Geography Coursework – Methodology – Centre Of Leeds’ CBD

For my geography project I visited Leeds to try and find the economic centre of the CBD of Leeds. I needed to collect land use data as this would help me investigate the first of my hypotheses which is the nearer to the centre of the CBD, the taller the buildings as I counted the heights of buildings in my area on the geography field trip and with the groups data of the building height of the whole CBD. Also I would have needed to count the pedestrian flow as this would help me investigate the second of my hypotheses which is there will be a higher volume of pedestrians nearer the centre of the CBD .The data collection area was near the centre of Leeds CBD as I collected my data around Briggate as the edge of the Leeds CBD is near the tall office buildings. < a map to show the buildings that our group had counted in our square B2 and shows numbered square > The two pieces of individual data that I collected was: 1. traffic count 2. Environmental quality assessment The two pieces of group data we collected was: 1. Pedestrian flow 2. Land use 3. Building height The individual secondary data that I will be collecting is: 1. Land values The structure of the day was that we were going to split the day into two halves. We collected the group data in the morning and the individual data in the afternoon so we had much more time to collect our individual data. Group data For our group data we split the CBD into grid squares and two people were responsible for recording the building height and land use for the buildings in the given area and to do four pedestrian flows and we did the pedestrians flow outside the Town Hall on Westgate. We did this so we could cover more area and therefore the data collection techniques had to be the same throughout the whole year. For the group data we calculated the Pedestrian flow in a certain area at four different times also we calculated of the building height of the buildings in my groups square and started straight after we got out off the coach. Also we did land use of the buildings for this we calculated what particular use a building would be. We put letters on a map of Leeds that sod for type of the building e.g. a=commerce, b =administration etc. All the data in the Group Data was to be shared between all the groups. < The image on the left to shows my square which was B2 and the image on the right shows the building we had to investigate> Building Height To collect data for building height I worked with a partner and we counted the number of windows of each building in our grid and used this as the height, we did this because we didn't have the time or equipment to measure the exact heights. We then collected the whole of the year's data and have a good number of buildings from each grid to see where the tallest buildings are also the Building Height was fairly easy at times as you had to count the floors on the outside of the buildings, but there were problems counting the building height as we agreed not to count the cellars, but some buildings on slopes had cellars at the back and ground floors at the front of the buildings and we did not agree to count these aswell. Pedestrian flow We marked out four points on our maps equally distant apart and took counts of people who pass us. One of our pair counted right to left and the other counted left to right so we could efficiently record everyone. We went to the Town Hall on Westgate and we counted the number of pedestrians who were walking either in or out of the CBD. We thought this was an ideal to do our pedestrian count as we were near the edge of the CBD, so it was an ideal place to count the number of pedestrians walking in and out of the CBD. Land Use For this we used the ground floor land use of each building on our maps; we had certain categories and we put them in the ones which best fitted the land use. We did this because the categories gave an idea of the type of land and what it was used for. We then collected them with the rest of the year's data on a database to see the different land uses around the CBD. We had filled in the land use of the buildings in a table which has all the number of the buildings. I think that the amount of categories that sort out the buildings was the right amount because if there were more categories it would have made it more complicated to organise the Land use on GIS, if there was less categories then it would have made it hard to organise the different types of buildings in the categories. Luckily we had successfully had no problems classifying the buildings into different categories. Individual data For individual data I collected raw data for the two options I chose. I did this by going round Leeds CBD and recording the data. In the second part of the day we did Individual Data. I did 10 environmental quality assessments and I did 2 traffic counts as they took 5 minutes each and the environmental quality assessments were scattered around the Leeds CBD. Environmental quality survey I did many of these all around the CBD of Leeds as I had done 10 environmental quality assessments and I had done many of these near the centre of the CBD as my investigation is to find the centre of the CBD of Leeds. I did many of the environmental quality assessments around the centre of the CBD (which I think it is near or on Briggate) and I did the rest of the environmental quality assessment sheets around the edges of the CBD. The reason I did the survey in different areas of the CBD was to see the difference of the quality of the environment throughout the CBD of Leeds. I also thought that this survey was important as the centre of the CBD is supposed to have the best quality of environment in the whole CBD of Leeds. As the table shows this is not true and the cleanest area is in Gourmet Pizzeria, St Paul's Street. < Shows the Quality of environmental survey I used> Traffic count Our group did the Traffic count in a busy location. We did our traffic on Bishopgate Street, beside Leeds Train station. The reason of us choosing the location was because it was at the edge of the CBD meaning the traffic that we had counted had been going in and out of the CBD. We did 3 traffic counts at different times but at the same location as we wanted to see the change of the traffic flow throughout the day. In our traffic count we had counted all the vehicles that came passed the road, cars, buses, taxis e.t.c. The most amount of traffic that had come past our point (the highest number of vehicles an hour) was at 2.30 pm and there was 1524 Vehicles an hour.

