Organizational Conflict and Its Reasons

Introduction The main objectives of any business are to survive in the world of business and ensure that the business keeps on generating revenue. To meet its objectives, an organization usually has to deal with external threats such as competition from other firms (Banarjee, 1995). However, once in a while, a firm is confronted with threats from within its firms.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Organizational Conflict and Its Reasons specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Organizational conflict is one such threat that has to be addressed by organizations. Organizational conflict is a term used to define a phenomenon in which discord develops between two or more than two employees due to a difference in perception about a particular topic or issue (Banarjee, 1995). Conflict within an organization can arise for a number of reasons. It is necessary for an organization to properly manage conflict within an organization a s a conflict may become a reason for decrease in productivity of employees working there. Reasons for organizational conflict High expectations Normally in an organization an employer has set expectations of his employee. This is a fact that prevails in almost all firms across the globe. However, sometimes the expectations of employer can exceed the potential of the employee. This usually leads to rise in conflict (Van Tonder, Havenga, Visagie, 2008). It is necessary that employers must inform employees of their expectations from them in order to avoid such a situation from arising. Moreover, employers must encourage the development of a culture where employees are allowed to ask for clarification about goals that are set for them (Van Tonder, Havenga, Visagie, 2008). Conflict due to communication Usually the exchange of information between two different departments is not as smooth as it should be. In a number of cases, the department responsible for providing information does no t respond to the request placed by the department in need of that information becoming a reason for conflict. Sometimes a communication conflict arises within a department when one individual purposely withholds information from an employee who is in need of that information (Van Tonder, Havenga, Visagie, 2008).Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More When such a situation arises, and information is being withheld by employees within a department on purpose it is essential that a meeting is conducted between the two parties. The meeting must address the issue and come up with a solution that would ensure that such a conflict does not rise again in the future (Van Tonder, Havenga, Visagie, 2008). Differing Values Organization of any kind comprises of individuals from different backgrounds who have a set of values in which they believe in. Sometimes employees are reluctant to accept each other’s set of values and do not respect the difference of values. This also emerges when employees from a different organizational culture come into contact with each other. Employers must expose employees in an environment where they can socialize with each other and learn to accept each other for which they are (University of Oklahoma, 2011). Shortage of resources Sometimes the organization is unable to provide adequate resources to its employees to fulfill their duties. It is due to this reason that the employees think that they have to compete when there are limited resources. Being aware of the fact that resources are scarce and depriving others of that resource can lead to conflict amongst the employees (University of Oklahoma, 2011). It is essential that organizations must enforce a schedule in which a particular resource is utilized by an employee at any given time. It is to be done in order to ensure that resources are evenly distributed amongst all employees fairly Moreover, if possible a particular resource must be shared between two or more people. It would be efficient for the organization to encourage employees to share such resources (University of Oklahoma, 2011). Example of an organization When Apple Inc. planned to expand their business a number of professionals were hired from different companies such as Hewlett Packard, Intel and Semiconductor. The professionals all were from a different background, and they all had different values concerning their behavior at an organization.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Organizational Conflict and Its Reasons specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Semiconductor employees had a crude way of doing things, whereas professionals from Hewlett Packard carried out their activities in a very orderly manner (Sharifzadeh, 2002). The two groups viewed each other as a threat to their own group. Eventually, to resolve their conflict Ap ple Inc. allowed the two groups to work in the same environment which eventually aided in resolving the matter before it got out of hand (Sharifzadeh, 2002). Conclusion Organization around the globe face conflicts within their departments on almost a daily basis. It is vital to recognize these conflicts and to resolve them as soon as possible. If ignored these conflicts could intensify not only harming the organizational culture within that firm but also could result in a dramatic decrease in the productivity of employees working for that organization. The reason behind the origin of such conflicts can be numerous. It is necessary that organizations are well equipped to manage organizational conflict irrespective of the reason of its origin. References List Banarjee, M. (1995). Organization Behaviour. New Dehli: Allied Publishers. Sharifzadeh, M. (2002, June 12). A Definition of Conflict. Web. University of Oklahoma. (2011, January 25). What is workplace conflict? . Web. Van, C., Ha venga, W., Visagie, J. (2008). The Causes of Conflict in Public and Private Sector Organizations in South Africa. Managing Global Transitions 6, 373-401.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More This essay on Organizational Conflict and Its Reasons was written and submitted by user Terrell Huber to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Pretty Woman - 1980s Economy, Class, and Gender Relations essays

