Apex Corporation Case Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Apex Corporation Case - Coursework Example Conversely, the owners may just be satisfied with a business size that suits their managerial capabilities. Whatever the size of the business, it is the financial health that matters the most to all stakeholders (Meigs & Meigs, 10). In the given assignment, I have to assume that I am an attorney and that a client has approached me to consider whether a managerial position at Apex Corporation would be good to take up. He is already impressed with the salary and benefits they are offering but has no knowledge of accounting or finance. So I am going to have to advise him after looking at Apex’s financial statements for 2001, as the assignment criteria limits our evaluation to this year only. However we might make comparisons between the years 2000 and 2001 Analysis of Financial Statements The financial statements of a corporate enterprise, namely the income statement and the balance sheet are two of the most important summaries of the business activities that have occurred over t he last financial year. We are told that the Apex Corporation is a local manufacturing firm. The third statement that has also found to be of use to stakeholders is the Statement of Cash Flow, which shows how the firm used the cash generated in financing, investment and production activities. Negative or troubling cash flow situations are often the first sign of distress in a business, occurring long before telltale signs emerge on its income statement and balance sheet. The most common ratios that can be calculated for a corporate business entity using ratio analysis are the Current Ratio, the Debt-Equity Ratio, the Receivables Turnover, the Gross Profit percentage, the Net Profit percentage and the Inventory Turnover. This will give an analyst a good picture of the financial strength and viability of the business. Another approach would be a year to year comparison of results, using the common size income statement and balance sheets for 2000 and 2001. Calculation of Financial Rat ios Proceeding with our calculations, we first have the Current Ratio, which is calculated as: Total Current Assets / Total Current Liabilities. For Apex Corporation, this is: For Year 2000: $3,415,807/ $1,546,107= 2.21: 1. For Year 2001: $4,257,700/ $1,616,700= 3:1. So we find that Current Ratio has improved from 2.21:1 in 2000 to 3:1 in 2001. This indicates that there are now more current assets to cover current liabilities. The working capital which is defined as Total Current Assets – Total Current Liabilities, has improved from $1,869,700 in 2000 to $2,614,000 in 2001. This speaks well of the company’s short term liquidity and solvency. However, we would have to compare it to Industry Averages for the manufacturing sector to be more accurate in our perceptions (Meigs & Meigs, 943). Moving on to the Debt-Equity Ratios, the ratio of Total Debt to Total Assets can be calculated by Total Liabilities / Total Assets. For Year 2000 it is $2,296,107/ $5,615,807 or 0.41: 1 and for Year 2001 it works out to $2,466,700/$5,697,700 or 0.43:1. This means that debt was 41 cents to the dollar for each $1 of assets owned by Apex Corporation in 2000, and this increased slightly to 43 cents to the dollar in 2001. In other words we can say that each $1 of assets of Apex Corporation was financed 41percent by debt in 2000 and 59 percent by equity; this changed to 43 percent debt and 57 percent equity in 2001. Coming now to the Gross Profit Margin, this is given by: Gross Profit/ Sales x 100. For

Organizational Behavior Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 2

Organizational Behavior - Essay Example Before these theories one important concept to be understood is from the Maslow's Hierarchy of needs and the Mclleland's need theory. These theories do set the steps for other theories, as organizations tend to fulfill their employee needs so as to prosper. Coming to the theories we have Douglas McGregor's Theory X and Theory Y. This has been a quite a study as it focuses on the employee behavior and how to handle such type of employees. Theory X states that employees are lazy and dislike work. It said that it's a human psychology to dislike work and put less effort. It demanded that people be coerced to work and some do not work until they are threatened for punishment or so. The theory also suggested that as they are de-motivated to work, employees require close supervision and direction to complete the task involved otherwise there would be an organizational loss. It also emphasized on the fact that most people want to delineate authority and avoid responsibilities therefore they prefer to be directed and moreover have no or less self control. People lying in this category mostly feel un-secure and have little ambition to go beyond. On the other hand Theory Y states that work is natural activity. People inducted in this theory are said to have self-control and ability to self-direct. They want to have authority and ambition to go beyond. They put in their best to achieve a task involved. The flow of rewards makes them more committed to the organizational objectives. As stated they seek responsibility and want to create something that can fascinate or at least that can be well regarded within the organizational framework. This theory has helped managers to bring out the most from their employees and have made it possible to design ways of improving productivity. Fredrick Wilson Taylor Moving forth we have the Scientific Management Theory by F.W. Taylor which also tends to focus on employees. This theory made it possible for the employers to make betted use of their resources and achieve the organizational objectives in a better fashion. There are 4 pointers in this theory which are the core. The core elements of this theory are: 1. The development of a discipline for each constituent of a man's work to substitute the old 'rule-of-thumb' techniques. 2. The scientific development, selection and training of workers instead of giving them choice of selecting their own task which they think they can best do. 3. There should be a good relationship among the employees and the management in order to carry out the designed procedures. 4. The distribution of work between workers and the management in about equal allocation, such that each group takes authority of what it can better do instead of relying more on workers only. Taylor's observation of the motivations of workers has had a deep influence throughout the century. According to Taylor we all have to make choices and thus are rational and this belief led him to formulate payment systems that very much related the kind of effort he wanted with the level of reward offered. As a fact, there was strong criticism of this premise that treats humans like machines and presupposes that workers