Cognitive Studies as the Direction of Modern Linguistics

COGNITIVE STUDIES AS THE DIRECTION OF MODERN LINGUISTICS At the end of the 20th century linguistics applied to anthropocentric paradigm of knowledge including among other things presentation about the human factor in the language [4, 2001:15]. The cognitive linguistics is the study of how the person operates the symbols, while coming to understanding the world and themselves in the world, the subject matter of which is the human mind, the thinking and the mental processes and conditions [11, 2005: 8]. The processes associated with knowledge and information are called cognitive ones.Their synonyms are also words  «intellectual »,  «mental »,  «and rational ». Cognitive aspect is the basic concept of cognitive linguistics. It is obvious that in the complex of human sciences the relations between language and other human activities are closely interwoven with each other. Languages give cognitive scientists the key to understand human behavior even in the greater degree, than the culture and society [6, 1997:21]. In the 70-80th of the last century mainly lexico-grammatical and thematic groups of words were studied for identifying general and specific characteristics in a lexical system of language.Today the cognitive research is aimed at expansion of the Humanities [2, 2005: 28]. It is the question of great importance for scientists to find out the very existence of the words in the mental lexicon of individuals. Scientists consider the word to be a unit of knowledge, phenomenon or process meant by it, and also the knowledge of unit position in the system of language, where it is associated with other units of the same system [6, 1997: 306-307]. There are many definitions of concepts, as the term  «concept » is currently one of the most popular in a Russian science.It is not only about linguistics, the concept is used in perceptual and cognitive psychology, and lingvo-cultural science, sociology, and many other sciences. The concept is a multifacete d term, that can be considered as the storage of cultural values, and as a unit which the background for the perspective is the cultural environment surrounding the person. According to Professor V. A. Maslova there are 3 approaches to the concept’s definition: 1. The first approach pays great attention to cultural aspect – when the entire culture is understood as a set of concepts and relations between them.Concepts are like clots of cultural environment in the person’s consciousness. 2. The second approach defines the semantics of linguistic sign as the only means of concept formation. 3. Representatives of the third approach believe the concept to be a combination of word meanings from personal, and national person experience, i. e. the concept is the mediator between words and reality. Concepts are universal [11, 2005: 32]. E. S. Kubryakova considers concept as the operational memory unit, mental lexicon, the conceptual system and the language of brain, the whole picture of the world, the quantum of knowledge [7, 1996: 90].Structure of the concept, according to Pr. Stepanov consists of 3 layers: basic sign, optional and inner form, usually not realized. The structure of the concept can be represented in the circle form, in the center of which lies the main concept, the core of concept, and on the periphery is everything that are brought by culture, traditions, national, and personal experience [11, 2005:42]. Each concept includes evaluation, personal attitude towards an object. The same concepts can cause various associations in the different recipients [3, 2006: 24].Cognitive linguistics is aimed at modeling the picture of the world. The concept itself is an element of the picture of the world, when the picture of the world is one of fundamental notions; it is a model of the world, which is formed as the result of human interaction [11, 2005:47]. Concepts can be classified according to different grounds. They can form emotional, educa tional, and other conceptual spheres. Concepts of objects and movements with the concepts of space are included in the list of  «primary » concepts defining conceptual system of the human being.Space is one of the main forms of categories of existence, reflecting the extent, the position, and the location of objects in a world continuum. As a consequence, the space belongs to the basic categories of thinking, and causes strong interest for scientists. The movement is a form of life and the factor of human development. The concept of movement – is a complex phenomenon, and is associated with the characteristics like the starting point of movement, the last point of movement, way of movement, the environment in which the action takes place, its orientation, move pace, and character of action [8, 2004: 10].Identifying the sources of phraseological unit’s origin we share the opinion of N. N. Amosova, who considers it to be the speech situation in which the original wor d is used in a phraseological meaning [1, 1963:65]. Each phrasal unit initially was the individual's formation, and at first was used in a single context. The verbal complex is to pass several stages before becoming a phraseological unit. Potential phrasal unit is a speech phenomenon. When words complex are used in countless contexts, they gradually acquire elements of stability, and form phrases.Actually it is impossible to ascertain the  «forthcoming » of phrases [10, 1996: 158]. We can assume that each word being born in someone's speech gets new meanings in the course of its further usage. The important feature of obtaining new values is the degree of abstraction [13, 2001: 67]. A. M. Melerovich points out abstraction from lexical and grammatical meanings. She distinguishes four levels of abstraction: highest, high, medium, and low one. 1. The highest level of abstraction is observed in phraseological fusions, and in phraseological intensifiers. These phrases are completely abstracted from the literal meanings. . At the high level of abstraction phrasal units have all kinds of abstraction except grammatical one. 3. The average level of abstraction is observed in phrases with partially rethought meanings, i. e. , where one component is used literally, and the other one is used in figurative sense. 4. The low level of abstraction is characterized by the fact that all components are used in the literal senses. The structure of abstraction in this case is so-called  «colorless abstraction » [14, 1959:171]. Thus, the phraseology reflects complex of culture and psychology of the people; it is a unique method of thinking.However, for each language the selection of priority word’s meanings depends on cultural development. Presence of a certain motivation,  «which is directly linked with people’s outlook » proves that idioms have cultural and ethnic connotation. The study of phrases gives the key to understanding of language picture of the world [16, 1996: 214] Literature 1. Amosova N. N. The basics of English phraseology/L. , 1963 2. Karasik V. I. Ethnospecific concepts. Other mentality/Moscow, 2005. 3. Kamishnikov ?. ?. Conceptual sphere/Taganrog, 2006. 4. Kravchenko ?. ?.About the question of modern linguistic cultural science’s origin /Taganrog, 2001. 5. Kubryakova ?. S. Cognitive features of motion verbs. Logical analyses of language/Moscow, 1992. 6. Kubryakova ?. S. Parts of speech from a cognitive point of view/Moscow, 1997. 7. Kubryakova ?. S. , Demyakov V. Z. , Pankrats U. Z. , Lusina L. G. Concise dictionary of cognitive terms /Moscow, 1996. 8. Kubryakova ?. S. Language and knowledge: On the way of language knowledge acquiring: ? : Parts of speech from a cognitive point of view/Moscow, 2004. 9. Kunin A. V. English-Russian dictionary of phrasal units/Moscow, 1984. 0. Kunin A. V. The course of modern English phraseology/Moscow, 1996. 11. Maslova V. A. Cognitive linguistics/Minsk, 2005. 12. Melerovich A . M. The problem of semantic analyses of phrases in Russian/ Yaroslavl, 1979 13. Polikarpov ?. ?. Reflection of historical events by phraseological fund of modern English language/Kaluga, 1998. 14. Smith L. P. Phraseology of English/Moscow, 1959. 15. Stepanov U. S. Constants. Dictionary of the Russian culture. Experience of research/Moscow, 1997. 16. Teliya V. N. Russian phraseology. Semantic, pragmatical and lingvo-cultural aspects / Moscow, 1996.

Physical Activity and Education Standards Essay

It is a matter of fact that with the increased accent on academic education, physical exercise programs are declining in public and private schools. Nowadays there are minimal opportunities for students to lead active life during school time. It was reported that the number of students who attend physical training every day had decreased to 29 percent in 1999 compared with 42% in 1990. It is possible to maintain ideal body weight and health due to physical education classes. Students must receive at least an hour of physical training daily. Such process should involve vigorous activity during 10-15 minutes daily. It is apparent that sport is available in public schools, although not all children like to attend these classes. (National Standards) It is necessary to design such physical activity for students which will firstly meet required standards and secondly arouse interest among children. The most interesting and exciting activity is school sports competitions, because they involve many kinds of physical activity and develop team spirit in participants. School competitions will involve all students who are physically fit and also who are weaker. The competitions will last two days and embrace different activities. The first day will pass through l team games such as basketball, volleyball for girls and football for boys. The second day will process through team competitions devoted to running: long-distance races, sprints, running on the spots, high jump and standing (running) broad jump. It is necessary to explain why such physical activity is chosen. The first reason is that students will demonstrate their competency in different movement forms and their proficiency in selected ones. The second reason is that during team activities students will demonstrate team spirit, responsible social and personal behavior. The last reason is that students are taught in such way to understand and to respect differences among students with different physical abilities.

English Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 2

English Paper - Essay Example The song begins somewhat in medias ressince we can tell he is aggrieved, but we never get to find out the nature of his grievance until the last part when we see his woman who cuckolded him.This song is a true modern quiescence of the myriad of emotions ranging from bitterness, and pain that result from spurned love. It is no less representative of the concept than the classic literature in traditional works such as sonnets that are commonly associated with eloquence in expressing the theme of unrequited love. The idea of scorned love is introduced in the first words, which he sings as he drags massive, old-fashioned piano down the road. Immediately although without actual evidence, one realizes the bitterness in his voice as he belts out the first words; "easy come easy go that’s how you live oh, take take, take, but you never give". His tone is not just bitter, but it is also accusatory, this is a common characteristic when a love affair has gone south, as one often feels embittered and betrayed. His bitterness is brought out in his saying she has beaten him until he is black and blue, in a display of artistic decorum and candor, he tells her to say hey to the devil when she gets back home. The insinuation of the woman’s diabolism further supports the claim that he is as bitter as can be. As the song progresses we are get insight into why he is so bitter, in the chorus, the unrequited nature of this love is laid up in a starkly when he claims,he would have caught a grenade, jumped in front of a bus or even caught a bullet for her. Indeed die for her, but asserts with a face clouded in pain that she would never do the same. This juxtaposition serves to show the disparity in emotional priorities for the couple with the man giving his all and the woman giving nothing. There is intermittent interaction between the singer and clips symbolic of the actions he is singing about such as jumping in front of a train. Bruno Mars, the main

Future Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Future - Assignment Example – (Baudrillard, 1993) Baudrillard was of the view that the art world, in recent years, has moved into dark insight for future, with creativity significantly stifled by lack of curiosity and aesthetic sense. The artistic intellect of people has been largely paralysed, leading the art world into anarchy and blindness. It is same as a biological system being affected by disorder in its internal genetics and inherent rules that govern it. Similarly, art world has faced turmoil due to collapse of the underlying components that establish its foundation. The above quoted statement suggests that currently, the field of telematics has suffered largely from its own backfired initiative taken for promoting transparency and candidness. To make it worse, eventually technology came into role-play which focused primarily on creating mobility and connectivity. In due course of achieving these goals, technology led the society into a scenario where face-to-face communication is no longer value d or considered (Baudrillard, 1993). Although, the whole propaganda of art has been observed to flourish across the globe in recent decades, this enhancement is not in real terms. The true spirit and obsession that was embedded in art forms in previous times has diminished largely. The innovation, that once led artists and spectators into an imaginary world and generated serenity and ecstasy for them, no longer exists in the modern world. Consequently, art has lost its cultural significance, emotional attachments and extrinsic value in our societies. Now, the masses have gone astray in absence of aesthetic sense for artistic objects and primarily focus on their materialistic values and religious implications (Gane, 1995). â€Å"Artists and ordinary Web surfers alike will have to determine whether cyberspace truly is a new form of absence and ‘transparent evil’, or whether, instead, it is a place for creative, intelligent, and beneficial sensory exploration and communal connection.† - C. Freeland Previously known merely as a network of computer terminals, cyberspace is no longer restricted to this simple and technical definition. Freeland claimed that the internet has embedded into our communities and lives to an extent where survival without it is not possible anymore. He stated that it has promoted transparency to unacceptable levels, thereby allowing social evils to be easily acknowledged by masses as part of the evolution process. It is only fair to state here that the global village is on the verge of entering an information and technology age where spatial creations shall be more valued than natural beauty. In context of art, internet has caused a major transition of people from appreciating reality and originality to accepting the virtual forms of art. Simulation discards the craving for an aesthetic eye to be pleased with some real piece of art; instead, it develops recognition for ‘hyperreal’ content which is limited on ly to screens that displays cyberspace interface. Transparency here refers to the increasing proximity of

Why I should be considered for master degree program Essay

Why I should be considered for master degree program - Essay Example I have always been a very good student getting positions and certificates. My teachers and professors always considered me a student worthy of reward. Thanks to the interest and hard work I put in, I happened to get an internship which helped me in getting acquainted with the work field. The duration of the internship was more than one year. I have also attended some training courses as well. Now, I want to enhance my knowledge regarding business through admission in masters program in business administration. I feel that I have enough knowledge and passion to show that I have a craze about going ahead in the business industry and contribute to the financial market. I keep myself updated with market requirements. I keep on reading related journals, books and magazines, and attend related seminars being held in my vicinity. I feel that I possess those special skills needed to fulfill the requirements for this course. I have always come up fresh, innovative and unique ideas. I have learnt basic computer knowledge and softwares, so as to equip myself with the latest technology that may help me in excelling in this course. I also possess the ability of synchronizing and connecting together the thoughts of the teacher and the student in a successful way. I have always thought about bringing my knowledge into use that I gained during my college. This enthusiasm is what pulls me to apply for this MBA degree. I am also interested in various aspects of business, like ethical leadership and conflict management. I believe that a leader must be able to resolve conflicts with efficiency. He must be ethical in his decisions and ideas. It is also important to stay in ethical boundaries while dealing with partners, shareholders, buyers, suppliers, and especially, the customers. I believe that customers are the most important asset of a business. I want to gain further

Giving back as much as you take Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Giving back as much as you take - Essay Example As averred by Taylor – Cassan, (2007, par. 1), â€Å"recently, more and more companies have been becoming green. They have been volunteering time and donating money to green causes, using green technology, and encouraging their employees to think green†. Environmental sustainability is defined as â€Å"maintaining the factors and practices that contribute to the quality of environment on a long-term basis† (Business Dictionary, 2011, par. 1). For a student, one can actively be committed in a transformation in one’s personal lifestyle through focusing on ways that would protect, preserve and sustain the environment. One of the most common and simple way that would help contribute to environmental sustainability is to conserving electricity. People have the tendency to be indifferent in turning off lights or even water, when not in use. Turning off electrical appliances such as the television, computers, and other electrical gadgets from the plug would help minimize electrical consumption. Another simple and effective way to support sustainability is to observe the ‘reduce, reuse and recycle’ slogan in terms of becoming responsible and aware the amount and quality of garbage that one throws away.