Pretty Woman - 1980s Economy, Class, and Gender Relations essays The 1980s was the time of The Reagan Revolution. Reagan used supply-side economics as a way to justify cutting taxes. This held in that tax reductions towards investors and businesses would create more jobs and set the economy on a better path. Another issue that was gaining momentum was the womens movement. Many social and economic changes were happening during the 80s; this can be seen in the pop culture of the 80s. Pretty Woman (1990) is an example hereof. A movie where one of the main characters is a prostitute, Vivian Ward and the other is a business tycoon, Edward Lewis. These two individuals come from completely different social classes, and their authority on others is on different levels. I want to argue that Pretty Woman shows the division between classes and the economic aftereffects of the Reagan-era and that women, as portrayed in the movie, only had glimpses of independence. Pretty Womans portrayal of class differences can be seen throughout the movie. In the opening scenes, this is characterized by lighting, Edwards scene is well-lit and the surroundings are clean. In contrast, Vivians scene is dark with a messy environment along with mutilated photographs. This reflects the differences in their living situations. Another scene that stands out is when Vivian goes shopping the first time to buy a cocktail dress. The saleswomen on Rodeo Drive do not want anything to do with Vivian. They simply tell her I dont think we have anything for you. Youre obviously in the wrong place. Please leave (Pretty Woman). This is said to Vivian even after she says that she has money to spend. Because she is dressed in revealing attire that does not resemble that of a middle- or upper-class woman, she is denied help and asked to leave. Max Weber writes: Status position is not determined by class position alone: possession of money or the position of entrepreneur are not ...

ETHICAL PERSPECTIVE Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

ETHICAL PERSPECTIVE - Essay Example It becomes imperative to understand the prospective alliance and build an atmosphere of consensus and co-operation between the members to avoid obstacles in the progress. Obstacles may crop up due to racial discrimination, cultural bias, stereotype approach, abilities, orientation, sexual assaults, harassment, communication abilities, accent, grammar, spoken skills, language command, presentations, self-presentation, outgoing temperament, sincerity, dedication for work, knowledge, outlook, understanding and beliefs which could impede team work to convene the common objective(s). These obstacles could be surmounted through excellent leadership and coalition. Essentially, diversification in culture could turn out to be a boon, as understanding for the culture paves the way for venturing into the new communities and thereby expanding the global network and domain. It could turn out to be highly advantageous if dealt appropriately. Present epoch witnesses it as the need of the time and organizations start speculating to hire people belonging to different cultures. A feeling of humane is essential to overcome the obstacles, moreover, psychological dealing s and analysis could take the organizations far beyond their set objectives and could potentially bring

Principles of Economics Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 7

Principles of Economics - Assignment Example This is because one will take more time looking for a parking space and the congestion in the parking area will create inconveniences. The opportunity cost is the cost of time taken to park that the students have to pay instead of engaging in other profitable activities. d) The opportunity cost of students with no employment is less than that of students with jobs earning 15 per hour. The students with no jobs are not forgoing any money as they take more time to park their cars as compared to before the price was lowered. To the contrary, those with jobs have to forgo the amount of cash they would have received if they worked those hours. b) The opportunity cost of 100 bats is 40 rackets that will be forgone if the country decides to add 100 bats more. Adding 100 bats will incorporate the resources that are usually used to produce the 40 rackets. The current resources can not be able to cater for the addition of 100 bats without decreasing the amount of rackets. Therefore, the rackets have to be produced less by 40. c) If the athletic country produces 300 bats and 300 rackets, the opportunity cost of additional 100 bats is 100 rackets. This is what is sacrificed to be able to produce the extra 100 bats. The resources will be reallocated to be used to produce the additional 100 bats. The resources have to be reallocated since they cannot cater for the additional bats. d) The additional production of 100 bats in part c will cause a greater trade off than the additional production of 100 bats in part b. This is because the opportunity cost increases as the goods produced increases. In b, 200 bats will be produced, while in c 400 bats will be produced. The gradient of the PPF becomes steeper as more bats are produced, showing a greater sacrifice in terms of rackets forgone. e) Suppose Athletic Country produces 200 bats and 200 rackets, 200

BUSINESS LAW Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 3

BUSINESS LAW - Essay Example Certainly, this includes looking for alternative markets in an event that the Chinese companies do not change from their pollution behaviours (economic sanction). Last but importantly, they can commit the Chinese firms to sustain and rehabilitate the river polluted through the legal system. The cash stripped JZ Holdings has an ethical responsibility to ensure that all things passing through their studios are of moral sound. On the other hand, they need all resources within their reach hence producing the irrational song â€Å"cop Killer† through JZ studios. Certainly, the song is likely to attract attention from the authorities eliciting even more problems that the cash deficit. Despite high expectations and the desire to retain reputation, more consequences are bound to knock at JZ holdings. Therefore, in resolving the scenario JZ Holding through its subsidiary studios should renounce the song recorded by Ice-T. In as much as the decision may dwindle future profits or subject the business reputation into question, the ethical responsibility in the song is likely to cause more harm (Ferrell, Fraedrich, and Linda 86). Lawsuits are part of civil disputes intended to resolve differences resulting into property or financial loss. In Mike’s case, the law suit will take place in either a state trial or federal district court. Federal jurisprudence gives districts courts the jurisdiction to hear and decide on civil and criminal matters. The exclusive roles and level in the court system makes the appropriate for listening and deciding appropriately. Additionally, the fact that the courts can listen to all categories of cases makes them the most appropriate for Mike’s case. Arguably, state trial court also forms a good platform for Mike’s claim because of the jurisdiction. Despite the limited jurisdiction, the court can listen to small claim cases and civil cases characterised by limited controversy. Furthermore, it has simplified

