Monday, September 30, 2019

Four planes of development age 6 to 12 by Dr. Maria Montessori. Essay

Absorbent mind: first plane of development where the child has the capability to absorb large amounts of information with ease, as they are sensitive to specific skills characteristic: distinguishing feature or qualities of something childhood development: Child development refers to the biological, psychological and emotional changes that occur in human beings between birth and the end of adolescence emotional development: the development of a full range of emotions from sad to happy to angry, and learning to deal with them appropriately. fine motor: is the action involving the small muscles of the hands, as in handwriting, sewing or knitting. Four planes of development: Dr. Montessori saw the human being going through four planes, or stages, of development with each plane having unique characteristics and opportunities for learning gross motor. Gross motor involves the large muscles of the body, as in walking, running or swimming. intellectual development: being capable of analysing understanding and evaluating concepts to make sense out of the world around them moral sense: the ability to distinguish between right and wrong. physical development: is the development of the body and organs. prosocial behaviour: or â€Å"voluntary behaviour intended to benefit another†, consists of actions which â€Å"benefit other people or society as a whole,† â€Å"such as helping, sharing, donating, co-operating, and volunteering social development: refers to an alteration in the social order of a society this may include nature, social institutions, social behaviours, or social  relations spiritual development: is a journey in maturity of an individual’s identity from spiritual infancy to spiritual adulthood. In this process, the secular mind decreases as the sacred increases through a series of disciplines. In this academic paper we are going to look at the child age six to twelve and the characteristic the child posses in one of four planes of development by Dr. Maria Montessori. Within this plane of development I will be explaining physical, social, emotional, spiritual and cognitive development of the child and how this develops throughout childhood. For many children, these years from six to twelve are the glory years a time of â€Å"calm and steady growth† and â€Å"expansion of interests†. At this development plane called â€Å"childhood development or the age of serenity-rudeness† (notes, 4th February, Connelly A) children experience a major transformation. This transformation leads from the sponge-like absorbent mind of early childhood to the reasoning, thinking adult mind. What I understand is that the absorbent mind, learning happened almost automatically, but the â€Å"reasoning mind† needs to be consciously somewhat forced in to the learning proce ss. First we are going to look at physical development of the child between 6 and 12 years. â€Å"Physical growth over all is slow but still steady, this is the time where girls are generally taller than boys. Another gender difference is that boys out preform girls in certain physical task.† Girls may also out preform boys in some tasks. â€Å"Muscle coordination and control are uneven and incomplete in the early stages, but children become almost as coordinated as adults by the end of middle childhood. Gross motor development is one factor that improves at this stage because of the muscle co-ordination and strength that develops over time†.(Bailey, D.R. iTunesU) â€Å"There are some known gross motor deferences between genders that is, girls are superior in accuracy movements as where boys are superior in forceful, less complex task.† All this deferences between boys and girls begin to emerge and they notice that they are not the same. â€Å"Fine motor skills impr oves rapidly at this age, they learn to use their hands independently and at the end of the middle childhood stage they have mastered this skill and continue to use this throughout adolescence†.(Bailey, D.R. iTunesU). Children may also over estimate their physical abilities and take risk in  some tasks.(Dr. Meyer, J. iTunesU) Children at this stage uses high energy levels and are in most cases really active.(notes, 4 February. Connelly. A) I believe that may be one of the reasons that children between the age of 6 and 12 need more sleep. â€Å"Intense activity may bring tiredness. Children need around 10 to 11 hours of sleep each night† There are a lot of factors that play a role in the physical development of a child at this age; â€Å"nutrition, health and deceases, genetic factors, stress, hormone† play a role in the physical development(Bailey, D.R. iTunesU). Talking about physical development I notice that there is some connections between this and social, emotional, intellectual and spiritual development. Statistics shows us that â€Å"Physical attractiveness† one of 6 â€Å"popularity settings† in a social environment the others are; â€Å"prosocial behaviour, assertiveness but not aggressiveness, outgoing personality, self control, ability to enter a group and initiate interactions†.(Dr. Meyer, J. iTunesU) To be social is a way of life and a basic need for any human. According to Erik Erikson’s social development studies this age group fall in to â€Å"stage 4 namely the industry vs inferiority.†(Dr. Meyer, J. iTunesU) What I understand about the â€Å"industry vs inferiority stage† is that they earn a sense of accomplishment and pride in their abilities but at the same time needs encouragement and in some ways to be praised or to just be acknowledge. â€Å"The question of good and evil comes into the light of consciousness as a special characteristic of this age†.(The absorbent mind, pg. 138) This means that the child have a good sense of right and wrong and also believe in strong morals. The child creates them selfs and there personality or â€Å"character† in this stage of development. â€Å"The period from 6 years is therefore the most important part of life regarding character too, since here it is formed.†(The absorbent mind, pg. 138) â€Å"In the social setting the child has a herd instinct† , they tend to follow a group. â€Å"Friend become important at this stage. Females tend to have fewer but closer friends then males. They generally have several best friends but will tend to only spend time with one or two at a time†.(Dr. Meyer, J. iTunesU) â€Å"There is a sense of freedom and independence as there is some separation between the parents and the child e.g. sleep overs.†(notes, 4 February. Connelly. A) In social circle â€Å"intimacy and similarity† play an important role in the age 6 to 12 when it comes to friendships between children for they â€Å"understand one another and is there  for emotional support† .(Dr. Meyer, J. iTunesU). Emotional development children are very â€Å"sensitive especially criticism but jet they are critical of them selves, They can be touchy, irritable, and very aware of being treated unfairly. They also have a strong moral sense. their moods may change easily. they appear to be more cautious and less impulsive and self centred.† (notes, Connelly. A) As I noticed in middle childhood girls tend to be more interested in self-improvement and has worries and fears relative to school and friends. â€Å"In a spiritual sense of development the child seems to be more observant and interacts with the world in search of the answer of where they fit in in this world†.(notes, Connelly. A) â€Å"It is a revelation of the spiritual man to know, to love and to serve. It comes only by one’s own experience and development, not through preaching.† in this statement by Maria Montessori in The absorbent mind pg. 162. I believe that spiritual development can only be practiced by oneself and that your own actions grow your spirality. This actions can be â€Å"creativity, to be observant, relationships , looking for reason and awakening of ones self and inner-being.† (notes, Connelly. A) Talking about reason, in this â€Å"childhood development sage† intellectual development is all about â€Å"logic and the active and appropriate use†. Piaget theory states that the child is at the â€Å"concrete operation stage.†(Dr. Meyer, J. iTunesU) The â€Å"concrete operation stage† in my opinion means to be able to feel, touch and manipulate the task at hand and makes it easer to understand the logic behind it. â€Å"Piaget also states that the child acquires mental ability of seriation, classification, concentration this allows for logical thinking.†(Dr. Meyer, J. iTunesU) At this stage the children also learn and build their skills to â€Å"think without concrete materials and use their imaginations moving from concrete to abstract†(Dr. Meyer, J. iTunesU) The child also develops the skills and concept of â€Å"reversibility† this is where the child does a task and can go backwards to see and understands the process more clearly . â€Å"The child can now see the relations of other people and there point of view in other words they can take multiple aspects into account†.(Dr. Meyer, J. iTunesU) The child understands the feeling of empathy and is more desiring. â€Å"Developmental physiologist suggest that the difficulty children face in solving problems [in preschool] may stem from memory limitation and not cognitive† (Dr. Meyer, J. iTunesU) the child has the ability but not the  memory and in the next development plane they attain this skill. Thus the child has an â€Å"increase ability to handle information and short term memory improves†(Dr. Meyer, J. iTunesU). for instance when the memory improves the cognition improves. â€Å"The secret of good teaching is to regard the child’s intelligence as a fertile field in which seeds may be sown, to grow under the heat of flaming imagination. Our aim therefore is not merely to make the child understand, and still less to force him to memorise, but so to touch his imagination as to enthuse him to his inmost core.† (To educate the human potential, pg. 15) â€Å"It has been found that during this period, the child can submit to the mental work necessary in schools. He understands what a teacher says and he has enough patience to listen and to learn. During this whole period, he is constant in his work, as well as strong in health. It is because of these characteristics that this period is considered as the most profitable for imparting culture.† (The Absorbent Mind, pg.17) â€Å"Children can deal with and understand more complicated concepts and ideas. They make conclusions based on things they have learned in the past.†(notes, Connelly. A) The child at the stage has a really â€Å"good imagination† and is really â€Å"curious about the world around them† â€Å"they have a global view† and this should be seen as a chance to use that to the best advantage to learn as â€Å"learning does not come automatically.†(notes 4 February. Connelly, A) The outcome of this academic paper gave us and insight in to the child age six to twelve. We noticed that there are many aspects of the child and that it is a complex study. Each stage in life is a time of growth. Childhood is a time to link dependence with independence. children in this development stage are exploring their future potential they are expanding there world outwards. All that we can do as adults is to be role models for them and to encourage them in any way possible. Bibliography Bailey, D.R. 2011. PSYC 209. Life cycle development. iTunes U Connelly, A. 4 February 2013. Lecture notes, methodology. Dr. Meyer, J. 2013. Lecture 17. Principals op human development, Missouri state university. iTunes U Dr. Meyer, J. 2013. Lecture 18. Principals op human development, Missouri state university. iTunes U Dr. Meyer, J. 2013. Lecture 19. Principals op human development, Missouri state university. iTunes U Montessori, M. 1967. To educate the human potential, Clio Montessori series: Kalakshetra Publications Montessori, M. 1949. The absorbent mind, Printed by C. Subbarayudu, at the Vasanta Press, The Theosophical Society, Adyar, Madras http://tsl.org/family/2010/06/montessori-for-ages-6-12/ http://www.webmd.com/parenting/guide/sleep-children

