Learn How to Conjugate Oublier (to Forget) in French

Learn How to Conjugate Oublier (to Forget) in French The French verb  oublier  means to forget. When you want to say I forgot in the past tense or he is forgetting in the present tense, youll need to know the verbs conjugations. This lesson is a perfect introduction to those because well show you how to create the most basic and commonly used forms of  oublier. The Basic Conjugations of  Oublier French verb conjugations can be a bit of a challenge because there are more words to memorize than we have in English. Where English has the -ing and -ed endings, French has a new ending for every tense as well as every subject pronoun. That means you have five extra words to learn for each tense. The good news, however, is that  oublier  is a  regular -er verb, meaning it follows the most common rules for French conjugations. Once you learn the endings for this verb, you can apply those to almost every other verb that ends in -er. This makes studying each new verb just a little easier. You can use this chart to find the proper ending to attach to the verb stem of oubli-. Simply match the subject pronoun with the appropriate tense for the sentence youre using it in. For example, I forget is  joublie  and we will forget is  nous oublierons. Present Future Imperfect j oublie oublierai oubliais tu oublies oublieras oubliais il oublie oubliera oubliait nous oublions oublierons oubliions vous oubliez oublierez oubliiez ils oublient oublieront oubliaient The Present Participle of  Oublier The  present participle  of  oublier  is  oubliant. This was formed by simply adding -ant  to the verb stem. Its a rule that is applied to most other -er  verbs. Oublier  in the Compound Past Tense For the past tense, you can use either the imperfect or the compound known as the passà © composà ©. For the latter, youll need to know the conjugates of the auxiliary verb avoir as well as the past participle oublià ©. It comes together quickly: conjugate  avoir  into the present tense for the subject, then attach the past participle. For example, I forgot is  jai oublià ©Ã‚  and we forgot is  nous avons oublià ©. More Simple Conjugations of  Oublier When you dont know whether you forgot or not, you can use the subjunctive verb mood. In a similar fashion, if youll forget about something if something else happens, the conditional verb mood  is useful. Though they dont need to be a priority, there may also be times when youll need to use either  the passà © simple  or  imperfect subjunctive. Subjunctive Conditional Pass Simple Imperfect Subjunctive j oublie oublierais oubliai oubliasse tu oublies oublierais oublias oubliasses il oublie oublierait oublia oublit nous oubliions oublierions oublimes oubliassions vous oubliiez oublieriez oublites oubliassiez ils oublient oublieraient oublirent oubliassent Brief and very direct sentences in French can be used in the imperative form. For these, skip the subject pronoun entirely and simplify it to oublie rather than tu oublie. Imperative (tu) oublie (nous) oublions (vous) oubliez