Assessment for Learning Essay Example for Free

Assessment for Learning Essay â€Å"Assessment for learning is the process of seeking and interpreting evidence for use by learners and their teachers to decide where the learners are in their learning, where they need to go and how best to get there†. Assessment Reform Group, 2002 The teacher has ultimate responsibility for setting schemes of work for the class with clear objectives (Formative assessment) and writing end of term and end of year reports drawing together the information gained through assessment for learning. (Summative Assessment) The learning objectives are delivered to the class by the teacher and it is the TA’s responsibility to be aware of: †¢ the learning objectives, †¢ the personalised learning goals for individual learners. †¢ the success criteria for the learning activities †¢ the assessment opportunities and strategies relevant to their own role in the learning activities While taking the children through the scheme of work the TA will support the children by discussing their individual objectives this can also be done with groups of children who are working at the same level with the same learning outcomes. This is done to check that the children understand what is expected of them. This needs to be reviewed throughout the lesson. It is the TA’s job to pace the session to the learning style and ability of the children. At the end of the session the TA needs to give positive, factual feedback to the children and the teacher. This will include your observations on how the pupils responded and the strategies that were useful. The discussion between the teacher and the TA will enable further objectives to be set for the next lesson. Both the teacher and the TA are fully involved in the assessment of learner’ achievement with the TA fully supporting the teacher. 1. 2 Summarise the difference between formative and summative assessment. In 2004, at a conference of Assessors, Professor Paul Black pointed out â€Å"An assessment activity can help learning if it provides information to be used as feedback, by teachers, and by their students, in assessing themselves and each other, to modify the teaching and learning activities in which they are engaged. â€Å" Formative and Summative Assessment are the two main forms of assessment used by the teaching profession. Formative assessment (Assessment for Learning) is the type of assessment that takes place day to day during lesson time. It is the reviewing of progress and understanding of the pupil, against the learning objectives set by the teacher. This can be done in a variety of ways such as observation, open questioning of pupils, checking understanding and allowing the children to be involved in the reviewing process during and at the end of a lesson. It allows learners to self-assess and self-evaluate their learning experience hopefully enabling them to become responsible learners who understand what they have to improve to allow them to meet their goals. Formative Assessment: †¢ occurs during the learning †¢ done with learners †¢ processed focused †¢ to improve learning †¢ is personally referenced Summative Assessment (Assessment of Learning) is the pulling together of the learning outcomes of tests at the end of a scheme of work, formative assessment and professional judgements to provide an end of term report showing what the pupils have achieved, it could also take the form of a Key stage SATs. It is outcome focused, occurs after the learning has been taught and is a way of measuring and proving learning. Summative Assessment: †¢ occurs after the learning †¢ done to learners †¢ outcome focused †¢ to prove learning. †¢ externally referneced While the two forms of assessment are entirely different the resulting information from both types can be used to help with setting learning objectives. The two types of assessment are not necessarily to be used separately they should complement each other, as the use of Afl can help pupils perform better on summative assessment tasks and summative assessment can reflect the impact of Afl. 1. 3 Explain the characteristics of Assessment For Learning. Assessment for learning encourages the learner to take responsibility for their own learning and achievements. This is done by providing them with the following information: Learning intentions A learning intention is simply a description of what you want your pupils to know, understand or be able to do by the end of a lesson. It tells pupils what the focus for learning is going to be. They can also be call â€Å"Learning Objectives†, â€Å"Learning Goals† or† Learning Aims† Making sure that he pupils are aware of their learning intentions before the lesson begins in language that the pupils will identify with, focuses their attention to the learning and how to achieve their intention rather than the activity they are undertaking. This can help keep the pupil focused on task for longer by increasing their motivation. The pupils should be reminded of the learning intentions throughout the lesson. Success Criteria This shows the learners what they need to achieve to meet the ‘Learning Intentions’ Success Criteria: †¢ are linked to the learning intention; †¢ are specific to an activity; †¢ are discussed and agreed with pupils prior to undertaking the activity; †¢ provide a scaffold and focus for pupils while engaged in the activity; and †¢ are used as the basis for feedback and peer-/self-assessment. Formative