The Effects Of Infrastructural Facilities

The Effects Of Infrastructural Facilities Infrastructure are the basic facilities, services, and installations needed for the functioning of a community or society, such as transportation and communications systems, water and power lines, and public institutions including schools, post offices, and prisons. Large infrastructure projects generally stimulate demand for nearby real estate .these infrastructural projects usually create abundance of jobs as well as follow on demand for goods and services. They also provide a more effective use and connectivity of the available economic resources and the resulting increase in economy activity from new and more disposable income will in turn typically boost. Economic growth, thats why people will want to purchase or rent residential estate in location within close proximity to major works, Major infrastructure project can take many forms and often include transport, infrastructure improvement such as link roads, railway line extension, new bridges and major freeways. Other projects could be new shopping malls and commercial precincts, new power stations, improve communication facilities industrial areas and business parks, new hospital, school and universities. These can all have an impact property values and demand for residential properties. It is also worthy to note that the quality and quantity of infrastructure available in a given place societies is the yardstick for measuring the general level of development of that area and a major determinants of property development and their respective value trends. The provision or not of these facilities can positively development affect the rate of property development in a given area and this in turn can improve the property value due to the corresponding boost on economics activities achieved through the better accessibility (road) or the higher degree of convenience from the use of these infrastructural facilities. 1.2 Statement of Problem The infrastructure of a city is a major determinant on the demand of houses. One of the major problems affecting housing demand in Lokoja. The poor infrastructure provision in the study area affects the rate of housing Demand in the area, this is because people will only buy or rent houses in areas were the infrastructure provision is sustainably available,this will help to enhance the livability in the community. The poor infrastructure provision in Adankolo is a major determinant on the decrease in the rate of housing demands in the study area. Those who are living in the study area have no choice because they cannot afford the rent in other livable towns . Housing is an enclosed component or structure that has services which support the comfort and existence of human living. These services or facilities are numerous some of which include; kitchen, toilet, refuse disposals, good road networks, electricity, telecommunication and others. Ogedengbe and Oyedele, (2006) carried a research on effects of waste disposal on property values, similarly Robet in his work The Effects of Road Infrastructure on Property Values emphasized more on just road as a facility affecting demandvalues, Whereas many other facilities affect values of residential properties. This now poses a gap between these previous empirical studies hence there is need to reconsider many other facilities as they affect housing demand and housing demand of residential properties. 1.3 Aim and Objectives The aim of this study is to ascertain the effects of infrastructural facilities on housing demand in Lokoja metropolis. OBJECTIVES To identify the various infrastructure available in the study area. To examine the adequacy of infrastructural facilities provision on the residential properties in the study area To recommend possible solution to the problems of housing in the study area. 1.4 Scope of the study This research work intends to determine the effects of infrastructural facilities on housing demand in Lokoja. It is limited to Lokoja metropolis alone with particular emphasis on two areas namely; peace community ganaja village and Adankolo for comparative analysis. 1.5 Justification Although challenges surrounding life and human wants are limited and endless, however these study focuses on the effects of infrastructural facilities on housing demand in Lokoja. And this particular studywill serve as a guide to the following. Urban and regional planners and other allied professionals such as builders, architect, engineers, and others in their various field of activities .for example, these study would give the city managers the ideas of important of infrastructural facilities in there different areas. It serves as a tool to all researchers in the field particularly in the study area.(Lokoja) 1.6 The Study Area Lokoja, Nigeria is located at 7.80236 [latitude in decimal degrees], 6.743 [longitude in decimal degrees] at an elevation/altitude of meters. The average elevation of Lokoja, Nigeria is 55 meters.Lokoja is also a Local Government Area of Kogi State with an area of 3180 km ² and a population of 195,261 at the 2006 census. It is bounded by the Niger in the north and east upstream from the capital until the border with Kwara State, and includes the city of Lokoja. The postal code of the area is 260.The original site of Lokoja, is a 1,349-foot- (411-metre-) high mass of oolitic iron ore. The town has a hydroelectric power generating plant. It is situated on the local highway between Kabba and Ayangbe and has ferry service across the Niger River. Formerly the capital of Kabba province, Lokoja was part of Kwara from 1967 to 1991, when it became the capital of the newly formed state of Kogi. CLIMATE Climate: The site has a tropical climate that comprises of two season namely dry and wet seasons. The wet seasons starts from the month of April and ends in October, while the dry season starts from November and continues till March. The two seasons are affected by the south-westerly winds coming from the Atlantic Ocean and north-easterly winds which come from the Sahara Desert. Another weather phenomenon (micro climate) is associated with the presence of inselbergs. This feature exerts an influence on local weather greater than their size. Rainfall: Rainfall data obtained from the Department of Meteorological Services Lokoja for 25 years (1989- 2005) reveals that the maximum daily rainfall figures of Lokoja town are as follows: Humidity and Temperature: The highest temperatures in the study area always tend to occur at the end of the dry season close to the spring equinox. Thus March has the highest temperature of about 34.5 c, while the lowest temperature occur in the middle of the dry season in December/January, when outgoing radiation is encouraged by low humidity, clear skies and longer nights. The temperature at this time falls as low as 22.8 c. In the dry season there is a decrease in relative humidity from south to north in the study area caused by the higher elevation in the north. In the rainy season, this variation disappears and associated with the high relative humidity is an extensive cloud cover over the region. ECONOMY Agriculture is main stay in Lokoja area economy, various crops are widely grown in the area which includes; coffee, cocoa, palm oil, cashews, groundnuts, maize, cassava, yam, rice and melon.The state is home to the largest iron and steel industry in Nigeria known as Ajaokuta Steel Company Limited. One of the largest cement factories in Africa, the Obajana Cement Factory . MAP OF NIGERIA DEPICTING STUDY AREA Limitation of the Study The major problem in the field of study is language barrier and through these, the researcher that did not understand their language (respondents) will find it difficult to express his mind freely to those that did not understand English language which is the general language in Nigeria, among the respondents. Another problem is illiteracy among the respondents; because some of the respondent finds it difficult to fill questionnaire which is the main information needed from them for the completion of the project. Lastly regardless of these limitations, data collected are sufficient enough to reach the research objectives. 1.8 Definition of Terms Infrastructures It can be generally defined as the set of interconnected structural elements that provide framework supporting an entire structure of development The term typically refers to the technical structures that support a society, such as roads, bridges, water supply, sewers, electrical grids, telecommunications, and so forth, and can be defined as the physical components of interrelated systems providing commodities and services essential to enable, sustain, or enhance societal living conditions The terms housing demand and housing needs are often confused. There are Some key differences between housing demand and housing needs that must beclarified. The meaning assigned to both terms is erroneously similar in manydocuments. The following statement is extracted from the study of housing- Demand models published by the Housing Branch in Hong Kong which asserts that: Housing needs Housing needs is defined as the number of existing ornew households requiring adequate housing. Anadequately housed household is one that lives in selfcontained living quarters made of permanent material.(Liu, Wu, et al. 1996) They also proffer a workable definition of housing demand, viz: Housing demand Housing demand is defined as the number of householdsactually seeking accommodation. In the public sector,demand is assumed to be equal to housing needs. In theprivate sector, demand is constrained by affordability. Facility may refer to: An installation, contrivance, or other things which facilitates something; a place for doing something: Literature Review Infrastructure has been variously defined, according to William Merish and Catherine Brown described infrastructure as the systematic framework which underpins a communitys ability to fulfill its mission of providing a basis of its citizen to productive and to nurture social equity.Omuojine(1997) described it as the stock of fixed capital assets in a country for example Road, railways, Airports, Hospitals, Waterway, power stations, water works, and telecommunication network. It serves as slender threads that weaves together human want and value with those of the environment.Literally, it refers to fixed facilities or installation traditionally provided by public sector. Omuojine (1997) classified it as followed. Transportation including road, railway, airports, seaports and water way. Water supply including water works and Dams Electricity including power stations Telecommunication including postal, telephone, telex, fax, mile services. Health including Hospital, maternity home, and health centers. Sanitation and solid waste disposal. Drainage and Embankments. Infrastructures have certain characteristics viz. Requires large lump sum investment. Entails considerable economic of scale which results in monopolies. Has a high level of externalities both positives and negatives. Intermediate input characteristics. Possess important networks effects. Posses difficulties in cost recovery. While these characteristics have generally remained true, the exact character trait will depends on whether it is urban, rural or inter rural. Infrastructure or trunk and feeder type of fixed/ moving facilities, or the operator of the facility i.e. Whether public or private, central/ state, local Government agencies. Infrastructures include the aggregate of all facilities that enables a society to function effectively, by providing the physical facilities, which moves people, goods, commodities, water, waste, Electricity, road, sewerage and information infrastructure provides an enabling environment for growth and enhanced quality of life.PojuOnibokun (1985) infrastructure is therefore; universally regarded as the engine that drives the city. The linkage between the economy activities and infrastructure continue to grow stronger and more critical as an economic activity becomes increasingly more complicated and global in scope. Lawal (1997). Through the provision of urban infrastruct ure is tradition all the presence of government, the growing difficulties and limitation of public finance and the reality of the wide gap between the demand and supply of infrastructures services with all its pervasive effect inevitably compel urban authorities to look to the private sector and community. Based organization (cbos) for partnership. Babawale (2004) infrastructure is generally poor in developing countries. Although it differs widely among countries and sectors. In Nigeria for instance most households and private companies get electricity form private generating sets because of power holding of Nigeria unreliability. This imposed extra cost on companies and environmental effects on neighbors. There is no water supply in most cities and therefore no waste disposal system. HOUSING DEMAND Housing demand is defined as the housing need people backed up with the purchasing power or the ability and willingness to pay. According to You (1993). As quoted in Olufemi(1993), housing demand could be expressed in term of purchasing power, a function of income, family size, location and tradition etc. Housing demand is different from need. It is only when the need (desire) is backed up with price or rent that we talk of effective demand.According to Robinson (1979), there are three main component of housing demand and these are. From new households, demand from movers between tenure group and demand from existing household within a particular tenure groups. The author also noted that renting is an important feature of demand. This is because the majority of household who could not build or purchase their own home often result to renting. Demand for housing differs from place to place across the socio- economic groups. For instant demand in the city differs from that of the rural areas. Demand also differs among high, medium, and low income groups. Housing demand also changes with time and with social and economic situations. In Nigeria for instance there is a noticeable change in the demand for different type of units. As income and building technology changes. There has been gradually change from the demand for row housing or face to face tenement to more modern housing types such as self contain and flats apartment as well as duplexes. Generally,housing market or sub market of the low income group demonstrates a great diversity of demand, which result from two major factors (UNCHS, 1996) first is there disposal income and the second is how much they are prepared to spend on housing. The amount of money they are willing to spend on housing is in turn determined by the type of accommodation available, the location, s ize, and quality of the houses in terms of infrastructure and services available, and the level of security offered. The demand for housing is a reflection of the ability of household to pay for them. Thus, an examination of households, income and prices of housing unit provides a basis for accessing housing demand, an assessment of the housing demand situation in Nigeria by the UNCHS (1993) reveals that the different income groups are confined to different options. Generally, the poor economic situation in Nigeria during and in the post. Structure adjustment program (SAP) period has affected the purchasing power of the majority. Although household income have risen, in numerical terms, by a factor of about five since 1987, the purchasing power has declined by a factor of about eight(UNCHS,1993). It is therefore observed that the household income of the lowest income group are too low to allow them to exercise any effective demand for formal housing in the open market consequently, majority of the low income household cannot afford any form of formal housing without subsidy. Thus they resort to sur vival outside the formal housing market. For this group the UNCHS (1993) observed that. the present 20% of the household do not earn enough to participate in formal housing market in the urban area. They resort to various informal housing arrangements for themselves. This arrangement includes the setting -up of shanty dwellings of their own on land belonging to them(squatting), renting shanty dwelling, colonization of uncompleted multiples storey buildings, occupation of vacant spaces in public buildings at night,etc. BASIC CONCEPT OF HOUSING. Housing is an empirical word as Salau (1990) has written The confusion of given an exact meaning of definition to housing is perhaps due to the multi-dimensional nature of housing itself Agboola (1998) stated that Housing involves series of processes by which resources such as land, labour, finance and building materials are combine to produce new housing. It involves also the upgrading of existing housing to the demanders .He explained further that housing particular delivery system encompasses the process that allocates housing unit to households in particular country and that housing delivery is stimulated and sustained by the demand and supply mechanism this of course,means that in a free market economy like Nigeria, the forces of demand and supply for housing stock, may determine what stocks come into the housing delivery market and who among the demander get what from the market?. According to Baurue (1981), Housing is the provision of all forms of infrastructures for a conducive living environment whereas habitable and standard houses bythe residential or commercial or any other forms of building properly arranged in a statutorily planned area meeting all the forms of planning rules and ordinances in housings.World health Organization (WHO). Defined housing as a residential environment which includes in addition to the physical structures. The main uses for shelter, all necessary services, facilities, equipment and devices needed or desire for physical or social wellbeing of the family and individuals. Ayeni(1984) defines housing as not only referring to the shelter provided by the structure but also the lot on which the shelter stands and the services provided to the lots such as waterand energy supply, waste disposal, drainage, fire and police protection and kick lighter (1986)defined the term housing in its entire ramification to refer to more than just a dwelling but also included all that is within and surrounds thedwelling. Salau(1990) transcends the physical dimensions of shelter and include the general environment within which the structure is located and the availability of essentialsocial services and infrastructural facilities, which ultimately ensure the satisfaction of the population. National housing policy (1991), housing forms an important part of peoples life and it is rather inseparable from them as it provides the users of occupiers shelters, security, privacy, prestige and a means of self-expression. It is a basic need as everyone requires a shelter, which for most people means a home that, is a permanent base in which the greater part of time is spent. Ozo (1987), asserted that a house must be a home;that is , a resting place in which to try to fulfill the fundamental purpose of human society,namely a secure , rewarding, happy or atleast a reliable life.to the individual family,a house as both a shelter and symbols of physical protection and psychological identity of economic valueand a foundation for security and self respect.Olotuali (1997) stated that housing provides the framework of meeting mans need for shelterand it is all encompassing phenomenon of the creation of the environment, in which man grows and lives and grows.Bourne (1981)summed housing up as a physical entity, a good artifact, an economic good, a capital stockand a statue symbol all at once.Madge(1968) assorted that housing is an important element in all capital formation and the largest single component in total building of any nation. According to Omole(2001), housing is more than a mere shelter in its proper definition , housing can be defined as a residential environment which man uses for shelter and the environment of the structure needed or design for his physical and mental health as well as the social being. Ozo (1987), a house is certainly the bulkiest, the most difficult to move and most durable consumer good. In view of the enormous resources requiredin acquiring housing (since it can hardly be purchase out of ones income in less developed countries). It is true measure of the social- economic statues of a society. Looking at the definitions above .therefore a good housing or shelter development of a group of people and a nation at large. A well determined settlement equally determined the productivity and consumption ration as well as economic, moral and welfare terms of the people or nation. THE NIGERIAN HOUSING MARKET The Nigerian housing market is highly untapped and undeveloped despite lot of opportunities that abound in the sector (Akeju 2007). This is basically due to many reasons amongst which includes. Lack of finance Government policy Lack of infrastructural development High level of poverty. There is continuous increase in the average price of house due to increase in cost of building materials and inflation in the economy. This has highly contributed to the upward trend in the house trend in the house price which has significantly affected the number of unit of houses constructed annually. The Government efforts at addressing the problem have not been successful due to its unsustainable approach of providing houses to the people, the houses are grossly inadequate and unaffordable by the larger proportion of the masses for which they are meant for. There are efforts by the private individuals to help in alleviating these housing problems. The bulk of the housing problems is prevalent in urban cities, but there are lot of un occupied and dilapidated houses in the rural areas to urban centers for greener pastures. Most individual that are involved in property development build for their own uses or are home owners, while the few ones involves in building for commercial purposes, build shops and space to let for offices because if the high rental income accruing from such commercial properties. The residential developments in most cases are illegal, informal and untitled. This is due to long, undue delay to title registration and laxity in enforcing development control regulations by the official of the urban and regional planning department (Fasakin and Ogunmakin 2006). Private sectors contribution toward alleviating this housing problems has been I the form of individual efforts, cooperative societies or association, corporate bodies, estate agents, nongovernmental organization / charity organization and foreign investors, their contributions toward alleviating housing problems in Nigeria are briefly discussed below. INDIVIDUALS This represent the greatest source of contribution from the private sector in most urban centers where the housing problem is very prevalent , a greater proportion of the population dwells in residential houses built by private individuals. These individual financed the project through their personal savings, borrowing from family, friends and lenders or cooperative movements. It can be categorically stated that number of housing unit built by individual have been very substantial when compared with other source of constructing houses. (2) COOPERATIVE BODIES The idea of cooperatives housing have started long time ago when individual planning to own a house seek help from relative, in town, neighbors and friends (Wahab 1988). This concept has been successfully tested and certified in countries like Italy, United Kingdom, Zambia, Sweden and Philippines (Daramola, 2006). It is suited to meet the need of low income earner who constitutes the vast majority of Nigerians. The member of the cooperative are able to enjoy housing loan for the construction of their own housing unit. (3) CORPORATE BODIES. The federal government of Nigeria has realized that they cannot solve the housing problem alone. Has involved the cooperate bodies to contributes their own goals towards the achieving the objectives of housing for all. It was evident that most of the companies have totally neglect for housing needs of their workers. These consequently made the Government come to the rescue of the workers. These consequently made the Government come to the rescue of the workers through the promulgation of employee housing scheme (special provision). Decree 54 of 1979, thus compelling any employer of 500 employees to provide minimum housing of 50 units of which 75% should available for non-executive staff. (4) ESTATE DEVELOPER / AGENTS The private developer or estate agents activities were concentrated in Lagos in 1990 and they play significant roles in the development of the Nigeria housing market (Efin. A and Finmark trust,2010), they ensure adequate shelter is provided to meet the demand of the increasing number of people having housing need. They often employ various finance techniques such as turnkey, pre-letting and joint finance to construct housing unit for the people (Nubi 2000). (5) NON GOVERNMENTAL ORGANISATION AND VOLUNTARY ORGANISATION. In recent year there is increasing trends by non-governmental organization and voluntary organization such as religion bodies to contribute their own effort at addressing the housing problems faced by the people in both rural and urban cities. They assist resetting displaced people having housing problem as a result of natural disaster like war, flood, famine, earthquakes, and etc. (6) FOREIGN PARTNERS / INVESTORS. The government through its various development policies has attempted to encourage foreign investors in the housing market. This is usually in the form of foreign partnership with the local estate developers.These provided more capital base for the estate company, thus making them to be involved in large capital based project. The company are usually handling Government housing project which are capital intensive and required more technical expertise and knowledge. THE ECONOMICS OF HOUSING Housing as a product is regarded as a commodity with an exchange value, according to Angel et.al (1992), housing is viewed as a commodity with an exchange value rather than as goods to be produced and allocated outside the market place. Hence the housing sector is composed as a vast set of exchange relations, driven by supply and demand forces which permit all part of the sector despite the existence of apparently distinctive sub markets. (Agunbiade 1993). The units in the standing stock to be traded in the market have a contribution of attributes and qualities, which determines their selling prices. Such attributes include age and durability of structures, total floor space, structural design and internal layout, location accessibility, ancillary services present, security, aesthetics and the general environmental condition. These attributes distinguish one unit from the other. Thus the structural condition of units and the flow of services they yield determine the value of housing unit in the market. According to Robinson (1979) there are two measure of value in the housing market, these are rent and price. Rent is the payment made for a flow of housing services received over a specific period of time while price is the capital value associated with a particular unit of stockin the ordinary sense, we could argue that the value of housing unit (V) is equalto its price (P) i.e. V = P . However in some cases, the different between the exchange value and the actual value is refers to as subsidy, which is often, paid by Government or corporate bodies to their employees. Thus, subsidy could be regarded as a distortion to the actual market determined price or rent of a housing unit. Housing need, supply and housing price in an economy involved complex processes that are influenced by social and economic force. The understanding of the nature and attributes of the demand and supply of housing is therefore important in any housing study. However, before we address the issue of need, demand, supply and price. It is ideal to consider the characteristics of housing as a product 2.5 ROLE OF INFRASTRUCTURAL FACILITIES ON DEVELOPMENT Ratchiffe (1995) classical rent theory conceptualizes that general improvement in access routes (Roads) have positive effect on the areas land values; Boyce and Allen (1974) in Denver studied the impact of accessibility and amenities on property values. They selected several study areas then applied six (6) criteria encompassing accessibility, amenities and property characteristics and used regression analysis to investigate 24,082 property transactions. They identified a positive impact of infrastructural facilities on property values. Stopper and Meybury (1971) claimed that the relevance of transportations facilities in influencing urban growth and development is reflected in most North. American and Europeans town which shows a growth pattern derived largely from transactional routes. Abouchar (1977) investigated the impact of a subway on property value on Toronto, he studies the metropolitan Toronto subway system through on analysis of the operations of welfare criteria with the basic objective of distinguishing the impact of the subway on property value (demand and price) by looking at year to year relative percentage changes in property values in and out of the subway corridor. However, his analysis concluded that the subway had no effect on the property value in the subway area. The validity of findings and conclusion are questionable as the study did not fulfill the requirement of a before and after approach because the analysis of the property market was concluded in 1992 the date the subway began its operation. Abdulateef (1997) observed a positive impact of road transportation and communication on land use development and property values, the provision of infrastructural facilities in any socio economic unit whether a nation, region or community could have either a positive or negative impact on property value. For instance, the provision of an incinerator in a residential district will have a negative effect on the value of the properties in that area while the provision of infrastructural facilities like good roads network, water and electricity supply, drainage system, good refuse collection treatment and disposal system etc enhances values to unpre cedented level just as the inadequacy or lack or these facilities adversely affect value as a paradox. 2.6 IDENTIFICATION OF PUBLIC UTILITIES MANAGEMENT AGENCIES IN NIGERIA The prominent public agencies for the provision and management of the infrastructural facilities in Nigeria are: Power holding company of Nigeria Plc. In charge of electricity generation, distribution and supply to consumers (PHCN) Nigeria telecommunications limited (NITEL) State water corporation State waste management boards Federal road maintenance agencies (FEMA) Nigerian communications commission (NCC) Federal air

