Interactive video behavioral intervention Essay

Risk behaviors on youth are issues that the sociologists and psychologists regard as big deals. The youth comprises the major work force of the future yet the trends and the activities they do sometimes put them to the verge of having complications and diseases that are transmitted through having sexual intercourses. Their every day activities may lead them to something that can really matter especially with their health and their spirituality. Modernism and liberalism are issues that are usually faced by the youth today by which values that are regarded to be sacred before are now called passe and often treated as something for the centuries, not for the modern age. One of the issues mentioned are women engaging to pre-marital sex at a young age, and worse cases to multiple partners. Downs, Murray, et. al (2004) formulated a study that dealt with the behavior of females who are likely to commit to sexual activities involving oral and anal sex, together with the sexual intercourse itself. Their study aimed to determine some controlling factors with the behavior of women regarding sex. It provided different ways of informing the women of the possible consequences of having sexual intercourse with the opposite sex. Having a number of reviews of articles, they gathered 300 sexually active females (6 months before the study started) from different places in Pittsburgh are that are still subdivided from hospitals, clinics and a teaching hospital. The authors of the study first surveyed for the participants who are willing to be tested and undergo the study. Parents were also asked if they are willing to let their daughters below 18 years become the participants of the study. According from the article, parents were more than willing to let their daughters be part of the team or the respondents. Questions that asked the motives of having sex were asked during the interview. It will help the evaluators to assess the usual situations before the actual intercourse happens. The study also has its way of letting the participants choose a way that they will be best informed. In this way, they will have an idea of how they are going to control their sexual drives. The modes of the study are: interactive video clip, a book that offers the same content as the video and brochures that offer the same topic. One video clip from www. WhatCouldYouDo. org was shown to them that portrayed a girl and a boy that depended on the concept of â€Å"condom† love that is often pictured as something satisfying other than the act of abstinence. Their knowledge about STD was also measured trough the 40 questions posted in the study, and they have a percentage of 65. 5% correct concepts about the matter. On the other hand, 67. 7% of them has the right knowledge about specific STD issues. Controls without the interventions were more likely to still engage in the activity while those who have had the chance to be included in the team with video intervention through randomization were reported to have self control over the next few months. However, the study showed that knowledge of the participant regarding sexual and STD issues did not increased. It was stated in the reports that it could have been better if the control for the study did not receive any intervention to clearly see the effect of the programs in controlling the risk behavior of youth, specifically with the females. The study may be leading to situations by which female will not be choosing the option to have sex with their partners to express their feelings. Moreover, the intention of preventing STD in youth through some information integrated seminars and trainings are good ways in drawing down the lines in the limitations of the actions of the females, and the youth. Reference Julie S. Downs, Pamela J. Murray, Wandi Bruine de Bruin, Joyce Penrose, Claire Palmgren and Baruch Fischhoff. Interactive video behavioral intervention to reduce adolescent females’ STD risk: a randomized controlled trial Social Science & Medicine, Volume 59, Issue 8, October 2004, Pages 1561-1572

Police Pursuit Liability

One of the most important duties of police officers is to prevent crime from happening. In the light of this objective, part of the regular duties of police officers is to go on patrol to improve police visibility. As they patrol the community, police officers have the responsibility to stop motor vehicles in case the driver commits a violation of motor vehicle law or in case the driver or his companions engage in suspicious activities.Ordinarily, motor vehicle stops are supposed to last a few minutes after the driver is issued a traffic citation and the driver leaves or ones the officer satisfies himself that no criminal activity is taking place and the driver leaves. There are situations however when drivers of vehicles who are asked to stop attempts to elude the police officers’ command to stop and flees. In these situations the police officers may engage in motor vehicle pursuit to arrest the individual either for traffic violation or for committing any other crime.While h igh-speed car chases may be exciting to watch whether in the big screen as part of a movie or live as an actual real-life event being shown on T. V. , it has a lot of consequences. Motor vehicle pursuits lead to damaged properties, injuries and deaths to innocent civilians and even costly lawsuits. (The Christian Science Monitor 1) It need not be emphasized how dangerous high-speed pursuits are. They are dangerous not only in the freeways in view of the speed at which cars are running but they are even more dangerous in the city where people may be crossing the street every so often.While systematic study of the extent of the dangers of high speed pursuits is scarce, there is sufficient evidence to conclude that they are risky and dangerous to the public. According to a research conducted by Erik Beckman, an associate professor of criminal justice at Michigan State University who has done studies on police chases out of the 424 police pursuits done by 75 police departments in 11 sta tes, one in seven pursuits ended in an injury and one in 33 resulted in a death. Philip J. O’Connor 2) The danger of police pursuits is even highlighted in a report of the California Highway Patrol which stated that in 2005 law enforcement officers were involved in 7,942 pursuits that resulted in more than 1,200 injuries to people and 32 deaths. (Jason Dearen 2)The national statistics is even worse as according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration affirms these findings and stated that more than 350 people die each year from police chases. â€Å"VOA News: Supreme Court May Limit Police in High-Speed Chases† 1) In view of the injuries and deaths mostly involving the suspects themselves who flee after police officers have ordered them to stop, the suspects themselves or their relatives have filed suits against the police officers mostly for violating their constitutional rights under the Fourth and the Fourteenth Amendment.In some cases, even the bystand ers and pedestrians injured by the suspects have filed cases against police officers for causing their injury. Some of these cases have resulted in civil liabilities being adjudged against the police department involved. In view of these decisions, police officers have become apprehensive in conducting motor vehicle pursuits. There is therefore a need to set policies on police pursuits.

Gemma Lynns Catering Services Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Gemma Lynns Catering Services - Term Paper Example The report will be divided accordingly: The first section of the report will discuss the principles of bookkeeping and accounting, giving an understanding as to why financial statements are important and how Gemma can use these financial statements to aid her in decision making. It will also answer the Gemma's first question regarding her profits. The second part of the report will discuss Gemma's business as it compares with the industry figures. Based on the figures, the report will also indicate the areas in her business that require improvements and provide suggestions on how these can be improved. The third part of the report will discuss Gemma's plans for expansion and provide suggestions on how profitability can be ensured during and after expansion. A section to coordinate the whole report will come after and provide concluding comments regarding the whole report. Gemma's catering business is a private enterprise under single proprietorship. Even though this does not obligate her to publish her accounts, it does not exclude her from having to document her financial records for taxation and other legal purposes. There are at least three minimum documents needed to properly audit her company's finances. Among these are the balance sheet, the income statement, and the cash flow statement, each of which has a specific purpose within a business enterprise.The balance sheet, from which a company's assets are balanced with their liabilities, "shows a 'snapshot' of the firm at the particular point in time"(Blandon, 2001). It contains important information such as the company's assets (cash in the bank, stock, debtors, and fixed assets), liabilities (creditors, tax payables, other types of liabilities such as long-term loans), and net worth.

Should GMO foods be banned in the United States Essay - 1

Should GMO foods be banned in the United States - Essay Example GMOs refer to bacteria, animals, as well as plants that tend be engineered either for research that is scientific or production through agricultural ways. Genetically modified organisms may have can be termed as health hazards in a number of ways. The harmful health effects caused by GMOs depend on the organism under modification, as well as the purpose for which researchers intend with the organism. Over the years, scholars and various entities have engaged in numerous debates regarding the negative impacts of GMOs on the health of human beings, as well as the environment (Schapiro 97). While some people support the consumption of GMOs, others are in total disagreement over consumption of GMOs. I will argue against the consumption of GMOs. In this regard, I will support the argument that GMOs should be banned in the United States. Discussion Based on numerous studies that have been conducted, the modification and consumption of GMOs poses immense health hazards, which surpass the be nefits derived from these organisms. In most of the developed nations, GMOs are not considered as safe; most countries all over the world have also restricted the consumption of genetically modified foods by their citizens. Therefore, the United States should also follow suit and illegalise the consumption of GMOs (Zarrilli 45). Although the United States government has approved the consumption of GMOs based on several studies, most American citizens have refused to accept these organisms. This should be a wake-up call to the government and other concerned authorities who should ban the use of GMOs in the United States. It is apparent that most American citizens wish that manufacturers label GMOs. The purpose of doing so is to ensure that Americans know what they are purchasing so that they do not buy GMOs (Edelstein 118). Those who support the banning of GMOs in the United States cite a number of reasons why the government should prohibit the consumption of these foods. One of the reasons why GMOs should be banned is because they have high toxic levels. When humans consume natural foods, the probability of getting toxins from these foods can be termed as lower than when they consume genetically modified foods. When exotic genes are inserted in plants, there is a high possibility that these plants will become more toxic than they would be without the genes. As a result, the high levels of toxins can be harmful to the health of human beings. Since inserting a gene into a plant alters its production of toxins, humans will most likely suffer adverse effects when they take genetically modified organisms (Colgan 128). GMOs have high toxic levels since new genes have an impact on the metabolic pathway, which is a precursor to the production of high amounts of toxins. The other reason why genetically modified foods should be banned is because they lead to food allergies. In the United States, food allergy can be regarded as one of the most significant health threats that the government should fight. Genetically modified foods cause allergy when there is stimulation of an immune response by a harmless protein entering the body. This means that when the protein in the GMO emanates from an allergy causing source, there is a high possibility that some immune responses may take place in the human body. The allergic reactions from the consumption of GMOs form a strong basis upon which the United States ought to ban these foods (Garte 229). The other reason why the United States should ban the consumption of GMOs is because they have lower nutritional content than traditional forms of food. The value of nutrients derived from the consumption of GMOs tends to be lower than when a person consumes natural foods. There are limited nutrients that can be found in GMOs and the little it is may be difficult to digest (Lee 20). The nutritional value of a plant declines when there is injection of a gene inside the plant. With limited amounts of nutrients being