feedback About the quality of their work and what they can do to make it better; Giving pupils’ feedback and allowing them to feedback to the teacher how they feel their learning went. . Ambergate school regularly asked the children how they think they have done by giving a â€Å"thumbs up†, â€Å"thumbs down† or â€Å"thumbs sideways† to indicate how the children feel about what they have been taught. Sometimes the children will be asked what they know of the subject about to be taught and to mark themselves out of ten in their books. At the end of the lesson they then give themselves another mark out of ten and compare how they have fared. Effective Questioning To create a classroom climate where pupils come up with their own ideas, think aloud and explore their understanding. Questioning should take the form of open-ended questions to encourage the children putting their own ideas forward without being led by an adult. The adult can then ask the children’s peers what they think of another child’s idea to generate feedback. Generally in the lessons in Ambergate school the children are reminded when working to ask, who, what, when, why and how to ensure they get sufficient feedback to enable them with the tasks set. Peer and Self-Assessment and Evaluation. Peer and Self-Assessment enables learners to recognise success in their own and others’ work and to focus on how they are learning as well as what they are learning. Ambergate school regularly asked the children how they think they have done by giving a â€Å"thumbs up†, â€Å"thumbs down† or â€Å"thumbs sideways† to indicate how the children feel about what they have been taught. Sometimes the children will be asked what they know of the subject about to be taught and to mark themselves out of ten in their books. At the end of the lesson they then give themselves another mark out of ten and compare how they have fared. To summarise Assessment for learning meets individuals needs and maximises their full potential through continual monitoring. All staff are allowed to contribute to future planning by feeding their findings back to the teacher. 1. 4 Explain the importance and benefit of assessment for learning. Continuous assessment improves performance and behaviour, allows pupils to work more independently and it also improves motivation and risk taking. By increasing two way communications Assessment for Learning helps to strengthen the teacher pupil relations. From the teachers point of view AFl improves planning and delivery of the lessons while creating an opportunity to check the quality of the lessons and amend activities to ensure they meet the learning needs. For the child it tells them where they are with their learning in each subject, gives them ideas on how to further achieve to ultimately get success in the given goal. Assessment approaches need to promote learner engagement and ensure appropriate support so that all learners can achieve their aspirational goals and maximise their potential. It has been proven that children who do not feel part of the learner process quickly lose interest. Therefore, responses should be based on thoughtful questions, careful listening and reflective responses and effective feedback strategies. 1. 5 Explain how assessment can contribute to planning for future learning carried out by †¢ The Teacher Assessment for Learning helps the teacher to make well-founded judgements about pupil’s attainment while placing responsibility for managing learning on the child, with the goal of pupils being more actively involved with the learning process. As indicated above, the process involves explaining learning outcomes to pupils, providing them with feedback on their progress and enabling them to develop their self-assessment skills so that they are able to reflect on, and recognise, their own achievements. Knowing precisely what the pupil understands then moving them on leads to effective learning. †¢ The Learners The process will keep the pupil informed of on-going process, giving them an insight into how they learn and which areas they need to improve to achieve the objectives set. This helps to increase their confidence, motivation and independence and also how to recognise when they need to ask for help. †¢ The Learning Support Practitioner. Assessment for learning will provide you with information of how each child learns and the knowledge they already have, which will help in how you further question the pupil. This can be tailored to suit the individual pupils pace and ability to learn. In a recent Maths lesson on Division techniques, on periodically checking the children’s understanding it became clear that they knew how to divide using the Chunking Method but the answers that some of the children were getting were incorrect. This caused the TA to check their work and come to the conclusion that the children’s knowledge in subtraction of 3 figure numbers was letting them down. On feeding back to the teacher she said she had noticed the same problem with the group of children that she was supporting. With this feedback, the TA and the Teacher implemented a refresher lesson on subtraction in the next Maths lesson to fill the gap in the children’s knowledge and allow the children to move forward with their knowledge and ultimate success with Division Techniques. Bibliography www. education. gov. uk Assessment for Learning for KS1 and KS2 Northern Ireland Supporting Teaching and Learning L3 – Louise Burnham.