Sunday, September 29, 2019

Sexual Harassment at Workplace

Sexual Harassment At Workplace We are still carrying that legacy where women are treated as secondary to men. True, the times have changed with Industrial Revolution and then the technological advances; women have been recognized as equal to men all over. But the legacy which was carried from so many ages goes on and it takes time to change the mind sets of all Indians. The political system has to change and the entire systems ale customs like Sati etc. hich are still rampant in some parts of India and yes the dowry system which is present everywhere have to go if women have to enjoy equal respect along with men. As long as these evil practices continue and till commercialization of women through each and every useless advertisement is practiced harassment of women not only in work place but in home, in street, in college everywhere will continue and male chauvinism tries to dominate the female submissiveness everywhere.According to the Protection of Human Right Act, 1993 â€Å"huma n rights† means the rights relating to life, liberty, equality and dignity of the individual guaranteed by the Constitution or embodied in the International Covenants and enforceable by courts in India. It is necessary and expedient for employers in work places as well as other responsible persons or institutions to observe certain guidelines to ensure the prevention of sexual harassment of women as to live with dignity is a human right guaranteed by our constitution. IndiaIn India Sexual harassment has been termed as â€Å"Eve teasing† and is described as: unwelcome sexual gesture or behavior whether directly or indirectly as sexually colored remarks; physical contact and advances; showing pornography; a demand or request for sexual favors; any other unwelcome physical, verbal/non-verbal conduct being sexual in nature. The critical factor is the unwelcomed behavior, thereby making the impact of such actions on the recipient more relevant rather than intent of the perpe trator. As per the Indian Constitution, sexual harassment infringes the fundamental ight of a woman to gender equality under Article 14 of the Constitution of India and her right to life and live with dignity under Article 21 of the Constitution. Although there is no specific law against sexual harassment at workplace in India but many provisions in other legislations protect against sexual harassment at workplace, such as Section 354, IPC deals with â€Å"assault or criminal force to a woman with the intent to outrage her modesty, and Section 509, IPC deals with â€Å"word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman. What amounts to sexual harassment?In 1997 in Vishaka Vs. State of Rajasthan and others, for the first time sexual harassment had been explicitly- legally defined as an unwelcome sexual gesture or behaviour whether directly or indirectly as 1. Sexually coloured remarks 2. Physical contact and advances 3. Showing pornography 4. A demand or request for sex ual favours 5. Any other unwelcome physical, verbal/non-verbal conduct being sexual in nature. It was in this landmark case that the sexual harassment was identified as a separate illegal behaviour. The critical factor in sexual harassment is the unwelcomeness of the behaviour.Thereby making the impact of such actions on the recipient more relevant rather than intent of the perpetrator- which is to be considered. In any kind of organization i. e. government, private or public enterprises such kind of conduct creates an apprehension in the minds of the employees that if they don’t perform the work given to them they will be one the victims of sexual harassment and thereby it creates fear in their minds. On the other hands it is also the employer who might threat the employee regarding there transfer, promotion etc. nd it has been seen in the corporates that the employer do ask for some kind of favour in order to give the job, transfer or promotion or for that matter in order t o increase their salary. All this amounts to Sexual Harassment because it is done against the will of the person and the employees who are in need of the above things do agree to the terms of the employer. In other words it can be said that, it is discriminatory when the woman has reasonable grounds to believe that her objection would disadvantage her in connection with her employment or work including recruiting or promotion or when it creates a hostile work environment.Adverse consequences might be visited if the victim does not consent to the conduct in question or raises any objection thereto. Laws under which a case can be filed In India there is no specific law relating to Sexual Harassment at workplace but there are certain sections in the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Constitution and certain other laws and Acts that protect the women’s from sexual harassment at workplace and they are as follows: Section 354, IPC deals with assault or criminal force to a woman with the intent to outrage her modesty and lays down that:Whoever assaults or uses criminal force to any woman, intending to outrage or knowing it to be likely that he will thereby outrage her modesty, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to two years, or with fine or both. In cases where the accused sexually harasses or insults the modesty of a woman by way of either- obscene acts or songs or- by means of words, gesture, or acts intended to insult the modesty of a woman, he shall be punished under Sections. 94 and 509 respectively. Under Sec. 294 the obscene act or song must cause annoyance. Though annoyance is an important ingredient of this offence, it being associated with the mental condition, has often to be inferred from proved facts. However, another important ingredient of this offence is that the obscene acts or songs must be committed or sung in or near any public place. Section 509, IPC deals with word, gesture or act intended to i nsult the modesty of a woman and lays down that:Whoever intending to insult the modesty of any woman utters any word, makes any sound or gesture, or exhibits any object intending that such word or sound shall be heard, or that such gesture or object shall be seen by such woman, or intrudes upon the privacy of such woman, shall be punished with simple imprisonment for a term which may extend to one year, or with fine, or both. (Cognizable and bailable offences). Civil suit can be filed for damages under tort laws. That is, the basis for filing the case would be mental anguish, physical harassment, loss of income and employment caused by the sexual harassment.Under the Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition) Act (1987) if an individual harasses another with books, photographs, paintings, films, pamphlets, packages, etc. containing â€Å"indecent representation of women†; they are liable for a minimum sentence of 2 years. Section 7 (Offenses by Companies) holds companies where there has been â€Å"indecent representation of women† (such as the display of pornography) on the premises guilty of offenses under this act, with a minimum sentence of 2 years.Early history of the use of the term â€Å"Sexual harassment† The term sexual harassment was used in 1973 in a report to the then President and Chancellor of MIT about various forms of gender issues. In the book In Our Time: Memoir of a Revolution (1999), journalist Susan Brown miller quotes the Cornell activists who in 1975 thought they had coined the term sexual harassment: â€Å"Eight of them were sitting in an office †¦ brainstorming about what they were going to write on posters for their speak-out. They were referring to it as ‘sexual intimidation,' ‘sexual coercion,' ‘sexual exploitation on the job. None of those names seemed quite right. They wanted something that embraced a whole range of subtle and un-subtle persistent behaviors. Somebody came up with â⠂¬Ëœharassment. ‘ ‘Sexual harassment! ‘ Instantly they agreed. That's what it was. † These activists, Lin Farley, Susan Meyer, and Karen Sauvigne went on to form Working Women's Institute which, along with the Alliance against Sexual Coercion, founded in 1976 by Freada Klein, Lynn Wehrli, and Elizabeth Cohn-Stuntz, were among the pioneer organizations to bring sexual harassment to public attention in the late 1970s.Harassment Situations Sexual harassments can occur in a variety of circumstances. Often, but not always, the harasser is in a position of power or authority over the victim (due to differences in age, or social, political, educational or employment relationships). The harasser and the victim can be anyone and of any gender, such as a client, a co-worker, a teacher or professor, a student, a friend, or a stranger. The victim does not have to be the person directly harassed but can be anyone who finds the behavior offensive and is affected by it. Adv erse effects on the target are common.The harasser does not have to be of the opposite sex. The harasser may be completely unaware that his or her behavior is offensive or constitutes sexual harassment or may be completely unaware that his or her actions could be unlawful. Misunderstanding can result from a situation where one thinks he/she is making themselves clear, but is not understood the way they intended. The misunderstanding can either be reasonable or unreasonable. An example of unreasonable is when a man holds a certain stereotypical view of a woman such that he did not understand the woman’s explicit message to stop.Types of harassment There is often more than one type of harassing behavior present, so a single harasser may fit more than one category. The different types of harassment could be; Stalking. Pest, Bully, Power-Player, Mother/Father figure (a. k. a the counselor helper), Groper, One-Of-The-Gang, Serial Harasser, Opportunist, Confidante, Situational Hara sser etc. Steps to be taken by the employers In Vishaka Vs. State of Rajasthan and others, the Supreme Court in absence of ny enacted law (which still remains absent- save the Supreme Court guidelines as stated hereunder) to provide for effective enforcement of basic human rights of gender equality and guarantee against sexual harassment, laid down the following guidelines: All Employers or persons in charge of work place whether in public or private sector should take appropriate steps to prevent sexual harassment. Without prejudice to the generality of this obligation they should take the following steps: (a) Express prohibition of sexual harassment as defined, above at the work place should be notified, published and circulated in appropriate ways. b) The Rules/Regulations of Government and Public Sector bodies relating to conduct and discipline should include rules / regulations prohibiting sexual harassment and provide for appropriate penalties in such rules against the offende r. (c) As regards private employers steps should be taken to include the aforesaid prohibitions in the standing orders under the Industrial Employment (Standing Orders) Act, 1940. d) Appropriate work conditions should be provided in respect of work, leisure, health and hygiene to further ensure that there is no hostile environment towards women at work places and no employee woman should have reasonable grounds to believe that she is disadvantaged in connection with her employment. Awareness Rights of female employees in this regard should be created in particular by prominently notifying the guidelines (and appropriate legislation when enacted on the subject) in a suitable manner.This is one of the most important factors that should be taken up seriously both by the employer and the government. The female employees should be made aware of the rights that are available to them relating to Sexual Harassment. In the metropolitan cities the female employees working in good companies an d working at high level are very well about their rights but those females who are working at the low level and in small towns hardly know about their rights which they can exercise for any kind of sexual harassment thereby getting relief from the court as well as their dignity lost due to this harassment.Effects of sexual harassment on organizations Sexual Harassment has an adverse effect on the organization as the working enthusiasm of the sexually harassed female employee goes down, she is not able to work in the same way as she was before being harassed and thus she is not able to give her 100% to the organization thereby leading to decreased job satisfaction.This is only one the factor there might be loss of staff and expertise from resignations to avoid harassment or resignations/firings of alleged harassers; loss of students who leave school to avoid harassment. And the most important there might be decrease in the productivity level and increase in team conflicts. Decrease i n success at meeting financial goals (because of team conflict) and this may lead to loss for the organization as they fail to achieve the goal of the organization.Some other problems that the organization has to face due to the harassment; Increased health care costs and sick pay costs because of the health consequences of harassment, the knowledge that harassment is permitted can undermine ethical standards and discipline in the organization in general, as staff and/or students lose respect for, and trust in, their seniors who indulge in, or turn a blind eye to, sexual harassment, if the problem is ignored, a company's or school's image can suffer, legal costs if the problem is ignored and complainants take the issue to court.Some famous case laws relating to Sexual Harassment One of the most famous case laws in the history of India relating to sexual harassment is Vishaka v State of Rajasthan and others, wherein for the first time the definition of sexual harassment was defined, certain guidelines pertaining to the employers were laid down, as to how their contribution in the organization could avoid sexual harassment of the female employees in the organization. In this particular case a writ petition was filed by ‘Vishaka’- a nonGovernmental organization working for gender equality by way of PIL seeking enforcement of fundamental rights of working women under Article. 21 of the Constitution. case: A K. Chopra’s case, is the first case in which the Supreme Court applied the law laid down in Vishaka’s case and upheld the dismissal of a superior officer of the Delhi based Apparel Export Promotion Council who was found guilty of sexual harassment of a subordinate female employee at the place of work on the ground that it violated her fundamental right guaranteed by Article. 21 of the Constitution.In both cases the Supreme Court observed, that † In cases involving Human Rights, the Courts must be alive to the International Conve ntions and Instruments as far as possible to give effect to the principles contained therein- such as the Convention on the Eradication of All forms of Discrimination Against Women, 1979 [CE DAW] and the Beijing Declaration directing all state parties to take appropriate measures to prevent such discrimination. † The guidelines and judgments have identified sexual harassment as a question of power exerted by the perpetrator on the victim.Therefore sexual harassment in addition to being a violation of the right to safe working conditions is also a violation of the right to bodily integrity of the woman. In Rupan Deol Bajaj Vs. K PS. Gill, a senior IAS officer, Rupan Bajaj was slapped on the posterior by the then Chief of Police, Punjab- Mr. K P S. Gill at a dinner party in July 1988. Rupan Bajaj filed a suit against him, despite the public opinion that she was blowing it out of proportion, along with the attempts by all the senior officials of the state to suppress the matter.T he Supreme Court in January, 1998 fined Mr. K P S. Gill Rs. 2. 5 lacs in lieu of three months Rigorous Imprisonment under Sections. 