Murder and Manslaughter Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Murder and Manslaughter - Assignment Example Murders are divided into first and second degree of murder. First-degree murder is when the accused planned and premeditated about the murder. It carries the highest penalties unlike second degree of murder that was not premeditated or planned (Great Britain, 2006). Manslaughter is illegal killing without malice though it disregards human life. Murder can be reduced to manslaughter in two ways. The first one is heat of passion and the second is imperfect defense of oneself or others. In order for a killing to qualify as caused by passion, the accused must have been provoked compelling him to act irrationally with intense emotion. Lastly, the provocation should be force an average person  to act recklessly. Murder can also be reduced to manslaughter if the accused killed to defend himself or another person. In a scenario where the victim posed a threat to another person’s life, and is killed because of the danger he posed, the accused should not be guilty. However, if the victim’s threat could not have injured the other person, the murder is reduced to manslaughter. The accused charged as per the laws of the country (Yeo & University of Sydney,

Compare and contrast Frankenstein movie vs book Review

Compare and contrast Frankenstein vs book - Movie Review Example Some of the major differences between the book and the movie are: This relates to the death of Caroline. The cause of her death as detailed in the novel is scarlet fever that seizes her after she nurses her beloved Elizabeth to recoup original health. In the movie the cause of death is during the process of her giving birth to William, Victor’s little brother. With Elizabeth Mary Shelley has tried to depict a celestial angel-like figure, with glow around the body and she has shining blonde hair. She is the adopted daughter if Caroline and Alphonse. In the movie Elizabeth’s appearance is entirely different. Rather, it is exactly in contrast to the conception and depiction of her beauty by the author. In the movie her appearance is ugly, with pale and brown complexion and she has curly hair. The author has chiseled a noble character, where as the movie is nowhere near it. The episode of William’s murder is entirely different. As per the book, when William was murde red, Victor was not at home. As per the movie, Victor was in Geneva when William was discovered murdered. In the book, monster had no knowledge of the art of playing g flute and it has never learned how to play it. In the movie, William reaches out to the monster while he is playing his flute. William’s murder is further complicated. ... He had to agree for the suggestion rather under coercion, but realizing the dangerous implications of his latest scientific venture, he destroys the same, just when he is about to breathe life into it. In the movie the place of the creation of the female monster is shown as his home at Geneva. The version in the novel is Victor and Clerval travel to Scotland for the intended creation of the monster. Furthermore, in the movie Clerval doesn’t die. In the novel, Clerval is murdered by the monster in Ireland and Victor is accused of killing his trusted one. The ending of the movie throws out a dramatic difference which is not part of the novel. While Victor and Elizabeth are on honeymoon, the monster attacks Elizabeth on her bed and rips her heart which is still beating, and that results in her death. Victor takes her dead body to his home in Geneva and makes desperate attempts to revive her in his laboratory. In pursuing the objective to bring her back to life, he cuts her head o ff, and sews it onto the exhumed body of Justine Moritz’, the nanny. Though the revival works, its final results prove harmful for him. None of these episodes are part of the novel. With the killing of Elizabeth, the pursuit begins and at the end of the movie the monster commits suicide by burning himself with Victor’s (his father/creator) body. There is no mention of such events in the novel. Some other minor but important variations are: Victor gets (steals) the body parts from the prison as shown in the movie, whereas the book mentions about the graveyard near the school from where he acquires the parts. The book describes about Dr. Frankenstein using the brain of a criminal for his monster, but the movie shows that is his mentor’s brain-- a brilliant scientist.

Bill of Material Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Bill of Material - Essay Example and SAP Inc. designs the BOM for many enterprises depending on the nature and ERP needs of the enterprise in question. The technology companies have to make the BOM application user-friendly so that the management may find ease and efficiency when using it. BOM is a merely a list of the components required to build a product by detailing and providing the manufacturers part number and the amount of quantity need for a particular component. For example, Microsoft deals with production of computer hardware, which typically consists of different parts. The company, therefore, uses the BOM track the components needed to complete a single computer hardware. That enables the company to track the production cost per unit head. Similarly, SAP is a computer technology and hardware company that assembles computer hardware parts to supply to their clients. Consequently, SAP uses the BOM track the cost of particular parts needed for completion of a single product design. Additionally, SAP management can use the information generated to manage its stock and plan for deliveries from suppliers in time. The policies concerning stock control effectiveness is easily monitored through BOM In general, BOM benefits Microsoft Dynamics and Systems, Applications and Products (SAP) in many ways. Some of the benefits include; facilitating and the location of items. Hence, it saves time spent. Additionally, the software identifies the changes that materials have undergone with respect to a particular time. The rules that govern the use materials can be useful using BOM. Lastly, BOM software, gives reports of the full audit of the material usage, all the approvals made during requisition of materials and all the costing involved (Hua & He, 2010). He, P., & Xu, X. (2009). Improving process flexibility through products assignment with bill of material constraints.  Robotics And Computer-Integrated Manufacturing,  25(3), 582-588.

Event Risk Management Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Event Risk Management - Assignment Example This is coordinated by the risk manager who controls the number of medical personnel to be present as well as the amount of equipments to be used. The equipments should be placed before the event begins. The personnel should also remain in place until the special event is over. There should be a communication plan to avoid conflict of interest in case of fire outbreak. According to Taylor (2002) the risk manager should plan for ambulances in case something happens. That is, the number of ambulances to be used as well as well as their passage to and fro the special event compound. People who reject medical attention should be documented to avoid legal issues later. There should also be a shelter to cater for the victims and medical personnel during rainy, sunny or extreme windy conditions. The medical official vehicles should also be secured to avoid cases of vandalism or theft. Fire incidences can quickly be controlled by the use of smoke alarms. Smoke alarms and sprinkler systems should be checked to reduce the spread of fire. Use of an evacuation plan is highly necessary especially for the old, disabled and children. The evacuation plan should be read and explained to the participants in advance. The evacuation plan should be pre tested and discussed by the various fire officials to prevent the actual fire incidence. The evacuees’ routes should be demarcated to necessitate ease during evacuation. Biochemical precautions should be taken care-of by consultations with the relevant experts. Biochemical hazards increase the intensity of the fire and it complicates the extinction of the fire (Taylor, 2002). The risk management team should ensure emergency power backups and phones are put in place to cater for emergences when need arises. Poison can be minimized by provision of hotline numbers for all poison control

Margaret Atwood Essay Example for Free

Margaret Atwood Essay I came across the quote Context is all; or is it ripeness? One or the other[1] when reading Margaret Atwoods novel The Handmaids Tale for English. I didnt give it much attention, because since I was 12, I had come to the conclusion that there was no such thing as a fact and every thought depended on other factors for it to be true. However in this essay Im going to see if my original assumption was true or if there is a way to reach a truth through different branches of knowledge. Im going to take the definition of truth from the dictionary, solely to have a base for which to compare the rest of the essay to; A verified or indisputable fact, proposition, principle[2].Which means that that there are facts that are backed by evidence, such as; it is 14:24 (at the time of writing). However in this case we can apply Atwoods context is all, and change it to context is location, as this scenario isnt necessarily true, seeing that in Sydney the time is 22:25, therefore the truth can be considered relative. Relativism is a doctrine where there is no absolute truth; that truth is always relative to some particular frame of reference, such as a language or a culture[3]. Which brings up a paradox as if someone were to say context is irrelevant meaning the truth would remain a truth in every situation, it would contradict themselves, as that statement would be relative depending on the context. Francis Bacons Empiricism or otherwise known perception, is the process of arriving at the truth through sense experience.[4] People use their five senses to arrive at a truth, however depending on the context, the exact same senses can make that truth false. An example that happens to me frequently is; when I look at a shirt, to me it looks black, but then when I put it under a stronger light and look at it carefully it often turns out to be dark blue. It doesnt mean the senses are faulty or cant be trusted, but the observation; truth, arrived from the use of perception, isnt congruent when the context is changed. Another very bizarre example that happened to me last year when I bought my new phone; is before purchasing it, I didnt know of anybody that had one, but as soon as I had it in my pocket I started realising that a lot of people around me had it as well. Language is the use of characters, symbols, images and sounds as a means of communicating a message.[5] We assume that language is a truth, as we have a general consensus of the different characters, symbols, images and sounds in language. However once again the truth is challenged with the context is all axiom, where in certain cases the truth behind language doesnt stand. My father told me the following example; when Vice-President Richard Nixon, at the end of the 1950s was visiting Colombia, he used the commonly known OK hand sign, denoted with a circle formed by the thumb and the first finger, with the remaining three fingers outstretched, to which the Colombian people, thought they were being called assholes. Rene Descartes Rationalism is the use of reason, be it inductive or deductive to logically arrive at the truth.[6] Descartes used reason to arrive at his famous; Cogito Ergo Sum, I think therefore I am.[7] He was asking the question How do I know I exist ? and he deduced by no more than reason that it all boiled down to; I doubt that I exist, therefore I think, ergo I am.  When I first heard this deduction, it seemed to me that it was flawless. However I remember looking around the room I was in at the time; I realised that objects such as the chairs, tables and even trees to an extent, couldnt deduce their existence like Descartes did, therefore according to his deduction they wouldnt exist. Once again I came to the conclusion that context will undermine truth.

