New German Cinema Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

New German Cinema - Essay Example Finally, the films shared a concern with contemporary West German fact on the one support and search for public and markets on the other1. In an international view, the German Cinema was taken as the most encouraging development in German cinema since German assertions, and a handful of its directors who have won national reputations. The film developed in other countries like Britain and US during the mid 1970s through various magazines and television announcements. Many observers of the films focused on the characters of the new directors, discussing them as creative geniuses, artists with something to say and determined the films almost incompatible in terms of their personal visions of the directors. Thus, the New German Cinema in Britain and America was initially discussed predominantly as a â€Å"cinema des auteur.†2 Although the New German Cinema directors were undisputedly highly gifted, there were a number of historically particular influences that set up essential pre-conditions for the occurrence of the New Cinema. Of particular significant was the way in which Allies handled the fledging West German Film industry in the years promptly after the World War II. When the war was moving towards the end, the western Allies felt that it was vital to re-inform the German people in order both to declassify Germany and to assemble up the western zones of Germany as a barrier to the influence of the Soviet in eastern Europe and American films were recognized fast as an effective measure of disseminating western notions of freedom, democracy and capitalist enterprise. Before the distributors of America agreed to send their films to the FRG for this reason, however, they forced that they should be permitted to transfer any benefits made in Germany back to America. Since the market in the German was clo sed to America during the World war II, once this situation

Plantation Management in the Old South Essay Example for Free

Plantation Management in the Old South Essay William Scarborough’s, The Overseer, examines the importance and the daily duties of the plantation overseer and how they influenced and contributed to the production and efficiency of slaves in the â€Å"Old South†. This position was unarguably, the most important position in the southern plantation system as they determined the success or failure of a plantation. In some small plantations, but mostly larger ones, the overseer was in charge of the supervision of enslaved Africans, care of the land, planting, farm tools, and harvesting. The overseer has been especially known in history as the handler of harsh disciplinary actions against slaves for breaking heavy or mild rules. The emergence of job advertising stormed through the south with higher number of individuals owning slaves. Over time leading up to the Civil War, the position of overseer has been professionalized with some planters even requiring letters of recommendations from their applicants. The goal of the author is to gather facts and accurate evidence that demonstrate how overseers effectively completed their task set forth by plantation owners and were less concerned about the torture and harsh beating of the enslaved Africans. The writer focuses more on the profession itself as opposed to examining the individual’s social class or morals in society. He also attempts to provide a valuable interpretation of one of many groups that made up the white middle class of the Old South. The book is divided into three sections with the first concerning the history and role of the overseer in the plantation establishment. It also gives key details on contract negotiations between the overseer and the plantation owner. Lastly, this section shows the view of the overseer by the general public. The second section examines the managerial duties and responsibilities and some of the disagreements between the plantation master and the overseer. The final section shows the occupation and the importance of the plantation supervisor during the Civil War and how the loss or reduction in available overseers affected the surviving plantations after the war ended. The overseer system was first introduced in the United States by the Virginia Company of England with the primary job function of upholding gained territory. When Africans were shipped to the Louisiana Territory as slaves, this very system was implemented. The vast majority of overseers during the colonial period were indentured servants whose terms of service had expired. One major reason for the increase in overseers in the antebellum south, during the 18th century were the cultural change that demanded plantation owners to indulge in the arts and other cultural pursuits. The profile of many of the men that went into this profession were most likely either the son of a planter, white lower class men, and men who actually saw the economic benefits of being an overseer. One distinctive feature of the overseer system during the colonial period was the practice of leasing developed plantations with slaves as stock. With this agreement the overseer was in charge for maintenance of the s lave force, and in return received one-third of the net proceeds from the selling of the crops. This profession would soon become highly profitable when cotton became the forefront of agriculture in the United States although to some had a negative view of the position. Although most of the overseers were originally poor and uneducated, they still gained enough respect by their employers to be acknowledged as a semi-elite professional with a very profitable position. Whatever may have been the view of the planter class regarding the step on the â€Å"social ladder† occupied by slave managers, the overseer himself had no feeling of class inferiority and showed little resentment toward the proprietary group. One of the major duties of the overseer was the welfare and discipline of the slaves, the care of livestock and other agriculture implements, and the production of staple and subsistence crops. The overseer assigned certain task to specific slave groups and supervised the labor of slaves in the field. The overseer was expected to have basic medical understanding to be able to examine the slaves and make note of any who actually needed professional treatment to treat certain physical hinders. The slave manager was obliged to make periodic inspections of slave cabins and was responsible for the distribution of clothing for the slaves. Lastly, and most importantly, the overseer was expected to ensure the security of the whites against uprisings of slaves, which was to some, inevitable. Depending of the plantation, there were also a second set of rules that were handed down from the planter to the overseer to instruct to the slaves. Some plantations had very harsh working conditions and required long hours, regardless of age or gender, while other were pretty mild with less work demanded from pregnant women and children under the age of seven. Some planters stated that â€Å"a happy slave is a productive slave† and the overseer had to abide by the wishes of the planter although they may have had different views on the use and managing of the slaves. The relationship between the overseer and the planter became pivotal leading up to the Civil War in 1861. As the Civil War began to run its course, the production of agriculture (with slave labor) was extremely important in the surviving and continuity of the south. The role of the overseer became even greater than ever with the departure of healthy white men leaving to join the Confederate Army. In many areas in the south, the only remaining security against insurgencies from the slaves was the overseers. It was no surprise that the drafting of plantation managers to the Confederate Army, angered many planters knowing that there would not be enough qualified managers to keep the slaves productive and fearful. There were even laws put into place in states such as Georgia, South Carolina, Mississippi, Alabama, and Louisiana that limited the number of overseers that could be drafted into the army. The south also made a rule stating that any wounded soldier who is able must return and oversee a plantation in order to contribute to the production of goods in the south. With this reduction in overseers, many slaves were able to escape and a number of large plantations fell due to the absence of the â€Å"slave Manager†. Scarborough’s The Overseer, examines the life and impact of the plantation overseer and how it shaped the working system of slavery and production in the United States. The author’s uses key facts to back his thesis on the importance and professionalism of the overseer. Scarborough did extensive research by exploring primary sources such as the memoirs of planters, public records, legal documents, and advertising posters. He incorporates a number of different employment contracts between planters and overseers and compared them based on the size of the plantation, state and region, and number of slaves. The author seemed to look at this job description from a professional standpoint as opposed to the ills and negative view that society and some historians have placed on the managers of plantations. He mentions that some overseers who were uneducated or inexperienced greatly affected the outlook for this profession and shadowed the somewhat complex job of managing an entire plantation.

Global Warming Essay -- Environmental Global Climate Change

Global Warming:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"It’s gettin’ hot in here, so take off all your clothes†¦Ã¢â‚¬  The famous words of R&B star, Nelly, are truer than one might think. It really is getting hot in here. The world’s average temperature is rising every year and is expected to be 5 to 10 degrees higher by the end of the century, which is faster than they have increased in the last ten millennia, according to the National Resource Defense Council’s website.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  But why is this epidemic happening? As the Defense Council states, global warming is caused by carbon dioxide and other types of heat trapping pollution that are collecting like a blanket in the atmosphere, trapping heat from the earth as it tries to radiate back into space. As a result, the planet is getting warming. In fact, 2002 was the hottest year yet. In an article in World Almanac and Book of Facts, 9 out of the10 hottest years have been in the 90's.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  There are a few major causes of theses heat trapping gases. According to a study conducted by Dr. Gerald Meehl, Warren Washington, T.M.L. Wigley, Julie Arblaster, and Aiguo Dai from the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder Colorado, the main contributors to global warming are derived from human activities. Since the start of the industrial revolution, atmospheric concentrations of CO2, CH4, and N2O have increased by 30%, 145%, and 15%k respectively. The gases are emitted mainly by cars, power plants, and other industrial sources that burn gasoline, coal, and other fossil fuels.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Obviously, the emissions of these greenhouse gases in excess are leading to the planet’s consistent increase in temperature. For example, in a study conducted by the National Center for Atmospheric Research, it was confirmed that earth’s early century warming was caused by mostly solar and volcanic forcing, and the late century warming, from 1940-2000, was mostly caused by the increase of greenhouse   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  gases. The National Resource Defense Council states, if global warming  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  persists, there will be more air pollution and problems with water supplies as precipitation patterns change, as well as huge threats to ecosystems from the Everglades to the glaciers. Not only will there be hotter, longer heat waves and   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  more intense storm systems, but also forests, farms and cities will face troublesome new pests and more mosquito-borne diseases. As a result, past pr... ...o buying more fuel efficient cars and promoting an atmosphere friendly lifestyle. References Arblaster, J., Dai, A., Meehl, G., Washington, W., Wigley, T. (2002, July 2002). Solar   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  and Greenhouse Gas Forcing and Climate Response in the Twentieth Century.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Journal of Climate, pp426-444. Carey, J. and Shapiro, S. (2004, August 16). Global Warming. Business Week, pp.60-69. Frazier, I. (2003, March/April). As the World Burns. Mother Jones, pp.36-39. Global Climate Coalition. Retrieved on March 28, 2003 from Global Climate Coalition   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  the world wide web: http://www.globalclimate.org/index.htm Jensen, M. (2004, August). Climate Warming Shakes up Species. BioScience, pp. 722-729. Schulz, K. (2003, February 20). Global Warming Right Now. Rolling Stone. pp. 35-38. (2003). Greenhouse Effect and Global Warming. World Almanac & Book of Facts, p165. (2003). Global Warming 101 What it is, How it's Caused, and What Needs to be Done to   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Stop it. Global Warming: In Brief. Retrieved March 28, 2003 from National   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Resource Defense Council on the world wide web:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  http://www.nrdc.org/globalWarming/f101.asp