Argumentative Structure in A Long Way Gone and Sizwe's Test - A Essay

Argumentative Structure in A Long Way Gone and Sizwe's Test - A Comparative Study - Essay Example More importantly each of them have revealed an as yet undiscovered face to the causes that they explore – adding significantly to our understanding of them and their potency. The purpose of this paper is to discern the argumentative structure in either narration and to provide a comparative study based on specific examples from either. Very often, such a study in itself can be very fruitful towards understanding the works better as a pivotal change in narration, a particular emphasis on a style of argument that permeates a given work, or certain paragraph that stand out clearly in it’s narration as opposed to the rest of the text, add significantly to the depth of the work and subconsciously affects the reader’s enjoyment adding or subtracting from it as the case maybe. Before we proceed to the core of our discussion, it would be advisable to consider both works separately and understand the gist of their argument, as this would be important for understanding why a particular work has adopted a particular point of narration. A Long way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier, written by Ishmael Beah, published in 2007, is an autobiographical account of the plight of boy soldiers in world’s conflicts and in particular tell this story from the war ravaged Sierra Leone. ... He presents his story in front of the United Nations where he meets many other people like him and story carries him to the United States where he begins a new life 2. The story tells the hardship of the life of boy soldiers, children who anywhere else in the world are still in the innocence of their childhood and hands that carry books haven’t yet the crassness of a knife. Sierra Leone opens before us in wonderful detail, with the layers of it’s social interaction being visible in greater strides finally dissolving into a medley of social interactions that we all can identify and relate to. Sizwe’s Test by Jonny Steinberg, published in 2008, tells the story of the AIDS epidemic in South Africa. No other country perhaps has been at the peril of this scourge as perhaps South Africa where one in eight men are HIV positive1. Steinberg is puzzled that despite this, most people do not get tested for HIV, nor do they adopt widespread safe sex practices. His story tells us the complex socio – economic realities in the suburban slum of Lusikisiki, thorugh the eyes of Sizwe – a local shop owner 3. The story begins and then proceeds at a casual tone of narration, getting the reader to the characters and the environment in which they live. Then they reveal in wider and ever expanding circles the layers of this semi-urban community and finally tells us why the people are so stigmatized about HIV. Sizwe has had unprotected sex with many women and is at great risk himself, but he refuses to get tested. He becomes the window through which Steinberg narrates the tale of Lusikisiki. The absolute lack of privacy, the fear of being shown as

Northern Rock PLC Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Northern Rock PLC - Essay Example In this way the government, representing the taxpayers, may recoup its investment and the bank may be returned to the private sector. A bank that shows consistent profit is attractive to potential buyers. To do this its financial strategy must continue its plans of further restructuring its business model. It must reduce its capital costs base by better cost management. And while pursuing and adjusting to medium term growth, Northern Rock must focus on innovation and new markets, and continue to build on transparent and open communication with its stake-holders. Discussion Today, under Government ownership, Northern Rock Plc has kept together some 70 branches over which it must wield a steady hand toward corporate profit in the interest of its stakeholders, the taxpayers, and its depositors. Since its black day of 17 September 2007, when depositors were shown on worldwide TV queuing in long lines outside the bank to make their withdrawals, the bank has went through several stages of restructuring. The initial one was the takeover by the government. Throughout these restructuring processes, the bank has sought to rebuild a substantial market for its mortgage loans, a market that is different from the business plan that the bank had pursued before 2008. Previous to 2008 and after Northern Rock became public in 1997, the bank soon embarked on a risky business plan that was coupled to a flawed bank regulatory system. Since 1997 Northern Rock was regulated by the newly created Financial Services Authority (FSA). The FSA did not share any information it had with the Treasury or with the Bank of England who was responsible for monetary policy. Both the FSA and the Bank of England were slow to step in and stop Northern Rock’s demise. The FSA had, in June 2007, instead allowed Northern Rock to decrease its amount of required on-hand capital. This action exemplified the regulatory system that allowed the bank to overextend itself in the speculative mortgage deriva tive market. But even today the bank as a retail and savings bank must rebuild its image and processes in the same waters of financial risk. During the period of the default, Northern Rock’s business plan was based on securitizing mortgages in the short-term wholesale market to support its long-term longs. It was packaging multiple mortgage loans and selling them as bonds to investors. This business model had depended on stability in the mortgage securities market and the confidence of those who traded in the debt packages. When the housing prices begin to show full scale plummeting from speculated highs, lenders stopped extending rollover loans to Northern Rock and they eventually took their money from the bank. In August 2007 credit froze up in the bank liquidity market and Northern Rock could no longer sell bonds over the face of a broad liquidity freeze. It could not make any new loans. On August 13, 2007, the bank requested emergency funding from the Bank of England. It was only after the Chancellor of the Exchequer guaranteed all deposits at the bank in later September did the resulting bank run stop. The present Northern Rock Plc was created from The Northern Rock Transfer Order which on 1 January 2010 restructured the bank into two banks, Northern Rock Plc, the savings bank with new mortgages, and the Northern Rock Asset Management Plc (NRAM) (NRP, 2011). The latter took over the "toxic" mortgage assets and is concentrating in mortgage loans. North Rock Plc began its