Computer Use in Early Childhood Education Essay Example for Free

Computer Use in Early Childhood Education Essay Abstract The importance of the child’s development in early years of education has reached the stage where it becomes critical that learning programs becomes a global issue. Understanding changes and undertaking practice is fundamental in student learning. The purpose of this article is to increase our perception on the different effects of using computer technology in early childhood setting. In answering the question What is the purpose of education? I started at that time from the observation that man lives in a world of objects which influence him and which he wishes to influence, and so he must know these objects in their characteristics, their essence and their relation to one another and to mankind. Friedrich Froebel Keywords : Early Childhood, Computer, Technology Education, Curriculum Introduction Throughout educational history, world philosophers have wrestled with understanding the myriad of questions and problems surrounding the education of society’s children. Historically, many early childhood educators supported the idea that children should be trained as soon as possible to become productive members of the larger society so that the cultural heritage of the society could be preserved from generation to generation; this cultural imposition theory has been prevalent throughout the educational history of the world (Staff, 1998. Early Years of Education Early Childhood Education is the term commonly used to describe the formal teaching and care of young children by people other than their family or in settings outside of the home. The developmental definition of early childhood education spans the human life from birth to age eight. However, typically early childhood education covers the period from birth to when a child starts school and this can be as early as five years of age as in New Zealand. This time period is widely considered the most vulnerable and crucial stage of a persons life. The early years of childhood are receiving increased public attention around the world. Issues on providing quality service and ensuring a good foundation for lifelong learning is generating a new interest in the academic community by adapting different theoretical perspective, pedagogy and philosophy. There are several key components to understanding how young children learn, and therefore how they need to be taught. In New Zealand, the process of creating the early childhood curriculum was inspired by the evidence of not only a bi cultural society but a multi cultural and multi racial society. CurriculumCurriculum is defined in Te Wha? riki as ‘†¦ the sum total of the experiences, activities and events, whether direct or indirect, which occur within an environment designed to foster children’s learning and development’ (Ministry of Education, 1996, p. 10 cited in Nutall, 2003). This definition of curriculum as ‘everything that happens’ is acknowledged in the curriculum theory literature (e. g. Cornbleth, 1990 cited in Nutall, 2003) and it is a description that resonates with the holistic, child-centred philosophy of early childhood education in New Zealand. The central expectation of Te Wha? riki is that early childhood centres and services will articulate ‘their’ curriculum in a conscious, culturally situated way. (Nutall, 2003). The implementation of Te Wha? riki, which was inspired by The Socio Cultural Constructivism principle of Vygotzsky, introduced the early childhood teachers in New Zealand to the most recent curriculum tradition. One of the reasons socio-cultural approaches resonate with teachers in childcare centres is the way in which children are understood to be learning through their experiences in the centre, including routine happenings such as play and mealtimes. (Nutall, 2003) Within this pedagogy, both the teachers and students are understood to be engaged in a process of actively constructing knowledge, through their interactions with time, space, objects and people. Children learn through collaboration with adults and peers, through guided participation and observation of others, as well as through individual exploration and reflection. There are five different developmental domains of children which all relate to each other. They are easily referred to as the SPICE of life: Social Refers mostly to the ability to form attachments, play with others, co-operation and sharing, and being able to create lasting relationships with others. Physical Development of Fine (small) and Gross (large) Motor Skills. Intellectual The process of making sense of the world around them. Creative The development of special abilities creating talents. Music, Art, Writing, Reading, and Singing are all ways for creative development to take place. Emotional Development of self-awareness, self-confidence, and coping with feelings as well as understanding them. http://www. teachingexpertise. com/articles/computers-and-early-years-1124 According to Yelland (1999), Educators beliefs such as Montessori, Isaacs, Froebel, and Steiner, has led to early childhood programs that are characterized by their adherence to such traditional principles, manifested in unstructured environments, informal contexts, and learning through active exploration and play. Indeed, early pioneers such as Montessori advocated relatively structured learning opportunities, whereas Froebels views supported a less formal structure. However, both Froebel and Montessori seemed to agree that children learned most effectively from self-directed activities that gave them a high level of empowerment and ownership. Technology Education Technology education all over the world is evolving dramatically in a very fast phase as international academic institutions explore the implication of their present status and the rate they are progressing as compared to other developed countries. It is quite safe to say that, it is the brewing competition over the magnitude of the technology education, which comprises the curriculum that is becoming the main catalyst to these rapid changes. This notion could set the trend on how Early Childhood Curriculum should be designed and be implemented. What should be the content of this curriculum to help the children be prepared for technology education? Is the integration of technological tools beneficial to the learning outcomes of the students? Are computers developmentally appropriate to early childhood students?. Introduction of these devices and in some cases integration of the use of the technology in the existing curriculum has been a massive ground for global arguments. What brought this massive revolution to this day’s education is coherent to how fast the world is changing. Change is inevitable and sometimes predictable as it may seem, most of us will still be caught unaware and mislaid. As members of the community everyone takes part in the development of tomorrow’s citizens. The early childhood sector has been heavily influenced by particular views of child development and how children learn. Such views are often based on developmental psychology and seek to develop practices that are developmentally appropriate (Hirsh, 2004, cited in Zevenbergen Logan , 2008) The author believed that whether traditional or technology education, students’ experiences, social influence, and development are the main considerations on the part of the educators/teachers approach in delivering knowledge and evaluating learning outcomes. There have been several studies and articles (Cordes Miller, 2000; Haugland, 2000; Plotz, 2007) on arguments about the content of technology in early childhood, or the appropriate age to expose children to computers. Regardless what the parents thoughts are, whether or not they choose to expose their children to computers, eventually they will be introduced to technology when they enter school. To this day it is still uncertain on whether or not extensive use of computers for young people could be detrimental to their being, physically, socially and intellectually to say the least. What is certain is that technology is at hand and here to stay. Computers are increasingly present in early childhood education settings. Toward the end of the 1980s, only one-fourth of licensed pre schools had computers. Today almost every preschool has a computer, with the ratio of computers to students changing from 1:125 in 1984 to 1:22 in 1990 to 1:10 in 1997. This last ratio matches the minimum ratio that is favourable to social interaction (Clements and Nastasi 1993; Coley et al. 1997). In the event that the use of this technology could be measured in education settings, what are we to assume or expect in the different household settings. No one knows the exact number of computers in each and every particular household. Are Computers Developmentally Appropriate? There are many researchers, organizations, and other programs that recognize the benefits of using computers with young children. One major supporter of children and technology is the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). They created a lengthy position statement on Technology and Young children that states, â€Å"The potential benefits of technology for young children’s learning and development are well documented† (1996). Susan Haugland, a professor of child development and president of K. I. D. S. Computers, Inc. , has done research and recently published an article about the benefits of technology called, â€Å"Computers and Young Children. † In this article, Susan states that an appropriate age to introduce children to computers is at age 3. She also goes on to state that, â€Å" children 3 and 4 years of age are developmentally ready to explore computers, and most early childhood educators see the computer centre as a valuable activity centre for learning. Children this age are developmentally within Piaget’s preoperational stage. This means they are concrete learners who are very interested in using newly learned symbolic representation speaking, writing, drawing (including maps and geometric figures) and using numbers. Children this age are extremely active and mobile. They often have difficulty sitting still; they need frequent changes in learning modalities; and they want a variety of physical experiences involving dance, physical play, climbing and sports. Pre operational children are also are continuing their mastery of language, and exploring various facets of social behavior. Another large organization that supports technology in early childhood education is NETC (Northwest Educational Technology Consortium). They created a resource website for educators and providers called, Early Connections: Technology in Early Childhood Education. This website offers information on how to implement technology into child care centres, preschools, kindergarten, primary grades, and in before/ after school programs. They also offer suggestions on classroom arrangement, software selection, health safety, hardware, and other resources. However, I think the most valuable information they offer is how technology is linked to learning and the curriculum. They state that one of the main benefits of computer use is because it enhances the five development domains: social and emotional, language, motor, and cognitive skills (Early Connections, â€Å"Learning and Development,† n.d. ). Clearly many of these developmental needs match up well with appropriate use of technology in the classroom, especially exploration, manipulation of symbolic representation, matching alternative learning styles, and quickly changing learning modalities that individual students can control and pace to meet their individual needs. It is also a very powerful tool for students with specific learning disabilities (Wardle,1999). If the goal for a certain age child is to learn to write personal journals, then the computer can naturally support that through writing software, digital cameras, and other methods. A science goal that requires learning the solar system can be augmented by using specific CD ROMS and accessing web sites. Similarly, studying extinct and endangered animals becomes more real and educational through the use of specific software and web sites. Lee and O’Rourke (2006), reported an Australian project on ICT use in Early Childhood setting, they discussed that teachers experimented with a range of activities and, in keeping with Piagetian perspectives of early development and learning, attempted to connect concrete experiences with those experiences children accessed on the computer. An example of this is the work done in one early childhood centre with the software ‘Millie’s Math House: Build-A-Bug’. The children created a ‘critter’ on the software and then recreated it in 3D using playdough, matchsticks and other collage materials. Making a connection between the image and the object was a powerful tool for engaging reluctant learners and the teacher was encouraged by the student response to the experience. Another example of this type of experience was developed by a teacher in a rural pre-school centre who used the program ‘Sammy’s Science House: Workshop’ to design, make and appraise a toy or machine. The children were invited to design a machine using the software and to describe what its function was. The teacher suggested that some children might like to build the machine out of materials of their choice. The use of computers in a fully integrated classroom is endless. Software can be used to assist not only the learners but the teachers as well in so many ways. Although research has proven many beneficial reasons to include technology in early childhood programs, there are many who believe that computers are not appropriate and could have harmful effects on young children. Jane Healy, an educational psychologist, wrote a book called, Failure to Connect: How Computers Affect Our Children’s Minds- for Better and Worse (1998), in the book she states that children should be 7 before introducing them