Tendering and Procurement in the Construction Industry

Tendering and Procurement in the Construction Industry The Issue of Project Collaborating in Construction Construction companies sometimes encounter excess commitments and since they work in partnership with other companies, they occasionally opt to work in collaborative construction contracts (Manuel 2014).Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Tendering and Procurement in the Construction Industry specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Collaborative construction contracts are forms of building arrangements and agreements or other forms of mechanisms that allow the involvement of companies to work together in a single project. Whereas the collaborative construction contracts may prove significant especially when contractors are dealing with mega construction projects that require skill combination and timely completion, they are sometimes challenging. According to Manuel (2014), such project partnerships or collaborations act as effective strategies of managing project risks and c ompleting the projects within the stipulated timeframe. Companies that engage in collaborative construction contracts normally possess the aim of achieving the common goal of ensuring an effective project execution (Manuel 2014). Nonetheless, the arrangements for the collaborative construction contracts have often been doubtable and the achievement of the common goal often proves impossible. Construction contracting is normally a complex process that requires trust building among the parties due to time, project quality, and financial issues (Mead 2007). Projects undertaken through collaborative construction contracts have regularly attracted economic, legal, trust and accountability disputes (Osipova Aleberger 2007). Such scandals between the partnering companies have reduced the adoption of the collaborative contracts across the world.Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More In most circumstances that involve collaborative contacting, there is normally no guarantee about the successful completion of the construction projects, the quality of the final project, or the responsibility of taking the construction risks among the project partners (Osipova Aleberger 2007). The complex nature of the collaborative construction contracts also poses the issues of mistrust, and the scandals concerning the accountability of the parties involved in the contract agreements. Companies have reported several procurement cases concerning the ambiguities in the partnered projects and the lack of accountability between the members. Issues of Trust and Accountability Maintaining trust and accountability in the collaborative construction contracts has been a prevalent menace to the employers, the contractors, and the subcontractors (Mead 2007). It has remained to be a legal fact whether parties to a commercial contract have confined themselves to any written contract. The construction law often assumes that whether the written contract existed or not, there was or should have been some form of agreement reached between the construction parties. Additionally, most of the collaborative construction agreements rely on the unprofessional terms of voluntary arrangements, mutual trust, good faith, and mutual beneficence (Mead 2007). Building the trust and following the complex parameters of the framework agreements are challenging tasks. In the 1990s, when the British Petroleum Company wanted to reduce the costs associated with project construction, several challenges pertaining to trust, construction costs, time efficiency and the quality of the completed projects emanated (Mead 2007). The first controversy was the Andrew Field Project.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Tendering and Procurement in the Construction Industry specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The first scandal that emerge d in the Andrew Field Project was mistrust. This showcase trial project was a successful deal, although trust between the members took a long time to prevail. British Petroleum wanted to prove how collaborative projects could be cost effective, time efficient, and successful with minimal efforts (Mead 2007). The first case of mistrust began with the initial process of tendering because the company subjected the contractors to a competitive bidding process. Due to the rigorous process of bidding, almost a third of the contractors pulled out because they suspected that the company worked with biasness (Mead 2007). After a successful bidding process, the BP project manager, John Martin was oblivious about the estimated amount for the construction. The contractor estimated the total cost to about 373 million sterling pounds, but the actual cost went down to 320 million sterling pounds (Mead 2007). To be contented with the deal, John Martin had to hire external auditors. Ambiguities of C ontractual Terms Budget Compliance Collaborative contracts in the construction sector might sometimes turn out to be unsuccessful because construction partnerships often evolve in complex situations, their parameters are often unclear, and there exist a lot of mistrust between the project owners, the contractors, and the subcontractors. According to Osipova and Aleberger (2007), collaborative contracts are normally unclear at their beginning, and one of the parties often tends to breach the agreements due to the nature of the unstable contracts. One of the controversial construction cases in partnered projects was the maintenance of Danish Main Roads. The Danish Directorate of Roads has the responsibility of managing about 3800 km of the Danish main roads. In 2003, the institution entered into a partnering agreement with three other companies to manage and maintain the Danish roads (Mead 2007).Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The contracts involved agreements that ranged between 200 thousand sterling pounds to 6 million sterling pounds. In total, the projects amounted to over 20 million sterling pounds. Although the partnering agreement managed to record some significant cost reductions in the first three years, 3%, 6%, and 4.5% correspondingly, the contractors complained about excessive wastage of time and financial resources (Mead 2007). In a separate auditing report done by independent auditors, the company seemed to have used more resources in the planning and implementation of the project (Mead 2007). During the process of negotiating the terms and conditions of the agreements involved in the partnership, the company took the contractors through strenuous and time consuming consensuses, meetings, public procurement regulations and other strict procedures (Mead 2007). Given that the project was under three collaborating companies, the time and resources used to go through the various agreement proces ses, made the project seem tricky and costly to some of the constructors. According to the independent auditing firm, several other expenses went unaudited and the estimated improvements were therefore untrue. Issues Pertaining to the Project Quality In collaborative construction contracts, the issue pertaining to the quality of the project is often a disputable concept. Collaborative projects comprise agreements between several contractors, suppliers, and other construction agencies (Manuel 2015). Managing the quality of the project to meet the expected design standards and the project requirements is often a challenging factor because different construction companies have different ways of enhancing the quality of the projects assigned to them (Manuel 2015). In the process of trying to beat the given deadlines and work within the provided budgets, some contractors may work with constrained finances to make considerable financial savings. In April 2013, the Bangladesh government fa ced a challenging task of unraveling the causes of a collapsed building that caused serious fatalities amongst some civilians (Manuel 2015). Three different contractors had collaborated to construct an eight-story building at the capital city of Bangladesh, Dhaka. Thought to be a mysterious tragedy, the government launched an investigation to determine the causes of the collapse. The first insight from the government officials revealed that the building had collapsed due to several construction lapses that the joint constructors caused. The contractors used shoddy construction methods to avoid some government levies that come from the construction permits (Manuel 2015). A government civil engineering expert known as Henri Gavin established that the partnering contractors had wanted to ensure a quick start of the project. This meant that they had to use substandard material, poor construction methods, and fake tendering of the materials to reach their first construction targets (Manu el 2015). In a report, Henri Gavin revealed that the contractors developed an uneven footing and had a poor following of the project plan. They used unstable reinforcing steel, little concrete and several other substandard materials to fight against time and the construction cost (Manuel 2015). The contractors hired in this project used an illegal tendering process to acquire materials that would kick-start the project before the government could discover their deal. The Concept of Framework Contracting Constructors sometimes engage in long term contracts due to the arrangements made based on their performance with the employers (Glover 2007). A framework contract is a form of a constructional agreement that entails a long-term procurement plan with the clients to secure the construction service of quality contractors or reliable suppliers through ensuring them a stable supply of jobs in future. According to Glover (2007, p. 1), â€Å"the Framework agreement, often known as an umbr ella agreement, is an agreement, which is reached between two parties to cover a long-term collaborative arrangement.† Contractors engage in framework contracts during the low seasons in the construction industry. According to Glover (2007), when the scarcity of the construction jobs is over and the jobs have reemerged, the constructors compete veraciously for construction jobs available in the market. The implications arise due to the long-term procurement strategies because contractors would often feel that the framework agreements have restricted them from winning better tenders. Terms of Termination and Scandals Involved A constant issue that arises in the framework contracts that involve long-term agreement in the supply of products and services in the construction deals is the terms of terminating the framework arrangements. According to Glover (2007), when the contractors feel that, the construction jobs have reemerged in plenty and the moment of unemployment is over, t hey often way the benefits of remaining within the framed arrangements and the benefits of searching for other new tenders. It is often uneasy because one of the parties will often feel disadvantaged and disappointment with the withdrawal of the disagreeing partner or the insistence of the other partner to commence the framework (Glover 2007). Framework agreements do not normally have a fixed duration of existence and in legal terms, both parties must abide to the durational conditions. In normal circumstances, parties can often terminate the framework agreement at any time, at their own will, and within their terms of agreement. Claims of wrongful termination, loss of contract profit, and waste of time in the framework agreement have been persistent in many cases. While engaging in framework agreements, the parties must always observe and uphold the stipulations of the JCT Framework Agreement that governs public and private sector framework procurements (Sakal 2005). According to C lause 22 of the JCT Framework Agreement, that controls the termination of frameworks, â€Å"no task with duration of more than 12 months is to be instructed in the final 3 months before the framework end date† (Glover 2007, p. 8). Such a section protects the parties from engaging in long-term relationship and commitments that are non-beneficial. The section states that either of the parties can terminate the agreement through a one-month notice the last month of the framework contract ends (Glover 2007). Cases involving uninformed, untimely, and ill-motivated terminations have often struck the efficiency of the framework agreements. Unmet Promises supply of future work Although the companies that procure contractors on framework contracts believe that they have the ability to continue providing their clients with a steady supply of future work, sometimes their promises turn out unachievable. Glover (2007) explains that contractors at this moment find themselves losing importa nt tenders, contract profits, and waste time needed to engage in new contracts with stable companies. Therefore, they often prefer to quit the framework contract. In a Northern Ireland case, a contractor lost profits and made him feel underprivileged to lose a framework contract. However, those who stay in a unprofitable frameworks miss the chances of securing some important tenders that present themselves in the market during the period of the long-term procurement engagement (Sakal 2005). This is because the contractor would possibly lose the promised benefits of future work and other privileges that were to accompany the long-term procurement strategy. A failure of the employer to make genuine promises becomes a legal dispute because the contractor would always want compensations concerning the time wasted in the abortive framework agreement. False promises in the frameworks contracts are prevalent and making legal and ethical claims exists among the involved parties. According t o Glover (2007, p.13), â€Å"the ability to make claims for loss of chance or loss of receiving is difficult because a claimant must establish on the balance of probability that there is some link between the defendant’s negligence and the claimant’s loss.