294 and 509 of the Indian Penal Code. In N Radhabai Vs. D. Ramchandran, Radhabai, Secretary to D Ramchandran, the then social minister for state protested against his abuse of girls in the welfare institutions, he attempted to molest her, which was followed by her dismissal. The Supreme Court in 1995 passed the judgment in her favour, with back pay and perks from the date of dismissal.These are some of the famous case laws in the history of India which have completely justified sexual harassment at a workplace and held the accused liable, be it a Chief Police Officer or a Social minister. Conclusion Sexual Harassment at workplace, it’s not only the duty of the employer to make sure that the female employees are provided with the proper working conditions, rules and regulations etc. it’s also the duty of the female employees to make sure th at where ever they are working is that a safe place, there is no kind of fear as to promotion, transfer, salary etc. if she refuses to take the offer given to her.It’s also their duty to make sure that they inform the management of the head of the organization if any kind of unwelcomed behavior is being noticed by them so that the organization can take the right step at the right time. The females working in corporate sectors the big cities like Delhi, Mumbai, and Bengaluru are very well aware about their rights or as or as to what steps should be taken if sexual harassment is done to them but then there are hardly any female employees working in small industries, villages where the rate of sexual harassment is high know about all the laws, rights and reliefs that are available for them.In the past three years there have been thirty police official who have been arrested for sexual harassment. Now if the helpers of the law are going to do this then what can we expect form the ordinary citizens. The Sexual Harassment at Workplace Bill 2010 focuses on women’s right to protection against sexual harassment at the workplace. The Passing of this bill will empower the women to action against the wrongdoer in a more powerful and stronger manner. Sexual Harassment at Workplace Sexual Harassment At Workplace We are still carrying that legacy where women are treated as secondary to men. True, the times have changed with Industrial Revolution and then the technological advances; women have been recognized as equal to men all over. But the legacy which was carried from so many ages goes on and it takes time to change the mind sets of all Indians. The political system has to change and the entire systems ale customs like Sati etc. hich are still rampant in some parts of India and yes the dowry system which is present everywhere have to go if women have to enjoy equal respect along with men. As long as these evil practices continue and till commercialization of women through each and every useless advertisement is practiced harassment of women not only in work place but in home, in street, in college everywhere will continue and male chauvinism tries to dominate the female submissiveness everywhere.According to the Protection of Human Right Act, 1993 â€Å"huma n rights† means the rights relating to life, liberty, equality and dignity of the individual guaranteed by the Constitution or embodied in the International Covenants and enforceable by courts in India. It is necessary and expedient for employers in work places as well as other responsible persons or institutions to observe certain guidelines to ensure the prevention of sexual harassment of women as to live with dignity is a human right guaranteed by our constitution. IndiaIn India Sexual harassment has been termed as â€Å"Eve teasing† and is described as: unwelcome sexual gesture or behavior whether directly or indirectly as sexually colored remarks; physical contact and advances; showing pornography; a demand or request for sexual favors; any other unwelcome physical, verbal/non-verbal conduct being sexual in nature. The critical factor is the unwelcomed behavior, thereby making the impact of such actions on the recipient more relevant rather than intent of the perpe trator. As per the Indian Constitution, sexual harassment infringes the fundamental ight of a woman to gender equality under Article 14 of the Constitution of India and her right to life and live with dignity under Article 21 of the Constitution. Although there is no specific law against sexual harassment at workplace in India but many provisions in other legislations protect against sexual harassment at workplace, such as Section 354, IPC deals with â€Å"assault or criminal force to a woman with the intent to outrage her modesty, and Section 509, IPC deals with â€Å"word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman. What amounts to sexual harassment?In 1997 in Vishaka Vs. State of Rajasthan and others, for the first time sexual harassment had been explicitly- legally defined as an unwelcome sexual gesture or behaviour whether directly or indirectly as 1. Sexually coloured remarks 2. Physical contact and advances 3. Showing pornography 4. A demand or request for sex ual favours 5. Any other unwelcome physical, verbal/non-verbal conduct being sexual in nature. It was in this landmark case that the sexual harassment was identified as a separate illegal behaviour. The critical factor in sexual harassment is the unwelcomeness of the behaviour.Thereby making the impact of such actions on the recipient more relevant rather than intent of the perpetrator- which is to be considered. In any kind of organization i. e. government, private or public enterprises such kind of conduct creates an apprehension in the minds of the employees that if they don’t perform the work given to them they will be one the victims of sexual harassment and thereby it creates fear in their minds. On the other hands it is also the employer who might threat the employee regarding there transfer, promotion etc. nd it has been seen in the corporates that the employer do ask for some kind of favour in order to give the job, transfer or promotion or for that matter in order t o increase their salary. All this amounts to Sexual Harassment because it is done against the will of the person and the employees who are in need of the above things do agree to the terms of the employer. In other words it can be said that, it is discriminatory when the woman has reasonable grounds to believe that her objection would disadvantage her in connection with her employment or work including recruiting or promotion or when it creates a hostile work environment.Adverse consequences might be visited if the victim does not consent to the conduct in question or raises any objection thereto. Laws under which a case can be filed In India there is no specific law relating to Sexual Harassment at workplace but there are certain sections in the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Constitution and certain other laws and Acts that protect the women’s from sexual harassment at workplace and they are as follows: Section 354, IPC deals with assault or criminal force to a woman with the intent to outrage her modesty and lays down that:Whoever assaults or uses criminal force to any woman, intending to outrage or knowing it to be likely that he will thereby outrage her modesty, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to two years, or with fine or both. In cases where the accused sexually harasses or insults the modesty of a woman by way of either- obscene acts or songs or- by means of words, gesture, or acts intended to insult the modesty of a woman, he shall be punished under Sections. 94 and 509 respectively. Under Sec. 294 the obscene act or song must cause annoyance. Though annoyance is an important ingredient of this offence, it being associated with the mental condition, has often to be inferred from proved facts. However, another important ingredient of this offence is that the obscene acts or songs must be committed or sung in or near any public place. Section 509, IPC deals with word, gesture or act intended to i nsult the modesty of a woman and lays down that:Whoever intending to insult the modesty of any woman utters any word, makes any sound or gesture, or exhibits any object intending that such word or sound shall be heard, or that such gesture or object shall be seen by such woman, or intrudes upon the privacy of such woman, shall be punished with simple imprisonment for a term which may extend to one year, or with fine, or both. (Cognizable and bailable offences). Civil suit can be filed for damages under tort laws. That is, the basis for filing the case would be mental anguish, physical harassment, loss of income and employment caused by the sexual harassment.Under the Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition) Act (1987) if an individual harasses another with books, photographs, paintings, films, pamphlets, packages, etc. containing â€Å"indecent representation of women†; they are liable for a minimum sentence of 2 years. Section 7 (Offenses by Companies) holds companies where there has been â€Å"indecent representation of women† (such as the display of pornography) on the premises guilty of offenses under this act, with a minimum sentence of 2 years.Early history of the use of the term â€Å"Sexual harassment† The term sexual harassment was used in 1973 in a report to the then President and Chancellor of MIT about various forms of gender issues. In the book In Our Time: Memoir of a Revolution (1999), journalist Susan Brown miller quotes the Cornell activists who in 1975 thought they had coined the term sexual harassment: â€Å"Eight of them were sitting in an office †¦ brainstorming about what they were going to write on posters for their speak-out. They were referring to it as ‘sexual intimidation,' ‘sexual coercion,' ‘sexual exploitation on the job. None of those names seemed quite right. They wanted something that embraced a whole range of subtle and un-subtle persistent behaviors. Somebody came up with â⠂¬Ëœharassment. ‘ ‘Sexual harassment! ‘ Instantly they agreed. That's what it was. † These activists, Lin Farley, Susan Meyer, and Karen Sauvigne went on to form Working Women's Institute which, along with the Alliance against Sexual Coercion, founded in 1976 by Freada Klein, Lynn Wehrli, and Elizabeth Cohn-Stuntz, were among the pioneer organizations to bring sexual harassment to public attention in the late 1970s.Harassment Situations Sexual harassments can occur in a variety of circumstances. Often, but not always, the harasser is in a position of power or authority over the victim (due to differences in age, or social, political, educational or employment relationships). The harasser and the victim can be anyone and of any gender, such as a client, a co-worker, a teacher or professor, a student, a friend, or a stranger. The victim does not have to be the person directly harassed but can be anyone who finds the behavior offensive and is affected by it. Adv erse effects on the target are common.The harasser does not have to be of the opposite sex. The harasser may be completely unaware that his or her behavior is offensive or constitutes sexual harassment or may be completely unaware that his or her actions could be unlawful. Misunderstanding can result from a situation where one thinks he/she is making themselves clear, but is not understood the way they intended. The misunderstanding can either be reasonable or unreasonable. An example of unreasonable is when a man holds a certain stereotypical view of a woman such that he did not understand the woman’s explicit message to stop.Types of harassment There is often more than one type of harassing behavior present, so a single harasser may fit more than one category. The different types of harassment could be; Stalking. Pest, Bully, Power-Player, Mother/Father figure (a. k. a the counselor helper), Groper, One-Of-The-Gang, Serial Harasser, Opportunist, Confidante, Situational Hara sser etc. Steps to be taken by the employers In Vishaka Vs. State of Rajasthan and others, the Supreme Court in absence of ny enacted law (which still remains absent- save the Supreme Court guidelines as stated hereunder) to provide for effective enforcement of basic human rights of gender equality and guarantee against sexual harassment, laid down the following guidelines: All Employers or persons in charge of work place whether in public or private sector should take appropriate steps to prevent sexual harassment. Without prejudice to the generality of this obligation they should take the following steps: (a) Express prohibition of sexual harassment as defined, above at the work place should be notified, published and circulated in appropriate ways. b) The Rules/Regulations of Government and Public Sector bodies relating to conduct and discipline should include rules / regulations prohibiting sexual harassment and provide for appropriate penalties in such rules against the offende r. (c) As regards private employers steps should be taken to include the aforesaid prohibitions in the standing orders under the Industrial Employment (Standing Orders) Act, 1940. d) Appropriate work conditions should be provided in respect of work, leisure, health and hygiene to further ensure that there is no hostile environment towards women at work places and no employee woman should have reasonable grounds to believe that she is disadvantaged in connection with her employment. Awareness Rights of female employees in this regard should be created in particular by prominently notifying the guidelines (and appropriate legislation when enacted on the subject) in a suitable manner.This is one of the most important factors that should be taken up seriously both by the employer and the government. The female employees should be made aware of the rights that are available to them relating to Sexual Harassment. In the metropolitan cities the female employees working in good companies an d working at high level are very well about their rights but those females who are working at the low level and in small towns hardly know about their rights which they can exercise for any kind of sexual harassment thereby getting relief from the court as well as their dignity lost due to this harassment.Effects of sexual harassment on organizations Sexual Harassment has an adverse effect on the organization as the working enthusiasm of the sexually harassed female employee goes down, she is not able to work in the same way as she was before being harassed and thus she is not able to give her 100% to the organization thereby leading to decreased job satisfaction.This is only one the factor there might be loss of staff and expertise from resignations to avoid harassment or resignations/firings of alleged harassers; loss of students who leave school to avoid harassment. And the most important there might be decrease in the productivity level and increase in team conflicts. Decrease i n success at meeting financial goals (because of team conflict) and this may lead to loss for the organization as they fail to achieve the goal of the organization.Some other problems that the organization has to face due to the harassment; Increased health care costs and sick pay costs because of the health consequences of harassment, the knowledge that harassment is permitted can undermine ethical standards and discipline in the organization in general, as staff and/or students lose respect for, and trust in, their seniors who indulge in, or turn a blind eye to, sexual harassment, if the problem is ignored, a company's or school's image can suffer, legal costs if the problem is ignored and complainants take the issue to court.Some famous case laws relating to Sexual Harassment One of the most famous case laws in the history of India relating to sexual harassment is Vishaka v State of Rajasthan and others, wherein for the first time the definition of sexual harassment was defined, certain guidelines pertaining to the employers were laid down, as to how their contribution in the organization could avoid sexual harassment of the female employees in the organization. In this particular case a writ petition was filed by ‘Vishaka’- a nonGovernmental organization working for gender equality by way of PIL seeking enforcement of fundamental rights of working women under Article. 21 of the Constitution. case: A K. Chopra’s case, is the first case in which the Supreme Court applied the law laid down in Vishaka’s case and upheld the dismissal of a superior officer of the Delhi based Apparel Export Promotion Council who was found guilty of sexual harassment of a subordinate female employee at the place of work on the ground that it violated her fundamental right guaranteed by Article. 21 of the Constitution.In both cases the Supreme Court observed, that † In cases involving Human Rights, the Courts must be alive to the International Conve ntions and Instruments as far as possible to give effect to the principles contained therein- such as the Convention on the Eradication of All forms of Discrimination Against Women, 1979 [CE DAW] and the Beijing Declaration directing all state parties to take appropriate measures to prevent such discrimination. † The guidelines and judgments have identified sexual harassment as a question of power exerted by the perpetrator on the victim.Therefore sexual harassment in addition to being a violation of the right to safe working conditions is also a violation of the right to bodily integrity of the woman. In Rupan Deol Bajaj Vs. K PS. Gill, a senior IAS officer, Rupan Bajaj was slapped on the posterior by the then Chief of Police, Punjab- Mr. K P S. Gill at a dinner party in July 1988. Rupan Bajaj filed a suit against him, despite the public opinion that she was blowing it out of proportion, along with the attempts by all the senior officials of the state to suppress the matter.T he Supreme Court in January, 1998 fined Mr. K P S. Gill Rs. 2. 5 lacs in lieu of three months Rigorous Imprisonment under Sections. 294 and 509 of the Indian Penal Code. In N Radhabai Vs. D. Ramchandran, Radhabai, Secretary to D Ramchandran, the then social minister for state protested against his abuse of girls in the welfare institutions, he attempted to molest her, which was followed by her dismissal. The Supreme Court in 1995 passed the judgment in her favour, with back pay and perks from the date of dismissal.These are some of the famous case laws in the history of India which have completely justified sexual harassment at a workplace and held the accused liable, be it a Chief Police Officer or a Social minister. Conclusion Sexual Harassment at workplace, it’s not only the duty of the employer to make sure that the female employees are provided with the proper working conditions, rules and regulations etc. it’s also the duty of the female employees to make sure th at where ever they are working is that a safe place, there is no kind of fear as to promotion, transfer, salary etc. if she refuses to take the offer given to her.It’s also their duty to make sure that they inform the management of the head of the organization if any kind of unwelcomed behavior is being noticed by them so that the organization can take the right step at the right time. The females working in corporate sectors the big cities like Delhi, Mumbai, and Bengaluru are very well aware about their rights or as or as to what steps should be taken if sexual harassment is done to them but then there are hardly any female employees working in small industries, villages where the rate of sexual harassment is high know about all the laws, rights and reliefs that are available for them.In the past three years there have been thirty police official who have been arrested for sexual harassment. Now if the helpers of the law are going to do this then what can we expect form the ordinary citizens. The Sexual Harassment at Workplace Bill 2010 focuses on women’s right to protection against sexual harassment at the workplace. The Passing of this bill will empower the women to action against the wrongdoer in a more powerful and stronger manner.