to computers due to the harmful effects of computer use on their development. Her view is one that is shared with another large organization, The Alliance for Childhood. The Alliance for Childhood published a large report, Fool’s Gold: A Critical Look at Computers in Childhood, which claims â€Å"computers can have damaging consequences for children under age 7 in terms of their health, social relationships, and intellectual development† (Cordes Miller, 2000, pg. 3). In this report they stated that, â€Å"Computers in childhood may expose children to the risk of a broad range of developmental setbacks† (Cordes Miller, 2000, pg.3). A wide array of experts release a statement about the ways computers are reshaping childrens lives, at home and at school, in profound and unexpected ways. They stress that the use of technology is a distraction from the urgent social and educational needs of the low income children. And concludes with the following statement, â€Å"Those who place their faith in technology to solve the problems of education should look more deeply into the needs of children†. The renewal of education requires personal attention to students from good teachers and active parents, strongly supported by their communities. It requires commitment to developmentally appropriate education and attention to the full range of childrens real, low-tech needs physical, emotional, and social, as well as cognitive† (The Alliance for Childhood, 2000. ) While both views provide compelling arguments, one can not avoid the obvious fact that technology will continue to evolve and will become a more significant part of the daily life. Use of technology in the early childhood program must not be a goal unto itself: the purpose is not to teach children how to use computers; they can do this as they get older, just as they can learn to drive a car later in their lives (Wardle, 1999). Appropriate use of technology in the classroom is to expand, enrich, implement, individualize, differentiate, and extend the overall curriculum. Computers are not to replace physical play, outdoor exploration of the community and of nature; art, music and dance; learning specific social skills and moral values, and experiencing diversity in a myriad of ways. Common sense suggests that we consider the potential harm, as well as the promised benefits, of this change and not rush forward with computer usage in childhood. As an educator we always want the best learning outcome for our students, and to extensively use whatever possible ways to achieve this goal. The only true education comes through the stimulation of the childs powers by the demands of the social situations in which he finds himself. (James, 2005) Teachers’ Perception on the use of Computer Technology inside the classroom. One more compelling issue as regards to the use of technology in early years of education is the preparedness of the early childhood teachers in the use of technology inside their classrooms. Hsiac (2003) stated that the most important aspect of good early childhood program is its teacher, as classrooms practices are influenced by teachers’ beliefs. May (1997, 2000) has traced this rich heritage of multiple ideological, theoretical and pragmatic influences, showing how each successive trend has challenged early childhood teachers to re-examine their practice. (Cited in Nutall, 2003) Fact is not all early childhood teachers embraces the idea of technology education, some of them are faced with ethical dilemma in the use of information technology, (Myers Miller 1996). According to Morrison (2007) there are, â€Å"three challenges confronting early childhood teachers when implementing effective programs using technology in their instruction: 1. ) Their own personal acceptance of technology, 2. ) Confidence that technology has a positive influence on children, and 3. ) Decisions about how to use technology in early childhood programs and classrooms† (pg.383). It’s important for teachers to accept technology and learn how to use it effectively. (cited in Plotz, 2007). Nutall’s (2003) research suggests to explore some provisions of frequent opportunities for teachers to make explicit their knowledge and assumptions about their role. As well as ideas about how children learn through the various aspects of their daily life. Furthermore, such research must take into account the way in which teachers in early childhood constantly teach each other about the deeply inter subjective and interpretive task of working with very young children. Aside from personal struggle there were also some issues being raised in accordance with the role of early childhood teachers in technology education. Gibbons (2006) mention some tensions between the early childhood educators and the government sector which in becoming a challenge for teachers and in one way or another becomes one of the reason for the derail of the their readiness and compliance of the task. Teachers as well as student possessed certain individuality; the trust that teachers should adjust to their student’s ability, will not be the same as students will adjust to their teachers ability. As teachers we are given the higher responsibility of being, according to Vygotzsky, the more knowledgeable other. Complex as it may be or to others simple as it may seem, early childhood teachers should take a step ahead to deliver this overwhelming educational demand. It’s important for teachers to accept technology and learn how to use it effectively. Morrison (2007) offers these guidelines for educators (pg. 384): Educate yourself on the potential benefits of computers and technology. Be willing to try new ways of using technology to help your children learn new knowledge and skills. Collaborate with colleagues in your school and school district to explore ways to use technology. Collaborate with parents and community members, many of whom have skills that you can use and apply. It is also important for teachers to have a positive attitude toward technology to create an appropriate classroom environment. Children will have a difficult time embracing technology if their teacher doesn’t approach the situation with a positive outlook. Summary and Conclusion Endless as it may seem, the ongoing issue of Information and Communication Technology in Early Childhood Education is giving the community of education a more clear and vivid guidelines on the process of creating, conceptualising and implementing policies and standards suitable to each and every environment. Immense concerns coming from diversity of culture and practice takes place. Analysing the impact of using technology in early childhood classrooms have established a variety of implications on different members of the academic community. Teachers, students, policy makers, writers and researchers, centre, and of course the ministry have presented diverse opinions and views on different aspects over this highly arguable issue. Because of the ongoing conflict of interests, the government of New Zealand particularly the Ministry of Education have gone through a major curriculum reforms leading to the development of a national technology curriculum. Technology in the New Zealand Curriculum (Ministry of Education 1995) became mandatory for all schools in February 1999. The development of the national technology education policy and the way in which the curriculum was developed, was described in an article by Jones(2003). This curriculum area will be compulsory for all students from years 1–10. Aside from Jones (2003), the evidence of issue concerning the integration of Information Technology in Early Childhood Education curriculum is becoming countless Gibbons (2006), Compton Hardwood (2005), Zebenbergen Logan (2008), Walters Fehring (2009), Mawson (2007) to cite a few, and of course publications from the Ministry of Education (1993), (1995) and (1996) is as substantial. Recent development in Early Childhood Education offers exciting opportunities for exploration on how these technological tools will continue to improve children’s learning development and provides new stage to discover different aspects of teachers role. The challenge for parents and educators is to maintain a balance on the possible huge and massive effect of this ongoing evolution in technology education. * draft journal article for International Journal for Early Years References Clements, D. H. , and Nastasi, B. K. (1992). Computers and early childhood education. In Advances in school psychology: Preschool and early childhood treatment directions, eds. M. Gettinger, S. N. Elliot and T. R. Kratochwill, 187–246. Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. Clements, D. H. Nastasi, B. K. (1993). Electronic media and early childhood education. In Handbook of research on the education of young children, ed. B. Spodek, 251–275. New York Cordes, C. Miller, E. (2000). Fool’s Gold: A Critical Look at Computers in Childhood Alliance for Childhood. Retrieved April 2, 2011, http://www. allianceforchildhood. net/ Compton , V. Hartwood,C. (2005) Progression in Technology Education in New Zealand Components of Practice as a Way Forward, International Journal of Technology and Design Education Genishi, C. , McCollum, P. , and Strand, E. B. (1985). Research currents: The interactional richness of children’s computer use. Language Arts, 62(5): 526–532. Gibbons, A. N. , (2006) The politics of technology in early childhood in Aotearoa/New Zealand Fitting early childhood educators in the ICT grid, Australian Journal of Early Childhood 31. No. 4 Haugland, S. (2000). Computers and Young Children. ERIC Digest. Retrieved April 2, 2007 from http://ceep. crc. uiuc. edu/ Hsiac, W. (2003), Comparison of Montessori and Non Montessori Teachers beliefs about Developmentally appropriate practice in pre school, Unpublished Doctoral dissertation, University of Northern Colorado, Greeley James, 2005 retrieved from http://www. wilderdom. com/experiential/JohnDeweyQuotes. html Jones, A. 2003, The Development of a National Curriculum in Technology for New Zealand, International Journal of Technology and Design Education 13, 83–99 Lee, L. O’Rourke,M. (2006) Information and Communication Technologies: Transforming views in literacies in early childhood setting, Early years, Vol 26,p 49-62 Marrison B. (2007), Factors affecting learning in technology in the early years, at school, Intl Journal of Technology and Design Education May, H. (1997) The Discovery of Early Childhood: the development of services for the care and education of veryyoung children, mid eighteenth century Europe to mid twentieth century New Zealand (Auckland, Auckland University Press/Bridget Williams Books/NZCER). May, H.(2000) Politics in the Playground: the world of early childhood in postwar New Zealand Wellington, Bridget Williams Books/NZCER). Ministry of Education, (1996) Te Wha? riki. He Wha? riki Ma? tauranga mo? nga? Mokopuna o Aotearoa: early childhood curriculum (Wellington, Learning Media). Ministry of Education ,(1998) Quality in Action. Te Mahi Whai Hua: implementing the Revised Statement of Desirable Objectives and Practices in New Zealand early childhood services (Wellington, Learning Media) Ministry of Education, (1993b), Technology in the New Zealand Curriculum (Draft),( Learning Media, Wellington). Ministry of Education: (1995), Technology in the New Zealand Curriculum, (Learning Media Wellington). Ministry of Education, (2005) Foundations for Discovery) p. 17 Ministry of Education, (2000) The Quality Journey. He Haerenga Whai Hua: improving in Early childhood services (Wellington, Learning Media) Ministry of Education, (2002), Pathways to the Future: Nga? Huarahi Arataki: a 10-year strategic plan for early childhood education (Wellington, Ministry of Education). Muller, A. A. , and Perlmutter, M. 1985. Preschool children’s problem -solving interactions at computers and jigsaw puzzles. Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology, 6: 173–186. National Association of the Education of Young Children. (April 1996). Technology and Young Children- Ages 3 through 8. National Association for the Education of Young Children. Retrieved April 2, 2007 from http://www. naeyc. org/about/positions/pdf/PSTECH98. PDF Nutall, J. (2003), Influences on the Co-construction of the Teacher Role in Early Childhood Curriculum some examples from a New Zealand childcare centre, International Journal of Early Years Education, Vol. 11, No. 1, 2003 pp24-39. Papert, S. ,(1980). Teaching children thinking: Teaching children to be mathematicians vs. teaching about mathematics. In The computer in the school: Tutor, tool, tutee, ed. Plotz, K. , (2007), Integrating Technology into Early Childhood Classroom, Retrieved August 2010 from http://education. csm. edu/students/kplotz/position_paper. htm Staff, 1998, retrieved from http://froebelweb. tripod. com/web2002. html The Alliance for Childhood 2000) retrieved May 2011 (http://drupal6. allianceforchildhood. org/computer_position_statement) Wardle, F. 1999. Retrieved May 2011 http://www. earlychildhoodnews. com/ Walters , M Fehring H. , (2008) An investigation of the incorporation of Information and Communication Technology and thinking skills with Year 1 and 2 students, Australian Australian Journal of Early Childhood Journal of Language and Literacy Vol 32, No. 3pp 258-272 Weir, S. , Russell, S. J. , and Valente, J. A. (1982). Logo: An approach to educating disabled children BYTE, 7: 342–360. Wyett, J. (1999), John Dewey and Earl Kelly : Giants in Democratic Education, Education Vol. 119, No. 1, pg 151-174 Yelland, N, (1999), Technology as Play, Early Childhood Education Journal, Vol. 26, No. 4 Zevenbergen R. Logan, H. (2008) Computer Use by Preschool children. Rethinking Practice as digital natives come to preschool. , Vol 33, No. 1 Friedrich Froebel, retrieved April 2011 /froebelweb. tripod. com/web2002. htm http://applestar. org/capella/Educational%20Philosophers. pdf http://www. educate. ece. govt. nz/ http://www. simplypsychology. pwp. blueyonder. co. uk/vygotsky. html.