† False promises contravene the principles of good faith in the framework contracts and override the requirements of transparency in the endorsement of the construction contracts (Sakal 2005). As witnessed in some framework cases, unless there are verifiable facts that the employer made some promises in the framework agreement, the courts can rarely assist the contractors to get their payments concerning the promised future benefits. In case of a legal issue, Glover (2007) argues that unless the defendant agrees that there existed some promises in the framework agreement; the contractor will often remain to be a loser in the construction deal and in the profit claims. The Problem of the Unforeseen Uncertainties Sometimes constructions face enormous challenges such as collapses or destructions that result from the natural catastrophes and other uncertainties. Uncertainties are normally unpredictable and unforeseen (Osipova Aleberger 2007). Constructors serving in a framework contract that faces such challenges normally feel frustrated and would often want to terminate the framework arrangements made in the construction contract. When perhaps the employer failed to insure the project, contractors in that framework agreement will often incur considerable financial losses. According to Glover (2007 p. 13), â€Å"where the quantification of the claimant’s loss depends on future uncertain events, the loss has to be determined on the court’s assessment of that risk materializing.† Uncertain events such as the natural calamities are often unforeseen and setting up a claim for any form of compensation due to the damages is normally a challenging issue for the both parties. Pr oblems in framework agreement Framework agreements have never missed scandals due to the issues of fairness, equality, financial losses, project quality, and mistrust in the provision and arrangements of framework tenders (Burnnet Wampler 2003). One of the controversial cases that marked a series of arguments is the case of Henry and the Department of Education in Northern Ireland. Henry Bros as a contractor engaged in a framework contract with the Department of Education of Northern Ireland. Henry complained that the construction contract was inappropriate in its contracting agreements (Burnnet Wampler 2003). Henry Bros disputable about the framework agreement when he presented the legal claim based on the foundations of the 2006 Procurement Regulations of Northern Ireland. By awarding a construction tender to Henry without following the basic standards of tendering a construction process, the high court of Northern Ireland considered it illegal because the Department of Educatio n for Northern Ireland seemed to have breached the Procurement Regulations of 2006. Another similar case to that of the Northern Ireland contractor and a school department is the 2003 public procurement case that involved the New South Wales vs. the Austeel Pty Ltd (Burnnet Wampler 2003). The New Wales sub national government, which was the defendant, had entered into a framework agreement with Austeel Pty Limited to construct a large steel plant around the city of Newcastle (Burnnet Wampler 2003). The scope of the construction contract and the terms of the contract were extremely diverse and consisted several parameters of contract agreements pertaining to urban planning and designing. The government disputed the construction progress because certain processes of the deal were disputable because they failed to follow a certain dispute resolution framework. The government was unsure about the continual performance of the contractor, was not sure about the entire tendering process, and was not even sure amount the possible amount that the project could not exceed. The government feared to lose money and waste time. The Concepts of Risk Allocation and Commercial Balance The risks of engaging in construction contracts are extensive even in the concepts of risk allocation and commercial balance (Sakal 2005). Sometimes the employers would want to dominate the ultimate results of the projects and the issues of time certainty through using fixed costs, may sometimes be unrealistic in a construction project (Mead 2007). Such concerns explain the reason as to why it is significant to determine risk allocation and commercial balance during the process of entering into a construction agreement to avoid time and money losses. In most circumstances, financial issues and risk management are some of the major concerns that arise in a construction contract due to the complex nature of materializing the project and the presence of some unprecedented risks (Mead 2007). Using fixed costs in a construction project has become an issue for the contractors because of the nature of the fluctuating prices of building materials and the nature of framework contracts. Since the construction risks are diverse and often unforeseeable, when the employers seek to control, the ultimate results of the project and at the same time maintain time certainty and fixed costs, the constructor will be vulnerable to most risks (Mead 2007). When the employers tends to control the three major factors of determining the management of risks, there is often a likelihood that the project is financially impracticable, the site of the project is dubious, the insurance systems on the project are incompetent, the construction material is fake and illegal, the authority approvals are unmet, or the land possession is suspicious. Working in a dynamic environment where contractors have little say on the socioeconomic issues also places them in a quandary when the employer tends to force a fi xed pricing on the construction (Sakal 2005). Such scenarios have occurred persistently in several construction cases and required the intervention of the court to resolve the imminent disputes. Allocation of Risks in a Construction Project Risk is normally an inevitable aspect in a construction and both the employer and the constructor always wish that risks never befell them. According to Glover (2007 p. 3), â€Å"on each project-specific underlying contract, remember it will still be necessary to consider the scope of work and/or services, allocation of risk, completion date, price and payment particular to that project.† Most risks are unforeseeable and both parties can never determine the occurrence of a risk at any point of the construction process. It is very vital for the contractors to analyze the aspects of risk allocation due to several unforeseeable issues that may affect their contractual agreements (Osipova Aleberger 2007). Assessment of risk allocation in a co nstruction projects makes the contractors aware of the unreasonable excuses and manipulations that the employers can cause in a construction deal. Knowing the risks associated with a construction contract such as the risks of project financing, discrepancies, and omissions helps the contractors to assess the contracts. Commercial Balance in a Construction Contract The construction sector often experiences challenges of market fluctuations in the procurement processes and especially in the procurement of the construction materials, whose prices change occasionally (Glover 2007). As witnessed in the above cases, working on a fixed budget from poor estimation made by the employer puts the contractor at risks of encountering the risks of material shortages, shortage of hiring skilled workers, and shortage of hiring some construction related services such as transportations. Such shortages significantly expose the contractors at risks of settling claims related to inadequate designing of the intended project, incompletion of the assigned project, and poor selection of the construction material (Manuel 2014). According to Glover (2007), contractors must understand principles of agreeing to certain standards of projects to ensure that cost estimations take into account the issues related to the price and quantity of the project. Therefore, on risks associated with fixed costs, the contractors must analyze the financial feasibility, the budgetary allocation, and the market prices. Time Certainty in a Construction Contract Time is a considerable factor when it comes to construction of projects that require quick completion (Darrington Lichtig 2010). As witnessed in many construction cases, when the employer tends to control the aspects of time related to the completion of a project, there is normally a high likelihood that the contractor may encounter some serious time implications (Manuel 2014). In a scenario where the employer tends to control the aspects of time an d budget, the contractor will likely fall short of the expectations of the employer concerning the quality of the project or the state of the project, the poor designing of the project, inappropriate construction standards, and delayed progress of the project (Darrington Lichtig 2010). Contractors would often want to work on low budgets and make some considerable profits from the construction projects. Manuel (2014) states that because some natural occurrences may delay the construction project; contractors should often assess the constructional costs and the time certainty issues. Scandals Associated with Fixed Cost Projects One of the controversial cases that pertain to risk allocation and commercial balance is the 2009 case of the family of Godbold and Mr. Camilleri who was a local contractor. The case entailed a fixed-price construction contract of $363,446 between the constructor, Mr. Camilleri, and Mr. and Mrs. Godbold (Darrington Lichtig 2010). The project was a constructio n of a personal house, which the employers promised on pay on eight installments depending on the progress of the construction. Due to the dynamism of the construction market and the related market fluctuations, Mr. Camilleri found himself in financial difficulties and opted to request for more money from the project owners (Darrington Lichtig 2010). Mr. and Mrs. Godbold continued to pay the installments based on the progress of the construction, but remained reluctant to answer the request of Mr. Camilleri concerning the increment of the construction funds. When Mr. Camilleri informed the owners that the project would probably take another $163,523.03 to complete, they terminated the deal. Mr. Camilleri left the house unfinished due to financial constraints and time limitations. The house project finally ended on a sum of $44,157.23 through different contractors (Darrington Lichtig 2010). However, the contractors who completed the construction project were unable to complete the house in accordance with the design and quality expectations. The increased cost of completing the house, made the Godbold family to limit their efforts in completing the project, rather than getting the best out of the expected design (Darrington Lichtig 2010). Although the case went to the court and the court could not ascertain the level of the unprofessionalism of the constructor in underestimating the cost of the construction project. This was due to the reason that there was no evidence about a complaint concerning a defective building work, Mr. and Mrs. Godbold (Darrington Lichtig 2010). The court requested the defendant to pay complainant a sum of $44,157.23 as compensation based on the stipulations of the statutory home warranty scheme. Such a scenario explains that the projects assigned to the contractors on fixed costs normally have the likelihood of facing financial instabilities (Darrington Lichtig 2010). Projects carried out on fixed costs normally put the contracto rs at risks of constructing substandard projects, because the contractors, like in the case of Mr. Camilleri, fail to balance the commercial factors and the expected quality of the project (Darrington Lichtig 2010). The case of the two parties reveal the manner in which fixed cost projects are risky engagements for the contractors especially when one considers the persistent changes in the prices of the materials, the services of other builders, and other costs related to construction (Darrington Lichtig 2010). The scope of construction normally shifts from the intention of constructing highly standard projects, to the aim of ensuring that the project meets the standards of the estimated costs and the financial parameters provided by the employer. References Burnnet, J Wampler, B 2003, ‘Unit Price Contracts: A practical Framework for Determining Competitive Bid Price’, The Journal of Applied Business Research, vol. 14, no. 3, pp. 63-72. Darrington, J Lichtig, W 2010 , ‘Rethinking the â€Å"G† in GMP: Why Estimated Maximum Price Contracts Make Sense on Collaborative Projects’, The Construction Lawyer, vol. 30, no. 2, pp. 1-12. Glover, J 2007, Framework Agreements: Practice and Pitfalls, fenwickelliott.com/ Manuel, K 2014, Legal Protections for Subcontractors on Federal Prime Contracts, https://fas.org/sgp/crs/misc/R41230.pdf Mead, P 2007, Current Trends in Risk Allocation in Construction Projects and Their Implications for Industry Participants’, Construction Law Journal, vol. 23, no, 1, pp. 23-45. Osipova, E Aleberger, L 2007, Risk management in different Forms of Contract and collaboration- Case of Sweden, irbnet.de/daten/iconda/CIB4894.pdf Sakal, M 2005, ‘Project Alliancing: A rational Contracting Mechanism for Dynamic Contracts’, Lean Construction Journal, vol. 2, no. 1, pp. 67-79.