Continental Philosophy’s Existentialism and Phenomenology Essay

Various identifiable schools of thought such as: existentialism, phenomenology, hermeneutics, deconstruction, and critical theory can be found within Continental philosophy. Existentialism and phenomenology can be traced back to the 19th century and to the pre-Socratics. A few of the main themes from existentialism are:  ·Traditional and academic philosophy is sterile and remote from the concerns of real life.  ·Philosophy must focus on the individual in her or hi confrontation with the world.  ·The world is absurd, in the sense that no ultimate explanation can be given for why it is the way it is.  ·Senselessness, emptiness, triviality, separation, and inability to communicate pervade human existence, giving birth to anxiety, dread, self-doubt, and despair.  ·The individual confronts, as the most important fact of human existence, the necessity to choose how he or she is to live within this absurd and irrational world. Many of these themes were introduced by Arthur Schopenhauer, Soren Kierkegaard, and Friedrich Nietzsche. Kierkegaard emphasized the individual and especially the individual’s will and need to make important choices. Georg Hegel rejected the concept of the â€Å"thing-in-itself† and held that all reality is the expression of thought or reason. Reality, for Hegel, is not a group of independent particulars or states of affairs, but rather like a coherent thought system such as mathematics it is an integrated whole in which each proposition is logically connected with all the rest. Where Hegel was abstract to a degree rarely found outside mathematics, Kierkgaard was concerned with how and what the individual actually chooses in the face of doubt and uncertainty. One contributor to Continental philosophy was Friedrich Nietzche. Nietzche disagreed with all of Hegel’s theories of idealism. He believed the world is driven and determined by the will-to-power. He also believed we have no access to absolute truth and that there are not facts, only interpretations. There were several existentialists in the 19th and 20th centuries. Albert Camus, Jean-Paul Sartre, Gabriel Marcel and Simone de Beauvoir in France, Karl Jaspers in Switzerland, Martin Heidegger in Germany, Miguel de Unamuno and Jose Ortega y Gasset in Spain, and Nicola Abbagnano in Italy. Two philosophers I want to discuss are Albert Camus and Jean-Paul Sartre. Camus did not understand why the human race spent their lives in despair and grief but were always optimistic about living. He believed there is no ultimate reason that things are the way they are and that we must make choices and decide how to act in a valueless world and absurd world. This is called â€Å"existential predicament. † Even though Camus asked himself, â€Å"Is there any reason not commit suicide? † he regarded suicide as unacceptable. Rebelling against the absurdity and tragedy of life would possibly give life meaning and value. Sartre was a man that thought God did not exist and that man was â€Å"abandoned. † According to Sartre, the non-existence of God has four philosophical implications. First, there is no maker of man, so there is such thing as human nature. The person must produce his or her own essence, because no God created human beings in accordance with a divine concept. Second, since there is no God, there is no reason why things are the way they are not some other way. A human being has â€Å"being-for-itself†, which means that a human being is a conscious subject that creates its own future. Third, man is â€Å"condemned to be free. † Nothing forces us to do what we do, so therefore, we cannot excuse our actions by saying there were circumstances for what we did. Forth, there is no objective standard for values. Since it is a Godless world, we must come up with our own values. To Sartre, creating our own values is a great responsibility for mankind. To find meaning in our lives, we must create our values by making authentic choices. Edmund Husserl was the first great phenomenologist. Phenomenology comes from structures found within conscious experience. Phenomena are the structures that manifest themselves on the assumptions and presuppositions of science. They are thought of as the way a thing is immediately experienced and the way it â€Å"is. † Phenomenology is a way to explore the conscious experience with out making any metaphysical assumptions. Husserl investigated phenomena without making assumptions about the world. This is called transcendental phenomenology. Martin Heidegger also wanted to see things without presumptions, but he was not convinced by Husserl’s theory of phenomena; he believed the source of seeing things this way was Being itself. Heidegger’s theory was that humans are caught up in their own ideas and Being has been reduced to a world of â€Å"objects† dominated by humans through their own logics. Humans are basically ignorant to the true nature of Being. Emmanuel Levinas is mainly responsible for introducing phenomenology into France. He had an influence on many other philosophers. His theories centered on the sense of being aware of what and how we humans exist in the world. He believed, unlike Heidegger, that philosophy began with the experiences of our otherness, and God exists as an Absolute Otherness that can never be breached. He did not agree with the theory of Being because that would make the Other a mere object for consciousness. References

Motivational theories applied in the workplace Essay

Within this assignment I will be looking at the various motivational theories that organisations may use in order to more their workforce more efficient. The organisation I will look at is Tesco as they now employ over 468,000 employees worldwide and have adopted various methods in order to give their employees increased knowledge, skills and job satisfaction by using training and relevant rewards and recognition schemes. Motivation is very important within an organisation that relies heavily on their employees as this will determine how efficiently they work. Motivation can be given in many ways such as personal interest in the job they are doing or other factors such as rewards, other factors include recognition of hard work, a sense of achievement, responsibility within the workplace, opportunity of promotion and also a sense of challenge and enjoyment. By motivating employees in this way they will be able to work harder and achieve a high quality of work in less time. If this is applied within Tesco, the same task will take a shorter period of time meaning a reduced labour cost for the business. The first motivational theory I am going to look at is Taylor’s theory which suggests that employee’s main incentive to work is for money purposes only. Although Taylor’s theory is based upon a production line where workers are paid for each item that is produced which creates an incentive to work faster. Although this meant that work would be completed quicker, it may also lead to lower quality work. Some positive aspects of this theory include that people are able to work for longer periods, and workers feel rewarded for putting in more effort although negative features may include not being suitable to everyone as people may feel less secure in their job. This motivational theory has been adopted within Tesco in order to motivate their staff by offering incentives, these incentives are varied according to lifestyle and includes free shares, pension scheme, private healthcare and contract mobile phones. Tesco offer varied incentives so that every employee has something to work towards as there are different rewards for different people. Although one disadvantage of adopting this method within Tesco is that only the floor staff will benefit as it will relate to the amount of work they complete, whereas mangers do not have the same type of work and will miss out on the same rewards, this means Tesco must adopt multiple theories to suit all employees. The next motivational theory I will look at is the Hawthorne study which suggests that there were various factors which created motivation at work and this included; greater communication, good teamwork, showing an interest in others and ensuring work was non-repetitive. This is due to Elton Mayo suggesting that receptiveness will make employees bored and become less motivated. Which means employees should be given freedom to make choices within their workplace. Although a disadvantage of using this theory is that employees will not get any financial benefits such as bonuses. This is apparent within Tesco as communication within this company is an important factor in order to motivate staff, examples of this include 1-to-1 discussions between floor staff and managers and also with the use of the company’s intranet which is used to offer jobs to current employees before they go out to the public. Another motivational theory I will focus on is Maslow, which includes a pyramid style of motivation where basic or physical needs must be met before the other stages can be dealt with. The other stages include security within the business, social needs which include teambuilding and a sense of belonging between employees, self-esteem which may include promotions and also self-fulfilment that may consist of a constant challenge they face within the workplace. This motivational theory is used within Tesco to motivate all employees within the organisation, such as ensuring each worker has a regular monthly pay and the use of facilities such as a restaurant. The next stage Tesco focus on is the need for security at work, this is in the form of formal contracts of employment to ensure employees feel secure in the job they have taken, security within Tesco also includes pension schemes, union options and also health and safety within the workplace. In addition to this, the Herzberg theory is also used within workplaces such as Tesco, and this includes both motivators and hygiene factors. Some motivational factors that are used within Tesco include: 1. Achievement 2. Responsibility 3. Promotion 4. Growth Also including hygiene factors such as: 1. Pay and benefits 2. Company policy 3. Supervision 4. Job security 5. Working conditions Tesco uses each of these factors in order to motivate its staff by delegating responsibility and decision making which will help to improve the communication within the business and ensure staff are working to the best of their ability. Although by following these factors no social needs are looked into which can be important within a large business such as Tesco. The McGregor theory implies that workers are one of two types which are labelled theory X which include: 1. Individuals who dislike work and avoid it where possible 2. Individuals who lack ambition, dislike responsibility and prefer to be led 3. Individuals who desire security For Theory X workers in order to achieve organisational objectives, a business would need to include a management system, control and correct penalties where needed. And Theory Y workers can be described as: 1. Consider effort at work as just like rest or play 2. Ordinary people who do not dislike work. Depending on the working conditions, work could be considered a source of satisfaction or punishment 3. Individuals who seek responsibility The implications for Theory Y workers are that to achieve organisational objectives, various rewards can be used to motivate workers. Although in order for the workers to show development the workplace must create a working environment. The McGregor theory is used within Tesco by providing a management system for workers on the shop floor by offering one to one talks with their own sector manager which will help to establish objectives for their work and also gives the employees a chance to express any enquiries they may have about their job. The next theory I will look at is the McClelland theory which suggests that there are three main types of motivational needs: 1. The need for achievement 2. The need for authority and power 3. The need for affiliation. Tesco makes use of this theory as each employee and manager has differencing levels of needs, and this influences them within their working environment. Tesco do this by ensuring all employees feel a part of a group and a part of the company, this can be achieved by giving employees responsibility to complete tasks and also have a chance at promotion. The final theory I will explore is the Vroom theory which proposes that employees will work harder if they can see that the overall outcome of their work will benefit them more. This is shown using a formula that can be used to show how motivated someone is likely to be. Tesco are able to use this by offering greater rewards for the work that their employees complete, which may include additional discounts on all areas of the company such as food and electronics and also offering their employees’ private health memberships.