Symbolism in Jacksons The Lottery Essay -- The Lottery Essays

Lottery: A Terrifying Trip Symbols can be used to convey a special meaning to the reader by association, especially when a material object is used to represent something abstract. Throughout the years, American writers have been using their works as a way to describe society to their broad audiences. As time periods change, writers as well as readers change their view about society. Several factors affect how readers view society in a piece of literature. To get a better understanding of the society expressed in a piece of literature, one must consider not only the time period in which the work was written, but also the life of the author, the style in which the work was written, and criticism of the piece. In Shirley Jackson’s â€Å"The Lottery,† the society is demonstrated as unchangeable due to the underlying fear and evil of human nature. By using, main types of symbols represented in this story, are characters' names and objects. Jackson wrote several pieces of literature throughout her life, she is most known for her short story â€Å"The Lottery.† The lottery takes place in a small town on June 27th. The lottery is an annual event handled by Mr. Summers and the postman, Mr. Graves. The night before the lottery, Mr. Summers and Mr. Graves made slips of paper that are placed in an old black box that has been used for the lottery for a very long time. The children are the first to arrive for the lottery, then the men, followed by the women. As Mr. Summers calls the names of the families in the town, heads of the households, the men, come and draw slips of paper from the black box. During the lottery, Mrs. Adams mentions that the other towns are thinking of stopping their lottery, to which Old Man Warner responds it wil... ...l human character. Writers of American literature have many different opinions on the society. In order for readers to understand an author’s view on the society, they must look at many different aspects including the writer’s life and the time period in which the work was written. Though writers have different theories about the society, they express their philosophies into their work. The town who seem horribly uncivilized, where a son stones his mother, yet they can easily be compared to today's society. Following customs blindfolded in any given society does prove to be fatal, and as I would like to say, disgusting. We need to realize that although, we make a society in the end it is painful for the society as a community to conclude life according to a black box. Work Cited Wilson, Kathleen, ed. Short Stories for Students. Detroit: Gale, 1997.

Is Everyone a Victim in I’m Not Scared?