The role and importance of creativity and innovation in generating Essay

The role and importance of creativity and innovation in generating competitive advantage - Essay Example Porter has emphasized that the motivation behind the formulation and adoption of any strategy is the achievement of competitive advantage. To achieve competitive advantage a business organization is required to build a steadfast choice about the form of competitive advantage it wants to accomplish and the range of resources within which it would strive to achieve that level. Competitive advantage sought by firms can be classified into two basic types; low cost and differentiation (IFM, n.d.). On the basis of these two competitive advantages Porter has come up with three generic strategies (Porter, 2008, p. 12) namely, cost leadership, differentiation, and focus. The last strategy has two sub categories, â€Å"cost focus and differentiation focus† (IFM, n.d.). These strategies help the firm deliver a better than average performance. Cost leadership Any firm that follows the strategy of cost leadership, targets at becoming the only producer in the entire industry whose cost of p roduction would be lower than all its competitors. The producer seeks to exploit economies of scale and follow competitive pricing (Richardson and Dennis, 2003). Cost leadership strategy is a key to success for several successful companies; one among them is Walmart (Baroto, Abdullah and Wan, 2012). Differentiation Under this strategy the firm concentrates on becoming unique in the products it offers. It does this by identifying certain product dimensions that consumers value the most. The firm develops its production and marketing strategies in such a way that it can satisfy the customers’ demand for those attributes and hence receives premium price for that uniqueness. For example, Apple Computers makes â€Å"differentiation by technology† (Baroto, Abdullah and Wan, 2012, p. 120) to preserve its competitive advantage. Focus The firm selects either a group of segments or a single segment from the industry in which it belongs and optimizes its strategies to serve these segments so well, as to gain competitive advantage over all its competitors. A firm can pursue this by either creating cost advantage in a targeted segment (cost focus) or by developing a differentiation in a targeted segment (differentiation). Tesco follows the focus strategy to blend elements of both differentiation and low cost (Baroto, Abdullah and Wan, 2012). Total Quality Management Total quality management (TQM) is â€Å"an art of management† (Singh, Qureshi and Butt, 2007) that became popular with business organizations in 1980s. Clark (1996) has explained that this management strategy focuses on maintaining quality of in all processes running in an organization; manufacturing, human resource, financial procurements, R&D and administration. Implementation of total quality management provides a framework that guides the organization to select competitive advantages in the face of uncertainty. These competitive advantages become the foundation on which operational deci sions are made regarding the marketplace (Tseng and Lin, 2008). Quality management is an approach that many firms consider the basis for making differentiation from competing firms (Singh, Qureshi and Butt, 2007). The role played by TQM in a firm is that of creating a demanding work environment and also lay down ways to fulfil the demands through team spirit, mutual trust, honesty, open communication and fun. In this framework, changes are appreciated, fear is defeated and resistance towards change is

The Business, Its Mission and Its Strategy Term Paper

The Business, Its Mission and Its Strategy - Term Paper Example The organization has continued to experience an explosive growth, which is demonstrated by its annual revenues moving from $250,000 in 2009 to over $2 million in 2010 (Samasource, 2011). Samasource’s core business is outsourcing of digital work from large or small organizations. The organization offers outsourcing services under five broad categories: data services, research and archival services, machine learning, customer support services, and online content services (Samasource, 2012). This is mainly done on the Internet. The organization operates as follows. First it sources for work from other organizations. It then uses a proprietary technology platform to divide the digital work it has received into smaller tasks which are then distributed through the Internet to its various processing centers or partner sites. At these processing centers Samasource specifically recruits and trains women and youth from poverty-stricken areas who then perform the small tasks. Upon co mpletion, each of these small tasks is taken through a rigorous quality-assurance process on the proprietary platform before they are aggregated back into complete projects and delivered to the clients. The proprietary technology platform is known as SamaHub and the small tasks are referred to as microwork – a term first coined by the Samasource founder. ... This industry has numerous buyers and suppliers, which makes the bargaining power of both parties relatively weak. The three forces that Samasource would need to be wary of are competitive rivalry, threat of entry and threat of substitutes. The intensity of rivalry here is currently moderate because of the contrasting characteristics. On the one hand, there are numerous competitors, which should warrant a fight for market share. On the other hand, industry growth is high, and this somewhat negates the need for fighting over market share. Also, exit barriers in this industry are low, which means that companies that are earning low or negative returns can easily opt to leave the market rather than struggle. This eliminates excess capacity from the market (Porter, 2008). Nevertheless, we single out competitive rivalry because of the potential for rivals to converge and compete on the same dimensions. The nearly identical services of rivals coupled with low buyer switching costs could lead to price competition and, consequently, destructive rivalry. Barriers to entry for this industry are low for the following reasons. Firstly, the primary infrastructure for this industry is the Internet, which weakens the incumbents’ ability to harness supply-side economies of scale. Secondly, buyers face low switching costs in changing suppliers. Thirdly, capital requirements are modest. Fourth, the Internet gives new entrants equal access to the distribution channel. These low entry barriers make the threat of entry industry force to be very high. Substitutes to Samasource’s offerings are Odesk, Elance, Freelancer and other online outsourcing sites as well as the traditional BPOs found in the developing countries. We have