Health profile examining a health issue in the community i worked Essay

Health profile examining a health issue in the community i worked - Essay Example The disorder is a chronic inflammatory condition often linked to allergies, in which the airways develop increased responsiveness to various stimuli, characterized by bronchial hyper-responsiveness, inflammation, increased mucus production, and intermittent airway obstruction. The symptoms of asthma, which can range from mild to life threatening, can usually, be controlled with a combination of drugs and lifestyle changes. Many environmental factors are known to precipitate attacks of asthma. These factors are all either allergens or irritants. Allergic factors play a role in many, but by no means every, case of asthma. Some factors and triggers that can cause an asthma attack are: dust, animal dander, pollen, an infection, breathing cold air, exertion, reactions to certain medications, workplace chemicals and cigarette smoke. Asthma is increasingly becoming a public health concern because of its rapidly increasing prevalence, affecting up to one in four urban children.2 Susceptibility to asthma can be explained in part by genetic factors, but no clear pattern of inheritance has been found. Asthma is a complex disease that is influenced by multiple genetic, developmental, and environmental factors, which interact to produce the overall condition. The incidence of asthma seems to be higher among low-income populations, which in the western world are disproportionately minority, and more likely to live near industrial areas. Additionally, asthma has been strongly associated with the presence of cockroaches in living quarters, which is more likely in such neighborhoods.3 A genetic role in asthma has long been suspected, primarily due to the clustering of cases within families and the concordance for asthma in identical twins. Several studies conclude that heredity increases ones chances of developing asthma, particularly if allergies or other allergic conditions are present. Moreover, one may pass this tendency to asthma to the next generation. The

My personal Faith journey as a Roman catholic utilizing Fowler's Essay

My personal Faith journey as a Roman catholic utilizing Fowler's Stages of Faith as related to my life - Essay Example For days I believed that I had tainted my soul, for which I needed to beg forgiveness from God. During my childhood days the Church services were very traditional. I still remember that at that time the Mass was said in Latin. I attended the Mass more out of an allegiance to family practices, without really understanding as to what was being said. The Church fascinated me and I listened to the Jesus stories with rapt attention and interest. I very soon realized that there existed different approaches to faith such as the Catholics and the Protestants. However, my grandparents being from Ireland often spoke unfavorably of Protestants. So in a way I preferred to imitate their views regarding religion by holding that there was only one true approach towards faith as espoused by the Roman Catholic Church. I must say I experienced an exposure to different religions not until my teens. Most of my friends were Catholics and we avidly participated in the activities organized by CYO (Catholic Youth Organization). At the age of 13 I felt a strong desire to devote my life to the service of God and humanity. I aspired for a meaningful social identity through selfless service. To learn more, I actively corresponded with the nursing nuns serving in Pennsylvania. During my high school years, I aspired to be a nursing nun after my graduation. This is the time I affiliated to Fowler’s third stage of faith that is Synthetic-Conventional Faith. I felt so happy and confident that I was going to lead a meaningful life, serving the Church and the faithful. My course was almost set when; surprisingly I graduated to Fowler’s fourth stage of Faith, the individuative-projective faith. With the passage of time as I came across people from different faiths, I felt an innate need to question my beliefs. I realized that my focus was quiet narrow, which didn’t allow for understanding and appreciating people who were not Catholics. Somewhere I also started to believe that as God was