Making a Difference as an Educator Essay -- Education Teachers Essays

Making a Difference as an Educator I believe the purpose of an educator is to enhance minds and touch lives. I think it is wonderful that in the country we live in today, that all children are not only given the opportunity for an education, but are forced to take advantage of it. Almost every adult can look back at their school years and think of at least one teacher that has touched their lives in one or more ways. I hope that as an educator that I will have made a difference in many lives and be their motivation to reach their highest goals. I can not wait to become a teacher. I love to work with children and I love to see them enjoying themselves. I want to become a teacher so I can be given the chance to touch lives and teach in a fun and successful way that makes my students eager to come to school everyday. I especially want to touch lives of those who do not get any encouragement at home. I want to be able to make all children realize that they are special and that they can do anything they set their minds to. I want my students to look back on their year spent in my classroom, and say that I did touch their lives, I made learning fun, and that I treated the whole class as an equal. Even though the pay does not equal up to the amount of work you put into teaching, I have come to realize that that is not all that matters in choosing a profession. You have to enjoy getting up and going to work everyday, and be dedicated to your job. If you do not enjoy your work, you will not do a very good job, and you will spend the rest of your life in regret and misery. I am a very dedicated person. When I set my mind to doing something I succeed. Teaching requires a huge amoun... ...re likely to work towards a certain goal if not for the purpose of having learned something, than for the purpose of being rewarded. This is how I feel about the purpose of education, why I want to be a teacher, what I want to do to further my career as a teacher, what my classroom will look like, and my philosophical approach to learning. I am going to work hard in completing all of the goals I have set for myself in life. I want to look back at my life and smile about how happy I am for having been an educator and how hard I have worked to touch lives of my students. I am especially looking forward to the first comment or letter that comes in from one of my students saying, â€Å"thank you for pushing me to do so well, and if it were not for you then I would not be where I am today, and I will always remember you for having made a difference in my life†.