The Downfall of a Dictator Essay Example for Free

The Downfall of a Dictator Essay Ferdinand Marcos, the man who would be President: his was a story of success. It was a long, arduous climb to the highest office in land. He worked hard to achieve it. It was not an easy road – there were frustrations, obstacles, and public scandals along the way. But he made it. Despite seemingly irreversible defeats, he fulfilled what he promised his mother: â€Å"For every tear you shed now, there will be victory.† (People Power: The Philippine Revolution of 1986) Ferdinand Marcos: The unforgettable among the Presidents of the Philippines, even over the world, then and now. When we here this name the first thing that always come to our mind is Marshall Law or the dictator. In Marcos time corruption reached its apex. The Marcos government was labeled a kleptocracy, literally meaning that it was a government ruled by thieves. A kleptocracy can be defined as a dishonest form of governmental corruption where the government exists solely to increase the personal wealth and power of its officials and the ruling class without regard for the wider population. On September 21, 1972, Marcos declared Martial Law. This marked the beginning of the Marcos dictatorship. Proclamation 1081 placed the entire country under the military. It was signed on September 21, 1972 and announced to the nation in the evening of September 23, 1972. His main reason for declaring Martial Law as to save the Republic and to reform society. He explained that the growing violence in the nation, caused by the leftists and the rightist’s elements had come to certain magnitude that required martial law. During this time, violation of human rights of the people in the rural areas was rampant. Upon his orders, the military picked up and detained thousands of Filipinos suspected of rebellion. Hundreds of detainees were tortured by their captors. Some disappeared and were never found again. Many were held in military detention camps for years without trial. As a result of the foregoing measured, the crime rate in the country was reduced significantly. People became law-abiding. But these good gains did not last long. After a year of martial law, crime rates started to soar. By the time Marcos was removed from power, the peace and order situation in the country had become worse. The rampant violation of human rights of the people in the rural areas suspected of being NPA sympathizers, the injustices committed by some government officials and powerful and influential persons, and the continuing poverty of the people were used as propaganda of the NPA in attracting idealistic young people. Even priests and nuns who were witnesses to the oppression of the Marcos dictatorship join the NPAs. The assassination of Aquino was reported to have awakened the Filipinos to the evils of Marcos as a dictator. Millions of Filipinos who sympathized with Ninoy’s bereaved family, joined the funeral march to mourn for the death of an intelligent leader and to express their feelings against Marcos. August 13, 1985 was the beginning of the end for Marcos. Fifty-six members of Parliament called for his impeachment for graft, corruption, and other high crimes. Marcos called a new election for 1986. His opponent was Corazon Aquino, the widow of Benigno. Marcos claimed a 1.6 million vote victory, but observers found a 800,000 win by Aquino. A People Power movement quickly developed, driving the Marcoses into exile in Hawaii, and affirming Aquinos election. Ninoy Aquino was a great lost to the Philippines. I think that he could have been a great president. Even though some say that he was a â€Å"fake hero† because he really didn’t accomplish anything and that he was â€Å"fighting for himself only† which is according to some comments that I read in some sites, for me he’s really a hero and these things that they said is absurd in my opinion.

Corellis Mandolin by Louis de Bernieres Essay examples -- Corellis M

Corelli's Mandolin by Louis de Bernieres Carlo was fighting for Italy, while Mandras was in the Greek army. Both of the characters experienced a lot during the war. Nevertheless everything Mandras and Carlo fought on opposite sides. What does it say about the novels moral scheme, that the sufferings of ordinary people on both sides are recounted in detail? Consider these two characters but also other â€Å"moral† issues raised in the novel so far. Mandras and Carlo fought on opposite sides. Their experiences and feelings through out the war are recounted to the readers in a lot of details. And even though they were â€Å"enemies†, their stories are very similar, as if the author is talking about the same man. This style of narration tells us something about the moral scheme of the novel. De Bernieres is trying to show the readers that there is no difference between human beings. That they all share similar feelings and have similar ideas about life. However similarity between people is not the only â€Å"moral† issue that is being raised, the author also raises the question about religion, education, sufferings and of course of love. In this essay I will primarily discuss the similarities between people, concentrating mostly on the two main characters: Carlo and Mandras. And then I will talk about the other â€Å"moral† issues raised in the novel so far. Carlo was fighting for Italy, while Mandras was in the Greek army. Both of the characters experienced a lot during the war. Nevertheless everything that has happened to them is very similar. First of all, both of the characters had a completely wrong impression of what war is like. They both believed that it was something glorious, something worthwhile. Carlo wa... ...vive if a person doesn’t have a soul, however the souls of soldiers â€Å"diminished to a tiny point of grey light†. They no longer believed as they saw all the sufferings of the people, which in the end were useless. Instead of praying to God, they started praying to the people they loved, as they believed that unlike God their beloved ones wouldn’t forget them. â€Å"I had you instead of the Virgin, I even prayed to you.† (p.157). During the war, the soldiers completely lost their faith and hope. So as we can see the role of religion in people’s lives is also an important â€Å"moral† issue that is raised in the novel. All of these factors tell us that there are several different moral schemes in the novel. And the development of each issue depends on the situation that the person is in, and not on the person himself, as in the end all the humans are very similar.