Corruption In Latin America The Case Of Ecuador Politics Essay

Corruption In Latin America The Case Of Ecuador Politics Essay As part of an activity in the area of studies in Latin America, the purpose of this essay is to analyze Corruption as one of todays most marked problematic in politics, but more specific the paper will focus in discuss the reasons and consequences of corruption and its manifestation in Ecuador. The background of the regions domestic politics, neighboring countries like Bolivia and Venezuela and its influence over national politics, and the actual events which have determined the situation Ecuador is facing nowadays; during the development of the essay some of these variants will be explained. In this essay, effects of legality and legitimacy will be addressed towards corruption, and how the failure of one of them, lead to larger possibilities of corruption. It will be also explained the reason corruption causes poverty and creates barriers to overcome this problem and the explanation of how corruption affects more to the poor people due to their fewer options to deal with its consequences. It has also shown the negative impact on programs for the eradication of poverty, making them ineffective. Another trend of corruption addressed in this paper is the tendency to the misallocation of resources and the resulting stagnation of economic development. Some of the key factors related to corruption participation, questioning the authority and the observation of law citizens have towards their governments, have being reflected it variables like the income per capita, percentage of poverty, lack of opportunities for education and health care, all of them negative correlated with Corruption. Corruption not only violates the economic and social rights but also violates civil and political rights, distorting or invalidating the political processes and institutions, weakening the role of the judiciary and law enforcement officials. Latin America, a continent full of contrast, determined by a wide variety of climates and natural resources, it also occupies the status as having some of the most corrupted countries in the world. The main issues drawn into this problematic derived from the dilemma of Legality and Legitimacy; the first one is defined as situations accepted by the establish law, while legitimacy consists in the credibility of this law. For many decades Latin American presidents have faced coups and judicial proceedings for corruption cases, Pinochet and Fujimori are clear examples. These violations to democracy and citizen rights have resulted in the lack of credibility in the governors and government institutions by the population. Corruption has had greater impact in the macroeconomic variables, reducing the opportunities to be part of an important international trade and scaring away any forms of foreign investment. Latin Americas institutions are viewed as obsoletes, and due to the high corruption public officials are involved into, the inexistence of governmental institutions provide more chances for all types of corruption, among others, cronyism and embezzlement. Another important factor inducing to corruption in the Latin states is the lack of vertical accountability, which is the standards citizen must have for their political leaders and the punishment they should received, if doing something wrong. Despite many Latin nations counts with a system of elected representatives, the empowerment giving for decision makings to individuals and institutions exert a disproportionate influence in national politics, state and local levels through corruption; This creates loss of public confidence in the institutions of democracy, losing their legitimacy among their citizens. Some of the most common examples of corruption are related to taxation, distribution of public resources and trade regulations. It is important to mention not all the countries posses the same grade of corruption, for instance Panama and Peru have shown a rapid growth (except in 2008-2009), Brazil, Mexico Colombia and Chile have grown into political maturity and a certain economic prosperity; But countries like Honduras, Venezuela, Paraguay and Ecuador have gone backwards, sustaining political instability, the rising of poverty and new opposition parties. In general terms corruption is a phenomenon which many democratic nations face around the globe, its best defined as political corruption involves the abuse of public power for some private benefit (Canache et al, 2005). In the case chosen for this paper, Ecuador, a country in Latin America with a population of 14 million of people is consider according to the Corruption Perception Index (CPI) 2009 as the fourth most corrupt country in Latin America after Haiti, Venezuela and Paraguay respectively. To understand Ecuador todays situation, it is crucial to stress some key facts in the countrys political system. Since the 90s was marked by The Confederation of Ecuadorian Indigenous Nationalities (CONAIE) consider as of Latin America ´s most active indigenous movement, who despite the efforts was unable to reach a vigorous participation in the political system. During the years to come (1997-2005) Ecuador counted with five different presidents, Abdala Bucaram, Fabian Alarcon, Jamil Mah uad, Gustavo Nova and Lucio Gutierrez, three of them elected by popular vote and then forced to leave office by coup dà ©tat; Some of the causes were the severe Ecuadorian Financial crisis in 1999 by the falling of international oil and the latest one caused by popular revolts known as rebelià ³n de los forajidos leader by Rafael Correa. Ecuador actual formal president Correa ran for presidency in 2006 with MPAIS as his electoral movement, competing against the PRIAN and PSP two of the most powerful parties in the country. His strategic formula to win the spot was defined by anti neoliberals formulas, promising a political reform, redesigned the governmental institutions and placed the state as the main actor in regulating the national economy. Correa, characterized by left turn ideology, played his first card by calling to a plebiscite to support his idea of a new constituent agenda annexed to the creation of a new constitution, winning by 82% yes vote; the triumph was indubitable in double sense, not only he placed 80 of the 130 seats with his viewers (MPAIS) in the constituent assembly, but he appeal for the public opinion as a democrat, taking peoples voice into account and increasing public content on his government. Due to the new constitution elections were call again in 2009, this time Correa won in the first round with an overwhelming 51,69% of approval. Despite his triumph during the last year his popularity has dropped from an initial 73% to 52%; Correa Falling in the polls was due, among other things, the scandal sparked by millionaires public contracts awarded to Fabricio Correa, brother of the president. This Abuse of public power for private gain is consider as one of the most popular form of corruption, which results into a mistrust of the population in the government and its institut ions. According to Huguette Labelle, Chair of Transparency International when basic institutions are weak and nonexistent, corruption spirals out of control and the increased looting of public resources, enhance the insecurity and impunity. 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 Country Rank 82 74 79 89 113 112 117 138 150 151 146 CPI Score 2,4 2,6 2,3 2,2 2,2 2,4 2,5 2,3 2,1 2,0 2,2 The above graphic shows the Corruption Perception Index during the past 10 years in Ecuador, the score maintains a similar range, but more surprising regardless of the many different presidents Ecuador has counted with, and the different policies applied, they seem to be trapped in the same problem: Corruption When Correa took office he argued to be part of todays new wage of leftist president, with domestic and foreign policies to be implemented according to the 21st century socialism. Although he increased social expenditure by rising salary wages and conceding credits to small businesses, they were likely to be short term concessions, per suiting a permanent campaign and keeping opposite parties under control. Part of Correas government initial trend was retuning the exploitation of natural resources done by foreign multinationals to the Ecuadorians, instead in practice, he signed contracts with outsider companies for the exploitation of strategic mining and energy resources, the real question here is what was under this rare contradiction, or perhaps is a form of clientelism? In this process, Indian communities living and working the lands signed to the mineral multinational complained, but Correa dismissed the movements, replacing and rejecting claims; in other words, his new socialism proved to have a lack any social structural changes, but more into what he opposed or not. Some other initiatives took by Correa and his government, relying in the countrys development strategy, was granting telecommunication monopolies to private firms, an opposition to land reforms by attacking the agro-commercial class (located mainly in Guayaquil) and a subsidy with clear support to the capitalist class. Some responses by the people have resulted in protests, and a consider drop in the polls. One cannot assume the surplus of money for private benefits in Correas government, but the lack of transparency in the actions made with the public budgets; prove the non existence control by Ecuador legislature, an ineffective judiciary, as well as non independent oversight bodys institutions and a weak implementation of the law. In the International Arena, the situation of Ecuador has followed two paths; the most visible influence by other states in Ecuadors government orientation is the clear support from other leftist presidents, as it is the Case of Venezuela with Hugo Chavez, and Bolivia with Evo Morales. The alignment for new plans of cooperation within the nations and the ideas of imperialism by remain in power, adds more reasons to believe the impunity of corruption Ecuador posses. The idea of refusing to pay the external debt by Correa, stressing an illegitimate foreign debt, contracted by past corrupt governments was conceive by the World Bank as a way to mislead public budgets into actions leaded for private gains, and although Correa did not take the risk, the hinders for development and the investment in the country has maintain a low range due to the apparent instability of Ecuador The opposition by renewing the U.S. military base in Manta expired in 2009, the resistance of signing a FTA with U.S., and the diplomatic crisis handle with Colombia in 2008, have been some of the events which placed the country resistant against globalization, and rumors of ties with the terrorist group FARC with president Correa have damage the states image considerably. Some other scandals have included the spenditure of more than US$ 4 billion in subsidizing sectors which do not require, like petroleum products and the electrical sector, consuming over 80% of total subsidies; the benefits seem to be directed to the elite classes, leaving behind the thousands of people living in poverty conditions. When corruption is spread in a country variedly segments are involved, but the most affected Part of the population is the poor due to their incapability to absorb the costs, and this is exactly the consequences of corruption in Ecuador, where the percentages of poverty have raised dramatically over the past years. Corruption has undermined the people in many ways, traducing in inequality, remote access to health and education, and therefore the illiteracy of the population. One of the main consequences is a conversion to a society very tolerant with corruption, perpetuating a vicious cycle ending again in more corruption. Nowadays Ecuadors domestic politics is highly oppressed by Correas government, leaving narrow participation for the opposition parties PRIAN and PSP, and almost no room for the rising of new parties. Also in encounters coercion to Indigenous movements, dismissing any kind of ideas nonaligned with Correas conceptions. President Rafael Correa admitted this year that there is widespread corruption in the society of his country and announced his government is preparing a national campaign to fight against corruption. Correa stated corruption has not yet reached the levels of the upper government, it has taken not only the public sector but the private sector as well. Actually there is a campaign which evolves the entire population, acknowledging the population they must denunciate anyone who enriches with public money, and avoid paying taxes is a form of stealing to the state, and therefore is a form of corruption. Among other strategies the campaign promulgates to claim any information regarding to politicians visiting them with special offers. Corruption is negative related to the countrys performance in terms of GDP, international trade, foreign investment, economic diversity and wealth (Volkema, 2001) meaning corruption will have to be taken seriously by the government, the strategies implement m ust focus on addressing the real causes of corruption in order to balance Ecuador to a more prosperous and equal country. PERSONAL OPINION AND FINAL RECOMMENDATIONS As stated in the preamble to the United Nations Convention against corruption, the scourge poses a serious threat to stability and security of societies, undermining the institutions and values of democracy, ethics and justice and jeopardizing sustainable development and the rule of law in my opinion this phase can be linked to Ecuador actual situation, where no real institutions exist for defending populations rights, and the coercion of opinion from other movements and a constituent assembly who obeys to Correas mandates encloses the country with clear and pure examples of corruption. Ecuador is a country with its majority are indigenous living to merely filling some of their needs, leaving aside the idea of attending to schools and very weak health system, consequently they do not bother to really claim for a more transparency government. Although is it true many protests are done in Ecuadorian lands, they seem not be effecting with lowering corruption, in my opinion the country must concentrate in creating proper institutions in order to audit this process, but society itself must engage into one voice, proclaiming their rights and cease the toleration of corruption. It is wicked to say elections should be call again and chose another candidate from a more capitalist party, and one of the main reasons is that history have shown despite the wing a president comes, corruption still persists, so even mayor changes should be done. One of my recommendations is the creation of programs that develop the economy of the poorest ones, and based in hypothesis made Davis and Ruhe (pag 6) countries with a high per capita income and upper foreign investment are perceived as less corrupted. At the same time this part of the population will have more opportunities for education, and the generations to come will be more aware of how deep corruption hurts a country. I do not criticize the new leftist in their in basis or proclamations, but I contentedly oppose the way the ideas from the 21st century socialism its being applied, contemplating a more equal distribution, but in reality the only beneficiaries are the ones who receive mayor contracts for being brother of the high commanders, or the elite people who keeps the subsidies supposed to be for helping the real needs of one economy, and neither the suppression of voice, which is why after studying the different variables in Ecuadors corruption I finish this paper by pointing Mahadma Ghandis quote Corruption and hypocrisy ought not to be inevitable products of democracy, as they undoubtedly are today.