Saturday, September 28, 2019

Asian people taking on non-typical or roles they are not characterized Essay

Asian people taking on non-typical or roles they are not characterized to in British cinema - Essay Example And that is what is the Asian Artists in England are aiming for; to craft their story and the performance in such a way that it entertains and touches the heart of the English community as much as it does of the Asian people. Asian directors are doing their best to bid for the mainstream. The year was 1986. A movie called ‘My beautiful Laundrette’ was released. Scripted by writer from Asian origin, Hanif Kureishi, the movie tells a story of the Asian community living in London [1]. It proved to be a commercially successful movie and gave inspiration to the upcoming Asian artists in England a hope to confidently launch their career move thinking that ‘mainstream’ is not out of their reach ((Korte and Sternber ,2004. pg. 49). help of his school friend Johnny, turns around the business of laundry. The story has all the issues that try to portray the Asian community like homosexuality , rebellious women, religious pressure, and an effort to adjust with the different culture. ((Korte and Sternber ,2004. pg..pg84). It talked about what was happening at that time with Asian origin people and how they were trying to break from the barriers of tradition by choosing to live the life of their own and taking their own decisions. ((Korte and Sternber ,2004. pg. 85). The film got a mixed response. Although it was received well by the audience, it was also criticized by some Asian audience and the critics saying that it misrepresented the Asian community and has given a negative shade to the Asian people ((Korte and Sternber ,2004. pg..85). But one thing was certain, the film of Asian origin got the entry in the ‘mainstream’. However, for the Asian artists, there was still long way to go and many