Breaking the Poverty Cycle

The poverty cycle is also termed as the behavior pattern of situations that cannot easily be altered and when referring to a given country it is called the â€Å"development trap† (Oster, Lake, & Gene, 1978) . This cycle is defined as the set of events or factors which once commenced, have no possibility of stopping unless there is intervention from external causing their subsequent generations to equally be impoverished. It is a phenomenon in which poor families end up being trapped in poverty for a period exceeding two and a half generations.The main cause for such families to be in this situation is the limitation to and lack of resources such as connections, financial capital, training and education. Under normal circumstances it is virtually impossible for any individual to break this cycle meaning that the poor people will for a long time remain poor. This is because many poverty cycles overlap and perpetuate other cycles causing any attempt to break this cycle to be unr ealistic. This situation is mostly found in shanty towns and inner city areas.Poverty refers to the state of material deprivation having either little or no goods, money and means of support. It is a condition in which an individual stays poor such that they experience deficiency their desired needs. Poverty is usually measured by the availability of infrastructure services, like sanitation and safe water. Poverty has been classified into two broad categories which are the situational poverty and generational poverty (Oster, Lake, & Gene, 1978). With this in mind this paper centers on what individuals are doing in order to break the cycle of poverty.This is with respect to the sociological imagination and the three major social theories of symbolic interaction, conflict and structural functionalism. In order to break the cycle of poverty, action needs to be put in place to deal with the root causes of poverty because the cycle of poverty is usually systemic in nature. This has been achieved via sociological imagination and social theories such as symbolic interaction, conflict together with structural functionalism as well.Sociological imagination entails a mind set which allows individuals to visualize the relationship that exists between events that occur in their personal lives and events within the society. Wright Mills adds to this definition by putting it as the means of breaking the poverty cycle through taking part in activities that are shaped by the situations that people find themselves in (Mills, 2000). Symbolic interactionism is one of the leading social psychological theories that focus on the ways through which meanings emerge from social interactions between places and individuals.Its prime concern has been to analyze the meanings of life events by way of intimate familiarity and close observational work. It equally gives strong emphasis on the role of symbols through language, gestures and signs as the core elements of these interactions (Reyn olds & Herman-Kinney, 2003). From the sociological perspective, the conflict theory involves perspectives that emphasize on political, social and material inequality of a given society. This Marxist-based social theory argues that groups and individuals of different social classes vary in amounts of non-material and material resources.The social conflict theory states that groups within a capitalist society interact destructively in such a way that there is little cooperation and no mutual benefit. According to Weber, the major class division is between those who do not and those who own the forces of production in the following classes, the propertied upper class, the property less white collar workers, the petty bourgeoisie and the manual working class (Agger, 1991). Structural functionalism is a theory which states that the function of a cultural trait, especially in an institution is the preservation and creation of social order.It addresses the social structure with respect to the function of the constituent elements such as the institutions, norms, customs and traditions. It also studies society as a structure with interrelated parts that work toward its proper functioning. In the society it is the positions that individuals occupy which are ranked, not the individuals (O'Neill, 1995). With respect to an Ontarion initiative to break the poverty cycle, studies on this initiative gave a head way to efforts that are being employed by people within the government, donor organizations, companies, individual families and communities to break the poverty cycle.According to the Ontario child support, education was used as the best way to break this cycle, through the enhancement of programs for at-risk kids in school. It offers support to more recreation programs for neighbor-hoods with high-needs. Further on education, this initiative provides support for parents in ensuring their children go to school particularly the low-income families (Ontario. ca, 2010). T he initiative also builds stronger communities because safety is considered one of the best ways to aid low-income families to enjoy better life.This has been done through investing in a fund which gives the local leaders funds for the establishment of community revitalization projects. It also avails summer jobs programs to give the children in priority neighbor-hoods valuable work experience. The initiative has also stabilized funding for the Provincial Rent Bank Program to aid persons facing possible eviction. The Ontario child support has also visualized a smarter government in such a way that they get the most for each dollar spent in support of low-income families.This is through a review of social assistance by increasing opportunity and removing barriers for people trying to move from social assistance into employment. In addition to this a Social Policy Institute focusing on evaluation and evidence-based social is being developed (Ontario. ca, 2010). Other efforts made by i ndividuals to break the poverty cycle includes self employment, where they get full benefits of the work they are doing in terms of reward which is mostly evident in the developing countries.People learn basic skills and end up being in a better position to support their families. Individuals have opened up to acquiring incomes that depend on the environment especially in Senegal and Dakar, where waste picker on the Mbeubeuss landfill site make a living by recycling materials. In Kampala, widows feed their families through urban gardening and rental income. Another initiative to break the poverty cycle is by The Sea to Sea partners who partake in self employment by teaching farmers new agriculture techniques (Dale, 2008).In an effort to break poverty cycles, policy-makers and companies ensure that the acquisition of assets such as land by poor communities is made easy through grants and other aids. Such assets are then developed to a level where they generate income and improve the lives of communities involved. Governments on the same note have resorted to promotion of equitable pay for all employees regardless of their social status through implementing policies. Other support agencies like the Sea to Sea works within communities and families to set up micro-credit loans to enable them acquire assets (Christian-Reformed-Church, 2010).Further efforts in breaking the poverty cycle include the cancellation or reduction of the national debt especially for the world's poorest countries so that the nations' economies of these countries experience some positive turn. Additionally, in a country like New York, according to an article by Frederique Krupa, a ten-year plan was started by the Koch Administration, intended to avail the New York City renovated apartment units because the city at the time was thriving and by so doing the city would be able to avoid the numerous lawsuits from powerful community groups.This is another way used to break the poverty cycle by cu rbing on oppression of the poor by the rich (Krupa, 1991). Social activists have also made an effort in breaking this cycle by focusing on anti-discrimination laws especially in the work place so as to increase the opportunities given to poor minorities and poverty elimination. It is common knowledge that over the years the poor have continued to work in the low paying but tiring jobs. There are minor means that have been employed by individual families such as cost sharing between husbands and wives in the sense that they both go out strive to earn income for the family.For wealthy individuals or any one who may have acquired capital, â€Å"provision of employment† by underpaying workers has enabled them break and stay away from poverty thus making more profits and continue to thrive on other people’s sweat. Some people strive to join politics so that they raise their status in society and earn more income by attaining high ranks within the government and society at l arge. If this cycle is left to persist, it may result to criminal activities like the selling of illegal drugs by the poor for survival. With these, there are numerous outcomes such as early death, addiction, breakup of families and shattered health.Other consequences include increase in slums within a country and stress causing very poor health levels. It is therefore important that everyone contributes to the breaking of the poverty cycle. References: Agger, B. (1991). A critical theory of public life: knowledge, discourse, and politics in an age of decline. New York: Routledge. Christian-Reformed-Church. (2010). What is the Cycle of Poverty? Retrieved March 6, 2010, from http://www. crcna. org/pages/sea_cycleofpoverty. cfm Dale, S. (2008, September). Breaking the Cycle of Urban Poverty. Retrieved March 6, 2010, from http://www. idrc. ca/en/ev-129440-201-1-DO_TOPIC.

