The basic plan, though, was sound, the type of extraction for which the forces involved were well trained. Technically, too, the operation was successful, since 24 insurgents were taken into custody. References Bowden, Mark. Black Hawk Down: A Story of Modern War. New York: Atlantic Monthly Press, 1999. Durant, Michael J. , and Steven Hartov. In the Company of Heroes. New York: G. P. Putnams Sons, 2003. OHanlon, Michael E. Technological Change and the Future of Warfare. Washington, D. C. : Brookings Institution Press, 2000. Parker, Larry. The Battle of Mogadishu. Military History Online http://www. militaryhistoryonline. com/general/articles/mogadishu. aspx Accessed April 25 2009. Stevenson, Jonathan. Losing Mogadishu: Testing U. S. Policy in Somalia. Annapolis, Md: Naval Institute Press, 1995.

Look At Causal Comparative Research Psychology Essay

Look At Causal Comparative Research Psychology Essay Causal-comparative research design can be defined as a research that permits researchers to study naturally occurring, cause and effect relationship through comparison of data from participant groups who exhibit the variables of interest. Causal-comparative research can also be referred to as ex post facto, Latin for after the fact (Sowell, 2001). In other words, causal-comparative research can be studied in retrospect since it attempts to determine reasons or causes for the existing condition between or among groups of individuals. This research design is often found in the fields of education, medicine and social sciences. According to Sullivan (2001), The belief that there is order in the universe, that there are reasons why everything happens, and that scientists, using the procedures of science, can discover what those reasons are explains that researchers usually go on to examine the reasons why the observed pattern exist and what they suggest. For this reason, the basic element of causal-comparative approach involves starting with an effect and seeking for possible causes or vice versa. The basic approach, which involves starting with effects and investigating causes, is sometimes referred to as retrospective causal-comparative research. Retrospective causal-comparative studies are much more common in educational research. Meanwhile, the variation which starts with causes and investigates effects is called prospective causal-comparative research. The cause and effect relationships may influence how a problem is formulated and a research design developed. It can be said that the major purpose of causal-comparative research is to investigate potential cause-and-effect relationships that occur naturally without manipulation of variables. In this particular research design, researchers try to find the reasons why certain forms of behaviour occur. To formulate this research design it requires at least two variables namely independent and dependent variable to support the objective of the research. In this approach, it can be said that some independent variable (IV) is the factor, or one of several factors, that produces variation in a dependent variable (DV) (Sullivan, 2001). Consider, for instance a researcher formed 3 groups of preschoolers consist of those who never watched Sesame Street, those who watched it sometimes, and those who watched it frequently. The 3 groups were then tested by making comparison on a reading readines s test. Based on the mentioned case study, it shows that the independent variable affect the dependent variable. In this case, Sesame Street is the independent variable (IV) while the preschoolers reading performance is the dependent variable (DV). The Characteristics of Causal-comparative Research According to Babbie (2013), there are three main characteristics for causal-comparative. Firstly, to infer the existence of a cause and effect relationship, the causal-comparative research must demonstrate an association between the independent and dependent variable. Therefore, it involves two or more groups and one independent variable. In addition, it determines the cause or consequences of differences that already exists between or among groups of individuals. The groups are assigned to the treatments and the study is carried out. The individuals are not randomly assigned to treatment groups because they were already selected into groups before the research began. In this research, it can be said that cause and effect depends on each other, whereby the cause may precedes the effect or vice versa. It is important to note that the independent variables in causal-comparative cannot be manipulated, should not be manipulated, or simply not manipulated but could be manipulated because the independent variable has already occurred. Thus, it is not possible to manipulate the independent variable. Causal-comparative research requires the study to be non-spurious. In this context, non-spurious refers to a causal relationship between two variables. According to Babbie (2013), spurious relationship is a coincidental statistical correlation between two variables, shown to be caused by some third variable. However, in causal-comparative research, only two variables are required and not caused by the action of some third variable, therefore it is shown that causal-comparative research is non-spurious. There are two types of causes that contribute to this research design, namely necessary and sufficient causes. Generally, the term cause is assumed to mean something that produce an effect, result, or consequence. A necessary cause represents a condition that must be present for the effect to follow. For example, it is necessary for you to attend driving classes in order to get a driving license. However, by only attending driving classes is not a sufficient cause of getting a license. This is because it is required to pass the driving test to get the driving license. On the other hand, a sufficient cause represents a condition that, if it is present, guarantees the effect in question (Babbie, 2013). This is not