Friday, September 27, 2019

Controls for Inflows Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Controls for Inflows - Essay Example I am proposing is that Apollo Shoes should consider examining the way the company operates and finding a way to cut back on the expenditures through the reduction of the packaging for their products, the cutback of their payroll, and cutback of frivolous expenses that do not really need to be made. Furthermore, Apollo Shoes needs to keep a close tab upon its inventory levels and the payroll. If these three components can be limited to a bare minimum that still enables Apollo Shoes to operate, then the company will be able to produce great profits. Sales affect the cash and the ways it is distributed throughout the company. Implementing sales control is tricky. The difficulty lies in making sure that the advertising budget does not spend more than Apollo Shoes is likely to bring in. Controlling sales requires three overall components: firstly, advertising has to be below the net sales of the shoes forecasted to sale that year; secondly, making sure that the store selling Apollo Shoes does not negatively influence the sales; and thirdly, knowledge of retail outlets clientele will help Apollo Shoes better sell the products. Inventory: Back stock will be needed to keep in the distribution centers to be ready to go out to the retail outlets when required. However, this needs to be kept at a minimum to cut back on the amount of cash. Demand: Know what the best selling products of Apollo Shoes are and keep more of those on the shelves than the others. Pushing the most popular products will allow Apollo Shoes to maximize its

Thursday, September 26, 2019

THE COUNTRY OF GREECE Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

THE COUNTRY OF GREECE - Research Paper Example The Greeks were filled with the passion to fight for freedom. They spent 9 years fighting for their independence from 1821 to 1829. Their struggles ended up with the liberation of Greece when it was officially declared as an independent nation. The small part of Greece which was liberated then became the home for Greek patriots who gained the rule of lonian islands in 1864 (Gardiner et al 1985, p 382). Later on Epirus, Thessaly, Crete, Macedona, Western Thrace and Dodecanese islands were added to make this small nation one of the prominent states of the world. Greece is one of the members of European Union since 1981. It is a developed country and also a major part of other independent bodies working for the welfare of the member countries. Shipping and tourism are considered as the most profitable industries of Greece. Greek merchant ship fleet is also a reason of fame for this country. Greece follows the parliamentary democracy as its political system of Greece. This political system is defined in the constitution of Greece. The recent amendments in the constitution of Greece were found in May 2008. The powers lie with the Prime Minister and the cabinet and the government accepts the majority call in taking parliamentary decisions. The governmental system of Greece is divided into 3 branches. The executives include the president and the prime Minister who are designated as the head of the state and the head of the government respectively. The Legislative branch consists of a 300 seat unicameral â€Å"vouli† and the judicial branch comprises the Supreme Court (Clogg, 1987 pp 223-230). The Greek constitution distributes the political powers in 5 major components. These include the power held by the President of Greece, the legislative power, the power held by executives, the judiciary power and the power allocated to the local government of Greece. The electoral system adopted by Greece calls for more

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

Sexual harassment Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Sexual harassment - Case Study Example Burger King Restaurants, the largest franchisee is paying $2.5 million in order to settle fed-eral claims of sexual harassment. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission says the agree-ment with Carrols Corp. covers 89 female employees around the country. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission alleged that Carrols employees subjected women in dozens of restaurants to unwanted touching, obscene comments, strip searches, exposure of genitalia, and rape. However, the Burger King Restaurants Company did not admit any wrongdoing and said in a statement that it settled the case to avoid litigation costs. This particular settlement required Burger King Restaurants to improve its ability to respond to harassment charges. Syracuse, N.Y.-based Carrols owns and op-erates more than 570 Burger King Restaurants in 13 states. Carrols was accused of sexual harass-ment and a widespread violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act. Burger King's largest franchi-see--Carrols Restaurant Group I nc. agreed to a $2.5 million settlement with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) on Tuesday, this marked the end of a 14-year sexual harassment case in which Carrols was accused of widespread violation of Title VII of The Civil Rights Act. According to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the money will go to 88 former employees and one current employee, the remaining claimants out of 90,000 female em-ployees that the EEOC initially contacted to investigate Carrols' alleged harassment. In spite of this, Carrols did not admit wrongdoing as a component of the settlement, and the CEO of the company, Daniel Accordino said in a statement: "We unequivocally do not tolerate sexual harassment in our workplace." The company however did agree to augment its anti-harassment policies and increase training, and will be reporting to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) for two years. This story relate to ideas that we have discussed in the course concerning sexual harassment and human resources. According to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC, sexual harassment is a form of gender discrimination in violation of Title VII of Civil Rights Act 1964.   In fact, by 1998, the Supreme Court of the United States made employers more liable for employee sexual harassment. Nevertheless, the Society for Human Resource Management has documented in their report that 62%of companies today offer programs on sexual harassment prevention training, and 97% have a written policy of sexual harassment (Crouch, 2009). In the case of the Burger King Restaurants, there were some inconsistencies as there was no clear sexual harassment policy written. Over 88 female employees reported sexual harassment and have been compensated due to laxity of the company to define a

Tuesday, September 24, 2019

GDP Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

GDP - Essay Example According to the US Bureau of Economic Analysis that is tasked with the duty of breaking down the worth earned by the goods and services, the rise in real GDP can partly be attributed to the fact that Federal Government spending reduced. The decline in the residential fixed investment together with reduction in spending in both the state and the local governments is another reason the positive trend in real GDP was registered. According to input from the US Bureau of Economic Analysis, the third quarter experienced the most significant growth, translating to a whopping 4.1%. On the other hand, the fourth quarter seemed to have experienced the least form of growth, which translated to 2.4% (Mataloni). With my prediction for real GDP this year being 3.1%, I presume true the idea that the future is uncertain for US economy at large. I say so because this year is likely to witness increased output, which translates to rise in both imports and exports. When the output is increased, business shall no doubt spur, and this shall prompt most of the employers to bring on board additional employees. The hiring of more employees will mean that the rate of unemployment shall decline. In like manner, the participation of labor too is likely to increase following increased output. Another reason real GDP is likely to increase this year is the fact that the personal consumption expenditure is also likely to increase precisely by two cents, and this shall translate to reduced inflation. The unexpected move by the Federal Reserve Bank to keep the short-term interests is also likely to prove beneficial in the end as it will contribute to positive trends in real GDP. In the course of this year, I also expect the Federal Government to cut costs thereby lowering its spending further (Avakov 43). Just as they did last year, the state and local governments alike are also expected to cut their costs hence lowering their budgets further. Just

Monday, September 23, 2019

Company law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 2

Company law - Essay Example ision in good faith and for meaningful purpose Transaction with other company should not reflect personal gains To inform other members of the board concerning the transaction to seek their confidence. Decision should be rational and in the best interest of the company. The above requirements are to be fulfilled by the directors in order to satisfy the statutory duty of care and due diligence6. Business judgment In accordance with the section 134 of the Corporations Act, the upper and the bottom layers of the management should respect the provisions of the Corporations Act and the constitution of the company. The company in its own discretion can have one or more replaceable rules contained in the Corporations Act in place of Constitution. In accordance with Section 140(1) (b) of the constitution and replaceable rules have the direct bearing on a Contract that executes between the company, each director and secretary. Under the mentioned scenario each one agrees to abide by the const itution and the rules in vogue7. Here we can take example of Turquand’s case, according to which, an agent belonging to the company can make a contract without any authority, which is not in knowledge of the outsider. A rule is settled that ensures the protection of outsiders until and unless the security of company is not at stake8. Another case Crabtree-Vickers Pty Ltd v Australian Direct Mail Advertising Co Pty Ltd can be taken as an example to show that a person who lacks actual authority cannot be entered into a contract on behalf of the company and prior approval is required for entering into a contract by some person having actual authority not apparent one9. Sixty-Fourth Throne Pty Ltd v Macquarie Bank Limited [1998] 3 VR 133 is another example where Kandy used authority of... The Corporations Act is an important legislation passed by the legislators that governs the companies in Australia. It deals with the issues of formation and operation of companies in line with the constitution of the company; determine responsibilities of officers, process of acquisitions, mergers and fundraising.Directors should not deploy themselves in a critical position where they are unable to serve in the best interest of the organization. This inclusive of entering into commercial transactions with other entities where one cannot take decisive part in making a decision for the company. With regard to protect the rights of shareholders in case of oppressive changes in the Constitution by the Board of Directors, we may invoke the provision of section 994 of the Companies Act. According to which â€Å"A member of a company may apply to the court for an order on the ground that the company's affairs are being run or have been conducted in a manner that is unfairly prejudicial to the interests of its members generally or of some part of its members† .The mentioned section in fact protects the interest of the minority shareholders in circumstances where the majority shareholders act in a way which is detrimental to the interests of minority shareholders. Moreover, in view the effective role of the Central Bank of Malaysia and the Security Commission of Malaysia, the chances of jeopardizing the interest of shareholders are diminished.