Niccole Amanita, is a tale about Michele, a nine year old boy who lives in the small Italian town of Aqua Traverse where he stumbles upon a hole which has a shocking discovery in It. This unknowingly throws Michele Into a world of danger. How great Is this danger? It's dangerous enough that everyone becomes a volt of one type or another. Fillips, the kidnapped boy, Is a volt of kidnap. Michele, the protagonist, Is a victim of bribery and violence. Papa, Missile's father, is a victim of poverty.These are just a few examples of people that are victims. Everyone in the novel is a victim though. Fillips is a kind, loving boy, who is thrust into a world of danger and betrayal. He did not ask for this to happen but it happened anyway. He is kidnapped by the adults of Aqua Traverse, who have kidnapped him for a ransom. They never intended to kill Fillips, until things get out of hand and they eventually decide to kill him. This clearly shows that Fillips is a victim of kidnap. Fillips is b rutally abused and treated like an animal.This is despicable and should not be done. Unfortunately, because of the situation the whole town Is In, they become desperate and this Is why they kidnap him. This clearly shows that Fillips Is a victim. Michele Is also a victim In the novel â€Å"I'm Not Scared†. He Is not a volt Like Fillips, a victim of kidnap and violence, but rather a volt of bribery and betrayal. Often, attempted bribery takes place but Michele usually sees through this. When Michele receives the red bike from Pin, his father, he is forced to pretend that he likes it.But really, he can see through the web of lies that are presented in these types of forms. Although there was one type of gift that was presented like this which he didn't see the lies behind. At the beginning of the novel, when Pin returns home for the first time in a while, he brings home a model of a nodal. This is very early on in the book, at a point where Michele knows about the boy in the wh ole, but doesn't start to speculate who he is or how he got there. The model gondola Is simply the beginning of the attempted bribery to say that everything Is perfectly normal.As Pin said â€Å"Its men you should be afraid of' and this shows that Michele Is starting to become afraid of his father as his father tries to bribe him with gifts. As Michele can see the real reason for him being given the bike this makes Michele uncomfortable and ultimately makes him a victim of bribery and betrayal. Pin, Missile's father is a victim of poverty. He is driven to do the deeds that he does, not because he is evil, but because he is extremely poor. One may argue that Pin is an evil man but he is actually not.He only wants to protect his family and give them the best life possible. To do this he, along with the other adults in the town, goes to the ultimate extreme by kidnapping Fillips, a helpless boy and brutally abuses him and holds him captive. This is absolutely shocking. Deep down, Pin Nominator may have some evil in him, but this side is only brought out by Sergei, the mastermind of the whole scheme. â€Å"We didn't accept charity from anyone† Is a tote that Teresa Maltreat says, which demonstrates Just how poor the family really Is.Being In poverty leads him to go along with Sergei, Just Like the other adults. There Is a general pattern of violence seen throughout the novel â€Å"I'm Not Scared† and there are many victims of it. The most obvious being Fillips being abused by the adults of and Teresa Nominator, Missile's mother also getting beat up by Feline. These terrible acts of violence are seen throughout the entirety of the book and these are Just a few examples of it. At times though, these acts of violence are brought on by sudden acts f rage brought on by another event.Often the characters that commit these acts aren't thinking straight. In the novel â€Å"I'm Not Scared†. Everyone is clearly a victim. Everyone is a victim of differe nt sorts, that is some are victims of kidnap and betrayal, while others are victims of bribery and poverty. As it is clearly demonstrated, Fillips is a victim of kidnap and violence, whilst Michele is a victim of bribery and violence and Pin is a victim of poverty. Being a victim of any of these types can affect the way you appear and behave. These aren't the only characters that are victims though, everyone in the novel is.

Effects of Facebook on Teens Essay

Facebook can be very dangerous for the lives of teens. Many teens of today say that Facebook is positive because it can improve communication between other teens, which is true, but the real stated facts about the site are that Facebook can cause psychological disorders, depression, and can affect grades in a negative way. Facebook can cause many psychological disorders. Two of the major disorders that are caused by Facebook are narcissism and anxiety. Narcissism is inordinate fascination with oneself. Narcissism can also negatively affect learning and grades for teens. Teens who use Facebook more often show more narcissistic tendencies while young adults who have a strong Facebook presence show more signs of other psychological disorders, including antisocial behaviors, mania, and aggressive tendencies. † (Albanesius) Narcissism is one problem that can be prevented if teens knew how to use Facebook in moderation instead of constantly using it every day. Another disorder caused by Facebook is anxiety. Anxiety is distress or uneasiness in the mind that is usually caused by fear of danger or possible misfortune. Anxiety can be caused by pictures, status updates, or even through messaging each other. Teens can also try to prevent anxiety by cutting down on their daily Facebook usage. Along with anxiety, depression can also be influenced by Facebook. Depression is being in a deep sadness where you think that nothing good is ever going to happen to you. Depression is another major disorder that is caused by excessive Facebook use. â€Å"With in-your-face friends’ tallies, status updates and photos of happy-looking people having great times, Facebook pages can make some children feel even worse if they think they don’t measure up. (Press) Teens can become depressed in many ways. Status updates are one of the things on Facebook that can cause teens to become depressed. If the status update is about a teen, and it is not a friendly post, the teen could become depressed because it could put them down. Photos on Facebook can also lead to teens becoming depressed. Photos could lead to depression in teens because a teen might see a picture of a happy couple and this could make the teen feel lonely and become depressed. Finally, messages could also make a teen depressed. Teens could become depressed from messages in many ways. One way is that if the messages are mean and directed towards the teen, the teen could be put down which would make them depressed. Also, the teen could become depressed if the person sending the message is bragging about something like a relationship or a sport. Depression can also cause teens to end up harming themselves A teen who becomes depressed because of a status update from one of their friends could become so depressed that they could end up harming themselves or even killing themselves. This could be prevented though if teens could cut down on the amount of time they spend on Facebook. â€Å"Facebook can be distracting and can negatively impact learning. Studies found that middle school, high school and college students who checked Facebook at least once during a 15-minute study period achieved lower grades. † (Daily 1) Facebook can negatively impact learning because teens could spend their time on the computer checking Facebook instead of studying and doing homework. Teens that spend more time on Facebook usually have lower grades than teens that control how much time they have on Facebook and how much time they study for. These teens have lower grades because they waste all their time on Facebook instead of studying. Teens are now checking Facebook during school hours which takes their attention away from learning and focusing on their education. However, some parts of society believe that Facebook improves communication skills of teens. Facebook can definitely improve communication between teens. Communication through Facebook improves the social part of a teen’s life. This can be achieved through posts on each other’s wall and they can also communicate through messages. Messages can help teens connect and could also help teens make new friends. The teens could start talking to other teens on Facebook which helps them make new friends through the chat portion of Facebook. Communication is improved because of the many applications on Facebook. Teens can connect through applications on Facebook, such as Words with Friends. Teens can improve their communication through apps because they can play against each other which help them connect through Facebook. This is a positive effect of Facebook that support that Facebook can positively affect teens. Facebook is a social networking site that has limited positive features for teens but overall it has many negative effects on the teens of today. Facebook can help improve communication between teens, however, Facebook can cause psychological disorders, depression, and the website can affect grades in a negative way.

Five Reasons Why Blogging Leads to Writing Jobs

Five Reasons Why Blogging Leads to Writing Jobs Five Reasons Why Blogging Leads to Writing Jobs Five Reasons Why Blogging Leads to Writing Jobs By Ali Hale Daily Writing Tips has already covered Five reasons why blogging improves your writing. But once you’ve polished up your skills, and grown used to writing frequently and receiving feedback, blogging can also help you get paid for your writing. 1. It’s a free (or very cheap) way to self-publish your writing Posting your writing on a blog is a form of self-publishing, even if you don’t think of it that way. After all, blogging software uses a Publish button to submit a post, and if you run Google Adsense on your blog, Google refers to you as a Publisher. In the past, to get published you either persuaded an editor to print your work, or you paid to have the piece printed yourself. Blogging allows you to self-publish for free (or at the small cost of hosting and an internet connection). If your blog becomes popular, you could run advertisements to make some money or invite sponsorship from companies – glance over to the right to see some of Daily Writing Tips’s sponsors. 2. Blogging helps you build up a portfolio of pieces One of the hardest things about getting started as a freelance writer is getting together a portfolio of your writing to show potential clients. Having a blog allows you to build up a sample of published pieces that you can use to show your writing prowess. If you’re intending to use blogging to start your portfolio, why not write guest posts for other blogs? For example, I have Daily Writing Tips, Diet Blog, Freelance Switch, The Change Blog, Dumb Little Man and Pick the Brain on my list of sites I’ve written for. Editors may take you more seriously if they can see that other people think your writing is good enough to publish. 3. You get to write about topics that you love – and build your expertise and credentials Much has been said about the need to have a blog on a niche topic – one topic that you write regularly about, rather than trying to include everything that you’re interested in. This makes it much easier to build up an interested readership, but it also helps to build your knowledge about the topic. If you’re reading other blogs and books on your subject and writing original material several times a week, you’ll almost certainly be learning something new. Having a well-established blog on a particular topic is a great way to demonstrate your expertise. For example, if you want to write movie reviews for a newspaper, pointing to your long-running blog with a weekly round-up of the latest releases could be a great way to prove that you’re up to the job. 4. A popular blog could lead to a book deal In the offline world, the sale of â€Å"blooks† is rising – books based on blogs. Several bloggers who I read have signed book deals: Darren Rowse from Problogger, Shauna Reid from The Amazing Adventures of Diet Girl and Jennette Fulda (aka PastaQueen) from Half of Me. And, of course, there are some very famous examples such as Belle de Jour’s The Intimate Adventures of a London Call Girl. If your blog becomes big, it just might catch the attention of an agent. And even if the agents aren’t phoning you just yet, a blog could help you sell your own book. Elizabeth Soutter Schwarzer (‘Liz’ or ‘DaMomma’) from Motherhood is Not for Wimps has self-published one book and has another on the way. Collis and Cyan Ta’eed from Freelance Switch self-published How to be a Rockstar Freelancer (in both ebook and printed formats) and have another book on the way, How to be a Rockstar WordPresser. Many other bloggers offer excellent free articles on their blog but also sell ebooks which go into more depth on the same topics. 5. If you’re a freelancer, a blog is a great marketing tool Well-known bloggers who publish authoritative and well-written posts can use their blog as a mean of marketing themselves. Skellie does this brilliantly on Skelliewag, with a â€Å"Hire me† page and advertisments on the right hand side for her own services. Harry and James from Men with Pens have â€Å"Guns for Hire† which explains the writing and design services which they offer. Make sure your blog tells potential clients how they can get in touch. If someone loves your blog’s style and content, they might well want to hire you. Also, blogs tend to rank well in search engines (due to the amount of content, and because other blogs often want to link to your posts), so you’ll have greater visibility online. If you have a blog, has it helped you – directly or indirectly – to make money from your writing? If you’re not blogging yet, do you have ideas of how you’d like to use a blog? Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Freelance Writing category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:The Royal Order of Adjectives 7 Tips for Writing a Film ReviewEmpathic or Empathetic?