Travel Writing 101

Travel Writing 101 A lot of freelance writers dream of breaking into travel journalism. Who doesn’t want to see the world and get paid for the privilege? Most of us fall into one of two camps. We either think travel journalism is easy and anyone can do it, or we think it’s an impossible dream. The truth lies somewhere in the middle. In addition to numerous specialist travel magazines and websites worldwide, the vast majority of which use freelancers to provide content, most national newspapers and lifestyle publications also have travel sections. All told, this is a lot of markets you could be writing for. Think of an angle, with one eye on current trends, obviously based around a specific destination (the more off the beaten track the better – there are only so many articles about Paris or New York City a publication needs) and pitch away until you get a commission. Bear in mind editors will generally be more receptive to fully-formed ideas that adhere to their contributor’s guidelines and fit their existing format. Then, you can start planning. Write up a detailed itinerary listing everything from how you plan to get there and where you are going to stay, to activities and airport transfers. Always check local events listings and try to maximize your time Now the hard work begins. Use your newly-acquired commission as leverage to approach tour operators, airlines, car hire companies, hotels, local amenities, businesses and tourist attractions which could theoretically slot into your schedule. Explain that you would be happy to namecheck them in your article in exchange for a free ticket, a room for a night, or even a meal, depending on what service the business provides. Be warned, the potential provider will likely want to see details of the publication you are writing for (circulation, readership, demographic, etc.), proof of commission (a short-headed letter from a commissioning editor will suffice) and will need you to explain how their service or product will be integrated into your feature. In short, they will want to know if working with you will be worth their investment. This step requires a lot of legwork, but in a perfect world, you should be able to subsidize your trip, if not pay for the whole thing. Unless you are a staf fer, in the current climate very few publications are prepared to pay contributor’s expenses, but it never hurts to ask. In the digital age, most freelance travel writers have a large social media presence and a blog. Some also have YouTube channels. Maintaining a blog and building a following takes time. But the old adage ‘Sell it and they will come’ bears fruit. If you provide a worthwhile product and promote it well, readers will find you. How do you provide a worthwhile product? Make your posts valuable, practical, and ensure each has a jewel, some hidden or little-known fact or nugget of knowledge. Aim to fill a niche, such as traveling on a budget or being a solo traveler. Remember, your blog is your showcase. When it has gained some traction, arm yourself with the vital stats such as your total followers and site hits (screenshots are more impressive) and go about the subsequent steps as you would if you’d won a commission from a national publication. There are a few free platforms you can use for blogging. I recommend WordPress or Wix. https://wordpress.com https://www.wix.com/ Alternatively, try contacting various agencies such as international tourist boards and other official bodies. Introduce yourself and ask about any promotional press trips. This is something countries do to boost international tourism. Then you can pitch editors according to what’s available. Play your cards right, and you could be writing your next assignment from a beach hut in Madagascar.

The Sixties essays

The Sixties essays The Sixties split the skies. Only Civil and two world wars so neatly divided our history into a Before and After. And the Sixties were more divisive than World War II, which drew more people for the war effort. The Sixties drove people apart husbands from wives, children from parents, students from teachers, citizens from their government. Authority was strengthened by World War II. It was challenged by the sixties. Relatively few Americans in 1960 would have predicted that the decade ahead was to be among the most turbulent of the century. Despite the growing restiveness of the nations African American population, and despite undercurrents of protest and discontent from many other groups, most Americans faced the future with optimism. The civil rights movement spawned social activism. Among the many effects of the civil rights movement as it gained momentum in the early 1960s was its impact on Greensboro sit-ins in 1960, accelerating with the 1961 Freedom Rides, and with the Mississippi Summer project. These movements opened up some eyes to Americans so they could see what was going on in the country at this time. Most of the things that went on in the sixties dealt with the War. The Cold war in which included the Korean War, but mostly dealt with our little rivalry the Soviet Union. There was a lot of division between people because of the War. Many people couldnt handle the thought of War. They were just scared that they had to be in a country that was involve in the War. Others thought that it was the perfect time to start their own groups. Some were Ethnic groups in which gained more power. Though much of American history, most of the nations dominant institutions had been controlled by middle-cla ss, Protestant, white males. Nonetheless, throughout those same years, American society was extraordinarily diverse. It included may groups whose political economic, and social outlo...

Your Work Adds Value †Start Pricing It That Way

Your Work Adds Value – Start Pricing It That Way When I began to inquire about a cleaning service – you know, someone to clean my house so I could have two hours of my life back – I was floored with the going rate. The going rate for cleaning toilets (in my area) is $80 per hour. You want clean laundry? Much more. This made me reflect on how experts not only price their services, but whether they believe they offer something of value. This isnt to say cleaning for a living doesnt deserve to be paid. It sure does. But writing for a living is worth at least that, dont you think? If you search online for the going rate of freelance writers, youll be disappointed. Those rates are false. If you accept that $30 an hour for a writing project is fair, youd be better off cleaning toilets for a living. How do you counteract the low fees as a professional writer? Quality clients First, realize you should only accept the clients who will agree to your rates. Clients have to have a substantial marketing budget. Theres a reason why cleaning services are typically used Charge per project Second, drop the hourly rate. When your plumber is working on a task, are you watching the clock and seeing $100 fly out the window every hour? Dont do that to clients. Give them a set project fee, which corporate clients prefer. Dont cheapen your skill Appreciate your value Third, develop confidence in your rates. Dont leave room for negotiation Say no Finally, say no more often. The more work you accept at insulting rates, thats additional work you could lose at better rates. Weed through the undesirable, cheap paying clients. Set yourself up as an expert. Produce quality work and enhance your portfolio. The more quality clients you choose to work with, the more youll believe youre worth every penny. Realize that you will always be surrounded

Nursing Research Proposal Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4250 words

Nursing - Research Proposal Example Competence in practice for nurses and doctors are now prescribed to be occurring as a result of interprofessional and collaborative practice in the clinical area. Literature suggests collaborative education provides better learning, but collaboration is a matter to learn. This learning can be initiated while doctors and nurses are both students in the clinical area, but research involving interprofessional learning for both nurse and doctor students is lacking. By questionnaire survey method developed by focus group analysis and pilot studies, groups of doctor students and nurse students will be trained in the clinical area, and at the end of the training, questionnaires will be responded by them. The responses will be analysed to examine the hypothesis, and if proved, this would serve as the future model for further research.Introduction: Active orientation and professional development while in service for nurses is a critical element of a delivery system that sets up high standards for quality of care delivery. Professional nurses are in the scenario of continuous learning, and therefore, they are responsible for their own continuing education. This generates personal and professional growths to the nurse and is a known incentive for persuasion of a higher academic degree. Continuing education is supposed to build on acquired knowledge, attitudes, and skills, where the nurse as a professional would be lifelong learners. Lifelong learning is essential to career development and competency achievement in nursing practice that builds on the scientific base for academic learning in nursing. This consists of competencies, attitude development, eye for evidence, and over all, biomedical knowledge. Additional competencies in collaboration, coordination, interdisciplinary and interprofessional practice activities also serve as media of exchanging knowledge and techniques, and these are critical to modern day health care delivery by the nurses as opposed to single, dis cipline-specific method of educating the nurses (Mathews, MB., 2003). Therefore, this framework if validated may raise the possibility of alternative learning method in nursing education. The strategies for teaching and learning then would involve educational teaming and exchange between different disciplines and other health professionals in similar categories. Theoretically, this format is expected to provide greater access to professional, interprofessional, and eventually education that entails competency in multiple areas. Obviously, the question arises, why interprofessional learning and education. Medical interventions are diverse, vast, and the health problems are becoming increasingly complex leading to a situation that needs continuous up-gradation and revision of educations (Johnson, AW. et al, 2006). These challenges can be solved, as has been suggested by the theorists, by interprofessional learning based on collaboration, team work, and learning together. Consequently, interprofessional learning can be defined as an educational approach which occurs in the form of exchanges between two professions or disciplines that interact in order to foster interactions leading to learning collaborations. An example would make things clear. A nursing student's academic learning for nursing activities and a medical student's academic learning, although based in the same area, revolves around different aspects of the medical science. If the students from both these professions are allowed to collaborate on the learning of clinical aspects of the disease and development of clinical skills related to that, both can gain learning and better understanding of the subject, although this process must be based on mutual understanding and respect for the actual and potential contributions of the disci plines (Furber, C. et al., 2004).

Ancient Part Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Ancient Part - Essay Example The western Roman empires started to collapse during this period of time and early modern age had its point of initiation from the end of this era. The phase between 5th and15th centuries is segmented into three phases; early, high and late middle age. After the collapse of the Roman Empire the provinces were under the control of barbarian invaders. Carolingian and East Francian Empires existed in Germany in the early middle ages. These dynasties were taken as the starting point of modern Germany. The institute, administration and regime in the Carolingian empire were in the court of its ruler Charlemagne. The political changes of the empire were made in the capital of Aachen in the province that had an extensive impact in the economy of German in the later ages. Historians often suspect the depth of emperor’s authority and rule. Monarchy was the system of rule when the central power and authority was in the hands of the emperor. This rule was known as Bannan; it was the right of law and charge that the emperor had over his territory (Caviness 49). The various rules of law were introduced by the king and he had complete judicial control over his provinces. The army or the defence of the province was also led by the ruler. It was the responsibility of the king to look after the underprivileged people and protect the church. People in the province were bound to be loyal to the king. The main objectives of the ruler were to systematize the sovereignty, church and cordiality around him. At the end of every norm the efficacy of the king was directly proportional to the effectiveness, support and trustworthiness of his subjects. There was an inbuilt body known as the Royal household who made sure that proper supervision was held in the localities. The count of the palace looked into the activities of the royal household. The priestly affairs of the kingdom were under the supervision of the chaplains, they had great power and importance over the people of the p rovince. Coinage had a strong association with the Roman Empire, after the collapse of Roman administration Charlemagne took control over the coinage system with its own regulations (Bruce 67). The Carolingians exercised control over the silver coinage of the dominion by domineering its concerto and standards. The name of the king, but not its minter appeared on the silver coins. The existence of silver coins showed that the economy was rich with resources. The king concealed the mints in northern Germany on the Baltic Sea and thus kept a secret reserve of wealth hidden from rest of the world. The brief analysis of the state of affairs long back in Germany reveals that before industrial revolution the common people had no freedom over their own decisions (Duby 87). The representative of the God was the chaplains, and the representative of the chaplains was the king. The common folk had no authority over their own political, economic and social activities. The sovereignty of the peop le was completely under the control of the king. Catering to the above factors Germany before 1800 was a heavily rural nation. There were only a few urban trade centres across the domestic borders of Germany. A business treaty of trading cities with their gilts existed in the trading centres of Germany. The farmers lived in the villages