How Far Has the Importance of Nelson Mandela in the Ending?

How far has the importance of Nelson Mandela in the ending of apartheid been exaggerated? It can be argued that the importance of Nelson Mandela in the ending of apartheid has been greatly exaggerated. Apartheid ended due to a combination of long term and short term events. The ANC represented the main opposition of apartheid while protests and rebellions caught the attention of the world, international sanctions put pressure on the south African government and something had to be done before their economy completely fell apart.De Klerk shocked the country when he took the first step towards abolishing apartheid although, the spark of light and face of rebellion, Mandela, provided the inspiration to make the end of apartheid possible. Nelson Mandela’s contribution and dedication to South Africa’s struggle in achieving freedom and equal rights for every South African led to his popularity and respect in South Africa. In the 1950’s, Mandela began working on ending the apartheid. In 1964, he was arrested and imprisoned for trying to overthrow the government, but continued his fight even from his prison cell.Nelson Mandela presented the people of South Africa with a leader in their struggle, providing the inspiration needed for a drastic change. He became a symbol of hope and inspiration. He planted the idea in the people that there was something they could do about their situation. Nelson Mandela’s role in bringing Apartheid to an end was very important, however, there were many other factors that contributed to the ending of Apartheid. Firstly, the African National Congress, also known as the ANC, was a major factor in ending Apartheid. t was founded in response to the injustice against black south africans at the hand of the government then in power. By 1919 the anc was leading a campaign against passes that black people were forced to carry, but then the anc became dormant in the mid-1920s . at this time black people were also repres ented by the ICU and the previously white-only communist party, but neither played a major part in the ending of apartheid. in 1930s J. T Gumede (president of the ANC) was voted out of power and this led to the ANC becoming largely ineffectual and inactive.Although after being remodeled as a mass movement in the 1940s the ANC responded militarily to attacks on the rights of black South Africans, as well as calling for strikes, boycotts, and defiance. The ANC represented the main opposition to the government during apartheid and therefore they played a major role in resolving the conflict through participating in the peacemaking and peace-building processes. Infact by the late 1980s the ANC became the most popular political movement although it can be argued that it was a result on Mandela’s influence.Protests were extremely important in ending Apartheid and believed to be more influential than Mandela. Protests against pass laws were quite common but the Sharpville massacre i s what caught the attention of the world. The Sharpville massacre was one of the worst civilian massacres is south African history. It was reported in the Chronicle of the 20th century that â€Å"56 Africans died and 162 were injured when police opened fire in the black township of Sharpville. † This cannot be thought of as completely accurate as it was published in a newspaper.The government was in control of the newspapers and may have been altered to give the impression it was not as bad as it seems. What’s more, a white reporter, Joanmarie Fubbs said â€Å"I saw a policeman taking his rifle-butt to several women who were trying to retrieve bodies. They weren’t shot down but they were rifle butted and kicked and booted† This could be thought of as more accurate as it was not published in government controlled newspapers, more so that it came from a white reporter. It could be argued that a black person could have tried to distort the event even further .There were many peaceful protests but the sharpville massacre sticks out because of the extreme violence. Violence played a major part in the end of apartheid. More-so than the protests because of the attention it brought to the situation of black South Africans. There was considerable labour unrest and strikes were common. There were also occasional bomb attacks. On the 21st march, in Langa, Cape town. a mass march to langa police station was organised. The plan was to surrender themselves guilty of not carrying their passes, and as there were so many of them the police could not arrest them all.At this time an identical plan was created in sharpville and turned into what would be known as the sharpville massacre. Due to the event in sharpville the march was called off and a ban was placed on gatherings. However later that day protestors gathered again. The police ordered the protesters to disperse and baton charged them and the protestors retaliated with stones. Langa was very te nse that night as angry protestors barricaded the streets and looted policemen’s homes. The death toll by the end of the day in Langa was three, shot and killed by white policemen.The sharpville massacre and the langa shootings had a great impact on apartheid, the damage done was costly and the government had become ungovernable. Violence caused the protests to be a major factor in the end of apartheid because it was so costly. The South African government was already in bad shape and could not deal with the ungovernable public. Also the violence caught the attention of international relations, and frankly, they were appalled. Another factor believed to be more influential than Mandela would be the international pressure. This was a major cause mainly because of the sanctions.The embodied rejection of White domination in South Africa, in the form of protests, strikes and demonstrations caused a decade of uncontrolable mass action in resistance to the imposition of even harshe r forms of segregation and oppression. People all over the world were shocked to see the violence in events like the Sharpeville and Langa shootings. They also saw the events occurring between the South African government and extremist groups like the ANC. Internal opposition to Apartheid had grown strongly and many areas of South African cities, inhabited by black South Africans, had become ungovernable.In 1962 the UN General Assembly requested that its member sever their political, fiscal and transportion ties with south africa. In 1968, it proposed ending all cultural, educational and sporting connections also. After much debate, by the late 1980s the United States, the United Kingdom, and 23 other nations had passed laws that placed various trade sanctions on South Africa and a significant amount of foreign investment had withdrawn from South Africa. After the adoption of sanctions, South Africa experienced severe economic difficulty. The government was falling apart and without support from other countries it wouldn’t recover.It was forced to abolish apartheid. Although without the violence other countries wouldn’t have been so appalled that they felt they had to step in. De Klerk played a crucial part in the anti-apartheid movement as he was president and had the power to end apartheid whilst Mandela didn’t. Overall, making the end of Apartheid a joint combination of both FW de Klerk’s efforts in the negotiations between the National party, although more so, Mandela’s and the ANC’s progress and constant dedication which helped to bring about the end of minority rule.At the time, this move by the government was quite unexpected, but in retrospect, an inevitability. The prime minister of South Africa in 1989 was PW. Botha, however after having a stroke, and being forced into bitter resignation, was replaced by FW de Klerk. De Klerk was commonly thought to be conservative and agree with segregation but his first spe ech on 2nd February 1990 announced plans to legalise the ANC, PAC and SACP and also that political prisoners, including Mandela, would be released.He said he wanted to work with political groups to form a new constitution for South Africa. Although De Klerk’s decision was a great step forward for blacks, there were many possible reasons for his drastic change in government. A journalist in Cape Town at the time wondered if De Klerk fully realised what he was doing. It is possible that De Klerk believed that there could be some clever power sharing system that allowed nationalists to keep hold of some of their power.Furthermore the advice he was receiving from economists was grim, is he did not do something the situation would get much worse and as a deeply religious man it can be argued that De Klerk believed God had chosen him to lead his party in a new direction. In conclusion it can be argued that Mandela’s contribution to the ending of apartheid is greatly exaggera ted. The ANC was an organisation black people could support, it gave them hope for the future and reminded them they could have a life without oppression and segregation.Not only did the ANC organise protests, it acted as the fuel for others to continue to protest and object. The protests were made largely effective by the governments resort to violence, which caught the attention of the world. International pressure played a critical role due to the economic sanctions they imposed on South Africa. The continuing violence in South Africa caused disinvestment as the atmosphere was no longer conductive for business thus withdrawal of foreign investors.President de Klerk was instrumental in starting negotiations for change to majority rule, starting with a shared leadership between Mr Mandela and President de Klerk. The collapse of the Communist Socialist Soviet Republic also contributed. The American government withdrew military aid to the South African government as the African resis tance was no longer perceived as Communist inspired. Although the influence of the ‘Father Figure', Nelson Mandela can never go unmentioned. His very existence inspired all those who were fighting for the end of Apartheid – white and blacks side by side.Mandela was, though, probably more important than the ANC and other organisations. On the whole Mandela’s work largely contributed to the end of Apartheid yet he was not the most important factor. Overall, all of these factors fostered South African ideas against apartheid and subsequently started them to look for their own freedom. If these events did not happen in the same time frame, the same result may not have occurred. But, the coincidence of each of these individual factors led to the cumulative effect of an end to apartheid.