Knoblauch Summary Essays

Knoblauch Summary Essays Knoblauch Summary Essay Knoblauch Summary Essay It’s Knoblauch’s goal in his essay to show that there isn’t only one definition of literacy. His theory is that there are 4 senses of literacy and he not only defines them, but explains in detail what language is implied by each sense and how the group defining them use these different ways of literacy in everyday life. Knoblauch’s point is that there is no wrong or right way to view literacy but that is more than one way. The groups defining the 4 types are based on their belief system and what they value. The first sense is functional literacy. I would say this is the way most Americans view literacy. It’s basically being able to read and write at a level that makes a person capable to live fine in a society where writing is a big deal. If you have functional literacy, it’s easy to fill out job applications and to participate in activities where you are given writing instructions. It’s basically the low man on the totem pole. People with this literacy have little power in both social and economic groups; you probably wont see someone with only this literacy as a CEO or business owner. The second definition of a literacy being used today is Cultural literacy. This group is more advanced than the functional literacy group because they can not only read and write at a level high enough to survive, they read high culture literature and other types of writing that will help preserve their cultural beliefs and values. They have a more proper language. The next form of literacy would be the personal growth literacy. It’s to my understanding that their type of writing helps them find themselves. It exercises their imaginations and expresses their feelings. Poems may be a popular type of writing; songwriting maybe. And the last is critical literacy, critical meaning its of the most importance to sound smart and know what your talking about because it’s almost as if it’s a means of power, which makes sense. It isn’t often that you see a CEO or owner of a company using words like â€Å"ain’t† or prepositions. Basically, people in the group defining this literacy use their writing and their words as a way to get their ideas out there.

Charismatic leadership style of mahatma gandhi

Mahatma Gandhi was one of the most important person and charismatic leader in the history of India as he was he only one who is considered as the founder of our nation. He was the self made leader, he was not having any career in his life, no fame was gained by him, he was also not so rich an average looking man but still he was the father of the country. Mahatma Gandhi gave right ways and positive thoughts to many people in the nation, he make them teach what he actually practice in his real life, he was called as the great symbol of truth by the public of our nation. It was due to rule of British in India which made him to fight against them and for this he needed to guide the Indian citizens to fight against them this made him to become the absolute leader and to use evil practices against the British. It was the period during which he was in South Africa working on some legal work their which he was subjected to abuse , but then he realizes how the Indians in their home land were badly treated and beaten by the British which was subjected to cruel abuse. To fight against the British people Gandhi took many ways which he called as practices in all over India which were non violence, truth and bravery. This whole practices were named by Indians as Satyagraha and which was having a big meaning among the Indians. The practice of Satyagraha was done all over Indian was used against corruption, non- violence, civil defense. Mahatma Gandhi thought that doing such practices will only help them to have proper control over social and political rulings. It was because of his charisma that he many Indian were devoted towards Mahatma Gandhi and due to which they were following practice of Satyagraha without any fear. Through the practice of Satyagraha Gandhi Ji followed the fight for independence from British which was considered as a big fight in whole world during that period of time. During his fight for independence Gandhi Ji advice his Indian to use the non- violence fight against the British which generally consists boycotting the practices of British and not accepting the use of British products in India. It was his intelligence, leadership qualities and charm nature which helped many Indians to fight against the British by the use non- violence practice. Since Mahatma Gandhi was very devoted towards his home land and towards its country people that he was ready to die for them anytime that is why he was the main point of attraction among the hearts of Indian people and that’s why people of India were also ready to die for Gandhi Ji anytime anywhere. HELPERT†S DIMENSIONS OF CHARISMA Transformational leadership President of South Africa stated bout Gandhi Ji â€Å"You produce a Lawyer and we produce a Leader out of you†. This first evident that makes him great leader was in South Africa when was thrown out of first class compartment on the basis that he was an Indian and Indians were treated as lower class people in South Africa and this is just because of color of Indian people. This intolerant behavior towards Indians opened his eyes and showed how his country people are treated. This thinking intended him to fight against racism for equal rights of Indian people. This further led him to a great fighter in India and he was also a great leader in the hearts of Indian people. According to Bass (1985) transformational leaders generally consists of distinctive attractive behavior that includes sacrificing personal gains for the advantage of the group setting common example for followers and demonstrating high model standards. Leadership style of Gandhi Ji clearly shows the presence of transformational leadership. As an example his followers were intended by him, have trust in him, love him, were loyal to him and revert him. Transformational leaders also charm to higher values like equality, freedom, right decision and peace. Gandhi Ji was mainly known for these leadership styles and fought for his entire life following these values and taken stand for these values. Gandhi ji leadership styles throughout his life encouraged his followers to follow this practice of non-violence fight and also to fight in unity. During their fight for freedom thousands of his followers were sent to jail and were also beaten badly and treated brutally. Example: Many of his followers were gathered for the Salt March which was followed by a non- violence practice but then also British officers beat them badly with sticks. Then also they did not follow the path of violence because they had a great respect of Gandhi Ji and his practices of non- violence, equality and unity. 1. According to Ferrin and Dirks transformational leadership is strongly associated with trust in the leader. According to Bass, transformational leaders consists the following behaviors: Idealized influence This nature arouses active and powerful follower emotions and identification with the leader. Gandhi was successful in motivating and influencing lots of people as a result he was the person of his words, and continuously practices what he preached. He was a task model for lots of common people and won their respect and trust through his practice. He expressed hg model conducts, non-violence, cooperation (voluntary imporvinshment), commitment and endurance so as to achieve India’s independence. Intellectual Stimulation This behavior will increase follower awareness of issues and forces followers to look at issues from a new view point. Gandhi Ji was perpetually supportive of his believers and inspired them to think broadly as well as frankly, raise queries and solve issues. He was willing to simply accept wrong doing and mistakes and wasn’t ashamed to discard a method that didn’t worked as plan. For example: Gandhi Ji asked for the shut off his non- violence campaign just because sum of his subordinates were using violence methods to fight against British in that case instead of going against them he asked for the closure of the campaign. Individualized Consideration This includes giving support, training and inspiration to followers. Gandhi Ji was very supportive to his followers as an example he with patience listen to the problems and considerations of the poor with regard to their ability to keep our support because of British policies. Gandhi Ji was also very supportive of different leaders like national leader and Vallabhbhai Patel. He nurtures them inspired them to share concepts and even authorized them to create choices, never creating them feel addicted to him. Inspirational Motivation This type of leadership includes human action and appealing vision and making use of symbols to focus subordinates effort. Gandhi Ji stood by his personal values and systematically delivered his vision of independence by openly exchanging his vision and using symbols like the Salt Satyagraha Movement, he guided his believers with the way right meaning that successfully impressed them to stay idealistic and increase their effort. Gandhi’s Power and Influence Tactics 1. Referent Power Referent power is also called as: Charismatic power Personal Power Power of personality When a leader is respect, admired and influentially followed by others. As we have already discussed in transformational leadership Gandhi Ji was respected by his followers and having a two way relationship between him and his followers. An important leader is given respect only when two way communications is followed and Gandhi Ji believed in this way of communication that’s why he was a great leader. Gandhi ji constantly proved to be a role model and is behavior consistent with the moral principles he predicate. Qualities of Mahatma Gandhi as a Referent Leader Honest and considerate to others Unselfish intentions Role model Used the process of internalization to influence his followers Many of the followers of Gandhi Ji were influenced by stimulating their values of self respect, justice and freedom to fight against British. At certain points personal identification was also considered. For example Jawaharlal Nehru was initially influenced by Gandhi Ji as he used to western wear clothes and looking at the style and dressing sense of Gandhi Ji he also started wearing Khadi clothes. Similarly many followers of Gandhi ji boycotted the western style wearing and opted for khadi dressing like Gandhi Ji. According to (2010) power is the capacity to attract the nature and attitude of people in the direction desired. With an exclusive charming and attractive practices followed by Gandhi Ji empowered him with high referent power. He was able to maintain his power by expressing care towards the needs of the public by showing trust and treating people equally. Due to his high level of personal sincerity and persistent values allowed him to maintain his referent power. Since Gandhi Ji was a good lawyers as he has completed hi law from South Africa and was aware of all the rules and regulations of the government. Due to his expert knowledge also the member of Indian national congress and later join the British Indian community in the Transvaal where he fought against restriction on Indian trade he always follows the rules and regulations in correct direction and his entire practices were legal there were no illegal practices followed by him. Due to his non-violence and expert power his followers were also influenced by his practices and used to follow his path. 3. Job Involvement Gandhi Ji always encouraged for ethical practices during his lifetime which are: Truth and love Self Discipline Abolition of untouchability Dependency(Weaving his own clothes) Gandhi Ji always had a high influence on people because of the above mentioned characteristics of his leadership. Gandhi Ji mainly shows interest for others rather than focusing on self interest also called altruistic behavior. In order to influence his followers in the direction of non- violence he did fast for several days. During that period he not even thought about his health and food, he suffered a lot till he gets the desired result of his fast. Gandhi Ji become as a leader of masses from the leader of community when Gandhi ji was in South Africa he fought in suit and tie but when he came to India he adopted the situation realizing in India and wore clothes of a peasant, weaved his own clothes and lived in a small house. He was always under control of situations and having effective negotiation skills while dealing with British authorities. Conclusion Gandhi shows the transformation of a standard man into a legendary leader. It shows how conditions will inspire someone to fight against injustice and difference. Gandhi’s style of leadership proves that to attain a required and decent end, suggests that must be equally sensible. Gandhi had a vision that was accepted by his followers. His personal practices led to India to be free from Britishers. His involvement and interest towards the poor people of society is memorable and peerless. His teaching of non violence is extremely abundant relevant even in today’s world. For the contribution and sacrifices he created for the India’s independence, upliftment of poor people, contribution towards woman encouragement and unity among completely different religions, he has been given the title of ‘Mahatma’ by his nation and is named as ‘Bapu’ thats Father of the nation.