Sunday, September 22, 2019

Torts problem question-Negligent misstatements Case Study

Torts problem question-Negligent misstatements - Case Study Example Whoever makes a claim due to somebody's negligence besides proving duty of care, breach and damages, must also show extra factors under 'duty' As pure economic loss caused by negligence is not a tort but liability under common law negligence. In Hedley Byrne & Co Ltd v Heller & Partners Ltd [1963]1 UKHL 4 (28 May 1963, it was held by the House of Lords that respondents were not liable as bankers for giving negligently favourable opinion about their client whom the appellants dealt with as a result. The reason was that the bankers had no fiduciary relationship with the appellants nor had any duty of care to them as there was no contract. Besides they had cautioned the appellants that their opinion was without owning any responsibility. Applying the same principle in the above case, it can be argued that though the bankers had been in the process of making a fiduciary relationship subject to the surveyor's opinion, such a relationship had not been established. There was also no negligence on the part of the bankers. Besides they also had relied on Surveyor's opinion and lost business as a result. In fact Helen and the Bank are in the same position. On the other hand whether Helen as well as Andrew can claim compensation from the Surveyor depends on the principles of duty of care, fiduciary relationship, and negligence. ... But proximity of relationship could be deemed to exist as two of them have suffered due to his negligent opinion. Therefore both Helen and Andrew can claim damages from him. In fact, valuer was held liable in Can v Wilson2, wherein the valuer was held responsible to the mortgagees for negligent undervaluation and was asked to pay loss incurred by the mortgagees due to mortgagor's default. In this case, the defendant who was the valuer sent his valuation report to the agent of plaintiff (mortgagee) in order to induce him to advance money against the mortgage of the property he valued. As the valuer had knowingly placed himself in that position, he had a duty of care in the preparation of a valuation document. In somewhat identical cases, Smith v. Eric S. Bush and Harris v. Wyre Forest District Council [1989]3, both the plaintiffs purchased houses relying on valuations of the surveyors who acted under the instructions of the defendant mortgagees and their fees were paid by the plaintiff purchasers. The valuations of the surveyors turned out to be defective resulting in serious financial loss to the plaintiffs. Even though the terms of agreement excluded liability for both the mortgagees and the surveyors for any loss due to inaccuracy in valuation, the House of Lords held that surveyors had a duty of care to the plaintiffs and the terms of exclusion of liability was struck down by virtue of section 2(2) and 11 (3) of the Unfair Contract Terms Act 1977. B In the case of B.Pen & Co, Charles lent money to James to buy the business of B.Pen & Co, relying on the Accountant's report which later turned out to be untrue to the detriment of both Charles and John. Although it was

Saturday, September 21, 2019

Early Adults Essay Example for Free

Early Adults Essay Early Adulthood (18-35 years old) is a time of peak biological performance for both men and women. It is therefore a period where illnesses are constantly low and admission in hospitals is minimal. However, despite this fact, there are still prevalent factors that affect young people. Aside from biology and/or health, early adulthood might develop psychological problems due to societal role conflict, independence and the prospect of settling down. According to Erik Erikson, early adulthood is a time wherein people tends to become more intimate or isolated. Whichever the case, young adults becomes more serious and more likely to be responsible. Primarily, young adults focus on taking responsibility of themselves and the ones they care about. Most of them assume civic and parental responsibilities. Others are more concerned with their profession and look forward for plans towards the future. Young adults are more concerned with practical matters and think critically and realistically. They avoid childish acts as established by the culture or societal belief. The possibility of health problems starts with the increase of sexual activity which is typical for young adults. Thus, although they are in good health, they still can acquire diseases such as STD’s and other communicable diseases. Accordingly, 90% of STD’s are acquired by people who are below 30 yrs. old. Aside from this, about 50% of all pregnancies are said to be unintended. It is also during early adulthood that people tends to work less strenuous jobs. More likely, people work in offices where they spend most of the time sitting. Thus, body fat increased significantly during this period which if left unchecked might lead to obesity or other complications. Lastly, it is the time wherein people formed bonds and spend time together. As stated above, it is during this age that people try to be intimate with others. This does not solely apply to a special someone but to find a group where one belongs. Night out’s and various parties are popular during this period, wherein both males and females tend to under sleep, overeat and drink alcohol. Obesity and addiction to cigarette, alcohol and other drugs can also arise as a result of societal pressure and roles. A person also tries to determine what kind of career he/she will later on pursue during this age. Isolation can happen in a young adult if he/she is depressed or has previous psychological problem rooted in abuse/s and/or broken homes. This is a negative attribute since communication and relationship with other people are highly limited if a person tries to isolate him/herself from other people. Societal identity issues are also pervasive, since roles are mostly relative and obsolete at the same time. A person in this age, still function as a child but might also be a parent at the same time. Most of the Psychological problems that appear during early adulthood is correlated with he fact that they become more socially aware of their environment. They are presented with new responsibilities and new choices that are not available for them in previous years. Aside from this, young adults are also vulnerable to several types of influence because they are often unprepared and inexperience about working and starting ones own family. References: Lash, SC. Early Adulthood: A Focus on Social Roles. Retrieved on October 22, 2008, from http://syp5105-01. fa04. fsu. edu/guide6-dep5068. html Preiser. (1997). Early Adulthood. Developmental Psychology Student Netletter. Retrieved on October 24, 2008 from http://www. mc. maricopa. edu/dept/d46/psy/dev/early_adult/