Enlightening Experience from the Childhood Personal Statement - 8

Enlightening Experience from the Childhood - Personal Statement Example For the other game, we would chase each other around and whoever was ‘it’ had to touch the other one so he would be ‘it’ until we were chasing each other around in a circle. For the other game, we would chase each other around and whoever was ‘it’ had to touch the other one so he would be ‘it’ until we were chasing each other around in a circle. One day we were playing ‘run’ and I was winning.   I was running so fast I thought I was flying.   But Toby wasn’t very far behind me.   I could hear him breathing, so I was putting all my effort into it.   I could feel my face getting all scrunched up so I knew I was running all out just to stay ahead of Toby.   One minute, Toby was breathing down my neck and the next I heard him yelp and no more breathing.   I looked back and some strange man was holding Toby up in the air, his legs still kicking and with a surprised look on his face.   I was so surprised I almost ran straight into the fence.  Ã‚   The man was yelling something that I couldn’t hear at first because Toby was hollering and blood was pounding in my ears from the race and I was breathing heavy.   Then the words came in crystal clear. â€Å"†¦ black boy.   What do you think you’re doing chasing that white boy like that?   Don’t you know your place?   I’ll be giving you a sound beating for this one.   You just wait till I get my belt off, you’ll get a beating like you never have seen before.   You no account †¦Ã¢â‚¬ 

Spanish Identity during the Peninsular War Essay

Spanish Identity during the Peninsular War - Essay Example This was due to its proximity to the different factions that later on became synonymous with its history. The Spanish Domain integrated different colonies, conglomerating these into one major kingdom, and grew to become one of the major global empires of its time1. However, the Spanish history was laden with different kinds of wars, from revolutionist wars as shown by the French revolution that involved most European nations including Spain, to religious wars that all form significant parts of the Spanish past. Spain’s involvement in these wars was partly fuelled by its generally flourishing status of the economy courtesy of the revenue and riches that it generated from its acquisition of colonies especially in Africa coupled with its massive manifestation in the Americas. During these early times, Spain established itself into the niche of being among the most powerful nations, and its conquests led it to establishing a vast empire stretching over most parts of Europe. Howeve r, despite all these subjugations, the wars drained Spanish economy, especially under the reign of the Habsburg administration that was deemed negligent and incompetent on most matters. This decline in power gradually led to tensions in the Spanish realm later on culminating to a different rule, the Bourbons, taking over the Spanish control. Despite the general conception that Spain is among the ancient European nations, its true sense of identity presented itself with the onset of the 19th century especially with the advent of the Peninsula war. This idealization is due to the inception of the peninsular war that delineated the real state of the Spanish national identity and initiated the true civilization that united Spain on a single purpose hence leading to its inherent identification and true sense of sovereignty. Prior to the 19th century, French had ridden on a number of conquests and successes that ensured it enjoyed domination over most other European empires. This was unde r Napoleon, who had a penchant for confrontations in the quest for territorial expansion. In light of this, Napoleon initiated the peninsular war through moving his troops through Spain in attack of Portugal, only to turn upon the Spanish empire thereby leading to the Spanish uprising in defense of their territorial abuse by the French. This initiated the true Spanish identity in the struggle for the Iberian Peninsula in the wake of the Napoleonic initiated wars2. Through this war, the French were able to disintegrate the Spanish administration leading to smaller factions that tried to maintain the Spanish identity through guerilla type of warfare. Due to the various enmities that Napoleon had created, British and Portuguese states combined forces with the guerilla tactics of the partly annihilated Spanish empire to prevent further conquest by Napoleon. Following the disintegration of the Spanish entity into smaller factions during the peninsular war, the Spanish nationals sensed th e threat of territorial defeat and embarked on uniting under one cause to protect their identity end ensure national prosperity3. This lead to the different factions coming under one political annex to ensure proper national unity in the quest for the independence they enjoyed prior to the war. This highly led the Spanish to view the war as an independence struggle, despite enjoying stable independence prior to the war. The social aspects of Spain during this war ensured it gained enforcement

Research paper on a problem pertinent to my academic major

On a problem pertinent to my academic major (chemistry). Discuss and the problem and danger of being exp - Research Paper Example These accidents notwithstanding, Chemistry remains a fulfilling career and is, indeed, one of the best in today’s labor market as well as in the future. Introduction Though Chemistry is a mature and risk-laden discipline, it is an exciting, interesting and intellectually stimulating as well as financially rewarding career. Chemistry as a science deals with the investigation of the properties, composition and structure of matter, the transformation matter undergoes, and the energy changes associated with the transformation (Encyclop?dia Britannica, 2011). Chemistry has played and is playing a crucial role in conquering diseases, solving energy problems, addressing environmental problems, providing the discoveries that lead to new industries, and developing new materials and technologies for defense and global security. These represent some of the major issues that confront our society today and chemistry occupies a central position in resolving these issues. Thus the chemist re mains a relevant member of today society and will occupy that position as long as life exists on our planet. Apart from the reputation of being a chemist, is the fact that with a median annual salary of $90,000, the chemistry profession remains one of the best in the labor market (Peter, 2010). Furthermore, the interdisciplinary nature of today’s chemistry, offers the chemist the opportunity to connect with other members of the scientific community such as biologist, physicists, environmental scientist, geologist, geneticists, and even government policy makers. Thus the chemist is not an isolated individual rather a well-connected personality collaborating with others to make life on our planet exciting and interesting. The nature of current research in chemistry is another plus to the profession; indeed, today’s chemistry is interesting as well as intellectually stimulating. As chemist work in collaboration with biologist and physicist and other scientist to unveil na ture’ secrets, surprising yet interesting facts are gathered. Each answer creates more problems that need to be solved. This makes Chemistry the ideal science for anyone with creativity, intelligence, and persistence. As promising and fulfilling as Chemistry is as a profession, the profession has its other side. Chemistry has killed a lot of chemists even the most careful ones. Working in a chemistry laboratory is laden with risks. Exposure to chemicals has immediate as well as chronic effects. Injuries have been reported from implosion as well as explosion in the chemistry laboratory. Chemists have caught fire in the laboratory while some have died gradually without knowing due to exposure to ionizing radiation and toxic chemicals. It is worth mentioning that most of these accidents in laboratory are preventable if precautionary measures are followed. Given these risks associated with Chemistry, one cannot help but ask if Chemistry is worth practicing. This article seeks to answer that question. Discussion The benefits of being of chemist Key among the factors that influence career choices is economic & personal satisfaction, personal esteem, and society recognition (Bolles, 2008). With a median salary of $90,000, which is higher than the national $29,000 median salary, chemistry is a paying profession (Peter, 2010). According to the

Spanish Identity during the Peninsular War Essay

Spanish Identity during the Peninsular War - Essay Example This was due to its proximity to the different factions that later on became synonymous with its history. The Spanish Domain integrated different colonies, conglomerating these into one major kingdom, and grew to become one of the major global empires of its time1. However, the Spanish history was laden with different kinds of wars, from revolutionist wars as shown by the French revolution that involved most European nations including Spain, to religious wars that all form significant parts of the Spanish past. Spain’s involvement in these wars was partly fuelled by its generally flourishing status of the economy courtesy of the revenue and riches that it generated from its acquisition of colonies especially in Africa coupled with its massive manifestation in the Americas. During these early times, Spain established itself into the niche of being among the most powerful nations, and its conquests led it to establishing a vast empire stretching over most parts of Europe. Howeve r, despite all these subjugations, the wars drained Spanish economy, especially under the reign of the Habsburg administration that was deemed negligent and incompetent on most matters. This decline in power gradually led to tensions in the Spanish realm later on culminating to a different rule, the Bourbons, taking over the Spanish control. Despite the general conception that Spain is among the ancient European nations, its true sense of identity presented itself with the onset of the 19th century especially with the advent of the Peninsula war. This idealization is due to the inception of the peninsular war that delineated the real state of the Spanish national identity and initiated the true civilization that united Spain on a single purpose hence leading to its inherent identification and true sense of sovereignty. Prior to the 19th century, French had ridden on a number of conquests and successes that ensured it enjoyed domination over most other European empires. This was unde r Napoleon, who had a penchant for confrontations in the quest for territorial expansion. In light of this, Napoleon initiated the peninsular war through moving his troops through Spain in attack of Portugal, only to turn upon the Spanish empire thereby leading to the Spanish uprising in defense of their territorial abuse by the French. This initiated the true Spanish identity in the struggle for the Iberian Peninsula in the wake of the Napoleonic initiated wars2. Through this war, the French were able to disintegrate the Spanish administration leading to smaller factions that tried to maintain the Spanish identity through guerilla type of warfare. Due to the various enmities that Napoleon had created, British and Portuguese states combined forces with the guerilla tactics of the partly annihilated Spanish empire to prevent further conquest by Napoleon. Following the disintegration of the Spanish entity into smaller factions during the peninsular war, the Spanish nationals sensed th e threat of territorial defeat and embarked on uniting under one cause to protect their identity end ensure national prosperity3. This lead to the different factions coming under one political annex to ensure proper national unity in the quest for the independence they enjoyed prior to the war. This highly led the Spanish to view the war as an independence struggle, despite enjoying stable independence prior to the war. The social aspects of Spain during this war ensured it gained enforcement

Health promotion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Health promotion - Essay Example As a nurse, I can help in implementing this change for life campaign to help individuals from my branch client group to positively influence their holistic life as follows: First, I will help in educating these individuals on the importance of changing their life so that they can live a holistic healthy life. Many individuals do not observe health measures simply because they are ignorant on the importance living a healthy life. Creation of awareness by shading light on the health related effects and benefits if living health will act as a motivation factor for these individuals to accept this campaign of change for life (Pender 2008). Considering the stages of change model, the readiness of individuals to change or accept to change their living habits towards health promoting behaviors is the first step that will help implement this initiative of change for life. As a nurse, I will engage in public education and promotional strategies to influence these individuals to make the decis ion to adopt health promoting living standards. I will also ensure that the motivation strategies are maintained constant so that these individuals can also maintain the changes geared towards promoting their health (Scriven 2005). I will also apply the health belief model of promoting health in order implement the initiative through encouraging the individuals to believe and focus on the recommended health promoting behaviors in order to curd health related risks and help in prevention or management of susceptible health problems. The key concept of this strategy is to enhance self efficacy among these individuals and encourage them to make efforts towards adhering to the requirements of this campaign. On interpersonal level, I will apply the social learning theory to help in implementation of the change for life campaign to promote health among these individuals. In this aspect, I will encourage the individuals to teach their fellow friends and family members on the importance of the program so that they can also participate and enjoy the benefits. Encouraging interaction between these individuals will help them to share ideas and learn the prospects of the change for life campaign. I will also involve in implementing this initiate from a community level by applying community organization health promotion theory. This theory is geared towards ensuring the whole community is actively participating in the change for life campaign. I will empower the community in which these individuals live to emphasize active participation of its members for the general promotion of health in the community and as a strategy to help solve health and social problems under consideration (Scriven 2005). I will formulate and impose processes and strategies that will enhance the adoption of policies and programs of the campaign. Through problem definition, action initiation and change implementation, I will be able to enhance adoption of these policies and programs for the success of the whole change for life initiative. Through the concepts of relative advantage, complexity and compatibility of the initiative, I will shade light on how various ideas, social practices and products of the initiative can be speared within these individuals so that each and every member has access to the provisions of the initiative (Taylor 2004). Since each and every individual would like to feel health and strong after the above initial introduction stages, the real challenge comes imposing the living habits and changes