“He Is More Than A Hero” written by Sappho Essay

â€Å"He is a god in my eyes- the man who is allowed to sit beside you† â€Å"If I met you suddenly, I can’t speak- my tongue is broken† The following lines were taken from a poem written by Sappho entitled â€Å"He Is More Than A Hero.† For those who are not familiar with Sappho, she was a resident of a city names Lesbos. She lived from 630 B.C. – 570 B.C. In the city of Lesbos, Sappho was a highly respected poet/teacher by many but mainly the females. It is said that she was constantly surrounded by a circle of women who studied poetry with her. I am using this background information and the quotation from one of her many poems â€Å"He Is More Than A Hero† to support my theory that Sappho was a homosexual. Though the evidence is merely circumstantial, I feel that it is enough to convince one that she is a homosexual. The poem which I extracted my thesis statement is obviously being written to a woman, but it is cleverly masked by the title â€Å"He Is More Than A Hero† and a few other lines in the poem. In the beginning of the poem she is briefly describing someone’s male companion who is apparently a good lover possessing a few qualities that Sappho admires. â€Å"He who listens to the sweet murmur of your voice- the enticing laughter that makes my own heart beat fast.† Though the first few lines serve as a clever disguise, a cultured reader notices that the poem suddenly changes subjects, moving from a description of this man who is a god in Sappho’s eyes to a declaration of love for the female companion of this man-god. The 3-4th lines address an unknown you who is apparently the companion of this striking male. The you is also addressed in line 9 . The rest of the poem following that is a love ballad to this you who was first identified as being the companion of the man god. If one is not a skilled reader he/she may have missed the transition of the poem from one person to another. The first few lines serve as a disguise and a way for the author to express her jealousy of him being next to his female companion. She views him as  being a god because him being in the object of Sappho’s affection makes him that. This is based on the thought that if someone possesses something that you do not then they have a higher position of power than you. This thought accounts for her viewing him as being a God. There are also a few other pieces of evidence that suggest that the poet Sappho was a homosexual. She was a resident of an city known as â€Å"Lesbos†. The name of the city had a striking similarity to a word which is given to homosexual women of modern times â€Å"Lesbian†. It is also said that she was often surrounded by women who were her â€Å"students†. Though this evidence can be seen as being only circumstantial, I feel that the combination of her addressing a female in her poem â€Å"He Is More Than A Hero† as having certain homo-erotic effects on her such as making her feel as â€Å"a thin flame runs under my skin† and making her â€Å"drip with sweat† whenever she sees her is enough to label her as being the â€Å"Greatest Lesbian Poet of Rome†

Free Essays on E.A. Poe’s Insights On Insanity And The Workings Of The Human Psyche

There is one thread that all would agree binds many of Poe’s works together . . . Murder and the insanity associated with it. Where the workings of the human mind are concerned, Poe puts to paper what many cannot even imagine. This is especially evident in his short stories such as â€Å"The Tell-Tale Heart† and â€Å"The Black Cat† in which the common themes are murder, insanity, and darkness. We all wonder what goes on in the mind of a person driven so far over the brink of human sanity that they would actually murder another person. We wonder what could drive one human being to want to kill another. In pondering the issues above, we often set ourselves aside in thinking that only the obviously and criminally insane are capable of doing such a deed and no seemingly normal person would ever commit such a heinous act, especially not anyone near and dear to us, but what if it were to happen? What if someone close to us were to wish us harm and become aggravated enough to carry out that wish? In forcing us to ask these questions, Poe also focuses on the workings of the human psyche and more specifically on the ability of a seemingly normal person on the brink of sanity to commit insane acts of morbid brutality. Furthermore, what if the person committing the crime were you? Would you readily recognize your insanity or try to place the blame on the victim and try to convince others that you were justified in taking the life of another human being? It is this very line of thinking that Poe forces one to analyze in his short stories filled with murder, insanity, and darkness. A common theme in â€Å"The Tell-Tale Heart† and â€Å"The Black Cat† is the narrator being a seemingly normal and perfectly sane person to all others when in actuality the case was anything but. From the onset of â€Å"The Tell-Tale Heart† the narrator attempts to convince the readers that he is sane, â€Å"TRUE!- nervous- very, very dreadfully nervous I had b... Free Essays on E.A. Poe’s Insights On Insanity And The Workings Of The Human Psyche Free Essays on E.A. Poe’s Insights On Insanity And The Workings Of The Human Psyche There is one thread that all would agree binds many of Poe’s works together . . . Murder and the insanity associated with it. Where the workings of the human mind are concerned, Poe puts to paper what many cannot even imagine. This is especially evident in his short stories such as â€Å"The Tell-Tale Heart† and â€Å"The Black Cat† in which the common themes are murder, insanity, and darkness. We all wonder what goes on in the mind of a person driven so far over the brink of human sanity that they would actually murder another person. We wonder what could drive one human being to want to kill another. In pondering the issues above, we often set ourselves aside in thinking that only the obviously and criminally insane are capable of doing such a deed and no seemingly normal person would ever commit such a heinous act, especially not anyone near and dear to us, but what if it were to happen? What if someone close to us were to wish us harm and become aggravated enough to carry out that wish? In forcing us to ask these questions, Poe also focuses on the workings of the human psyche and more specifically on the ability of a seemingly normal person on the brink of sanity to commit insane acts of morbid brutality. Furthermore, what if the person committing the crime were you? Would you readily recognize your insanity or try to place the blame on the victim and try to convince others that you were justified in taking the life of another human being? It is this very line of thinking that Poe forces one to analyze in his short stories filled with murder, insanity, and darkness. A common theme in â€Å"The Tell-Tale Heart† and â€Å"The Black Cat† is the narrator being a seemingly normal and perfectly sane person to all others when in actuality the case was anything but. From the onset of â€Å"The Tell-Tale Heart† the narrator attempts to convince the readers that he is sane, â€Å"TRUE!- nervous- very, very dreadfully nervous I had b...