Friday, September 20, 2019

Divergence approach to IHRM

Divergence approach to IHRM Introduction Since the globalization emerged in the 1950s, it has exerted profound effects on the development of businesses around the world. The rapid growth of internationalization and the introduction of advanced technologies have facilitated the expansion of industrialized organizations, resulting in an increase in the number and significance of multinational companies (MNCs). Research on MNCs, especially on how they have managed their people in different countries to improve economic performance and the implications of this on managerial behaviour, as a consequence, have been of interest to many academics and practitioners. This has led to the emergence of international human resource management (IHRM) as a branch of management studies that investigates the design and effects of organisational human resource practices in cross-cultural context (Peltonen, 2006 cited in De Cieri et al., 2007, p. 283). Although the recognition of the importance of human resource management (HRM) to the success or failure in international business has been growing quickly overtime, there is still a lack of consensus about whether there is one best way to manage human resources in international context or not. Several researchers advocating convergence approach claimed that HRM would be converged and universalized under the impacts of environmental changes such as globalisation and technological improvement while others following the divergence approach stated that there were many variables acting as constraints on implementing best practice. This paper firstly will critically discuss these two perspectives. Then, it will analyse a case study of the transfer of HRM practices from a UK retail firm StoreCo to its Chinese subsidiaries to answer this question. Convergence approach to IHRM Convergence theory, so-called universalist paradigm (Girgin, 2005), has its roots in the standpoints of management practices in the middle of the twentieth century, and has gained widespread acceptance in the United States (US). One of the earliest contributions to the thesis of convergence was the theory of bureaucracy and rationalization of Max Weber. However, the convergence perspective was actually propagated until the book entitled Industrialism and the Industrial Men: The problems of labour and management in economic growth written by Kerr et al. was published. According to Kerr et al., the technological and economic forces, as a logic of industrialism, would result in greater similarities in structures and work organization, therefore, produce progressive convergence towards the most efficient pattern of management practice, namely the US model (Girgin, 2005; Gooderham et al., 2004). It was because the widespread adoption of advanced technologies into operations required firms to seek a more effective way of management and labour organization. Meanwhile, the US was the industrial and technological leader, currently being considered the best in management practices. Consequently, it could be inferred that other nations would attempt to imitate the US and thus patterns in other countries were viewed as derivative of, or derivations from the US model (Locke et al., 1995 cited in Gooderham et al., 2004, p.19). Since the convergence point of view was introduced, it has gained much support from both globalization and transaction economic theories. Based on convergence thesis, the proponents of the globalization perspective also claimed that under the forces of globalization, a borderless world was created, which in turn made international firms become transnationals and separated from their original nationalities (Girgin, 2005). When nationality elements are overshadowed, MNCs would then tend to apply a new best model and as stated even stronger by transaction economic theorists, there would be one best way to manage people at any period of time (Williamson, 1975, 1985 cited in Gooderham et al., 2004). Although convergence thesis appeared to be reasonable especially in the international economic integration process, the fact that it laid too much stress on the impact of technology and market, and only sought similarities in business in general and IHRM in particular made it strongly criticized. As Rowley and Benson (2000) asserted, such views were too simplistic to assume that all organizations can produce competitive advantage to compete with each other by operating in the same way. Furthermore, the fact that Japanese MNCs with different organisational structure and management method have operated successfully in the world market and challenged the industrial leader position of those in the US, have led to the development of another viewpoint divergence approach. Divergence approach to IHRM Contrary to convergence point of view which assumed that the differences of local practices in HRM were only the reflection of different stages of development and will be ultimately replaced by one best way, advocates of divergence outlook agreed that there were significant gaps in the context acting as constraints on convergence trend. They were mainly argued and examined by two strands of divergence approach culturalist and institutional perspectives. The culturalist perspective The culturalist approach is mostly based on Hofstedes concepts of national culture and its dimensions, and focuses on the influences of culture when explaining the distinction of MNCs managerial behaviors. In the book Cultures consequence: International differences in work-related values, Hofstede (1984, p.21) defined culture as the interactive aggregate of common characteristics that influence a human groups response to its environment. Therefore, in order to manage personnel effectively in international scale, MNCs must be aware of the effects of various cultural-based norms and social values, existing learning styles and response styles and attempt to adapt management practices from one culture to another (Ferris et al., 1999). This has been substantially supported by a variety of comparative studies conducted by several experts such as Tayeb (1994, 1998), Nam (1995), Gill and Wong (1998). For instance, in a case study research of Japanese multinational subsidiary in Britain, Taye b (1994) found that the differences in perception of leadership style of British and Japanese employees were consistent with their cultural backgrounds. Consequently, in order to successfully transfer Japanese practices in the United Kingdom (UK) subsidiaries, Japanese managers had to be very selective in the adoption of the original management systems and had to modify some of them to adapt to local conditions. As Kamoche (1996) insisted, it was the cultural differences between countries that produce a degree of differentiation in the management of human resources in international context. Although there is no doubt that the variations in national cultures are currently more or less influencing the variations in managerial behaviours, there are several convincing reasons why this theory needs to be assessed. Firstly, the literature of Hofstede, the cornerstone of the culturalist approach, was criticized to have methodological flaws and weak conceptualization of culture, which simply attributed national level actions/ institutions to national culture without any theoretical grounding (McSweeny, 2002). Secondly, this approach, because of concentrating too much on history and individual perceptions, merely viewed national values and norms as deep-seated factors and overlooked any changes in values that may arise over time (Girgin, 2005). Accordingly, it might be difficult to explain a trend towards individualism among younger generation in some Asian countries such as Japan and Korea, which usually emphasise on collectivism, and its effects on HRM of MNCs (Sano, 1998 cite d in Rowley and Benson, 2000). Last but not least, the theory of Hofstede was unable to provide complete explanation for the implications of its behavioural indices, including power distance index, masculinity and long-term orientation, for the change of work organisation and managerial behaviour in various countries (Girgin, 2005). The institutionalist perspective Compared to culturalist strand, the institutionalist point of view is considered to be a more comprehensive approach as it gives a clearer definition of social institutional environment and system as a basis to expound the organisational behaviour. The national (or regional) business system or social systems of production, called by Hollingsworth and Boyer, was defined as a set of interlocking structures and institutions that fundamentally shape the nature of markets, competition and business activity in general (Ferner, 2000). Besides that, this perspective also represents itself as the strongest challenge to convergence theory when it contended that personnel management systems were embedded in their own national institutional environments, including the state, regulatory structures, interest groups, public opinion and norms, rather than driven by the economic and technological forces (Gooderham, 2004). According to Ferner (2000), despite the fact that there has been an increasing trend in borrowing and disseminating practices in MNCs due to the intensified competition in the world market, it would not necessarily lead to convergence. It was because borrowings would be more or less modified to adapt to the existing complex national business systems (Ferner, 2000). Since there are different national development paths, there will be different forms of business organisation and HRM practices respectively. Some opponents might criticise that institutional approach focused too much on the socially constructed organisational forms while downplaying the significance of organisational agency, especially, in the early work ,merely considered institutional contexts as stable elements without taking into account institutional changes (Bjorkman, 2006; Edwards and Kuruvilla, 2005). Nonetheless, articles on this theory published in several famous journals recently have shown that academics and practitioners have begun to lay more stress on the processes of deinstitutionalisation as well as pay more attention to the influences of interest, agency, organisational phenomena, social fields, industries both at the national and international levels (Bjorkman, 2006). Moreover, institutional theorists also stated that they did not regard the evolution of national business system as the determinant of future organisational choices rigidly. Their principle objective, as stated by Ferner (2000), is to prov ide a conceptual framework to the comparative study of distinct social systems of production. Then, understanding of how the behaviours of MNCs in host countries are different from those in their countries of origin will be revealed and analysed. There is no one best way but Based on what stated above, it could be confirmed that there is no one best way in managing human resource in international context. Although no one could deny the increasing convergence trend among national economies because of the pressures of globalization and the widespread adoption of advanced technologies, national business system and culture remain highly significant factors which could greatly hinder the implementation of convergence. In order to clarify this issue, a case study of the transfer of HRM practices from a UK MNC named StoreCo to its subsidiary DecoStore in China will be carefully analysed. StoreCo was a British-owned retailer established in the late 1960s. In June 1999 it built the first purpose-built decorative materials warehouse store in Shanghai named DecoStore. Then, it expanded its operation by opening the second store also in Shanghai in May 2000 (Gamble, 2003). During the process of building up its subsidiaries in China, a basic approach this corporation used was imitating its UK practices in all aspects from supply chain management to marketing, store layout and HRM. The overall business strategy of DecoStore was decided by the parent company in the UK and expatriate managers were sent to DecoStore to facilitate the diffusion of standardized MNC practices. Expatriates were not only in charge of spreading out standard operating processes but also of initiating HR procedures such as selection, recruitment, training and promotion. Additionally, StoreCo organized training courses to improve and standardize training for both shopfloor and managerial staff of its su bsidiaries. Table 1 below starkly illustrates how HRM practices were transferred to DecoStore. Based on the above table, DecoStores HRM practices appeared to be rather similar to the model of its UK parent corporate. Namely, both of them had the same non-hierachy organisational structure and an in-house employee representative consultation system called Grass Roots. However, there remained some remarked differences between StoreCo and its subsidiaries. Firstly, in terms of communication with workforce, while StoreCo tended to be open about supplying employees with detailed information from corporate strategy to daily sales figures, DecoStore seemed to be less communicative to its staff which was fairly similar to Chinese state-owned enterprises. This, according to Gamble (2003), could be caused by the influence of host country nationals, especially DecoStore senior Chinese director who required keeping company secret for security in an intensely competitive marketplace. Secondly, in terms of work pattern, due to the impact of local business system, namely the low-cost labour m arket, DecoStore were able to employ all full-time employees and that were completely contrasted with its UK parent firm where a large proportion of labour force worked part-time. In addition, since there were no tradition of do it yourself (DIY) service in Shanghai and great concern of expartriate managers about poor working habits among older workers, DecoStore preferred to hire younger generation and provided more extensive and systematic training-courses than those of its UK parent-country enterprise. The impacts of national business system were also clearly reflected by the existence of trade union and reimbursement policy of medical care costs and meal subsidy in the reward system of Chinese subsidiary which were not offered in StoreCo payment levels. Consequently, it could be concluded that even though StoreCo tried to apply consistent people management methods it considered the best to its subsidiaries, there remained a divergence in HRM practices between StoreCo and DecoSto re due to the effects of host country nationals, national institutional contexts and cultural factors. This means that although national economies are indeed become increasingly converged under the implications of advanced technologies and globalisation, national differences continue to be major intervening and moderating elements affecting how organizations operate, and therefore, there would be no one best way in managing human resources in international context. Conclusion In conclusion, since IHRM was emerged, there has been a wide debate between convergence and divergence perspectives about whether there is one best way in managing people in international context. Convergence theorists believed that under the technological and economic forces, structures and work organization would become similar and converge towards the most efficient pattern of management practice, namely the US model. In contrast, divergence approach offered several empirical studies to prove that cultural or national institutional business system would act as constraints on the implementation of one best practice across various countries. It might be true that national economies are indeed becoming increasingly converged in the international economic integration process. Nonetheless, based on the analysed case study, this paper has suggested that even though MNCs will seek to apply a controlling method they considered the best to their subsidiaries in order to secure benefits fro m the consistency in human resource (HR) practices in individual MNCs across countries as well as contribute to the implementation of a global business strategy, there would be no one best way in personnel management. IHRM, instead, might be the combination of both model of parent company and particular features influenced by local institutional environment and cultural elements. References Bjorkman, I., International human resource management research and institutional theory. In: G. K. Stahl I. Bjorkman, ed. 2006. Handbook of Research in International Human Resource Management. Northampton: Edward Elgar, pp. 463-474. Edwards, T. Kuruvilla, S., 2005. International HRM: national business systems, organisational politics and the international division of labour in MNCs. International Journal of Human Resource Management. [Online]. 16 (1), pp. 1-21. Available at: http://org8220renner.alliant.wikispaces.net/file/view/Edwards.pdf [Accessed 14 February 2010]. Ferner, A., 2000. The embeddedness of US multinational companies in the US business system: implications for HR/IR. [Occasional Papers Series] November 2000., Leicester: De Montfort University. Gamble, J., 2003. Transferring human resource practices from the United Kingdom to China: the limits and potential for convergence. International Journal of Human Resource Management. [Online]. 14 (3), pp. 369-387. Available at: http://docserver.ingentaconnect.com/deliver/connect/routledg/09585192/v14n3/s2.pdf?expires=1266460744id=55082112titleid=457accname=University+of+East+Angliachecksum=08C5D8BC5D6EEE9F5CC78EFA6D35EF01 [Accessed 11 February 2010]. Gill, R. Wong, A., 1998. The Cross-Cultural Transfer of Management Practices: The Case of Japanese HRM Practices in Singapore. International Journal of Human Resource Management. [Online]. 9 (1), pp. 116-135. Available at: http://web.ebscohost.com/ehost/pdf?vid=2hid=13sid=e28e4034-2ff2-42c0-aba4-b93445c0ebda%40sessionmgr10 [Accessed 9 February 2010]. Girgin, Z., Human Resource Management in an International Context. In: M. Ozbilgin, ed. 2005. International Human Resource Management Theory and Practice. Hampshire: Palgrave MacMillan, pp. 46-62. Gooderham, P. Morley, M. Brewster, C. Mayrhofer, W., Human Resource Management: A Universal Concept. In: C. Brewster, W. Mayrhofer M. Morley, ed. 2004. Human Resource Management in Europe: Evidence of Convergence?. Oxford: Elsevier Butterworth-Heinemann, pp. 1-26. Hofstede, G., 1984. Cultures Consequences: International Differences in Work-Related Values. California: SAGE Punlications. Kamoche, K., 1996. The Integration Differentiation Puzzle: A Resource Capability Perspective in International Human Resource Management. International Journal of Human Resource Management. [Online]. 7 (1), pp. 230-244. Available at: http://www.informaworld.com/smpp/ftinterface~content=a739429533~fulltext=713240930 [Accessed 9 February 2010]. McSweeny, B., 2002. Hofstedes Model of National Cultural Differences and their Consequences: A Triumph of Faith a Failure of Analysis. Human Relations. [Online]. 55 (1), pp. 89-118. Available at: http://www.uk.sagepub.com/managingandorganizations/downloads/Online%20articles/ch05/4%20-%20McSweeney.pdf [Accessed 11 February 2010]. Nam, S., 1995. Culture, Control and Commitment in international joint ventures. International Journal of Human Resource Management. [Online]. 6 (3), pp. 553-567. Available at: http://web.ebscohost.com/ehost/pdf?vid=2hid=13sid=a66410a0-5d44-49ed-ac2b-31828678f4f7%40sessionmgr14 [Accessed 9 February 2010]. Rowley, C. Benson, J., 2000. Convergence and Divergence in Asian Human Resource Management. In: Association Francophone de Gestaion des Ressources Humaines. Paris, France, 16-17 November 2000. Tayeb, M., (1994). Japanese Managers and British Culture: A Comparative Case Study. International Journal of Human Resource Management. [Online]. 5 (1), pp. 145-166. Available at: http://web.ebscohost.com/ehost/pdf?vid=2hid=13sid=5e7d209f-ddc5-4e41-a95c-639152c3b146%40sessionmgr11 [Accessed 9 February 2010]. Tayeb, M., 1998. Transfer of HRM Practices across Cultures: An American Company in Scotland. International Journal of Human Resource Management. [Online]. 12 (4), pp. 332-358. Available at: http://docserver.ingentaconnect.com/deliver/connect/routledg/09585192/v9n2/s6.pdf?expires=1266464175id=55082703titleid=457accname=University+of+East+Angliachecksum=405B3A88F4DCC6A6A7A66B92155A506D [Accessed 8 February 2010].