to say that a sufficient cause is the only possible cause of a particular effect. Take the case of the driving test mentioned earlier; not attending the test would be a sufficient cause for failing it, though students could fail it in other ways as well. Thus, a cause can be sufficient, but not necessary. Design and Procedure The selection of the comparison groups is very important in causal-comparative procedure. Although the independent variable is not manipulated, there are control procedures that can be exercised to improve the interpretation of results. The researcher selects two groups of participants, the experimental and control groups, but more accurately referred to as comparison groups. These two groups may differ in two ways; whether one group possesses a characteristic that the other does not or each group has the characteristic, but they differ in terms of degrees and amounts. The independent variable differentiating the groups must be clearly and operationally defined, since each group represents a different population. In designing this research, the random sample is selected from two already existing populations, and not from a single population. A causal-comparative design is chosen, for example, when researchers want to study the possible influences of Montessori school enrolment on childrens mathematical ability. Researchers locate a population in which several levels of mathematical ability are known to exist and then select a sample of participants. The researchers collect data from all participants on measures of mathematical ability and school enrolment. Once they have collected their data, researchers decide how many levels of mathematical ability they wish to study. In this case, suppose the researchers want two groups. They could classify the participants scores accordingly from highest to lowest, and then locate the middle score of the list. All those participants whose measures are above the middle score are designated as high mathematical ability and those below it, low mathematical ability. Next, the researchers compare task performance scores in each group to see whether Montessori school enrolment appears to influence task performance. There are three possibilities that could emerge from the study. Montessori school children have higher scores than non-Montessori school children. Montessori school children have lower scores than non-Montessori school children. No discernible pattern shows in the scores of Montessori and non-Montessori school children. This shows that each statement suggests a possible relationship between the two variables which are Montessori school enrolment and the childrens mathematical ability. Measurement of second variable Group B Group A Measurement of first variable determines group placements of participants Participant selection Generalized example Montessori school children Participant selection Measurement of mathematical ability Measurement of Montessori school enrolment Non-Montessori school children Example of school enrolment and mathematical ability FIGURE 1: Procedures in causal-comparative designs. 3.1 Control Procedures In other study design, random assignment of participants to groups is probably the best way to try to ensure equality of groups, but random assignment is not possible in causal comparative studies because the groups are naturally formed before the start of the study. There is a possibility to have extraneous variable in a causal comparative research that may affect the overall purpose of the study. Thus, control techniques are used to compare the sample groups equally. There are three common control techniques that can be used, namely matching, comparing homogenous groups or subgroups and analysis of covariance. Matching can be defined as a technique for equating groups on one or more variables. If researchers identify a variable likely to influence performance on the dependent variable, they may control for that variable by pair-wise matching of participants. In other words, for each participant in one group, the researcher finds a participant in the other group with the same or very similar score on the control variable. If a participant in other group does not have a suitable match, the participant is eliminated from the study. Thus, the resulting match groups are identical or very similar with respect to the identified extraneous variable. Another way to control extraneous variable is to compare groups that are homogenous with respect to the extraneous variable. The more similar the two groups are on such variables, the more homogenous they are on everything but the variable of interest. This homogeneity makes a stronger study and reduces the number of possible alternative, explanations of the research findings. Not surprisingly, then, a number of control procedures correct for identified in equalities on such variables. This approach also permits the researcher to determine whether the target grouping variable affects the dependent variable differently at different levels of control variable. That is, the researcher can examine whether the effect on the dependent variable is different for each subgroup. Analysis of covariance is a statistical technique used to adjust initial group differences on variables used in causal comparative and experimental studies. In essence, analysis of covariance adjusts scores on a dependent variable for initial differences on some other variable related to performance on the dependent variable. Analysis of covariance statistically adjusts the scores of the group to remove the initial advantage so that at the end of the study, the results can be fairly compared, as if the two groups started equally. 