Sustainable Design and Its Place in my Pedagogy Essay Example for Free

Sustainable Design and Its Place in my Pedagogy Essay I believe that a person needs to know how to make (they need an understanding of the theories of manufacture at very least). They need to have that skill before they can become an accomplished designer. Equally, I believe that a maker needs to have a good understanding of the design process (they need a concept of design at least). This conceptual understanding will in turn inform the manufacture of designs. This maybe a bold statement to make, but my prior experiences have led me to stand by this assertion. My BA (Hons) in Furniture Design Craftsmanship was a fifty per cent design based course with a fifty per cent making aspect. This meant that with my understanding of how furniture was constructed, this informed my designing. But by the same token, not a complete compromise was ever made on the design. We were encouraged to stick by our guns with regards to form and function, and to whichever way our particular project was slanted. From that, when I entered the world of employment, realisations hit me thick and fast. It was evident when working with some interior designers, as well as some architects, that there was clearly no real concept of how their designs were going to be brought to three-dimensional life. This put a lot of pressure on me as a maker, to work through the problems of the designs. Now, if I was unfamiliar with the processes and concepts of design at this stage, I could have (as many in the same workshop did), said that it was not possible and not offered much in terms of alternatives or solutions (even though the designer seems to take a larger chunk of the commission and never pays for that problem solving that a manufacture has to deal with). If however, the designer is more familiar with the processes of manufacture, many problems could be resolved at the drawing board. I have also experienced levels of craftsmanship that are not worthy of that title. I am strong in my belief, that in Britain (or at least in the South-East and London areas); there is a distinct lack of practical ability regarding manufacturing expertise. Great Britain was once famed for its remarkable craftsmen and women of all fields, but working on building sites over the last three or so years has led me to ask; what happened to them? I believe, important hand skills are being lost and that design technology in schools is one of the only tools to try to reintroduce a revival. This could be done through a series of Focused Practical Tasks (FPTs); this will inform later Design Make Assignments (DMAs). However; Ofsted has reported consistently that designing skills lag behind making skills. In 2002 Ofsted reported that in some schools, there is insufficient attention to the processes of designing, particularly in Key Stage 3 where pupils experience of design and technology is merely a sequence of short focused practical tasks with no opportunity to apply their own ideas in a longer design task. (ITE, 2009) I personally have a pet dislike towards the current linear style project folder. An ADDIE model (Analyse, Design, Develop, Implement, and Evaluate) these processes are considered to be sequential but also iterative. (Molenda, 2003) This is present in most schools and has been for a number of years, certainly during my education. It wasnt until I started my higher education that I realised that design is not linear at all. Design practice in Technology education in high schools context is not a representation of the professional realm of design. (Leahy, 2009, p. 25) We dont write a brief, research, write a specification, design, develop and make on after the other. In reality, we are constantly researching all along the way, we are then testing at a number of different stages and that advises our designs, developments require another level of research and so on. I understand the ease that a linear style can prove to be in school practice, but it is an artificial way of design. Both Linear process and assessment are stifling creative design outcomes. (Leahy, 2009, p. 25) I would like to build into my teaching a way of a addressing the folder design, so that it becomes more natural and closer to real industry approach. I also feel that as designers or makers, we have a conscience role and obligation to making a sustainable planet. On my degree course an emphasis towards sustainability was always implied, Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) was one of many governing bodies spoken about. We were always encouraged to be as least wasteful as possible and very conscience of selecting the right timber or other materials. I gained a great amount of respect for the importance of sustainability from two key sources. One was that in Native American Indian culture, that when a buffalo or bison was slain, not one piece of its body was ever wasted, all flesh became foo d, organs we delicacies, hides became clothing and shelters and bones became tools. The second was a book One Tree. The book shows the workings of a number of artists, sculptors, furniture makers and other craftsmen and women, that all used material from one oak tree. Every single bit of the tree was used, so that one persons waste was the next persons to manipulate. (Olson, 2001) Sustainable Design is a focus towards elements of social, environmental, developmental and ethical concerns. When going through the processes of designing physical objects and built environments; Questioning the need for a product; achieving more for less; a concern for quality of life instead of material standard of living; a focus on causes of environmental problems rather than their symptoms; and an onus on service as opposed to ownership (Goggin, 2002), all need to be considered along the design journey. This relates directly to my topic regarding the 6 Rs. The intention of sustainable design is to eliminate negative environmental impact completely through skillful, sensitive design (McLennan, 2004). This can only be achieved by: empowering people (children as well as adults) with the knowledge, ideas and tools that not only address current needs but also those of future generations (United Nations, 1992). Sustainable design will naturally lend itself to sustainable development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet the needs of their own (Goggin, 2002, p. 257). Two biologists Anne and Paul Ehrlich (1990) proposed that environmental impact (E) equates to population (P), multiplied by material consumption, or affluence (A), multiplied by the environmental impact of technology used to produce goods (T). This is shown as: E = P x A x T. Goggin and Lawler (2002) then explained that as a benchmark of today we can show it as 1 = 1 x 1 x 1. The United nations International Panel on Climate Change have called for a sixty per cent cut in green house gases. Population is set to double in the next forty years and the affluence mark is supposed to increase four times. This means to balance the equation: 0.4 (E) = 2 (P) x 4 (A) x ? (T), Technological Impact needs to be 0.05. That is a ninety-five per cent reduction. Clearly sustainability cannot be achieved through design alone and in the absence of a Draconian population control, we are left with affluence. (Goggin, 2002, p. 258) Does this then mean that the task of simply reducing the amount of products we manufacture is not enough, we then have to consume a lot less as well? We can consume far a smaller amount by addressing the six Rs, or in particular; Repair, Reuse and Recycle, and on a deeper level Refuse products that are not fit for purpose or/and non-sustainable. We can also address the issues of material consumption and technologies environmental impacts, through adopting an Ecodesign