Thursday, September 19, 2019

Academic Relevancy :: essays papers

Academic Relevancy Meeting the educational needs of all students is a challenging task for educators. This task is intensified when the student has learning, and/or physical disabilities. A learning disability is defined as "any of various conditions, thought to be associated with the nervous system, that cause difficulty in mastering a basic skill such as reading" (Wordsmyth, 2000). A physical disability is defined as "the condition or state of incapacity, esp. as caused by an injury, congenital defect, illness, or the like" (Wordsmyth, 2000). Many of these students require special instruction. "For example, students with mental retardation benefit from very organized learning situations, because of their limited cognitive abilities" (Duhaney, Duhaney, 2000). Students with learning disabilities often encounter difficulty in reading and writing; modifying instruction for these students is necessary in order to ensure their academic success. Assistive technology will play an important role in helping students with disabilities to improve their learning experience. Assistive Devices "People with disabilities rely on assistive technology devices and services to sustain, regain or increase their functional capabilities. About 13 million people with disabilities report using assistive devices to provide functional capabilities needed to participate in major life activities" (RERC, 2001). The Technology-Related Assistance for Individuals with Disabilities Act of 1988 (Tech Act) defines assistive technology devices as any item, piece of equipment, or product system whether acquired commercially, modified, or customized, that is used to increase, maintain, or improve functional capabilities of individuals with disabilities. Some examples of the various categories of assistive technology include:  § TALKING WORD PROCESSORS  § WORD PREDICTION  § PORTABLE NOTE-TAKING DEVICES  § Communication Aids  § Amplification Devices  § Switches  § Optical Pointers  § Touch Screens  § Touch Pads Specific Uses in Education Talking word processors give the student auditory feedback to reinforce the writing process. Letters, words, sentences, paragraphs, or entire documents can be read aloud while the student types. Features can be customized to individual student needs by selecting what text is read from pull-down menus (Quenneville, 2001).

Wednesday, September 18, 2019

Pacific Canadian Railroad :: essays research papers fc

Canadian Pacific Railway Development   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  This article was about the Canadian Pacific Railway. For over 100 years, the railway has practiced a tonnage based shipping model. Trains were to wait in their yards until there were enough shipments to justify a train journey from one point to another. The result of this method was that very few trains traveled, and that the trains that did travel were never on a regular schedule. This resulted in much inefficiency for the company. Some of the issues were trains were sitting in yards with half full loads for days, yard workers having inconsistent shifts and sometimes sitting around in case a train might leave that day, and most importantly, customers were uncertain of delivery times for their goods. The â€Å"efficient† movement model resulted in poor customer satisfaction and a rather large set of excess equipment such as train cars, locomotives, and workers. As a result, the profit of the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) was very low and the company decide d it was time for a new model.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  CPR hired MultiModal Applied Systems to help them formulate a solution. This solution was to have the guiding goals of more consistent train schedules, and higher customer service. The new approach was based on a small stepladder of models, which built off each other to form the final product. The first model was the block approach. A block was a group of cars with the same departure point and destination. The model worked to find how blocks of cars could be easily combined and separated in yards so that the most blocks possible, were moving at all times towards their final destination. Previously, trains had stopped at many or all yards along their long journey. Now, with the blocking model, some yards were bypassed and others were used with varying frequencies to help balance the workload of the yards and to make for more efficient paths for the blocks to travel on. This model had constraints based on the distance a block would travel compared to its shortest po ssible path, the busyness of yards, and the maximum length that a train could be. This model was worked on and reworked on a weekly basis, as new shipments were created, and thus each week a block would travel the most efficient path it could without over extending any other set of blocks.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Outside or on top of the block model was the train model. Pacific Canadian Railroad :: essays research papers fc Canadian Pacific Railway Development   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  This article was about the Canadian Pacific Railway. For over 100 years, the railway has practiced a tonnage based shipping model. Trains were to wait in their yards until there were enough shipments to justify a train journey from one point to another. The result of this method was that very few trains traveled, and that the trains that did travel were never on a regular schedule. This resulted in much inefficiency for the company. Some of the issues were trains were sitting in yards with half full loads for days, yard workers having inconsistent shifts and sometimes sitting around in case a train might leave that day, and most importantly, customers were uncertain of delivery times for their goods. The â€Å"efficient† movement model resulted in poor customer satisfaction and a rather large set of excess equipment such as train cars, locomotives, and workers. As a result, the profit of the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) was very low and the company decide d it was time for a new model.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  CPR hired MultiModal Applied Systems to help them formulate a solution. This solution was to have the guiding goals of more consistent train schedules, and higher customer service. The new approach was based on a small stepladder of models, which built off each other to form the final product. The first model was the block approach. A block was a group of cars with the same departure point and destination. The model worked to find how blocks of cars could be easily combined and separated in yards so that the most blocks possible, were moving at all times towards their final destination. Previously, trains had stopped at many or all yards along their long journey. Now, with the blocking model, some yards were bypassed and others were used with varying frequencies to help balance the workload of the yards and to make for more efficient paths for the blocks to travel on. This model had constraints based on the distance a block would travel compared to its shortest po ssible path, the busyness of yards, and the maximum length that a train could be. This model was worked on and reworked on a weekly basis, as new shipments were created, and thus each week a block would travel the most efficient path it could without over extending any other set of blocks.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Outside or on top of the block model was the train model.

Tuesday, September 17, 2019

Private Schools vs. Public Schools Essay -- Public Education vs Private

Plato said, "You must train the children to their studies in a playful manner, and without any air of constraint, with the further object of discerning more readily the natural bent of their respective characters" (Plato). Education has increased as a topic of conversation among parents in America today. The importance of a good education has increased in value, and parents are searching for the best possible school for their child in preparation for college. Many believe the most opportune way for their child to succeed in studies is by attending a private school. On the other hand, another group of parents thinks that public schools are the better route. Nevertheless, public schools have been proven to be more successful in the education of a maturing child. Students who attend public schools are faced with many different challenges that differ in comparison to a private school student. Whereas, many private schools are small in population, public schools usually have a larger number of students resulting in a great diversity of pupils. Students from every race, culture, and religious background come together in one school system. This diversity allows students to develop ways of associating with many different people that would not typically be found in a private school. Learning how to deal with others, no matter what their race, culture, or religion, is a vital asset to learning how to work with others in the future. Private school teachers have been shown to be less qualified teachers that many public school teachers. Some of the most interesting contrasts explain private schools have fewer minority teachers and principals, public school teachers appear to be more education than private school teachers, a... ... agrees with Mrs. Dyckman explaining, "I don't think that just because you pay money for something makes it better. There isn't a better place for my daughter to be going to school than here" (Wilkenfeld par. 13). In fact, on average, private schools aren't any better than public schools, or so says a new book on the subject, All Else Equal: Are Public And Private Schools Different. In conclusion, several points could be drawn on the issue of public schools versus private schools. Nevertheless, statistics, reports, and articles are continually explaining that private schools are mostly equal or less qualified than public schools. Parents should be educated in this matter. If more parents knew about the comparison of public schools to private schools, more families would be able to offer their children a better education and future for a cheaper price.