Realism and the War on Terror Essay -- essays research papers

Realist thought on international relations fit comfortably within the context of the great wars of the twentieth century. Powerful nations possessing massive military forces took aim at one another to affect the hierarchical structure of the international system for the good of their own security and power. These wars, however, differ greatly from today’s unconventional war on terrorism. Therefore, the realist theories of yesterday, while still useful, require at least some tweaking to fit the present situation.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Probably the most obvious critique of realism with regard to the war on terrorism is that it is a theory that deals with international relations. The belligerents in the war on terrorism are not always conventional nation-states. Therefore, any theory that seeks to explain international relations must be amended to fit the framework of a situation in which nations are not the only players. This is not simply a matter of diction either. Non-state actors do not always act like states possessing a cohesive foreign policy and a desire for self-preservation and advancement. Furthermore, terrorist organizations are not tied to any specific area of land surrounded by well-defined borders that are protected with conventional military forces. This is not to say that terrorist organizations like Al Qaeda and Hezbollah are entirely devoid of the motivations on which traditional nation-sates act like the desire for power, wealth, and security; beca...

America Attacked :: Essays Papers

America Attacked The United States of America has gone through almost every emotion in the book, but we will never forget the events of September 11. As of now, investigations are taking place across the nation. From anthrax to the Al-Qaeda, the FBI and CIA seem to be stumped as to where to look. The developments of the story on anthrax have not stopped President Bush on his â€Å"Life Must Go On† speeches, but it anthrax scares still have citizens in a frenzy. How to deal with anthrax, or basically the mental idea of â€Å"ohmigosh I can’t check my mail I might die† has its pros and cons since you can’t avoid checking your mail for the rest of your life, yet there is always that fear there. As for the new story about the Al-Qaeda, what is said to be â€Å"Bin Laden’s Web of Terror†, we only know so much as to what the media is giving. From what I’ve learned, the Al-Qaeda is similar to the stereotyped â€Å"MAFIA†, where Bin Laden has a network of followers all over the world in 60 different countries, where he has support financially and support from those who are part of his network. It is kind of like if Bin Laden says â€Å"go†, there will be someone there to respond. It is scary to think about, really, but I believe the FBI has to get moving and let the people know what is going on. How much of a threat is there? How worried should people be - especially since the holidays are just around the corner? These are questions I would like to be answered. Businesses all around the world are on a roller coaster right now, and nobody knows when the ride is going to stop, or more importantly, how and where it is going to stop. For example, will businesses be on the top or the bottom of the ride? An example of a re-opened business that affects airlines is the Concorde. Since the crash of the Air France Concorde in the summer of 2000, the planes haven’t flown. Now, the return of the world’s fastest commercial planes are back in the skies, but their only problem is, will there be people riding them? Over 50 million dollars has been spent on preparing the return of the Concorde, but some people are skeptical as to whether or not the business will do well.

Erikson and Meet the Parents

Erik Erikson’s theory of psychosocial development details eight different stages describing a healthy human’s development from infancy to late adulthood. Each stage presents a new conflict between a biological and sociocultural force. Successful negotiation of these forces results in the individual moving the next stage with the favored attribute. Mastery of each stage’s challenges isn’t necessary to advance to the next stage but unconquered challenges are likely to reappear in the future. Almost every movie out exemplifies some form of family dynamics and Erikson’s stages of development.However, the movie I chose to demonstrate two characters in two different psychosocial development stages is Meet the Parents. Meet the Parents depicts Greg Focker’s struggle to gain his girlfriend Pam’s dad’s approval for her hand in marriage. For many men asking the love of your life’s dad for approval to marry her can be a very nerve-r acking and scary experience. For Greg, a Jewish male nurse, Murphy’s Law takes over and the situation becomes more embarrassing than expected. It doesn’t help that Pam’s father is a strict, overbearing, ex CIA agent with a lie detector in the basement.The two characters I will be relating to different stages of Erikson’s developmental theory are Greg Focker and his soon to be father-in-law Jack Byrnes. Greg Focker is definitely in the Intimacy vs. Isolation stage of development that typically occurs between ages 20-24. His existential question is â€Å"Can Love? † Greg has established his career and identity and is open to the ideas of love and marriage. He is ready to make a long-term commitment and has done so with Pam, his live in girlfriend.Their intimate, reciprocal relationship has made Greg willing to make sacrifices and compromises required to make her happy and their relationship function. This concept is exemplified throughout the movie a s Greg goes to great lengths to gain the approval of his loved one’s father, Jack. Since Greg has been able to form an intimate relationship with Pam, intimacy has prevailed over isolation. Jack Byrnes is in middle adulthood; his internal conflict is generativity vs. stagnation. The main question faced by individuals between the ages of 25-64 is â€Å"Can I Make My Life Count? Generativity is the concern of guiding the next generation. Jack already possesses a sense of generativity since he has been married, raised a family and contributed to society through his career in the CIA. He is now concerned about the next generation of his family, his daughter’s family and offspring. Although his daughter is grown he is still trying to help her grow into a responsible adult and having trouble accepting her soon to be spouse. However, in the end he does learn to accept Greg and master generativity; as a result he is on his way to the last stage of life which focuses on the vi rtue of wisdom. Erikson and Meet the Parents Erik Erikson’s theory of psychosocial development details eight different stages describing a healthy human’s development from infancy to late adulthood. Each stage presents a new conflict between a biological and sociocultural force. Successful negotiation of these forces results in the individual moving the next stage with the favored attribute. Mastery of each stage’s challenges isn’t necessary to advance to the next stage but unconquered challenges are likely to reappear in the future. Almost every movie out exemplifies some form of family dynamics and Erikson’s stages of development.However, the movie I chose to demonstrate two characters in two different psychosocial development stages is Meet the Parents. Meet the Parents depicts Greg Focker’s struggle to gain his girlfriend Pam’s dad’s approval for her hand in marriage. For many men asking the love of your life’s dad for approval to marry her can be a very nerve-r acking and scary experience. For Greg, a Jewish male nurse, Murphy’s Law takes over and the situation becomes more embarrassing than expected. It doesn’t help that Pam’s father is a strict, overbearing, ex CIA agent with a lie detector in the basement.The two characters I will be relating to different stages of Erikson’s developmental theory are Greg Focker and his soon to be father-in-law Jack Byrnes. Greg Focker is definitely in the Intimacy vs. Isolation stage of development that typically occurs between ages 20-24. His existential question is â€Å"Can Love? † Greg has established his career and identity and is open to the ideas of love and marriage. He is ready to make a long-term commitment and has done so with Pam, his live in girlfriend.Their intimate, reciprocal relationship has made Greg willing to make sacrifices and compromises required to make her happy and their relationship function. This concept is exemplified throughout the movie a s Greg goes to great lengths to gain the approval of his loved one’s father, Jack. Since Greg has been able to form an intimate relationship with Pam, intimacy has prevailed over isolation. Jack Byrnes is in middle adulthood; his internal conflict is generativity vs. stagnation. The main question faced by individuals between the ages of 25-64 is â€Å"Can I Make My Life Count? Generativity is the concern of guiding the next generation. Jack already possesses a sense of generativity since he has been married, raised a family and contributed to society through his career in the CIA. He is now concerned about the next generation of his family, his daughter’s family and offspring. Although his daughter is grown he is still trying to help her grow into a responsible adult and having trouble accepting her soon to be spouse. However, in the end he does learn to accept Greg and master generativity; as a result he is on his way to the last stage of life which focuses on the vi rtue of wisdom.