Cultural Viewpoint of the End of Life Research Paper

Cultural Viewpoint of the End of Life - Research Paper Example Death is not a feared and neither does it worry these people. This is because in several these people, death is generally embraced and besides, others celebrate its occurrence. It is of paramount importance to note that the same way other events taking place among the Hispanics are treated as family affairs, death of individuals is similarly viewed as a family issue, and all family members are always involved irrespective of their religions. In the funeral homes that specialize in their burial ceremonies, several families bring clothes as well as dresses to the departed, while a good number of them prepare the hair of the deceased by stitching it. In addition, inside the casket is lined with fabrics and the photos of Virgin Mary are pinned in the casket, moreover, Rosaries together with jewelry, books, as well as poems are also included. A wake generally takes place just before the commencement of the funeral, which is a social event whereby time is taken in order to recall the good times the family members had with the deceased. It is very hard for Hispanics to donate the bodies of the deceased or their organs in the event of death. They are usually not willing to donate based on their religious beliefs, as they believe that an individual cannot make to heaven when some parts of his body are lacking. The rights conducted before death of an individual entails anointing the sick person and confession of sins by the individual who is dying. Besides, absolution is also conducted and a prayer as well as communion is offered to the individual, and after all these, the individual is blessed. During the death of an individual, another person must be with him or her until he dies; this is to make sure that the death does not occur when the individual is alone. They always insist that a person who is on the deathbed has company. The devotion as well as care provided by these people cannot be compared with any other culture. During the final moments of an individual, he/ she receives utmost love and care (Van, & Meleis, 2003). Burial arrangement usually commences after the demise of a person and it starts with the wake. During the wake, the family of the departed person will sit the departed’s body just to provide the dead with company. The wake is very important for these people. The family gathers just to recall the good times they had with the departed. As the wake goes on, several people will play cards. Usually, individuals are served with food as well as drinks (Cuevas, n.d). During the funeral, which priests conduct, individuals pay final respect to the departed person. People usually speak their thoughts as they also bid goodbye to the departed. In several cases, personal effects are placed into the casket together with the departed individual. Hispanics represent a huge array of cultures who may be immigrants from countries that are culturally diverse like Colombia, Cuba, Mexico, Nicaragua, Colombia, Chile, Argentina, Brazil, and Per u. Because there is no one culture for the Hispanic, there may be variations in the manner in which grieving as well as bereavement are carried out. The Hispanics usually value and have respect for those in their deathbed. In the Hispanic culture, entire families are always involved when critical life decisions are made, as they usually have very strict hierarchies in their families and these have to be honored

Ikea Global Sourcing Challenges Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Ikea Global Sourcing Challenges - Case Study Example As the discussion stresses if the child labor evidence being utilized at Rangan Exports is precise, the supplier is in direct infringement of IKEA's clause of no child labor. Barner has two clear option decisions in managing this circumstance. In the first place, she can end the contract with the supplier in light of their rupture of the no child labor procurement. This option is legitimate and reliable with. The potential disservice of this option is that it may deny IKEA of a lucrative supplier relationship, and it might briefly slice off access to Indian floor covering sources. In that capacity, it might antagonistically effect IKEA's main concern. Barner's other alternative is to give the supplier a "notice" however look after relations, with the admonition that the supplier quit utilizing child laborers. This would have the upside of keeping up a conceivably lucrative supplier relationship.This paper highlights that  it would likewise give IKEA the chance to "instruct" supplie rs about the perils of child labor. On the drawback, this activity would be in spite of IKEA's set up policies. It could make an impression on different suppliers that IKEA may furtively excuse child labor while straightforwardly censoring it.  Neglecting to do as such would send the wrong message to different suppliers, expanding their dealing power, and damages IKEA's particular policies. Besides, it leaves IKEA open to charges of exploitative conduct.

Pick a topic based on the assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Pick a topic based on the assignment - Essay Example This he meant a spiritual and perhaps political leader who guides and instructs his Muslim brothers to fulfill the tasks given by Allah. In essence, it was a question of his morality. The life he had in the United States -- full of racial slur, anti-Islamic sentiment, etc. -- drove him to ponder the most important riddle that involves his humanity, religion, and conscience. Lippman was correct to say that man’s conscience grows with his social condition (101). Opposed to static, hard, or vessel-like morality, Qutb’s conscience was radically changed when he witnessed the decline of faith and virtue in the highly urbanized society. With that experience, he was transformed in spirit and mind. Qutb was also a writer. He wrote doctrines that created a significant ripple in the Muslim world. Qutb’s writing basically reflects his ideas and reflections about life, faith, and spirituality. Further, his personal journal substantially shows the ever changing content and deg ree of passion of his mindset and belief. The writings of Qutb, especially his diary entries, were meant for himself: the evaluation of the self. Confusion and chaos were not alien to the Islamic scholar. Immersed in a somewhat â€Å"sinful† world, Qutb’s mind was not a solid vessel but a fluid matter -- requiring himself to form and reform his ideals and perspective.

The Great Gatsby Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

The Great Gatsby - Essay Example This paper intends to examine how Jay Gatsby as a figure whose "hopefulness" is in conflict with his "conditions" in terms of his personal, professional, and social life. For one, the novel presents Gatsby as a wealthy, well-renowned businessperson who has all the power that he needs. Actually, he is a successful man, but according to the analysis of the novel, one thing is for sure, he has no friends. Although the novel tends to evade shading adequate light on the issue of Gatsby’s profound lonely life, analytical response to the novel suggests that may be it is because of the things that he used to do that challenged his ability to have friends (44). The only close people that he met are just his business associates and sometimes the throngs who came over for his Saturday parties. In this context, it is seeable that Gatsby’s personal conditions conflicted with his hope for a friendly association. He hopes to get along with friends, but as it seems, he does not have an y just business associates leaving his world a place for just hope. Additionally, Gatsby’s professional conditions conflicts directly with his hope for a long, loving life with Daisy. ... Therefore, he had many things to do and his profession required him to be always busy with his plans. Hence, there was no time to associate with people so that he could make friends and probably stay with his loved one. His Saturday parties filled with throngs explains his lack of close friends whom he can just spend the evening together (56). Based on this fact, it is agreeable that Gatsby was just a figure whose sense of hopefulness conflicted with his professional and personal life as well. Gatsby social life is yet another factor that makes him a mere figure of hopefulness. The novel discusses a story of people’s lives in the Jazz era particularly conceptualized by the entrance of a new culture, the ecstasy of money and wealth, class as well as the predominant presence of the vast â€Å"wasteland† in between and among these social conditions. Under this spectrum, the novel shows that the social conditions of Gatsby made him a hopeful man since he lived in West Egg, which is a representation of a place whose dwellers appear desolated. According to the social arrangement of the locations in Long Island where the story takes place, the West Egg, where Gatsby lives, represents homage for people with new acquired money (70). In short, it is a place for the rich while the East Egg represents homage for people whose hardworking skills remain disposable to rich people like Gatsby to exploit. Thus, it is conclusive that his social life denied him substantial companionship since there were differences between social classes during those times. Again, Gatsby was a rich man, and as the narrator suggests social class differences created a rift between people during the postwar era, which is when Fitzgerald

Impact of slavery on the lives of african americans during the Essay

Impact of slavery on the lives of african americans during the pre-civil period - Essay Example The history of the African-American in the United States during the pre-civil period (1860) has been shaped by â€Å"slavery† that not only shaped the lives of the African-American people but also the identity of the entire American nation since ‘slavery’ as a socio-political and economic institution Slavery as a legal institution had existed in North America for more than one hundred years before the United States was founded in 1776. But it continued in the South until the 13th Amendment of the US Constitution was passed to abolish slavery in 1865. In the United States, slavery was first practiced in Virginia, one of the former English Colony in 1619. Slavery as Accepted in the US Political Sphere: The Slave Codes Slavery in the US Constitution The Abolitionists often claimed that the US Constitution (before the passing of the 13th Amendment) was â€Å"a slave document created by slave owners† (Berkowitz and Moran). Indeed the truth of the abolitionistsâ €™ claim was first revealed in the â€Å"Notes of Debates in the Federal Convention of 1787† published by James Madison. Madison’s documents show that US democracy during those years was orientated, not by any humanitarian interests, but by the core political interests of both the Northern and Southern States. The Three-fifths Compromise Since slavery was economically profitable in almost all of the southern States and the pro-slavery southern Delegates wanted to be benefited from â€Å"increased representation in the House and the Electoral College†, the southerners wanted the slaves to be counted for enumeration. Meanwhile the northerners partially driven the contra-slavery motive as well as the motive to reduce the southern dominance, wanted to count only the free inhabitants of the states. Thus the Three-Fifths Compromise came into being declaring that three-fifths of the slave population would be counted. The aftermaths of the Three-fifths Compromise we re such that the southern delegates began to dominate the Presidency and the Congress until the defeat of the south in the Civil War. Such dominance of the southerners further allowed them to manipulate the judicial and political power to exploit the African-American labor and thus the conditions of the African-Americans deteriorated. The 1793 Fugitive Slave Act One of the most mentionable events during the Southern Dominance in the Congress is the passing of the â€Å"1793 Fugitive Slave Act†. Since according to this Act any state including contra-slavery northern ones was bound to return a fugitive slave to its owner, slaves lost even their last escape from the inhuman exploitation of the slave-owners. Though the consequent 18o8 Law stopped international slave trade, interstate slave trade within the national territory continued. The effect of the 1808 Law was in favor of the anti-slavery northern states. Though the subsequent Missouri Compromise in 1820 brought the balance of power between the antislavery and pro-slavery factions of the United States, providing the northerners with the opportunity to dominate the House of Representative, slavery continued in the south. Dred Scott Case in 1854 and its Impacts The Dred Scott Case in 1854 can be considered as a milestone in the history of the African-American slavery in the United States. A close analysis of this case render a picture how slavery had shaped the African-Americans’ lives. The final decision of the Dred Scott Case was: since Scott was a black, he was not a citizen and he did not have the right to sue his master in the court. Slavery: Racism, Discrimination and Second Class Status The Scott Case infers that slavery in the United States had shifted its basis from war to color and from indentured servitude to slavery as a constitution supported practice of discriminating and depriving a group of people from their rights in