UV-vis works Essay Example for Free

UV-vis works Essay Even though I accidentally spilled most of my product while pouring it into the separatory funnel, the product left was identical to everyone elses by comparison of the UV-vis spectrum.  Discussion  One possible source of error in this experiment occurred when I spilled the product. Although a small amount of it remained in the beaker, I decided to pipet the  spilled product off the desk to save as much as I could in order to complete the experiment. At first I thought this might cause my product to be somewhat impure, but after looking at the UV-vis spectra, it was obvious this had no effect on the outcome. My spectrum looked perfectly fine. Conclusion UV-vis can be very helpful in finding out how pure your product is and what the components are by looking where the absorption bands are and the extent to which the components were absorbed. UV-vis works by electrons moving from the ground state to a higher excited state. The types of transitions possible are. The sigma to sigma star transitions take place at 200-700 nm and are usually not seen in UV-vis spectrum. N to sigma star transitions require less energy than sigma to sigma star transitions and occur at 150-250 nm. The last type of transitions occur between 200 and 700 nm and are the type which occur in the Cu(TTP) spectrum. Peaks that are shifted to shorter wavelengths caused by transitions are named blue shifts. The peaks that are shown in our Cu(TTP) spectrum are caused by transitions and are classified as red shifts. This is caused by attractive polarisation forces between the solvent and the absorber, which lower the energy levels of both the excited and unexcited states. This effect is greater for the excited state, and so the energy difference between the excited and unexcited states is slightly reduced resulting in a small red shift. This effect also influences   transitions but is overshadowed by the blue shift resulting from solvation of lone pairs (UV-vis Absorption http://www.shu.ac.uk/schools/sci/chem/tutorials/molspec/uvvisab1.htm) Questions and Answers 1. Why does Cu(TTP) elute before H2TTP? The copper would elute first. The reason for this is because of the acidity of the hydrogen atoms. Since the hydrogens are acidic, they want to hold onto the silica gel, which will cause them to elute after a longer time period.  2. The rates at which compounds elute from a silica gel column depend on any pretreatment of the silica gel. In which case would a compound elute faster: down a column made of silica gel that had been previously heated at 150 degrees Celsius under vacuum for 8 hours, or down a column made of silica gel that had been sitting open in the laboratory for a few days? Explain. When you heat silica gel, water evaporates off the gel leaving open sites where polar molecules can bond. When you let silica gel out in the open, it will collect water molecules on it. Compounds would elute faster down a column that has been heated at 150 degrees for 8 hours because the gel would be dry.  3. A mixture of cis and trans isomers of the neutral complex Cr(CO)4[P(C6H5]2 is loaded onto a silica gel and eluted with CHCl3. Which isomer would elute first, and why? The trans isomer would elute first. References Skoog Douglas; Holler F. James; Nieman Timothy A., Principles of Instrumental Analysis, fifth edition, Thompson Learning: 1998.  Quinn 6  UV-Vis Absorption Spectroscopy-Theory. http://www.shu.ac.uk/schools/sci/chem/tutorials/molspec/uvvisab1.htm.