Costing Methods Paper Essay

Variable and absorption costing methods are two different costing methods. Almost all successful companies in the world use both methods. Variable costing and absorption costing cannot be substituted for one another because both the systems have their own benefits and limitations (Accounting for management). This paper will complete and discuss exercise 19-17 in Wiley Plus: it will discuss the following questions: In this case, would it be better to use the variable or absorption costing method, and why? In this example Polk Company should use the absorption method, because the absorption only uses overhead that allocates to the 80,000 units sold. Whereas the variable method counts the fixed overhead as a period expense, the fixed overhead during this period is calculated on 95,000 units produced, when the absorption method is used. The variable method just calculates fixed overhead on 80,000 units sold. What are the benefits of the two methods? Both systems have their own benefits and limitations. The absorption method gives management information of product cost this is the main benefit of the absorption method. The benefit of the variable method is it gives an output the mimics the cash flow of the company. Which method would lead to the best decision when a competitor is submitting a lower bid for your product? The absorption method would be best although both methods are used, with variable costing expenses remains the same, and with the absorption method fixed production cost are period cost. Variable costing method helps with demand based pricing. References Accounting for management. (n.d.). Variable costing versus absorption costing. Retrieved from http://www.accountingformanagement.org/variable-vs-absorption-costing/

In times of conflict Essay

Conflict is both certain and unavoidable. Although conflict is mostly a terrible thing, it is because of conflict that the true nature of ordinary people is seen. The way people behave in times of conflict show who we are and how we are seen in civilization. There are some who, motivated by fear, conduct themselves in a disgraceful way during conflict but there are some who are able to rise above and act in extraordinary ways in times of conflict. This is evident in the history of Oskar Schindler, one of few who cared for the Jewish community during the holocaust and managed to save 1,200 Polish Jews. People don’t need to be known to be motivated to do great things, the unknown protester referred to as â€Å"Tank Man† risked his life during the Tiananmen Protests†¦ The defiance of â€Å"Tank Man† are also shown in the film Paradise Road as the women of a Japanese POW camp during World War 2 rebel by the use of a vocal orchestra. The Holocaust is one of the w orst things to happen in history, Nazis treated Jewish people like animals and killed over 6 million of them. Although the Jewish community was seen as an inferior race that didn’t deserve to live, there were many that sought to help them. Many people would hide Jewish families in their houses, risking their lives to save others as they knew it was the right thing to do. Oskar Schindler is an example of how an ordinary person can do extraordinary things during conflict, throughout the holocaust he managed to save approximately 1,200 Jewish people. As being a part of the Nazi party, Schindler was an unlikely ‘hero’ for the Jewish people, he was a businessman who made his money out of exploiting a cheap source of labour, the Jews. Schindler was a wealthy man, but he gave it all up to save the Jewish people that he employed, his courage and audacity saved over 1,200 Jews from the ‘final solution’, but left him with nothing, except respect from the Jewish community. Schindler saved these people through bribery and his ammunitions factory. He persuaded German offi cials to agree to build a camp for his workers close to the factory to cut down travel time and cost, he also bribed the guards and smuggled in food, clothing and medication to the camp. Schindler continued to make his factory a safe haven by continuing to bribe guards to make them stay outside the fence and denying entrance to anybody who hadn’t had his permission, Schindler would even sleep in his office at night to stop the `night calls’ the Gestapo (the ‘secret police’ of Nazi Germany) would make. Schindler’s factory was useless to the German army,  Schindler made sure that there was no working armoury coming from it. With his boldness came great danger, Schindler was arrested several times and was only saved through his Nazi party connections. When the war was over Schindler was honoured by the Jews but rejected by his own countrymen. Although Schindler is a very well-known person, there are many who remain nameless despite their great actions during conflict. People don’t do extraordinary things for fame or recognition they do it because they know it’s the right thing to do. Twenty years ago, on June 5, 1989, following weeks of huge protests in Beijing and a crackdown that resulted in the deaths of hundreds, a lone man stepped in front of a column of tanks rumbling past Tiananmen Square. The moment instantly became one of the most iconic images of the twentieth century, a symbol of the protests as well as a symbol against oppression worldwide, an anonymous man referred to as the ‘Tank Man’ acted in defiance and was seared into people’s minds around the world. The man stood in the middle of a column of approaching Type 59 tanks. With nothing or no one but 2 shopping bags in each hand the man was able to get the tanks to stop, as the tanks repeatedly tried to drive around the man, he simply followed in a show of nonviolent action, stopping the tanks further progression. After the tanks stopped their engines the man climbed on top of the tank and began talking to the driver. The man’s identity still remains a mystery and the menti on of the man is frowned upon in China but because of the tank man’s courageous act, people around the world use him as a symbol of oppression. The same defiance can be seen in the film Paradise Road. When looking at the tank man and references of paradise road, what is revealed is the inner courage and defiance that comes out in times of conflict when their life is on the line. During World War 1 many innocent women and children were captured and detained in Japanese prisoner of war camps. The true story of Vivian Bullwinkel, Betty Jeffrey and many others formed the basis of the film. As Japan never signed the Geneva Convention women and children were never off limits and were treated just as bad as men, as the ones the Japanese despised the most were â€Å"Europeans, then prisoners, then women†. The poor treatment, living condition, sexual harassment and constant oppression caused many of the women to start a vocal  orchestra as a way of keeping their spirits alive. One of the main characters that came up with the idea of an orchestra, Margaret, understood that many of the women in camps willpower to survive had vanished and realised the orchestra would boost morale of the prisoners. By the end of the film, Margaret passes away and although the women are not strong enough to sing for her funeral they begin to smack rocks together in a beat. As normally the Japanese would not allow such noise, this act is a direct defiance to them, showing that they still have a bit of control. It is clear to see, through conflict such as the holocaust that Oskar Schindler was involved in, the Tiananmen Protests where the unknown defiance of ‘Tank Man’ was seen, along with the defiance of the prisoners in the film Paradise Road, show that people are definitely capable of extraordinary things when under the influence of conflict.

Failure of Reconstruction

Failure of Reconstruction Reconstruction is defined as a thing that has been rebuilt after being damaged or destroyed. Following the civil war the South was very much damaged both physically and emotionally. The radical republicans tried to reshape the south for their own benefit which was unsuccessful across the board for many reasons. Ultimately reconstruction failed to accomplish the goals of the free blacks and radical republicans because the radicals wanted a hard reconstruction of the south that was unrealistic because it neglected the life goals of the newly freed African Americans.Once the thirteenth amendment ended slavery the newly freed blacks of the south had some important goals in mind. In the source â€Å"Jourdon Anderson, Letter To P. H. Anderson† Jourdon discusses his objectives as a free man which included the wages he earned working for his former master, education and protection of his children, and to be treated with respect ( Reading, 159). It was not jus t Jordon who wished these things; all of the newly freed blacks were seeking these goals and other goals as well.Even though the radical republicans strongly opposed slavery, their goals during reconstruction did not exactly support the black’s goals. Radical republicans aimed for a hard reconstruction of the south that would erase the gross inequalities in wealth created by slavery. They believed the best way to accomplish this was by dividing up the land in the south. Taking the land away from the rebels and selling it to the freedmen. Radicals firmly believed the property of the rebels should pay for the national debt caused by the Civil War (Reading, 161). The southerners did not support this idea whatsoever.They are extremely angry with Thaddeus Stevens for wanting to divide up their land, land that has been in their families for generations, and give that land to black people (Reading, 161). Southerners tried to recruit former slaves back to their farms in order to keep a small part of slavery existing (Reading, 159). Ultimately the white southerners wanted to establish white supremacy. They did so with violence, enlisting fear in the blacks and interracial couples by lynching (Reading, 169). Georges Clemencau was a French physician and journalist, covered Washington politics for a French newspaper.In the source â€Å"U. S. Senate, Reports On ‘Outrages Committed By Disloyal Persons’† Clemencau talks about the double standard the U. S. government has for military and civil heads of the Confederate government. He talks about how the whites forcefully get what they want in any way they want weather it’s unconstitutional or not (Reading, 167). The goals of the radical republicans revolved around making the southerners pay for the war damages, giving blacks a chance to be free people, and eliminating the vas variations in wealth among the slave owners.While these goals seam realistic, the extent in which the radical republica ns wanted them done was not. As well as these goals could not be completed without support from others, and the white southerners did not support these goals. The free blacks reinforced these goals, but they were not at the top of their list of goals following the abolition of slavery. Thusly causing reconstruction to fail for lack of support and the vast amount of sacrifice they demanded from the southerners.