The employment effects of the minimum wage Term Paper

The employment effects of the minimum wage - Term Paper Example Beneath the antagonistic claims on both sides bordering on sound political and philosophical principles are assumptions loosely hinged on individual interpretations of the time series of increasing inequalities. Indeed, there are no doubts that the magnitude of the inequality gap widened further over the past decade alone. Nonetheless, questions abound as to whether the statutory minimum wage settings do have any profound effect on the same. This short paper endeavors to highlight the controversy of the current debate and subsequently ascertain with facts the effects of the Minimum Wage on employment. Supportive Evidence: Decent Pay and the Job Loses The employment effect of the minimum wage is by far one of the topics in economics mostly researched and deliberated upon with an effectual outcome of scholarly arguments and counterarguments that boarder more on the authenticity of data used. A statutory minimum wage, by definition, refers to a legal binding remuneration threshold at wh ich employers may buy labor services from prospective workers or workers may sell their labor services to prospective employers (O'Sullivan and Sheffin 130). Although such laws are effective in many jurisdictions, scholars offer varied opinions on the theoretical models that have stood the tests of time, though challenged by a myriad of data collections that continues to this day. Legally sanctioned statutory minimum wage at predetermined levels bears a strong social appeal in manipulating market labor prices to ameliorate the social income iniquity for the vulnerable members of the workforce, particularly the unskilled workers. For many, a fair distribution of the national cake can only be achieved by some political manipulation of the wage structure; a policy argument judged against the sticky poverty statistics (Eatwell, Milgate and Newman 476). Indeed, given that proliferation of industrial working environments where employers pay little attention to workers’ wellbeing, t he establishment of minimum wage legislation is well in order. Entrepreneurial ventures such as the multinational corporations operating in the developing countries have long been blamed for unfair bargaining power over their workers. Clearly, the institutionalization of minimum wage laws in such countries goes a long way in ensuring that workers get at least some decent pay commensurate to the labor services they offer. Even though the above objective is widely popular with the public as a morally justifiable political course, for economists, statutory minimum wage legislations represent a challenge of price distortion within the labor markets, yet with questionable attainment of the intent stated above. From inception, minimum wage laws have received less support from economists than from the enthusiastic public poor/lower cadre workers/unskilled workers who gullibly feel they stand to benefit over their employers. Despite decades of economic research augmented by scientific princ iples, the employment effect of minimum wage legislation remains a contentious policy. A classic exposition of the minimum wage's inability to substantially reduce the income inequality gap by

Impact of slavery on the lives of african americans during the Essay

Impact of slavery on the lives of african americans during the pre-civil period - Essay Example The history of the African-American in the United States during the pre-civil period (1860) has been shaped by â€Å"slavery† that not only shaped the lives of the African-American people but also the identity of the entire American nation since ‘slavery’ as a socio-political and economic institution Slavery as a legal institution had existed in North America for more than one hundred years before the United States was founded in 1776. But it continued in the South until the 13th Amendment of the US Constitution was passed to abolish slavery in 1865. In the United States, slavery was first practiced in Virginia, one of the former English Colony in 1619. Slavery as Accepted in the US Political Sphere: The Slave Codes Slavery in the US Constitution The Abolitionists often claimed that the US Constitution (before the passing of the 13th Amendment) was â€Å"a slave document created by slave owners† (Berkowitz and Moran). Indeed the truth of the abolitionistsâ €™ claim was first revealed in the â€Å"Notes of Debates in the Federal Convention of 1787† published by James Madison. Madison’s documents show that US democracy during those years was orientated, not by any humanitarian interests, but by the core political interests of both the Northern and Southern States. The Three-fifths Compromise Since slavery was economically profitable in almost all of the southern States and the pro-slavery southern Delegates wanted to be benefited from â€Å"increased representation in the House and the Electoral College†, the southerners wanted the slaves to be counted for enumeration. Meanwhile the northerners partially driven the contra-slavery motive as well as the motive to reduce the southern dominance, wanted to count only the free inhabitants of the states. Thus the Three-Fifths Compromise came into being declaring that three-fifths of the slave population would be counted. The aftermaths of the Three-fifths Compromise we re such that the southern delegates began to dominate the Presidency and the Congress until the defeat of the south in the Civil War. Such dominance of the southerners further allowed them to manipulate the judicial and political power to exploit the African-American labor and thus the conditions of the African-Americans deteriorated. The 1793 Fugitive Slave Act One of the most mentionable events during the Southern Dominance in the Congress is the passing of the â€Å"1793 Fugitive Slave Act†. Since according to this Act any state including contra-slavery northern ones was bound to return a fugitive slave to its owner, slaves lost even their last escape from the inhuman exploitation of the slave-owners. Though the consequent 18o8 Law stopped international slave trade, interstate slave trade within the national territory continued. The effect of the 1808 Law was in favor of the anti-slavery northern states. Though the subsequent Missouri Compromise in 1820 brought the balance of power between the antislavery and pro-slavery factions of the United States, providing the northerners with the opportunity to dominate the House of Representative, slavery continued in the south. Dred Scott Case in 1854 and its Impacts The Dred Scott Case in 1854 can be considered as a milestone in the history of the African-American slavery in the United States. A close analysis of this case render a picture how slavery had shaped the African-Americans’ lives. The final decision of the Dred Scott Case was: since Scott was a black, he was not a citizen and he did not have the right to sue his master in the court. Slavery: Racism, Discrimination and Second Class Status The Scott Case infers that slavery in the United States had shifted its basis from war to color and from indentured servitude to slavery as a constitution supported practice of discriminating and depriving a group of people from their rights in