Purchase decision of apartments in metropolitan India

Purchase decision of apartments in metropolitan India Factors affecting the purchase decision of apartments in metropolitan India Abstract Purpose The purpose of this paper is to provide an insight into the motivation behind Indian buyers when looking to purchase an apartment. The factors driving demand preferences for apartments are not well established and are difficult to measure, and often builders may not have an insight into what buyers are looking for. Design/methodology/approach The research in this paper is based on telephonic interviews and internet based survey with recent purchasers, who bought a home in the past 1 year and prospective purchasers looking to buy an apartment in the coming one year. They belonged to number of locations across all metropolitan cities of India Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Kolkata and Chennai. The data were analysed using factor analysis to identify the criteria in an apartment that buyers value the most. This research was done across all ages and irrespective of their intention of why they bought or if this was their first purchase. Further, Cluster analyses was used to determine clusters and one way Anova was used to determine the factors that hold different value to different clusters of people. Discriminant Analysis was used to determine any difference in behaviour of first time purchasers with others. Findings The findings in this paper revealed that issues signifying â€Å"affluence† accounted for approximately 27 percent of the choice of housing by Indian buyers to purchase apartments in metropolitan India. Also, Cluster Analysis revealed that demographically different set of buyers differ significantly in their attitude towards â€Å"Financial† factors. Discriminant analysis revealed that first time buyers give significantly more importance to â€Å"Financial† factors like â€Å"House price†, â€Å"Income† where they give much lesser importance to â€Å"Builder reputation† and â€Å"Status of neighbourhood†. Research limitations/implications The research in this paper is aimed specifically at Indians living in metropolitan cities only which may be very different from the rest of India. The majority of the respondents belong to Delhi, which may also bias the results. The majority of the data has been collected from an online survey which may reduce the validity of the findings. Practical implications If due consideration is given to the factors that buyers are most concerned about, builders of new apartment housing would be better equipped to meet this demand and maximise their profits. Builders will also be able to target buyers better by knowing the difference in preference of first time buyers to others. Originality/value This paper provides an invaluable insight into Indians concept of a suitable apartment in metropolitans. While important decision factors were determined for the entire population, further analysis was done to determine difference in issues felt important to first time buyers. Also, the most important factors were determined for different demographic clusters. Thus in this way, the transaction of purchasing an apartment was analyzed from several points of view. Keywords Consumer behaviour, Purchase, Apartment, India Paper type Research paper INTRODUCTION The Real Estate sector is important to the Indian economy. In terms of employment generation, it is second only to the agricultural sector. The housing sector contributes nearly 5% to Indias GDP. It is expected to rise to 6 per cent in the next five years. Property markets in India are recovering faster than those in the US and the UK. The sector is expected to attract around US$ 12.11 billion of investments in the next five years. Residential space comprises almost 80% of the real estate developed in the country. There is a shortage of 22.4 million dwelling units according to the Tenth Five Year Plan. 80 to 90 million housing units will have to be constructed over the next 10 to 15 years to rectify this, with the majority of them for the middle- and lower-income groups. It is for this reason that residential properties in India, particularly in Mumbai and Delhi, are viewed as very good investments as per a study by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) and Urban Land Institute, a global non-profit education and research institute. In the 2009-10 budget, a tax holiday on profits was granted to developers of affordable housing (units of 1,000-1,500 sq ft). This exemption was instituted for projects that started from 2007-08 onwards with a deadline of completion of March 1, 2012. US$ 207 million was also allocated to grant a 1% interest subsidy on home loans up to US$ 20,691 with the caveat that the cost of the home should not be more than US$ 41,382. This was expected to further help the housing sector. An apartment is a residential unit that forms a division of a building. It can be either owned or rented. Some people own their apartments together where each owns a part of the corporation which owns the flat. In condominiums, dwellers own the individual apartments and share the public environment. Living in apartments is gaining popularity in India. 217 townships across India are in the building plans for the Sahara Group. Their allure lies in the convenience that they offer in terms of safety and security and maintenance of utilities like electricity and water. A central maintenance system obviates the need for hiring outside help for minor problems like leaking taps or electric short circuits. Stand-alone homes also require incurring additional costs like buying/leasing land, licensing, duties, etc. Apartments enable maximization of space utilization and reduce demand on public resources. People are also able to avail of additional amenities like gymnasiums, swimming pools, etc. at affordable prices. There is a gap in the literature, however, with regard to the value drivers that dictate purchase decisions of residential property in the country. Similar studies exist for other countries but were found wanting in the Indian context, especially when it comes to apartments. Through this paper, we aim to do the very same, i.e. establish which factors dictate purchase decision and to what extent. We will also correlate these preferences with the demographic profiles and characteristics of our respondents and hence arrive at a greater and much deeper understanding of these issues. We see immense utility for our paper, especially for builders and property dealers who can use our findings in structuring their own business activities. RESEARCH BACKGROUND AND HYPOTHESIS Even though consumer behaviour is generally assumed to be an important part of real estate valuation, buyer preferences are generally not considered during the valuation process. It is basically reduced to the confirmation of a bid price which may or may not be met by the buyer. Efforts are being made to address this fault and many papers have been written on the analysis of motivations of residential property purchasers, attempting to explain them using models such as bounded rationality and hedonic pricing. Hedonic Pricing, or Hedonic Demand Theory as it is also known, decomposes the item of interest into constituents and evaluates the importance of each of them and their contribution to the overall valuation. These factors can be both internal characteristics of the good or service and external factors. In the case of real estate valuation, internal characteristics include layout, structure, etc of the property while status of neighbourhood, proximity to schools, etc are the exter nal factors. Factor Analysis enables us to do just that. It is a statistical method that reduces the number of variables by grouping two or more of them into unknown or hidden variables known as factors. Further analysis is then conducted by looking at the variation among these factors and evaluating their relative performance. These factors are taken to be linear combinations of the original variables plus error terms (Richard L. Gorsuch, 1983). â€Å"Factor analysis seeks to do precisely what humans have been engaged in doing throughout history that is to make order of the apparent chaos of the environment† (Child, 1990). It has great use in evaluating consumer behaviour. Charles Spearman is credited with its invention. He used it in the formulation of the ‘g Theory as part of his research on human intelligence (Williams, Zimmerman, Zumbo Ross, 2003). Over the years it has found uses in fields as diverse as psychometrics, marketing, physical sciences and economics. It can be used to segment consumers on the basis of what benefits they want from the product/service (Minhas Jacobs, 1996). It has evolved as a technique over the years, with many researchers working on fine-tuning and improving the analytical process. Bai Ng (2002) developed an econometric theory for factor models of large dimensions. It focused on the determination of the number of factors that should be included in the model. The basic premise of the authors was that a large number of variables can be modeled by a small number of reference variables. Marketing strategies based on customer preferences and behaviour often make use of this technique during the market research phase (Ali, Kapoor Moorthy, 2010) and while devising and changing the marketing mix (Ivy, 2008). Factor Analysis has also been used in ground water management to relate spatial distribution of various chemical parameters to different sources (Love, Hallbauer, Amos Hranova, 2004). The facility of segmentation that factor analysis offers has been extended to the real estate sector and all studies thereof. Regression analyses are subject to aggregation biases and segmented market models yield better results. This segmentation is done using factor analysis Watkins, 1999). Property researchers have also dedicated a lot of attention to researching the preferences of property buyers and identifying the drivers of property value. A study in Melbourne, Australia (Reid Mills, 2004) analyzed the purchase decisions of first time buyers and tried to determine the most influential attributes that affect the purchase decision using factor analysis. The research findings of the paper indicated that financial issues explain about 30% of the variance in the purchase decisions of first time house-owners. This related to timing, the choice of housing, and the decision to buy new housing. Apart from that the choice of housing is dependent on Site Specific factors (Location) and the decision to buy new housing is dependent on Lifecycle factors, such as family formation, marital status or the size of the existing house. Another study determined that brand, beauty and utility play a defining role in property value (Roulac, 2007). The findings of the paper explain why certain properties command premium prices, relative to other properties. It came to the conclusion that for value determination of high priced properties the overall perception of the brand is the most important factor followed by utility and beauty. Brand names are also very important especially in metropolitan markets as they add to the appeal, distinctiveness of the property. Another way to attract buyers attention is through the mix of neighborhood amenities offered (Benefield, 2009). Neighborhood amenities like tennis courts, clubhouses, golf courses, swimming pool, play park and boating facilities significantly impact property values. Xu (2008) used a hedonic pricing model to study the hous ing market of Shenzhen, China. He operated under the assumption that buyers consider property specifics and location attributes separately when they buy a home. The findings suggest that the marginal prices of attributes are not constant. Instead, they vary with the household profile and location. Cluster analysis involves the grouping of similar objects into distinct, mutually exclusive subsets known as clusters. The objective is to group either the data units or the variables into clusters such that the elements within a cluster have a high degree of natural association among themselves while the clusters remain relatively distinct from one another. Mulvey and Crowder (1979) presented and tested an effective optimization algorithm for clustering homogenous data. Punj and Stewart (1983) reviewed the applications of cluster analysis to marketing problems. They presented alternative methods of cluster analysis to evaluate their performance characteristics. They also discussed the issues and problems related to use and validation of cluster analysis methods. Ketchen and Shook (1996) chronicled the application of cluster analysis in strategic management research. They analyzed 45 published strategy studies and offered suggestions for improving the application of cluster analysis in future inquiries. They believed that cluster analysis is a useful tool but the technique must be applied prudently in order to ensure the validity of the insights it provides. Since Marketing researchers were introduced to discriminant analysis half a century ago, it has become a widely used analytical tool since they are frequently concerned with the nature and strength of the relationship between group memberships. It is especially useful in profiling characteristics of groups that are the most dominant in terms of discrimination. Morrison (1969) explained how discriminant analysis should be conducted using canned applications and how the effect of independent variables should be determined. However, care must be taken when applying discriminant analysis. The potential for bias in discriminant analysis has long been realized in marketing literature. Frank, Massy and Morrison (1965) showed that sample estimates of predictive power in n-way discriminant analysis are likely to be subject to an upward bias. This bias happens because the discriminant analysis technique tends to fit the sample data in ways that are systematically better than would be expected by chance. Crask and Perreault (1977) looked at the validation problems in small-sample discriminant analysis. Various research papers have studied the features that are evaluated while purchasing a home, how these features factor in terms of pricing the residences and how the home owners rate the various scales on importance. Such studies, however, were found lacking in the Indian context. This paper aims to understand the value drivers of apartments in Indian metros using factor analysis. The initial variables that we have considered are as follows Ø House Price This refers to the price/rent that is being charged for the apartment. The real estate market is often segmented using this variable. Ø Availability of Gymnasium, Swimming Pool and other sports facilities Many apartment complexes and housing societies offer recreational facilities to the residents to service their lifestyle needs. Ø Traffic This variable refers to the density of vehicular movement in the location in which the apartment is located. Ø Size of Individual Rooms The size of the rooms within the apartment is also an important factor. Some buyers prefer big, airy rooms while others might want smaller rooms. Ø Proximity to City This refers to the location of the apartment relative to the city boundaries, i.e. whether it is within the city proper or on the outskirts. Ø Ability to obtain Loans This variable stands for the ease with which the buyers can get loans, either through the builder or on their own. Ø Parking Space The availability of parking space is considered important by some consumers. Ø Exterior Look of the Apartment This refers to the faà §ade of the apartment, i.e. whether its attractiveness is a strong enough motivation. Ø Household Income The total income of the household often dictates the purchase decision of families. Ø Perceived Safety of Locality This is a big concern for some customers, especially single women and old people and may significantly influence the purchase decision. Ø Branded Building Components Some consumers may value an apartment more if it has branded fittings, furnishings, etc. Ø View from the apartment This can be an important variable for some customers. Ø Preference for Ground Floor This variable refers to the customers preference for the ground floor relative to other floors. Ø Water Supply This variable means to measure how important it is for the consumers that there is continuous, guaranteed and good quality water supply. Ø Structure This refers to the layout of the apartment whether it is a 2BHK or 3BHK, etc. Ø Status of Neighbourhood For some consumers, the reputation and social standing of the locality that they live is very important. Ø Proximity to Shops and Parks This seeks to measure whether proximity to these places is an important criterion for buyers or not. Ø Interior Design This refers to interior features of the apartment like flooring, lighting, balcony, etc. Ø Availability of Domestic Help This can be important consideration, especially for working couples. Ø Proximity to Schools and Offices This seeks to ask how important such proximity is to the buyer. Ø Builder Reputation Many buyers are heavily influenced by the brand name and reputation of the builder. Ø Monthly Living Costs Certain average monthly expenditure is incurred as living expenses. We seek to gauge the relative value of this variable. Ø Proximity to Public Transport, Major Roads, etc This refers to the accessibility of the apartment with regard to public transport and roads. Ø Power Backup Full power backup in case of power outages is frequently advertised by builders. Whether this actually influences buying behavior needs to be examined. Ø Proximity to friends/relatives homes This can be a big variable that dictates consumers in their decision-making process. Methods Sample The questionnaire was sent to people residing in Indian metropolitan cities. Out of the 172 responses received, 13 were rejected since the respondents had not purchased a property in a metropolitan city. Another 13 were rejected because either the respondents had not purchased the apartment in the last one year or were undecided as to when to purchase the property. Finally out of all the respondents 146 (84.9%) were identified. Measures The 25 variables were measured by a Likert scale with responses ranging from 1 (Very Low Importance) to 5 (Very High Importance). Analysis This study uses four tests to analyze the factors involved in purchase of an apartment. The first test conducted is the factor analysis which is used to club the variables in order to determine the purchase criteria of apartments. Thus, in this analysis the broad set of variables will be constricted to determine the smaller set of factors that can explain what home owners look for when purchasing an apartment. After this, a cluster analysis was conducted to determine the various clusters (groups) that exist within the demographic population. On the above said factor analysis and cluster analysis, a one way ANOVA was conducted in order to determine the order of preferences of each factors amongst such clusters. Finally, a discriminant analysis was conducted to identify factors that best differentiate the first time purchasers with others. Results The first test conducted was the factor analysis. Under this test, we followed the Principal Component Analysis method on the 25 variables to combine the correlated variables into factors. The KMO value calculated is 0.799 is above the suggested value of 0.5 which indicates that it is good idea to proceed with Factor Analysis. On the basis of the computations as represented in the Rotated Component Matrix (Table 1), the following factors were received: Affluence, Financial, location, lifestyle, Site-Specific. The variables were classified into a factor if their loading for the respective factor was greater than 0.4. Also, two other unnamed factors were received which remained so due to the fact that no factor can be formed between two variables. We have followed the Kaiser criterion (1960) of retaining only those factors that are greater than one. The initial research on 25 variables was reduced as the variables on domestic help, floor and proximity to friends/relatives was removed a fter the factor analysis was done. Domestic help was removed because it loaded on three factors (Financial, Location and Lifestyle) equally. Preference of Ground Floor was removed from the analysis as it showed a positive loading and negative loading on each of two factors which means that while some considered ground floor to be in consideration other considered the penthouse to be better. Proximity to friends/relatives was removed as it was the only variable in factor 6 (unnamed) and thus no factor can be made by one variable. The results of the Factor Analysis are as under: Rotated Component Matrix Variable Name Affluence Financial Location Lifestyle Site-Specific Unnamed Unnamed Factor 1 Factor 2 Factor 3 Factor 4 Factor 5 Factor 6 Factor 7 Traffic 0.768 Gym/Pool/Sports Facility 0.755 View from Apartment 0.721 Builder Reputation 0.644 Parking Space 0.568 Status 0.513 Monthly Cost of Living 0.764 Household Income 0.735 Availability of Loan 0.691 Availability of Domestic Help 0.498 0.414 0.435 Proximity to Schools/Office 0.778 Proximity to Transport 0.607 Proximity to City 0.575 0.424 -0.401 Proximity to Shops/Parks 0.546 Interior Design 0.768 Branded Components 0.712 Power Backup 0.594 Structure 0.741 Size 0.580 0.598 Safety 0.549 Preference of Ground Floor -0.415 0.423 Proximity to Friends/Relatives 0.845 Water Supply 0.410 0.652 House Price 0.405 0.508 Exterior Look 0.426 0.405 -0.464 Extraction Method: Principal Component Analysis. Rotation Method: Varimax with Kaiser Normalization. Rotation converged in 21 iterations. Table 1 Factor Loadings- Purchase of an Apartment Table 2 Factor Analysis Factor No. Factor Name Eigen Values Total Variance (%) Cumulative Variance (%) 1 Affluence 6.826 27.306 27.306 2 Financial 2.9 11.600 38.906 3 Location 1.835 7.342 46.248 4 Lifestyle 1.504 6.016 52.264 5 Site-Specific 1.447 5.788 58.052 6 1.129 4.516 62.568 7 1.059 4.236 66.804 The second test that was conducted was the Cluster analysis and has done to segment the respondents on demographic variables of Age, Gender, City and Number of members in the family. Squared Euclidean distance and average linkage hierarchical clustering method was used. At fusion coefficient value of 1.0, two distinct clusters were evident. On conducting a One way ANOVA to compare means with the demographic variables we observe that the two clusters are differ on the mean age with a significance of 0%. The first cluster consists of a younger population with an average age of 37 approximately and the s