methodology or even a consideration for Life Cycles. These approaches look at every impact in every stage of the products life span towards the environment, as well as looking to improve the products function, appearance and quality (or Fit for Purpose). I have written into my topic of work an analysis task which in turn leads on to a redesign task or a development task, where a somewhat non-sustainable product is evaluated and redeveloped sensitively, in order to reduce the environmental impact of that product. Even if this is only on a basic introductory level, it will provide and use some, if not all, the relevant skills that are required for sustainable design. I believe if an element of sustainability is written into all design briefs, whether it is a small FPT, or a full DMA, then a thought at least to sustainability will be second nature. When walking around classrooms on my placement (also of my own schooling experience), challenging a pupils design folders for their inclusion of sustainable thought, seemed to receive a strained after-thought explanation. I have found myself trying to question further their intentions for material choices and production techniques. In doing this, sometimes the answers are good and seem well informed as if the knowledge is present in their understanding, but not applied in their designing. On other occasions, they simply do not have the knowledge and depth of understanding to inform their designing. That then puts the responsibility on us as design technology educators, to deliver not only the knowledge for their understanding, but also to write into project briefs and assessment criteria an aspect of environment consideration. There are a number of natural areas where sustainability fits neatly into the current ADDIE project folder style. I know I have mentioned my dislike for this unnatural linear way of designing, but maybe small steps are in order. In a full DMA project folder, for example a KS4 GCSE or A-Level controlled assessment folder, research, analyses and design developments are all areas to include sustainability, at very least. Most projects require an element of researching a current market product. While researching an analysis can be carried out to outline its level of sustainability and in this analysis evaluation, suggestions can be made to how to improve these levels. This subsequently leads onto writing in to a specification these findings and that will inform the design stages of the project. This is then revisited at the modification stage as well as the evaluation. This is not a new concept by any means. It was included in the 1995 National Curriculum frameworks. The approach to pupils understanding the issues of sustainability take three forms: eco-logging, eco-choice points and life-cycle design. (Goggin, 2002) Although I am suggesting that we ensure that sustainability is featured in design technology lessons, it is actually a statutory requirement. It is mentioned on a number of occasions throughout the 2008 National Curriculum and could also be interpreted into the Every Child Matters policy, under Making a Positive Contribution. Sustainability was also one of the buzz words at a recent AQA Teacher Standardising Meeting I attended. The AQAs controlled assessments guidance are pushing for an emphasis in pupils folders to be on sustainable design. (AQA, 2009) My chosen topic of sustainability fits into my personal pedagogy, as the importance of sustaining our environment is a not only crucial, but more of an obligation of a designer. The theory delivered over the 3 lessons maybe a bit intense for Key Stage 3, but as I am aiming at year 10 (Key Stage 4), it would do well to inform their GCSE controlled assessment folder and ultimately their design practice. I believe that it would be better used as part of a scheme of work, in which the theory would enlighten a full DMA project. Sustainability is one area of design technology amongst others, that if its knowledge is put into action/context then it enables creative problem-solving. (Lunn, 2008) The 2008 National Curriculum calls for creative problem solvers. The link between problem-solving and creativity also has two aspects: perceiving a problem is a creative act of an agentive mind; and seeking solutions, students improve their own practice. (Lunn, 2008) Sustainability is an ever-developing subject area, it develops with science, with new materials and will keep doing so, therefore the three lessons are very relevant and up to date now, and the main concepts will be as well for some time, but the content and examples will need to be revised regularly to still keep the lessons significant. The ability to be creative and flexible is critical in the face of a rapidly changing world. (Mishra, 2008) Bibliography AQA. (2009). AQA Controlled Assessment Teacher Standardising Meeting: GCSE Design Technology: Resistant Materials Technology delivered by Smith, R. Maidstone, Kent: AQA. Campbell, R.J., Robinson, W., Neelands, J., Huston, R. and Mazzoli, L. (2007). Personalised Learning: Ambiguities In Theory and Practice. British Journal of Educational Studies, 55 (2), P. 135-154 Chester, I. (2008). 3D-CAD: Modern Technology Outdated Pedagogy?. Design and Technology Education: An International Journal, 12 (1), P. 8-10 Ehrlich, P. and Ehrlich, A. (1990). The Population Explosion. New York: Simon and Schuster. Goggin, P. and Lawler, T. (2002). Sustainability and Design and Technology in Schools. In Owen-Jackson, G. (Ed.), Aspects of Teaching Secondary Design Technology Perspectives on Practice (2002 ed., pp. 257 266). London: Routeledge Falmer and The Open University. ITE. (2009). Pedagogy: Secondary Induction Subject Resources Network. Aspects of Secondary DT teaching, [Online] , Available: URL:http://www.data.org.uk/index.php?option=com_contentview=articleid=592Itemid=539 [Access date 7 November 2009]. Leahy, K., Gaughran, W. and Seery, N. (2009). Preferential Learning Styles as an Influencing Factor in design Pedagogy. (E. Norman, Ed.) Design and Technology Education: An International Journal , 14 (2), P. 25-44. Learning-Theories.com. (2009, November). Constructivism at Learning-Theories.com. Learning Theories Knowledgebase (2009, November) , Available URL:http://www.learning-theories.com/constructivism.html[Access date 9th November 2009]. Lunn, S., Davidson, M. and Murphy, P. (2008). Developing an effective Pedagogy for Creative Problem-Solving in Design and Technology. Centre for Curriculum and Teaching Studies, Faculty of Education and Language Studies, The Open University , Available: URLhttp://kn.open.ac.uk/public/getfile.cfm?documentfileid=4186 [Access date 9th November 2009]. McLennan, J. F. (2004). The Philosophy of Sustainable Design. Kansas City, Missouri: Ecotone LLC. Mishra, P. a. (2008). Teachers, Creativity TPACK: SITE Keynote. Michigan State University, USA. Molenda, M. (2003). The ADDIE Model (Draft). In A. . Kovalchick, Eds, Educational Technology: An Encyclopedia. Santa Barbara, CA: Copyright by ABC-Clio. National Curriculum. (2009), London: QCA Olson, G. and Toaig, P. (2001). One Tree, London: Merrell Publishers Oxford Dictionaries. (revised 2008). Concise Oxford English Dictionary (11th ed.). Oxford: Oxford Dictionaries. Qualifications and Curriculum Authority. (2009). Sustainable Development in Action: A Curriculum Planning Guide for Schools. London: Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA). Qualifications and Curriculum Development Agency. (2008). National Curriculum. London: Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA). United Nations. (1992). Conference on Environment Development, Agenda 21, Promoting Environmental Awareness. Agenda 21: United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (p. Chapter 36). Rio De Janeiro, Brazil: United Nations.