4. Data Analysis and Interpretation Analysis of data in causal-comparative research involves a variety of descriptive and inferential statistics. The most commonly used descriptive statistics are mean and standard deviation. Mean indicates the average performance of a group on some measure of a variable. Standard deviation is a measure of the dispersion of a set of data from its mean. The more spread apart the data, the higher the deviation. Standard deviation is calculated as the square root of variance. The most commonly used inferential statistics are t tests, analysis of variance (ANOVA) and chi square. T tests are used to determine whether the means of two groups are statistically different from one another. ANOVA is used to determine if there is significant difference among the means of three or more groups. Babbie (2013) defined chi square as a frequently used test of significance in social science. In other words chi square tests are used to determine whether there is an association between two or more categories. Chi square test explains that observed frequencies of the items or events in categories are compared with expected frequencies. Similarities and Differences between Related Research Designs Causal-comparative versus Correlational Research It is better to know that the major purpose of correlational research is to determine the magnitude and direction of associations or relationships among variables. Even with different purpose, correlational research is sometimes confused with causal-comparative since both lack manipulation of variables and requires caution in interpreting results. In addition, both researches seek to explore relationships among variables, and when relationships are identified, both research designs are often studied at a later time by means of experimental research. However, causal-comparative and correlational research still can be differentiated. Compared to correlational research, causal-comparative compare two or more groups of subjects, whereas correlational research only focus on one group. In addition, correlational research has no attempts to understand cause and effect whereas; causal-comparative studies purpose is to identify the cause and effect relationships between the variables. Apart from that, correlational research involves two or more variables and one group while causal-comparative involves two or more groups and one independent variable. Causal-comparative versus Experimental Design Causal-comparative can also be confused with experimental research both attempt to establish cause-effect relationships between variables and both involve group comparisons. In addition, both causal-comparative and experimental research can test hypotheses concerning the relationship between an independent variable and a dependent variable. The difference between the two researches is that in causal-comparative, the individuals are already in groups before study begins, whereas in experimental design, individuals are randomly assigned to treatment or control groups. Moreover, the random sample studies for causal-comparative is selected from two already-existing populations, while in experimental research, the random sample is selected from only one population. The researcher in experimental research manipulates the independent variable; that is, the researcher determines who is going to get what treatment. In contrast, in causal-comparative research, individuals are not randomly assigned to treatment groups because they are in established groups before the research begins. The example for the established group can be male or female, college graduates or non-graduates. In causal-comparative research the groups are already formed and already differ in terms of the key variable in question. In other words, the independent variable in experimental research can be manipulated by the researcher to determine the researchs effect, whereas the independent variable in causal-comparative cannot be manipulated since the independent variable has already occurred. Advantages of Causal-Comparative Research Like other research designs, causal-comparative research has its strength and weaknesses. One of the strengths is that the causes are being studied after they presumably have applied their effect on another variable. The researchers might administer a questionnaire to study the causes or they can also do interviews and observation to find the cause or effect related to their research. For example, a researcher may hypothesize that participant in preschool education is the major factor contributing to differences in the social adjustment of first graders. To examine this hypothesis, the researcher would select a sample of first graders who had participated in pre-school education and a sample of first graders who had not and would then compare the social adjustment of the two groups. If the children who participated in pre-school education exhibited the higher level of social adjustment, the researchers hypothesis would be supported. Thus, the basic causal-comparative approach involve starting with an effect (i.e., social adjustment) and seeking possible causes (i.e., did pre-school affect it). Another advantage of causal-comparative research method is that it allows us to study cause-and-effect relationships under conditions where experimental manipulation is difficult or impossible. Unlike experimental research, the variable in causal comparative research is not manipulated because it has already occurred. For example, a researcher might be interested in determining the effect of poor parenting on the issue of juvenile delinquency. Clearly it would not be ethical to approach the parents and ask about how they raise their children because it is too personal to discuss family issues to an outsider. Thus, causal comparative research permits investigation on a number of variables that cannot be studied experimentally. In addition, causal-comparative studies help to identify variables worthy of experimental investigation. In fact, causal comparative studies are conducted solely to identify the probable outcome of an experimental study. In other words, many relationships can be studied in a single research study. Suppose for example, a researcher were considering implementing computer assisted language