The Smoke Signals Forgiveness Essay -- Sherman Alexie Films Movies Med

The Smoke Signals Forgiveness Smoke Signals, written by Sherman Alexie and directed by Chris Eyre, begins on July 4, 1976 on the Coeur d’ Alene Reservation. Arnold Joseph (Gary Farmer), drunk while celebrating the "independence", lit off a firework and set the Builds-the-Fire residence on fire, killing the parents of Thomas Builds-the Fire. Many people were already asleep in the house when the fire started, so no one saw Arnold’s mistake, which he kept a secret from the whole reservation. Both Thomas Builds-the-Fire (Evan Adams) and Victor Joseph (Adam Beach), Arnold’s son, were saved from the burning house. Arnold ran to catch Thomas in his arms after Thomas was thrown from a window. Victor and Thomas grew up together. After the fire, Thomas was raised by his grandmother (Monique Mojica). Victor was raised by his father Arnold and his mother Arlene (Tantoo Cardinal) in a family that was falling apart. After the fire, Arnold turned to alcohol to bury the guilt of accidentally killing the Builds-the-Fire parents by burning down their house by accident. Arnold’s drinking was out of hand. Arnold’s alcohol ended up causing him to abuse his family. He hit both Arlene and Victor. Arlene was also a drinker, but she realized that their drinking became a problem and told Arnold to stop drinking. Refusing the order, Arnold chose to leave his wife and son and move to Phoenix, AZ. For the next ten years, no one was to hear from him ever again. Growing up, Victor and Thomas didn’t get a long so well. Thomas was often annoying and Victor just wanted to be left alone. Thomas often talked of Arnold and Victor never wanted to talk about his deserted father. The last thing that Victor wanted to do was talk about the father that bailed on... ...nts. The film moved in chronological order, so it naturally showed the different stages that Victor faced while dealing with his problems caused by his father. Seeing the sequence of events in this film could cause some of us to notice how similar situations in our lives relate to this. It is this issue of forgiveness that is the most valuable from this film. The viewer can benefit from this by being able to notice how Victor got through his problems. If the viewer has problems of his or her own that are similar to this, then maybe the viewer can apply the film’s lessons to his or her life. The issue of forgiveness is the main point, but there are other great lessons and morals such as the importance of friendship, the danger of alcoholism, handling family conflicts, etc. Not to mention, there is a lot to be learned about Native American culture from this film.

Kesa and Morito

Love or Lust In Akutagawa’s â€Å"Kesa and Morito†, the text suggests notable differences between love and lust. In regards to the underlined symbols of love and lust, the characters identified within the short story may portray the differences between the symbols. Wataru’s character may symbolize the meaning of true love, and will identify the correlation to that of purity and innocence. However, the characteristics of Kesa and Morito may symbolize lust, and the evil and selfishness associated with it. Love may create kind and giving acts, such as the text describes Wataru’s actions toward Kesa.On the other hand, lust may lead to destructive and irrational gestures that are described by Kesa and Morito’s defining actions. According to Morito, Wataru Saemon-no-jo made a valiant effort to win the heart of his wife Mesa. Wataru loves his wife Kesa, and his actions proved such fact. Kesa’s aunt Koromogawa further stated, Wataru â€Å"spared no pain or effort to win Kesa’s heart† (p. 436). He has a reputation of being a prosaic man. With that said, Wataru even took on the burden of learning poetry. Wataru expressed his love for Kesa through the noted examples.The true symbol of love within the text appears to acknowledge Wataru and his efforts to win over Kesa. Wataru has a profound love for his wife. Due to such love, the text implies that Kesa and Morito may have felt sympathetic toward him. In a few circumstances, Kesa and Morito actually consider Wataru’s feeling throughout their encounter. In the beginning of the story, Morito explains how his heart would hurt if he has to kill a man he does not hate. When Morito found out that Wataru and Kesa were married, he burned with jealousy. After the affair with Kesa, Morito mentioned that his jealousy faded away.He actually stated that he has no hatred or spite toward Wataru. In fact, Morito thought kindly of Wataru. One can understand how Morito could bec ome jealous, knowing that the woman of his desire married another. After all, Morito had an association with Kesa three years prior. Without the three year absence, their relationship may have been different. Thus, many reasons can account for Morito to dislike or have hatred toward Wataru. Although the text does not state the exact reason Morito thinks kindly of Wataru, the inference may lead one to suggest.Due to the honorable means Wataru won over the heart of Kesa, Morito could not maintain malice thoughts. Ultimately, Morito acknowledged Wataru’s innocent and pure love for Kesa. Such attribute most likely caused Morito to idolize his character. Lusting after the flesh can be just a mere thought. Once the thought becomes an action, significant ramifications may follow. According to Morito, during the three year separation from Kesa, he dreamed of an intimate encounter with her. He never admits to loving Kesa, therefore an inference may suggest the feeling of superficial d esires.The dream of intimacy can lead one to believe that lust is a factor. As mentioned in the earlier text, Morito once burned with jealousy over the union between Kesa and Wataru. After their affair, the jealousy faded. Such fact may lead one to believe that love could not appear as a factor. Several times after intimacy, Morito questions his own feeling for Kesa. â€Å"But do I really love Kesa†? (p. 437) Morito asks. He thought that he loved her before she married Wataru. After looking into his own heart, he realized several motives may have caused such thought. Morito struggles with the fact that he had not intimately engaged her years prior.Knowing that Morito had never experienced intimacy prior to their absence, his fleshly desire may have been the driving force. His proclaimed love for her may simply unveil nothing more than â€Å"sentimental embellishment of the motive that drove Adam to Eve† (p. 437). The text suggests that within their three year break in association, Morito appeared unsure of his love for Kesa. Morito felt tortured with the fact of not experiencing Kesa’s body. He describes the feeling as regretful. Upon the completion of the Watanabe Bridge, Morito finally connected with Kesa.Morito resorted to all sorts of means to reconnect with the woman of his desires. Once they met, the regrets immediately began to fade. Due to the fact that he broke his virginity, his fleshly desire may have dissipated. As the text progress, Morito describes the diminished beauty of Kesa. He describes his disappointment, because she did not appear how he envisioned her to be. Morito states, that she does not possess the â€Å"statuesque beauty that he had imagined for the past three years† (p. 438). At such time, Morito felt the need to maintain the course and accomplish his past lustful desires.After intercourse, Morito felt an empty feeling. He did not feel an attachment with Kesa. Morito describes how lust dominated him. The unexplainable lust turned into hatred. Like a blink of an eye, Morito despised Mesa. After describing the confusion he felt with the lust and hatred, Morito decided to kill Wataru. As mentioned in the earlier passage, Morito thought kindly of Wataru. However, due to the confusion of lust and hatred, Morito felt no other way to address such iniquities. The gesture of killing Wataru clearly implies an irrational thought process, and could not be explained by Morito.Upon interpreting Kesa’s motive to engage in adultery, it appears that lustful feelings factored in her decision. According to Kesa, she felt ashamed of her actions. She described that she would have to live in shame, and live life like a prostitute. â€Å"In this case I shall carry my regret beyond my grave,† (p. 440) Kesa stated. Uncertain if Morito would kill Wataru, Kesa refers to Morito as selfish. Kesa describes the feeling of hurt, based upon the perception of ugliness within her heart. According to the text, Kesa mentions how she gave her body to a man she did not love.Her lustful behavior appears to summarize her action as a, â€Å"delirious moment† (p. 440). In addition, Kesa refers to Morito as a â€Å"lascivious man who hates and despises me† (p. 440). Although Kesa made it clear that she can not reciprocate her husband’s love, she maintains a deceitful lust for Morito. Kesa made an omission that she had a shameful desire for Morito. Ultimately, Kesa cast blame on Morito for taking her body for, â€Å"his wicked lust† (p. 441). After rationalizing the deadly ending, Kesa ponders about her husband’s feeling, in the event he should find her dead.In the end, her statement was, â€Å"no I won’t think of him† (p. 441). The contrast between love and lust were noted throughout â€Å"Kesa and Morito†. The only person associated with the symbol of love appears pure, genuine, and honorable. Wataru possesses all of those attributes and characteristics. On the other hand, Kesa and Morito were the symbols of lust and fleshly desires. Due to the decision to act upon the lustful desires, the text outlined reactions to such actions. In conclusion, the symbols of lust define the actions of evil and irrational thought processing.