Math Curriculum Plan of Study

Math Curriculum Plan of Study High school math typically consists of three or four years of required credits along with additionally offered electives. In many states, the choice of courses is determined by whether the student is on a career or college preparatory path. Following is an overview of suggested required courses in a curriculum, for either a student going on a Career Preparatory Path or a College Preparatory Path along with electives one might find at a typical high school. Sample High School Career Preparatory Math Plan of Study Year One–Algebra 1 Major Topics: Real NumbersLinear EquationsSystems of EquationsExponentsPolynomials and FactoringQuadratic EquationsRadicals Year Two–Liberal Arts Math This course is intended to bridge the gap between Algebra 1 and Geometry by building on the students algebra skills to help them prepare for geometry.Major Topics: Exponents and RadicalsAlgebraic Expressions and PolynomialsLinear and Quadratic EquationsSystems of Linear Equations and InequalitiesCoordinate GeometryTwo-Dimensional FiguresProperties of congruent and similar trianglesRight TrianglesSurface Area and Volume Year Three–Geometry Major Topics: Length, Distance, and AnglesProofsParallel LinesPolygonsCongruencyArea Relationships and the Pythagorean TheoremCoordinate GeometrySurface Area and VolumeSimilarityIntroduction to Trigonometry and Circles Sample High School College Preparatory Math Plan of Study Year One–Algebra 1 OR Geometry Students who completed Algebra 1 in middle school will move directly into Geometry. Otherwise, they will complete Algebra 1 in ninth grade.Major Topics Included in Algebra 1: Real NumbersLinear EquationsSystems of EquationsExponentsPolynomials and FactoringQuadratic EquationsRadicals Major Topics Included in Geometry: Length, Distance, and AnglesProofsParallel LinesPolygonsCongruencyArea Relationships and the Pythagorean TheoremCoordinate GeometrySurface Area and VolumeSimilarityIntroduction to Trigonometry and Circles Year Two–Geometry or Algebra 2 Students who completed Algebra 1 in their ninth grade year will continue with Geometry. Otherwise, they will enroll in Algebra 2. Major Topics Included in Algebra 2: Families of FunctionsMatricesSystems of EquationsQuadraticsPolynomials and FactoringRational ExpressionsThe Composition of Functions and Inverse FunctionsProbability and Statistics Year Three–Algebra 2 or Precalculus Students who completed Algebra 2 in their tenth-grade year will continue with Precalculus which includes topics in Trigonometry. Otherwise, they will enroll in Algebra 2.Major Topics Included in Precalculus: Functions and Graphing FunctionsRational and Polynomial FunctionsExponential and Logarithmic FunctionsBasic TrigonometryAnalytic TrigonometryVectorsLimits Year Four–Precalculus or Calculus Students who completed Precalculus in their eleventh-grade year will continue with Calculus. Otherwise, they will enroll in Precalculus.Major Topics Included in Calculus: LimitsDifferentiationIntegrationLogarithmic, Exponential, and Other Transcendental FunctionsDifferential EquationsIntegration Techniques AP Calculus is the standard replacement for Calculus. This is the equivalent of a first-year college introductory calculus course. Math Electives Typically students take their math elective in their senior year. Following are a sampling of typical math electives offered in high schools. AP Statistics: this is the study of collecting, analyzing, and drawing conclusions from data.

Dialect and Venacular Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Dialect and Venacular - Term Paper Example It cannot be denied that dialect influences phonological awareness. Divergent speakers end up bypassing certain phonemes. In a study conducted by Rebecca Treiman (2004) it was established that due to this bypass, divergent speakers were more likely to spell words wrong. The study tries to find the truth in the statement whereby some phonological experts opine that spelling and reading development is affected mostly by phonology. It is how people speak that they read and/or write. The result of Treiman’s study (2004), which involved African Americans, who spoke African American Vernacular English (AAVE) as well as SAE speakers, both as participants and experimenters, showed that AAVE speakers were more likely to spell words based on how they spoke them, whereas SAE speakers made spelling errors when the experimenter calling out the words to be spelled was an AAVE speaker. Treiman (2004) attributes this as one of the contributing factors to the lag seen in the literacy skills of African Americans. Interestingly enough, there is a positive influence of dialect on phonological awareness as well. People used to, or growing up with, vernacular differing from SAE are actually more phonologically aware than those who only use SAE. Those speaking dialects are often in minority and have to learn the â€Å"standard† way of speech as well, or at least be able to understand it orally. For this reason, divergent speakers often have fine-tuned phonological awareness, as they are much more conscious of the differences of phonetics between their own vernacular and the standard speech. This hypothesis was also put forward by Sligh and Conners’ 2003 study, in which they stated that it could be possible that divergent speakers developed â€Å"good phonological processing skills, due to their experience with two dialects in which there are phonological differences† (p. 222). There needs to be more research done with this regard, however. It is often take n to be a fact that vernacular and speech have a direct relationship with reading skills. Children who come from a background where Standard American English (or SAE, as Sligh and Conners term it in their 2003 study) is not used, instead being replaced by a dialect, are often expected to give low results with regard to their reading skills. It is thought that as their vernacular does not allow them to use SAE, they will not be able to learn to read it either. Perhaps this has got more to do with prejudice than reality. As Goodman and Buck opine (1997), often teachers confuse language difference with language deficiency, thus undermining the divergent speakers’ ability to learn to read normally, like those other than him, as well as hampering their self-confidence. There is a â€Å"linguistic discrimination† (Goodman & Buck, 1997, p. 455), which can be, and often is, the cause of low reading skills and reading impairment in divergent speakers. This attitude often is res ponsible for a vicious cycle in which the teacher, unintentionally, lowers the linguistic self-confidence of the divergent reader, causing him or her to be hesitant in learning, and because of this hesitancy the basic false assumption of the teacher seems to be validated in the teacher’s eyes, i.e. the divergent speaker has reading difficulties. Though vernacular does have an impact on reading skills (as well as writing

Family Conditions And Child Treatment Research Paper

Family Conditions And Child Treatment - Research Paper Example Other than parental monitoring, there are also several other aspects of family functioning that influence the behaviour and thinking of the child and they are family relation characteristics like beliefs, cohesion and organisational structure. Studies have shown that low emotional warmth, lack of proper organisational structure, low beliefs and low cohesion levels are associated with delinquent behaviour (Gorman-Smith, p.170). More often than not, juvenile delinquents are individuals who come from broken home background (Siegel, p.74). These children either reside in single-parent households or in any other household in which their biological parents are not there. Intact family may be defined as a nuclear family arrangement in which both biological parents reside in the household with their biological children (Kierkus & Baer, 2002; cited in Murray, p.88). Two-parent arrangement in which a step parent is present, single-parent arrangements, extended family member arrangements and fo ster family arrangements do not fall under intact family.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Association between broken homes and juvenile delinquency was studied as early as 1932 by Shaw and McKay (cited in Murray, p.88). These researchers reviewed literature pertaining to type of homes and delinquents and compared delinquents from intact homes and disrupted homes. In their review they opined that most of the studies pertaining to these had several limitations and that several other factors other than intactness of homes influenced development of juvenile behaviour.... Intact family may be defined as a nuclear family arrangement in which both biological parents reside in the household with their biological children (Kierkus & Baer, 2002; cited in Murray, p.88). Two-parent arrangement in which a step parent is present, single-parent arrangements, extended family member arrangements and foster family arrangements do not fall under intact family. Association between broken homes and juvenile delinquency was studied as early as 1932 by Shaw and McKay (cited in Murray, p.88). These researchers reviewed literature pertaining to type of homes and delinquents and compared delinquents from intact homes and disrupted homes. In their review they opined that most of the studies pertaining to these had several limitations and that several other factors other than intactness of homes influenced development of juvenile behaviour. Research from that period has questioned the influence of family intactness on development of juvenile delinquency. According to a rece nt study by Demuth and Brown (2000, cited in Murray, p.88), though broken homes are strongly associated with juvenile delinquency, the family arrangement are not just the broken home issue. This is because; there is enough evidence to suggest that the risk of juvenile delinquency is higher among teenagers residing with single fathers when compared to those residing in a 2-parent household. This probably is because of the decreased parental involvement in the former case. The researchers opined that the main factors which contributed to delinquency were lack of supervision from parent's side and absence of close relationship between the adolescent and his or her parents. Geismar and Wood (1986;