Bias: Motor Control and Favorite Color

Abstract What is your favorite color and why? Do you think that simple tasks might be biased by your preferences? Find out in this science project if your color preferences will bias your fine motor skills when doing quick, repetitive tasks. Objective In this science project you will test whether color preference will affect repetitive tasks that require fine motor coordination, like picking up small objects very quickly. Do Preferences Bias Our Choices? Introduction What does it mean to have a favorite color?It may be something that you choose for no good reason, other than the fact that you like it. You may have some kind of emotional reason for choosing a certain color. Can color  preference have biological origins? When we see a color, it is interpreted in our brain by the visual cortex, where different groups of neurons are stimulated. The differential stimulation of neurons within the visual cortex might lead to color preferences. Do these preferences affect other brain funct ions, like our behavior? Our brains also coordinate the movements of our muscles.This occurs in the motor cortex of the brain. If you play sports or video games, you know that one helpful skill is  hand-eye coordination. This means that the different regions of your brain function well together, allowing you to be well-coordinated. When you catch a fast-moving ball, your eyes tell the brain where the ball is, and then the brain tells your arm and hand to catch it. If these two areas of the brain can coordinate complex  movements  and behaviors, then what other sensory responses can influence our behavior?In this science project, you will test how color can affect hand-eye coordination. You will ask participants to quickly choose different-colored M&M candies from a bowl. Will their choices reveal their color preferences? Terms and Concepts To do this type of science project, you should know what the following terms mean. Have an adult help you search the Internet or take you t o your local library to find out more. * Preference * Hand-eye coordination * Movement * Bias * Visual targeting * Differential stimulation of neurons * Biological Orgin Questions How do preferences affect sudden choices, coordination, and movement? * Will color preference influence the color of M&M's your participants pick up? * Are visual targeting and hand-eye coordination biased by our color preferences? Materials Buy  2 14-oz bags or 1 23. 1-oz bag of M;M's  and count out 50 of each color, then combine those in a bowl. * Buy  2 14-oz bags or 1 23. 1-oz bag of M&M's  and count out 50 of each color, then combine those in a bowl. * Dry measuring cup (if you bought individually colored M;M's) * Large bowl * Several participants (at least 12) Sandwich baggies (one for each participant) * Permanent markers * Lab notebook * Graph paper Experimental Procedure 1. Depending on which method you selected in the Materials and Equipment list, portion your M&M's into the large bowl. 2 . Ask your first participant to pick out M;M's as quickly as possible, using only a two-finger pinch, and with one arm behind his or her back. The participant should place them on the table next to the bowl as they are pulled out. As your participant puts them on the table, silently count the number of M&M's on the table.When you see that the participant has pulled out 20 M;M's, ask him or her to stop. 3. Put the M&M's the first participant chose into a sandwich baggie. Ask the participant what his or her favorite color of M;M ® is and write it on the baggie with a permanent marker. 4. Replace the M;M's that the participant removed with the same-colored M&M's that the participant took from the bowl. For instance, if he or she removed three red and five dark brown M;M's, replenish the bowl with three red and five dark brown M&M's, not from the participant's sandwich baggie. . Repeat steps 2 and 3 for all of your participants, replenishing the bowl with the same-colored M&M's as eac h participant removed after every trial. 6. Be sure that you have written each participant's favorite color on  every  baggie! If you forgot to write this down, the data cannot be used and the contents must be disposed of. 7. When you have collected data from several participants, sort your baggies into groups by the favorite color written on the baggies. 8. Starting with one â€Å"Favorite Color† group, tally the numbers of each colored M&M in the bags.Then move on to the next â€Å"Favorite Color† and do another tally, until you have tallied the numbers of all of the colored M&M's picked for each â€Å"Favorite Color† category. Record your data in a data table like the one below in your lab notebook: Participant| Number of M;M's Chosen of Each Color| Total Number of M&M ‘s Chosen| | Red| Orange| Yellow| Green| Blue| Brown| | Red| | | | | | | | Orange| | | | | | | | Yellow| | | | | | | | Green| | | | | | | | Blue| | | | | | | | Brown| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 9. To be able to compare numbers between categories, you will need to normalize the data.Do this by calculating percentages of each color picked for each â€Å"Favorite Color† category. First add together the total number of M;Ms chosen for each â€Å"Favorite Color† in each row and insert that in your data table, like the one above. Then calculate the percentages in a new data table by dividing the number of M;M's chosen for a single color (from the  Number of M&M's Chosen of Each Color  column) by the total number of M;M's chosen (from the  Total Number of M&M's Chosen  column), and then multiplying your answer by 100.The new data table should look like this: Favorite Color M;M| Percentage of M;M's Chosen of Each Color| | Red| Orange| Yellow| Green| Blue| Brown| Red| | | | | | | Orange| | | | | | | Yellow| | | | | | | Green| | | | | | | Blue| | | | | | | Brown| | | | | | | 10. Now you want to find out if your participants chose t heir favorite color of M&M from the bowl more often than other colors. You can see this if you make a graph called a  histogram  for each â€Å"Favorite Color† M&M group.On the left side of the graph (y-axis), write a scale of percentages from zero to 100%. On the bottom of the graph (x-axis), write the series of M&M colors. Draw a bar for each color up to the matching percentage. 11. Repeat step 10 for each of the favorite M&M colors. Did your participants tend to pick their favorite color? Evaluation ( insert those graphs and table that were created ) Conclusion was I correct or not ? If so How? If Not Why? How Could You Have Inprpved This project