Ragpickers: Recycling and School Essay

A.What is ragpicking? India’s booming urbanization brings the problem of waste management. As more people are migrating towards the cities, the amount of waste is increasing at a high pace and waste management is likely to become a critical issue in the coming years. Ragpickers play an important, but usually unrecognised role in the waste management system of Indian cities. They collect garbage in search of recyclable items that can be sold to scrap merchant (paper, plastic, tin†¦) This activity require no skills and is a source of income for a growing number of urban poors. There are two types of scrap-collectors: the ragpickers, mostly women, who collect garbage on dumping grounds, in residential areas or in street bins, and the itinerant buyers who purchase scrap directly from households, offices and shops. Most of the itinerant buyers are male and they typically require a certain amount of capital to purchase scrap. The informal waste sector Most of the ragpickers are not independent but work for middlemen or contractors who purchase segregated rag from them on pre-decided rates. Waste picking is rarely recognized or integrated in the official Waste Management System despite its large contribution to it. According to the NGO Chintan, ragpickers â€Å"are unrecognized and have almost no rights to work, despite the fact that they save almost 14% of the municipal budget annually. In Delhi, the army of almost 80,000 estimated wastepickers save the city at least Rs. 6 lakh daily through their work.† B.Who are the ragpickers? In India, over a million people find livelihood opportunities through waste picking. Chintan’s research shows that â€Å"as many as one in a hundred persons in a large city in India could be employed in waste recycling, starting from waste picking to operating small junk shops and even operating reprocessing factories. Of these, most are marginalized wastepickers and small waste dealers.† Ragpickers are mostly women who come from the most marginalised groups of the population and often live in unauthorised slums in the poorest neighbourhood. Studies also show that ragpickers are most of the time migrants who had fled their city or village because of hard living conditions. The vast majority of the ragpickers are Dalits or belong to minorities (muslims in Kolkatta). In UP, Assamese and the Biharis have by and large dominated the profession in the last two decades. The fact that they are migrants and often seen as temporary residents can explain why few governments have designed policies to improve their situation. Most of them don’t have identity cards or birth certificate and therefore don’t have access to basic governmental facilities (social assistance, enrolment of their children in municipal schools†¦) C.Some improvements in their work conditions Many NGOs are supporting the ragpickers to gain access to these basic services (health care, health insurance, education and vocational training). They also provide legal support or counselling sessions and help them form unions to speak up for their rights. In some cities, their work has been partly recognized and their situation thus improved. In Pune for example, thanks to the scrap-collectors union, the municipal corporation now issues identity cards to ragpickers and offers a limited health insurance plan, recognising their contribution to recycling waste in the city This acknowledgement can have a positive impact on reducing child labour by increasing the parent’s income therefore reducing their dependence on the money their children earn. II.Child labour and ragpicking A.Background of the child ragpickers Many children begin working as ragpickers at the young age of five or six years. In Lucknow, the majority of the ragpickers are between 8 and 10 years old. Most of them never attend school and don’t have any formal education. Their families are generally in need of extra incomes from their children. There are two categories of child ragpickers: the street pickers, who collect garbage in street bins or residential areas, and dump pickers who work on dumping grounds. These two categories of children do not have the same living conditions and characteristics. Street pickers, mostly boys, share many characteristics with other street children: they are extremely mobile and it’s therefore difficult to gain access to them. What they usually need is a shelter or reintegration with their families. In most cases, the children work for a middleman who takes the major share of the sales and pays only a small amount to the children. On the other hand, the dump pickers often live with their families, in a relatively more stable environment. They usually work with their parents in or around the dumping ground. Girls were traditionally more involved in ragpicking than boys, but a survey in Pune shows that the trends are changing and that more boys are now engaged in the trade. Adolescent girls are less involved in ragpicking because it is believed to be unsafe for them to be out on the street. They are involved in taking care of the house chores and help in sorting the collected garbage from home. Some of the child ragpickers go to school and work the other part of the day or during holidays. Some girls are found working as ragpickers in the morning, sometimes attending school in the afternoon and coming back home in the evening to help their mother with the household chores or to care for their younger siblings. B.State of the legislation In 2001, waste-picking was included among the hazardous occupations banned under the Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act, 1986. But apart from this very brief mention, ragpicking is ignored in legislation regarding child labour. Contrary to most child labourers, ragpickers are self-employed or working with their parents and therefore not answerable to any employer. III. Impact of ragpicking on the life of children A.Health issues 1.Long working hours Normally children work in one shift only but some of the children are collecting rag two to three times in a day. Those who are involved in collection of empty bottles work late in the night. In Lucknow, younger children, especially girls, start their work early in the morning and till 12-1pm. Teen age boys start working around 8-9 am till 2-3 pm. Case Study – Lucknow Fazila, 11 years old, has 3 brothers. Her father died some year back and her mother is weak and gets sick very often. She and her 12-year-old brother are the two most responsible person of the family. Fazila’s day begins early morning, she cooks rice, prepare tea and goes with his brother to Dalibagh, Hazratganj and Lalbagh for rag picking. She returns home when sun is high in the sky. After taking bath and meal she looks after her younger brother. Around 3 pm she starts second round of rag picking and comes back around 7 PM. She cooks the evening meal and does other house hold work. She dreams to become teacher but hardly find any time to go to school. She wants to play with the doll, which she found during her daily rag collection. She is growing up and has lots of questions but no one to answer them. She dreams of collecting lots of money and going back to Assam and think of the days when no one forced her for rag picking and she would play with dolls and friends. 2.Hazardous work conditions Ragpicking is probably one of the most dangerous and dehumanizing activity in India. Child ragpickers are working in filthy environments, surrounded by crows or dogs under any weather conditions and have to search through hazardous waste without gloves or shoes. They often eat the filthy food remnants they find in the garbage bins or in the dumping ground. Using the dumping ground as a playing field the children run the risk to come upon needles, syringes, used condoms, saline bottles, soiled gloves and other hospital wastes as well as ample of plastic and iron items. They suffer from many diseases, such as respiratory problems, worms, anaemia, fever and other problems which include cuts, rashes, dog bites†¦ B.Education issues A large majority of the child ragpickers are out of school children, despite the presence of schools in their neighbourhood. But rag picking and 12 to 13 hours In Lucknow for example, 98% children of the school going of working is reality and she has to age group are not going to school. work hard for supporting her family. In the M-East ward of Mumbai, there are 15 municipal schools but the number of out of school children is yet very high. Most of the children are withdrawn from school at the average age of 12-13 years. The boys often work in their parents’ business while the girls are made to take up the household responsibility. Different reason can explain why the children are not going to school. The following table gives details about the situation in Lucknow: 79% children are out of school because neither their parents nor the contractor [for whom they are working] are interested in sending them to school. Moreover, many children are already making quite a lot of money by ragpicking and don’t see the point of going to school. 12% say that they are responsible for their family and have to work. 5% children left school because they do not found anything interesting in the school and they feel that teachers are not teaching properly and they cannot afford private school fees. 4% of the children are not going to school because their school hours didn’t allow them to go to work. Language is also a big barrier, as migrant children often don’t speak the language of the city they work in. In a study conducted in Pune, migration, quality of school, corporal punishment in school, not interesting, failed more than twice in the class, bad health, economic hardship of the family, loss of a parent are some of the reasons also cited for school dropouts. IV.Pratham’s intervention: the case of Govandi (Mumbai) A.Situation in Govandi According to the SSA Survey Data 2004, 60% of working and out of school children are in the M/E ward of Mumbai city. The M/E ward is divided broadly into two main slum communities – Bainganwadi and Shivaji nagar. These are like any other slum communities. There is a gathering of closely built homes, unmaintained roads, overflowing drains, freely roaming cattle and groups of people chatting at each corner. The approximate population in these communities is around 5 lakhs and majority of the population are followers of Islam. Another main characteristic of this community (though negative) is its closeness to Mumbai’s largest dumping ground – The Deonar Dumping Ground. Mumbai generates waste of approximately 7,025 tonnes per day. The management of waste in the city comes under the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai (MCGM). The prevailing approach is that of collection of garbage from the communities by the municipal authorities and disposing it off at the three main dumping sites that are currently servicing the city. Deonar is the largest dumping ground in Mumbai. It starts from the Deonar creek and ends at Baba Nagar. This dumping ground area has added on to the developmental and infrastructural issues faced in M/E. For years Deonar has been the largest garbage bin for the entire Mumbai city and today is also is a home for thousands of migrants who live in very hard conditions, lacking even the most basic amenities and earning their living on the dumping ground. In July 2008, Pratham conducted a survey in and around the dumping ground to assess the situation of the children living there. There are approximately 1300 children living in and around the dumping ground today on a regular basis. All of them are living with their families and have either migrated or been displaced from other parts of Mumbai. 636 are working as ragpickers, of which half are going to school. The majority of the children earn up to 100 rupees a day while 2 or 3 of them are making as much as 800 rupees a day. (476 earn 100 or less than 100 rupees a day, 111 earn between 100 and 400 rupees a day and 5 earn 400 rupees or more) The objective of Pratham’s intervention is to provide educational opportunities to child ragpickers, as well as relief from their routine work in a safe, caring environment and to generate their interest in school-related activities. B.Educational classes There have been joint initiatives with the Government so as to tackle the issue of child rag pickers. One of the major programs through which these children are covered is the Transitional Education Centres (TEC’s) run under the INDUS program of the Government. There are 11 TEC’s surrounding the dumping ground in Govandi reaching about 450 children, many of which work part time as rag pickers. C.Vocational skill training The objective of the vocational training is to provide vulnerable children with employable or business skills and allow them to be able to survive / support themselves and their families after reaching an employable age. Pratham offers vocational training or refer children to other organizations that provide training. Two vocational skill training classes are organized for adolescent girls and provide them with basic life skills such as mehendi or tailoring. D.Mainstreaming these children into school In December 2006 Hindustan Lever Limited adopted 45 children from Govandi area under their Scholarship drive to support the education of underprivileged children. Under this project the company is sponsoring their school education as well as a support class run by Pratham. Pratham’s teachers relentlessly worked to convince the parents to send their children to school and to Pratham’s support classes. They organized parents meetings, counselling sessions and home visits to tell them about the importance of education. Many parents argued that sending their children to school was a loss of revenue but the teachers gave them advice on how to manage without their children’s additional revenue. Slowly the parents began taking an interest in their children’s education and supporting Pratham’s initiative. Pratham started with a four-hour class aimed at raising the children’s interest for educational activities. Once the children and the parents were ready, they contacted the school and managed to enrol the children. The support class was set up to provide the child with educational support for retention in school. E.The Drop-in-centre model Alongside its education program, Pratham also started the first drop in centre for the children working on the dumping ground. The Drop in centre is the major strategy and a non controversial entry point program to tackle the issue of working children on the dumping ground. It is a low cost and replicable model which caters to the immediate needs of the working children on the dumping ground. This safe point of contact for children is key to their reintegration into education and vocational training, and a first step toward a better future. 1.What is a Drop In Centre A place within the radius of 1 km of the workplace wherein the children working on the dumping ground (who do not have a fixed routine or schedule) can drop in between 10.00 am and 5.00 pm. It would be a place which would cater to the child’s recreational needs and the need