learning in the school system. Before implementing the mentioned program, the researcher might consider trying it out on an experimental basis for a year in a number of schools or classrooms. However, even such limited adoption would require costly new equipment and teacher training. Thus, as a preliminary measure, to inform the decision, the researcher could conduct a causal comparative study to compare the English language achievement of students in school who are currently using the instruction with the English language achievement who are not using it. If the results indicated that the students le arning through computer assisted language learning instruction were achieving higher scores, the researcher would probably decide to go ahead with an experimental tryout of computer assisted language learning instruction. If no differences were found, the researcher would probably not go ahead with the experimental tryout to save time, cost and effort. Disadvantages of Causal-Comparative Research Despite its many advantages, causal comparative research has some serious limitations to be caution of. In causal comparative research, the researcher has limited control over the study and extreme caution must be applied in interpreting results. This is because the groups are already formed at the beginning of the study. An apparent cause-effect relation may not be as it appears. The alleged cause of an observed effect may in fact be the effect itself, or, a third variable may have caused both the apparent cause and the effect. In other words, an observed relationship between variable A and B can mean that A causes B, B causes B, or a third variable C causes both A and B. A causes C causes B A B causes B B causes Figure 2: Relationships of variables For example, suppose a researcher hypothesized that enrolment to preschool is a determinant of reading achievement. The researcher would compare the achievement of two groups, one comprising individuals with children who went to preschool and children who did not go to preschool. If those who went to preschool performed better on reading measures, the researcher could be tempted to conclude that going to preschool influences reading achievement. However, this conclusion would be groundless. Because the participants arrived at the beginning of the study with an established group of children who went to preschool and children who did not, and an established level of reading achievement, it is not possible to determine which came first and which influence the other. Moreover, it is very plausible that some third variable, such as parental attitude, is the main influence on both reading achievement and pre-schooling. For example, parents who sent their children to preschool and encourage their children may have children who have higher reading achievement. Analysis of Studies Using Causal-comparative Research Design One of the major findings within the field of Second Language Acquisition (SLA) research is the different rates of success with which children and adults achieve nativelike proficiency in a second language (L2).() It is also common in SLA studies that mostly L2 learners do not attain nativelike proficiency because of their first language maintenance. In a research report entitled Does first language maintenance hamper nativelikeness in a second language? by Bylund, Abrahamsson and Hyltensam of Stockholm University, they aim to address the role of L1 proficiency in L2 attainment. In this study, the researchers hypothesized that the second language learners do not attain nativelike proficiency because of their first language maintenance. It is recognized that the independent variable in this research is the first language maintenance, whereas, the dependent variable is the nativelikeness in a second language. It shows that there is clearly an association between the two variables since the independent variable (IV), which is the first language maintenance might probably affect the dependent variable, which is the second language. To examine the hypothesis, the researchers select a sample population consists of Spanish-speaking immigrant community in Sweden, where residents of Chilean origin are in the community. 30 L1 Spanish-and L2 Swedish residents participated in the study where they acquire their second language before the age of twelve. The bilinguals came from countries throughout Latin America with a specific concentration in Chile. The participants were either university students or degree-holder. A common denominator of the participants was that they exhibited a generally high level of L2 proficiency. For the second group, fifteen native speakers of Spanish and fifteen native speakers of Swedish were recruited as monolingual controls. The researchers choose small sample populations to represent the study populations. The control groups were matched to the bilingual participants by educational level. In the process of matching the variables and groups, it can be said that pure monolingualism was not a criterion for participation, and the majority of the participants had foreign language skills such as English language. In addition, none of the control participants had lived abroad for any significant length of time in a setting in which their foreign language skills could be practiced. These two groups will be referred to as Spanish-speaking control and Swedish-speaking controls participants. Bilingual participants were tested individually in each language on two different occasions. The bilinguals and the Swedish-speaking controls were tested in the same setting and instructors and the Spanish-speaking controls were tested in another setting with another instructor. The language proficiency of the participants were investigated by piloting a grammaticality judgment test (GJT) to find out about the samples grammatical intuition. Furthermore, in order to measure the participants semantic and grammatical inferencing skills, a cloze test was piloted to all participants.