Sinaloa Cartel Essays

Sinaloa Cartel Essays Sinaloa Cartel Paper Sinaloa Cartel Paper This organization is one of the major drug smuggling cartels in Mexico as it operates in Sinaloa and Chihuahua. Joaqin Guzman was believed to be the head of this cartel. It is involved in the smuggling and distribution of illegal substances and narcotics in the United States of America. The cocaine is smuggled from Latin America to Mexico from where it is transported to the United States of America. The Cali and Medellin cartels are also reported to be providing assistance and logistics support to the Sinaloa cartel. The cartel has also linked itself with the Juarez cartel as an alliance to counter the threat posed by the Gulf and Tijuana cartels. During the 1980s, the drug cartel was the largest drug trafficking organization in Mexico (Cook, 78). It has used innovative methods like using tunnels to smuggle narcotics across the border between the United States and Mexico. Hector Palma became the head of the cartel after the arrest of Guzman. The group also operates the Los Negros which is a paramilitary outfit that is used to counter the Gulf Cartel’s Los Zetas. This group is run by Edgar Valdez. It has been involved in carrying out assassinations and decapitations of its rivals and law enforcement agents. Nuevo Laredo, Acapulco, and Guerrero have been the center of the drug wars between the rival cartels (Cook, 78). Numerous people have been killed in these clashes. The Sinaloa cartel has been targeted by the Mexican army as part of the program to fight drug cartels. Tijuana Cartel This cartel operates in the Northwestern parts of Mexico. It has been considered as a violent and large criminal organization. Ramon Eduardo Felix was the founder of this drug cartel. Brutal acts of violence are a feature of the drug cartel as demonstrated in the murder of eighteen people in Ensenada in September 1998 (Cook, 82). This cartel was one of the largest organized crime groups in Mexico but has run into troubles because of confrontations with the Mexican government. Gulf Cartel The Gulf Cartel is one of the major drug cartels in Mexico which has been fighting against the Sinaloa Cartel. It has influence in the cities of Reynosa and Neuvo Laredo (Cook, 85). It is also a major transporter, smuggler, and distributor of cocaine and heroine. It has been known to use violent and brutal methods like decapitation to intimidate and kill opponents and law enforcement agents. The cartel is also believed to collect revenue from border smugglers and business organizations. These taxes ensure that no one will be struck if they are passing through their territory. It has also believed to be linked with kidnapping and extortion of local businessmen. As the Sinaloa Cartel moved into their territory, they deployed the Los Zetas which as a paramilitary organization. This consisted of ex Mexican army men. Fighting between these groups has resulted in heavy casualties as hundreds of people have been killed. The expertise and training of the Los Zetas has led to the development of a sophisticated and ruthless drug cartel.

Lower the college tuition Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Lower the college tuition - Essay Example Since education is based upon the ideals of opportunity for all and higher personal advancement, increased tuition costs ruin the promise of education and make it only available to the elite members of society. Education is supposed to be meritocratic in nature and that means that people are accepted into universities and colleges across this country based on their abilities and not the wealth of their parents. Education is the way in which people break through social barriers like class and privilege. Is it true that education is merit-based? Is it true that America’s ideas about higher education are based upon the notion that it allows people to advance, progress and move forward in life? A basic idea behind the sociology of education is that it promotes greater equality and is based upon merit and equal opportunity for all. The expansion of education in the past two hundred years in the United States is an incredible advance which has supposed increased social equality and made society a better place. Less than one hundred years ago, the educational institutions of this country were closed to women, ethnic minorities such as African-Americans and a whole bunch of other social gro ups. What is amazing is that while a long time ago educational opportunities were denied to more than 50% of the population, today education is supposed to be available to all. Education is supposed to promote social equality and when tuition is high and out of reach for many students, it promotes division based on social class and limits the opportunities for many qualified students (Conley, 59-72). Looking at the opportunities associated with higher education, academics Persell & Cookson studied education and privilege. They determined that through education â€Å"the transmission of privilege is central to the reproduction of an

Assess the strengths and weaknesses of the 'fair trade' social Essay

Assess the strengths and weaknesses of the 'fair trade' social movement as a mechanism to reduce global inequalities - Essay Example eginnings in the Netherlands with the Max Havelaar label, the concept of fair trade has now grown into an international movement that buys produce direct from farmers and cooperatives in 48 countries across Africa, Asia and Latin America. The promise of fair trade is simple: that the producer will be paid a fair price for his or her product over a guaranteed long-term period, protecting farmers in poor countries from the vagaries of a volatile world market. Fair-trade labelling schemes now operate in 19 countries. Growth has been so rapid that an international coordinating body -- the Fair-trade Labelling Organisation -- has been established to monitor and maintain standards. In the UK, the certification body is called the Fairtrade Foundation, which now gives its stamp of approval to hundreds of products, from snacks such as chocolate brownies to consumer desirables such as t-shirts and footballs. (Barrientos 2006) Growth rates in the fair-trade market would make even the most seasoned capitalist giddy -- sales were up 51 per cent in 2004, and an impressive  £140million rang through shop checkouts under the Fairtrade label in the UK. According to the Fairtrade Foundation, three million fair-trade hot drinks are brewed in the UK every day. There is even a fair-trade lifestyle magazine, New Consumer. All this despite the fact that fair-trade products -- almost by definition -- are more expensive than their conventional competitors. This premium is essentially the price Western consumers are prepared to pay to know that their purchasing decisions are ethically sound. Fair trade has become a major high-street brand, communicating certain ethical qualities about the product to the consumer in a same way that brands such as Gap and Nike sell themselves on beauty and celebrity. Not for nothing are fair-trade products often covered with pictures of smiling farmers explaining how their fair deal has become a lifeline for themselves and their families. Rather than simply