Case Study of Tommy & Keith Pte Ltd-Free-Samples for Students

This is a letter in reference to the sale order that had been processed on the first week of May. Please let me highlight the contract specifications so that the particulars of the agreement or deal become clear between the two parties. It had been mentioned in the contract that the particular requirement for the company Lee & Lee, had been the replacement of the hundred units of photocopiers in the office. The particular problem faced with the existing photocopiers had been that, they were a decade old and the paper trays inserted into the photocopier machines were not automated. This means that the paper trays had to be manually altered or removed when the paper sizes were changed from A4 to A3. Therefore, the primary condition of the agreement that is reflected in the contract is that the new photocopier machine should enable photocopying both A4 and A3 papers without the manual alteration of the paper trays. Another important condition that had been mentioned in the contract is that the photocopier machines should have complied with the required specifications and the photoco pier machines should be delivered within sixty days from the date of signing the contract, failing which would result in the payment of fine from the seller company. Now, it should be made clear that the both the conditions had been successfully met. This means that Tommy & Keith Pte Ltd had made a delivery of a hundred photocopier machines within the first week of May. The major specification of the contract that the photocopier machine could photocopy both A3 and A4 sized papers without the manual change in trays had also been met. The photocopiers delivered by us facilitate the photocopy of the A3 sized paper with the mere pushing of a button. The machine has a manual feed slot for successful execution of photocopying the A3 sized papers. The need for the removal of the manual slot is not there in case of the delivered, COUSINS brand photocopier machines. Tommy & Keith is an organization of much global repute. We deliver a majority of the photocopier machines in Hong Kong. Being, the sales director of the organization, it is my primary duty to convey the fact that until date there has been both positive and negative feedback in regards to our products. However, there has been no official complaint that the products, which we have delivered, are different from what has been mentioned in the agreement or contract of the company. Furthermore, for us the motto has always been that â€Å"THE BUYER IS ALWAYS RIGHT†. Therefore, the particular requirement that had been the facilitation of the photocopying of both A4 and A3 sized papers without the manual change in the trays had been successfully met. Moreover, there has been no mention in the contract about the delivery of the photocopy machines with dual trays. Though it is a fact that the organization, Tommy & Keith had been clearing the single-tray copier units, that does not justify the allegation brought over by Lee & Lee. Moreover, this is the fact that has enabled the company to provide the tender at such a cheap rate. It is a mistake on the part of your company that the required inspection of the product had not been conducted before signing of the contract. It should be noted here that no further units will be delivered to Lee & Lee as the deal has been successfully closed. Alavi, H., 2016. Contractual restrictions on right of beneficiary to draw on a Letter of Credit; possible exception to principle of autonomy. International and Comparative Law Review, 16(2), pp.67-86. Fried, C., 2015. Contract as promise: A theory of contractual obligation. Oxford University Press, USA. Schwenzer, I., 2016. Global unification of contract law. Uniform Law Review, 21(1), pp.60-74. Wirtz, J., Tuzovic, S. and Ehret, M., 2015. Global business services: Increasing specialization and integration of the world economy as drivers of economic growth. Journal of Service Management, 26(4), pp.565-587 End your doubt 'should I pay someone to do my dissertation by availing dissertation writing services from

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

Topic 1 - Essay Example Taxation has been an issue. Many states have their sources of income tax. However, the national government, in its quest to raise more revenue for the country’s agenda, has instituted numerous mechanisms that enable it to get a large share of the tax that states collect. It has enabled the national government to suppress the federal government as its needs increase day in day out. Controversial issues such as abortion and same-sex marriages have allowed the national government to influence states. It is not clear what laws, especially pertaining to such controversial issues should be followed. However, national laws have prevailed in the country concerning such controversial issues as individual states continue to deliberate on the way forward. The process of nationalization is justified, because in the current world, globalization has led to a seemingly smaller world. Hence, the country’s agenda should be one as opposed to that of each state, which will ensure that the nation prevails on its soil and in the global

Loyalty Scheme in the Airline Sector Research Proposal

Loyalty Scheme in the Airline Sector - Research Proposal Example Today, over one million people are enrolled in loyalty programs to receive free upgrades, travels, and favorable treatment in return for being potential or frequent clients. Indeed, loyalty schemes have been a powerful tool to convert first-time clients to frequent and potential clients. In the airline industry, customer loyalty schemes seek to retain and acquire clients, boost customer spending habits, and boost the purchase of additional goods and services. Additionally, the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) program has promoted growth in this industry. CSR programs have increased growth and profitability in the sense that, companies have embraced the fact that they have an ethical and moral obligation in addition to their actual roles of attaining profits and complying with laws and regulations. With this, this pamphlet seeks to discuss how loyalty scheme and CSR has operated in the airline industry and affected business and other stakeholders. In the 21st century, successful airlines companies have integrated loyalty schemes to address and boost customer relationship and interactions. This strategy has enabled most companies to develop marketing and promotion campaigns that augment growth and profitability (Li-Wei & Chung-Yu 2012, p40). Loyalty schemes are an effective way to boost customer-retention levels. By increasing customer retention, the industry has grown tremendously. As the business world becomes competitive, the industry has recognized the need to reward the most valued customers. As a result, this has enhanced profitability and converted new clients to potential and frequent clients. Â  The industry has implemented various programs such as discount, rebate, and points program. Often, consumers receive instant discounts when shopping, and in turn, this increases their spending habits. Discount programs create a platform where consumers enjoy favorable prices and impact the industry’s growth. Rebate prog rams have played a significant role in increasing consumers’ spending. Basically, consumers accrue benefits from their purchases and receive their profit after a given span of time. This increases consumers’ spending in that, many accumulate financial benefits from the company’s programs. Points programs have augmented growth in the industry. Often, consumers obtain points from buying goods and services and thereafter they obtain discounted or free goods and services. In so doing, this increases sales and revenues and retain potential and frequent clients.

STRATEGIC LEADERSHIP Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

STRATEGIC LEADERSHIP - Essay Example At the beginning of the 20th century, IQ tests had been considered as the most valid measure of individual intelligence and potential to achieve success in life (Mandell & Pherwani 2003). However, IQ could not reflect the emotional and situational factors of leadership success (Mandell & Pherwani 2003). Today, research of how emotional intelligence and gender affect leadership styles is gaining momentum in organization studies and industrial psychology. More often than not, emotionally intelligent leaders are believed to possess an inherent capacity to perform better and transform the organization. Gender is claimed to predetermine the choice of particular leadership style. However, both assumptions have their strengths and limitations. Emotional intelligence and leadership styles That emotional intelligence (EI) and leadership style create a cohesive relationship has been widely documented. The body of empirical and theoretical literature examining the effects of EI on leadership style constantly expands. Emotionally intelligent leaders are generally considered to be happier than their non-emotional colleagues (Gardner & Stough 2002). Emotionally intelligent leaders are associated with greater workplace and organizational commitments and are believed to have emotions needed to improve the quality of decision making in organizations (Gardner & Stough 2002). Emotions have the potential to boost enthusiasm in followers and contribute to the development of sustained interpersonal relationships (Gardner & Stough 2002). These are the most popular claims highlighting the relationship between leaders and their emotions; but is everything as good as it seems? Generally, researchers recognize that EI does affect leadership styles. Of particular importance is the relationship between EI and transformational leadership (Mandell & Pherwani 2003). Really, transformational leaders usually display a greater extent of emotions than non-transformational leaders, and this fact has far-reaching implications for the effectiveness of their leadership decisions. EI enables transformational leaders to develop and articulate enthusiasm for the vision and mission (Mandell & Pherwani 2003). Emotions contribute to the development of charisma in leaders (Mandell & Pherwani 2003). Emotional leaders have better opportunities to develop trust and commitment among their followers. It is no wonder that EI is mainly associated with transformations and transformational leadership styles. Leaders who score high on emotional intelligence scale usually display better emotional recognition and expression that non-emotional leaders (Gardner & Stough 2002). They can eas ily identify their feelings and express these feelings to others. EI leaders have a capacity to incorporate their emotions in decision making and use these emotions for the benefit of their organization. In other words, emotionally intelligent leaders can use their emotions to direct and guide their cognition (Gardner & Stough 2002). Emotional intelligence greatly influences leadership style, because emotionally intelligent leaders can read other people’s emotions, identify and interpret them; more often than not, it is transformational leaders that accomplish this emotional job (Gardner & Stough 2002). Emotionally intelligent leaders also possess good emotional control and can manage their own and others’ positive and negative emotions (Gardner & Stough 2002). The main question is in whether the EI-leadership relationship is strong and what theoretical models (if any) can