Literacy Planning Essay Example for Free

Literacy Planning Essay Introduction The purpose of this report was to collect and collate information from a teacher in relation to how reading is taught in a classroom structure. This was based on how the teacher taught reading, what they taught and in particular why these aspects of reading were taught. Through the interview and questions I asked of the teacher, it has come quite clear that reading that is taught to students is embedded in everything we do, but overall teaching children to learn to read is fundamental in a practical sense and also for enjoyment. This document provides: An overview on the targeted teaching group What beliefs in relation to teaching literacy Who selects the curriculum content What instructional procedures are used How grouping strategies are used What and why assessment tools are used The classroom environment 1. Overview on targeted teaching group. The following documentation and conclusion were questions asked of a Year 2 teacher situated within the Early Years team consisted of 23 students within a school (CDPS) in the Southern suburbs of Adelaide, South Australia. This teacher had been teaching mainly in the Early Years for 6 years and has come to CDPS as a new contract teacher. CDPS is a Category 2 school set in a low social economic setting. This school has 252 students attending at present, 155 of these are main stream with the remaining 97 students attending the Disability Unit that is incorporated within the school. There is a high ratio of Multicultural students as well as Aboriginal students needing extra support with their education due to English being their second language. This school also has a high focus on Literacy through an Intervention Team that is made up of teachers that specialise in different areas such as a Reading Support Teacher Years Reception to 2, a Literacy Intervention Teacher Years 3 -7, Aboriginal Education Teacher (AET) and a English as a Language and Dialect Teacher (EALD) and Negotiated Education Plan Teacher (NEP). Also at CDPS there is speech support for students through Undergraduate Speech Pathologists, as the school supports a Flinders University Speech Pathology program. This program support is across both sites of the school by Third and Fourth year Undergraduate students that work with the guidance of the class teachers and University Speech Pathologist on different elements of literacy to further develop student’s phonological awareness and knowledge. 2. Beliefs in relation to teaching literacy Through the question put forward to the 2/3 teacher, ‘What are your beliefs and philosophies in literacy in relations to students learning to read and you teaching reading’, the teacher explained that they believed that literacy was embedded in everything that we do. This could be from the simplest tasks of looking at a milk carton to looking at a traffic light going red. With this cultural awareness, we as adults have the understanding and prior knowledge that encases these objects in our ever day life. As explained by Harris, Turbill, Fitzsimmons and McKenzie (pg17, 2006), ‘Literacy is the ability to read and use written information and to write appropriately in a range of context. It is also used to develop knowledge and understanding, to achieve personal growth and to function effectively in our society. ’ For students to understand and have knowledge of such objects and items they must be exposed socially and culturally. For teachers who provide context for learning can enable students to develop control over their written language, so they can network successfully in a literate culture. Also based on the teachers belief, teaching children to learn to read is and can be fundamental, in a practical sense and needs to be also for enjoyment. As the main feature of language is listening, speaking, reading and writing, it is explained by Makin, Diaz McLachlan (2007) beginning readers and writers usually require explicit teaching about such language knowledge as the alphabetic principal, print conventions, spelling and reading strategies. As explicit instruction in reading is essential for most children, through surrounding them with language and literature is vital but not the whole picture. This could be done by exploring how language works, playing with language, and learning about genre structure. Through an immense amount of discussions surrounding these concepts, it can provide a child with a rich foundation from which they can continue to build their knowledge and apply these new skills. From a whole school perspective at CDPS, various programmes and philosophies are to be followed. These programmes and philosophies have been put in place for teachers to unite as a community for learners. For example, Accelerated Literacy, the scaffolds of Stephen Graham; David Hornsby’s Guided reading; Anne Bayetto’s Spell, Record, Respond; strategies from â€Å"Reading Comprehension: taking the learning deeper†, and the Oxford word list. CDPS also has an English Genre Map and a Spelling genre Map in which they are expected to follow to encourage learning that can be continually built upon and can also avoid learning gaps. 3. Selection of Curriculum Content CDPS curriculum content is decided upon as a whole school through both English and Spelling genre maps. The English genre map indicates that teachers will use: The explicit teaching pedagogies of Accelerated literacy, The scaffolds of Stephen Graham, David Hornsby’s Guided Reading, Anne Bayetto’s Spelling, Record, Respond, and  Strategies from â€Å"Reading Comprehension: Taking the Learning Deeper† research project. These are the foundations for the implementation for the teaching of reading, writing, comprehension, visual literacy, spelling, grammar and punctuation. This map specifies the text types that will be taught during each term and through the order of these text types, it ensures that each focus expands a student’s repertoire and prepares them for the next text type. As explained by Harris, Turbill, Fitzsimmons and McKenzie (2006) when encountering texts, readers not only consider the kind of text they have at hand, but what the text is about. For example, students that are studying factual recounts before they move into biography or autobiography will study literary description before they move into narrative and factual description before they move into information report writing. CDPS’s spelling continuum is underpinned by pedagogy as outlined in Anne Bayetto’s Spell, Record, and Respond. As explained by Bayetto (2011), Listening, speaking, reading, writing, and spelling are intertwined and nourish each other. To communicate through writing, students must apply both oral language skills, for example,  knowledge of syntax and semantics, and reading skills, for example, sounds of letters in words. In addition students must be able to think about and organise a topic, spell words, and legibly produce letters. CDPS spelling programmes are based on spelling lessons each day. Every student receives a differentiated spelling programme based on spelling needs determined by Oxford Wordlist assessments, Monster Spelling assessments, or words taken from independent writing and theme words. Also at CDPS they use a flow lists of words not fixed lists of words. This means that each student’s words stays on a student’s list until they can spell, read and put the words into an understandable context. This is observed through each student only given three words at a time based on the approach of less words and more learning activities. These activities allow children to complete the activities with their spelling words through multiple intelligent activities, giving all children the opportunity to work in their preferred learning style and creating the understanding and knowledge of the words that they are learning. A phonics programme has also been strongly recommended and supported by the school-based Speech Pathologist from Flinders University and has proven to be highly effective in improving reading amongst Junior Primary classes. This is achieved by teachers following the implementation of the phonics programme and through this programme teachers are continually bringing back a focus of literacy to apply this knowledge whilst reading together as a whole class or as independent readers. As explained by Dymock (2007), teachers play an important role in assisting students to develop a good understanding of text structure awareness. Through teachers using good instructional guidance, it can be the most powerful means of promoting the development of proficient reading comprehension and developing reading problems. 4. Instructional Procedure, Grouping and Differentiation Strategies At CDPS, students practice through explicit team orientation in the classroom and draw on various cooperative learning strategies. These can be seen by the teacher as supportive ways for group work, ability levelling, shared learning, and to create a fully collaborative approach to each student’s learning. Through these practices it can also enable the teacher to become facilitators rather than indoctrinators. As explained by the teacher, students share reading as a whole class. This enables the teacher to introduce a new text, giving students time to discuss as a whole group about the text and their ideas enabling the teacher to further identify where students needs for further clarification of the new text. Guided reading groups are differentiated to provide an explicit teaching and learning session. This gives students a targeted focus specifically to the level of what the group is working at. Through guided reading it allows the students to focus on reading and comprehension strategies. Also peer reading session are set up with Year 7 students to support the students with their reading. These sessions give the students time to observe strategies that other students use and time for them to discuss the different strategies that they use whilst reading. Levelled readers are also sent home with students for the practice of independent reading and a vocabulary wall is displayed with specific text that the students have discovered through Accelerated Literacy lessons. These lessons are through explicit teaching ways of talking, viewing, thinking, reading, writing and spelling. As outlined by Cooper, Roth, Speece, Schatschneider,(2002) children progress through a period of emergent literacy during which they develop the rudimentary skills, knowledge, and attitudes that prepare them for the acquisition of conventional literacy. There is also a word wall displayed for the students to look at and to encourage them to write and read independently. Also throughout the week students have times for silent reading and may chose a book of their choice to read giving them further time for independent reading session. Within the early years at CDPS, shared reading and writing is an effective literacy teaching strategy. This can be seen by the teachers through the holding of student’s attention as they are involved in the joint production of the text or whilst at the same time allowing the teacher to model the different aspects of the reading and writing processes. As outlined by Lane, Pullen, Paige, Eisele, and Jordan (2002), reading is a foundation skill for school learning and life learning the ability to read is critical for success in modern society. Learning to read is one of the most important events in a child’s school career. At CDPS, teachers attend fortnightly meetings at Professional Learning Committee’s (PLC’s). In these committees, teachers discuss what aspects of the curriculum they are teaching and share ideas and resources to support the genres and philosophies they are to follow within the school’s curriculum structure. As explained by the teacher differentiation at the present is made quite easy through Cooperative learning systems. At the moment, table groups are based on behaviours and cohesion. As the students have settled, it has become possible to group student’s base on their ability and to pair up high and low functioning students. 6. Assessment Tools At CDPS assessment tools are whole-school based and has been written into the school’s curriculum genre mapping. These assessments include: Running Records; Oxford Word Lists in both Writing and Reading; Screen for Phonological Awareness test (SPA); Language Concepts; Text Orientation and Name Writing. As stated by Harris, Turbill, Fitzsimmons and McKenzie (2006), assessment and evaluation is a vital part of the teaching and learning cycle that forms the basis for a range of decisions that impact within the learning culture. Once this data is collected it is then analysed by the Intervention Team and student’s needs are planned for. All students data is kept on computerised spread sheets and hard copies are also placed into student’s portfolio folders, which stay with the student for the time they are at the school. These portfolio folders are forwarded onto the next class teacher at the end of each year to assist the teacher with planning appropriately for individual students. Student learning and understanding is also assessed both in the midst of lessons verbally as well as after by using a rubric. As explained by the teacher, though these types of assessments, it can give the best feedback to the students on what they need to work on and what their strengths are. As explained by Campbell Green (2006) teachers that primarily assess and monitor the literacy development of their students in a professional manner can reflect the complexities of their literacy. Assessments should also be used to help students take ownership and control over their learning. This gives students the empowerment that is necessary to establish their own purpose for reading and learning. 6. Classroom Resources and Learning Environment Resources are planned during Professional Learning Committee’s (PLC’s) in  conjunction with a team of teachers at a similar teaching level, for example Junior Primary, whereby the aim of these meetings is to discuss planning, share resources and where alignment amongst teaching is made. Generally as a rule, all of the resources that are made by the teachers stay with the teachers, unless they are specifically made resources to target a particular curriculum area. Then these items would be catalogued through the library system for anyone to borrow and use. If a teacher is making their own resources they would generally display these for children to use at specific times of teaching. For example, if students are learning the Alphabet teachers would have picture cards made up for student to look at, order and read. They would also have the Alphabet displays throughout the classroom for visual aids and reminders of what it looks like. As outlined by Harris, Turbill, Fitzsimmons and McKenzie (2006), resources are what learners are immersed in and the source of most of the demonstrations of how language is used and structured. Also as explained by the teacher books for a classroom library would be selected by all students of the class. This was done as a theme based approach at the beginning of the term. For example books that would be about bears had to be found and they all had to find 2 books each. These books then were brought back to the classroom and placed in the library corner on the shelving at student’s height. The teacher also explained that the positioning of word walls and text posters within the classroom were placed at student’s eye height so students could look at, see and read. The reading corner or quiet area that was created was an area where students could go and look at books without the constant interruptions of other students at their desks. There was also a common ruling in this area that voices where to be kept at a whisper. This enabled students to either read for enjoyment or just to browse and relax. 8. Evaluation With all of this in mind I believe literacy is more than an individual act of mean making and language used, it is a social act as well. When students read or write, they bring not only their own personal experiences, but also the experiences of the various social groups in which they hold membership too. As students learn to read or write, they often cannot focus on everything they have to do at the same time. For example, a certain text that they are reading they can read but not comprehend. I believe that the programmes and genre mapping that teacher’s use at CDPS supports Literacy and Phonological awareness amongst their students. It provides and exposes the students to structured Literacy lessons that would be most effective to their reading and writing learning. The support from the teaching staff at CDPS is of high standards and the Speech Pathology program running from the school is one of high standards. It has the best interests of student across both sites. Appendix  The following questions were for a teacher that was asked of them during a one to one interview in relation to how does a teacher teach reading. 1. Beliefs in relation to teaching literacy: What are your beliefs and philosophies in literacy in relations to students learning to read and you teaching reading? 2. Selection of Curriculum Content: How do you as a teacher decide what content of the curriculum you teach within literacy? What areas are you focusing on with your students at present and why? 3. Instructional Procedures: As a teacher what strategies do you choose to teach your students to read and why? What areas of literacy do you currently focus on and how are these displayed with/for your students? 4. Grouping Strategies: How do you as a teacher decided on literacy groups for your students and what diversity strategies do you employ with your students during these times? 5. Assessment Tools: How do you decide on what assessment strategies you use, what methods you use or would be used to assess your students for literacy learning? How do you keep students records once assessments are finished? 6. Classroom Environment: What is the theory behind setting up your classroom literacy resources for your students as displayed? Diagram of the classroom References Bayetto. A. , (2011), Spell, Record, Respond. Moving from assessment to instruction. South Melbourne, Vic. : Oxford University Press Campbell, R. Green, D. (Eds. ) (2006). Literacies and learners: Current perspectives. Frenchs Forest, NSW: Pearson Education Australia. Cooper, D. H. , Roth, F. P. , Speece, D. L. , Schatschneider, C. (2002). The contribution of oral language skills to the development of phonological awareness. Applied Psycholinguistics, 23, 399-416. Dymock, S. (2007). Comprehension strategy instruction: Teaching narrative text structure awareness. The Reading Teacher, 61(2), pp. 161–167. Harris, P. , Turbill, J. , Fitzsimmons, P. , McKenzie, B. (2006). Reading in the primary years (2nd ed. ). South Melbourne, Vic. : Cengage Learning Australia. Lane, H. B. , Pullen, P. C. , Eisele, M. R. , Jordan, L. (2002). Preventing reading failure: Phonological awareness assessment and instruction. Preventing School Failure, 46(3), 101. Makin, L. , Diaz, C. McLachlan, C. (Ed. ). (2007). Literacies in childhood: changing views, challenging practice. Marrickville, NSW: Elsevier Australia.