Ethological Principles In The Study Of Animal Behaviour

Ethological Principles In The Study Of Animal Behaviour Today, the study of animal behaviour is as far reaching as it was for our hominin ancestors who must have had some sense of understanding of animal behaviour while navigating through ancestral African environments. The effects of behavioural research on contemporary civilizations contributes to many aspects of human social and medical research, as well as impacts topics in conservation, habitat/resource sustainability, food production, and population dynamics. Over the last half century, animal behaviour has taken on several different forms. The aim of this of this essay is to explore the scientific study of modern animal behaviour known as ethology: Look at the historic approach to animal behaviour; review the central concepts of ethology, expanding upon Tinbergens (1963) four questions of causation, ontogeny, function, and evolution; illustrate the benefits of using ethological methodology in the study of behavioural phenomenon and discuss the potential impact of ethology on future behavioural research. I examine these questions in the light of comparative research on human and nonhuman primates. Animal Behaviour: A Brief Introduction The study of animal behaviour spans across many disciplines, each field asking specific questions and offering different levels of explanation. Behaviour can be described in terms of underlying hormonal/physiological mechanisms, developmental mechanisms, adaptive function, and in terms of evolutionary pathways of behaviour (McFarland, 1993). Before the advent of ethology, most behavioural disciplines attempted to answers only one or two of these questions at a time. For example, investigating how and when behaviours evolved confront behavioural scientists with a daunting task. Evolutionary biologists are equipped to answer these types of questions by using a phylogenetic approach. Phylogenetic trees allow scientist to investigate correlated evolutionary change and reconstruct ancestral states, making it possible to identify evolutionary relationships between homologous behaviours in closely related species (Nunn and Barton, 2001). This comparative method is useful if you are interested in understanding when a specific behaviour emerged in a species evolutionary history. Often, this line of inquiry leads researchers to generate addition questions: What environmental changes would have selected for this type of behaviour? Is this behaviour adaptive? How would this behaviour increase fitness and persists over time? Comparing similar behaviours between closely related species, occupying a similar niche, and evolutionary histories, provide a solid fr amework to begin generating testable hypotheses to these aforementioned questions. In the early 20th century, psychology comprised its own unique set of methods and experimental techniques that usually consisted of running controlled experiments in a laboratory setting while investigating behaviour (Bateson and Klopfer, 1989). Psychologists were concerned with designing experiments that tested proximate causations of behaviours. For example, a psychologist might investigate the developmental factors that affect the acquisition of learning and imprinting (Martin and Bateson, 2007). Investigating causal relationships to behaviour provide insight into whether behaviour is innate or if it is learned in the context of an individuals environment. On the other hand, behavioural neuroscience aimed to understand causal physiological mechanisms and corresponding neural controls that are modulated by environmental stimuli (Carlson, 2006). This field is concerned with identifying how an animals physiology interacts and is influenced by environment factors, and how this interaction elicits a behavioural response. In the mid 20th century, the behavioural sciences operated independently of one another, as if each disciplines research was a mutually exclusive approach. At that time the competing schools of thought failed to recognize the significant relationships between causation, development, function, evolution, or how each of the corresponding fields actually were complementary to each level of explanation. The scientific study of animal behaviour was in dire need of a complete synthesis that would incorporate proximate and ultimate classes of behaviour into a complementary, integrative framework. The Birth of Ethology The modern study of ethology filled this gap, and sought to piece together the fragmented behavioural scientific approaches. This new field aimed to explain all four classes of behavioural determinants, providing a full account of the phenomenon under study (Bateson and Klopfer, 1982). In the remaining section, I will define ethological principles, highlight the pitfalls of focusing on either proximate or ultimate levels of explanation, and present the case of modern ethology as the more systematic approach to the study of animal behaviour. Understanding the reason why a particular animal behaves in a certain way requires the right type of questions to be asked. In 1963, Niko Tinbergen, one of the founders of ethology, published the paper, On Aims and Methods of Ethology. In this paper he introduced four distinct and broad questions that he used in trying to answer the question, Why does an animal behave like that? (Shettleworth, 1998). In doing so, he laid the foundation for the study modern ethology. Ethology is the study of animal behaviour which attempts to answer four classes of questions: causation, ontogeny, function, and evolution. If a researcher wanted to know why baboons groom one another, it would be important to consider the immediate external stimuli which invoke a specific behaviour response in the animal, or otherwise stated you would want to look at proximate causations of behaviour. Researchers would want to develop questions that reveal causal answers: What external environmental stimuli and internal stimuli cause the animal to respond in a particular way? Answers to these questions often rely on the underlying psychological, physiological, and neurological mechanisms regulating an animals behaviour (Martin and Bateson, 2007). A possible causal explanation to why baboons groom would be that grooming functions as a as a mechanism to reduce stress (Crockford and et al., 2008). Moreover, Tinbergen (1963) was interested in investigating how changes in behaviour machinery are affected during development and coined the term ontology to describe this process. What was it about an individuals development that leads them to behave in a particular manor? Answers to these type of questions require scientists to look at whether a behaviour is learned or refined through development processes such as imprinting or possibly if it is generated by a genetic predisposition. In addition to the importance of providing proximate (causal and ontological) levels of explanation, two classes of questions investigate ultimate factors are equally important to investigate. Ultimate questions are interested in understanding how evolution has selected for and produced specific behavioural phenomena. One such questions looks at the adaptive/survival value a given behaviour would confer on an individual. For example, why do primates participate in intergroup aggression? These type of questions are considered functional investigations. As an example, evolutionary based cost-benefit theories would look at the functional/adaptive significance to intergroup aggression. One possible hypothesis to the question of why individuals exhibit intergroup aggression is that the more aggressive primate groups will achieve increased access to reproductive females and increased access to resources (Manson and Wrangham, 1991). Natural selection imposes differential reproductive succes ses, understanding these functional relationships provide answers to adaptive questions. The last behavioural problem Tinbergen identified was that of evolutionary history. He explains, The fact that behaviour is in many respects species-specific, and yet often similar in related species,à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦[leads to] the natural conclusion, namely, that behaviour should be studied comparatively just as structures, with the ultimate aim of elucidating behaviour evolutionà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦(Tinbergen, 1963: 427). Here Tinbergen advocates a phylogenetic approach to analyzing behaviour. Ethology aims to show how natural selection shaped the evolution of behaviour over time while uncovering possible evolutionary pathways (Tinbergen, 1963 and Barret, et al., 2002). For instance, if researchers were interested understanding why humans breathe the way they do, they would be interested in knowing how we evolved lungs? Farmer (1997) provides an evolutionary account to this question: Human lungs are believed to have evolved from ancestral fish gas bladders. This level of explanation provid es clues into when a behaviour may have first arisen and when it diverged between ancestral species. Ethology attempts to reconcile these four levels of explanation into a comprehensive framework for understanding. One such study illuminates the dangers researchers face when they incorporate only one level of explanation. Power (1975) conducted a study in which he tested whether mountain bluebirds lack altruistic behaviour. He attempted to show this by removing one mate of a pair caring for nestlings to test the claim; if altruism existed, a new mate would instinctually care for the nestlings. The study showed that new mates did not care for the nestlings, therefore the hypotheses, mountain bluebirds are altruistic, was rejected (Power, 1975). This study was criticized because it failed to account for the fact birds do not usually accept young unless hormonally prepared for them (Emlen, 1976). This process usually entails both mating partners being present during the events leading up to hatching and the presence of nestlings (Emlen, 1976). This physiological knowledge into hormonal cues in mountain bluebirds generated an alternative hypothesis; the new mate did not provide care to the nestlings because it lacked the proper hormonal activation. Therefore, it was concluded that the original hypotheses posed by Power was erroneous and failed to properly demonstrate if mountain bluebirds were altruistic. This example illustrates how tenuous behavioural studies can appear when they fail to incorporate ethological principles into their research design. Applied Ethological Principles Furthering Insight into Human Behaviour The more we learn from studying animal behaviour, the more we reveal about ourselves. Because humans are social primates, more ethological attention has focused on the study nonhuman primates as the best model to explain the social behaviour of humans. One such example into the potential benefits of ethological inquiry is articulated by the investigation into the effects of empathy, as one possible emotional mechanism that has evolved to help maintain and reinforce social bonds. Empathy is a complex emotion which has been proposed to exist in humans and nonhuman primates. Many ethologists have focused on chimpanzee and bonobo social systems, our closest extant ancestors, to better understand potential regulating factors involved in social bonding that could have helped promote and sustain the evolution of cooperation altruism. De Waal (2008) suggests humans as well as nonhuman primates both possess capacity to empathize with others, as a regulating mechanism of directed altruism. Directed altruism is defined as helping or comforting behaviour directed at an individual in need of pain, or distress (De Waal, 2008). Mounting evidence supports the view; similar cognitive capacities exist in human and nonhuman primates that could facilitate empathetic impulses and be linked to our similar evolutionary histories. Several studies have shown infants have an innate capacity to be influenced by the welfare of others. Infant nonhuman and human primates are known to respond to the distress of others with distress (Preston and de Waal, 2002). Furthermore, Preston and de Waal consider the hormonal release during suckling in maternal care as a positive promoter that rewards the giver with feel good hormones (ie. Oxtocin) to engage in directed altruism (Panksepp, 1998). This hormonal release could play a proximate role in promoting the perceiver to internalize the emotional state of another individual. Building on the neuroanatomy of empathy research, the central nervous system and the Perception Action Mechanism (PAM) have also been considered as a hard-wired link that controls emotional state matching and motor mimicry in humans and nonhuman primates (Preston and de Waal (2002). Chimpanzee studies reveal an increase in brain temperatures in the right hemisphere when chimpanzees are shown videos of severe aggression compared to neutral or positive videos (Parr and Hopkins, 2000). Negative videos directed a specific physiological reaction in the brain in response to the negative stimuli. These studies identify a potential link between the areas of the brain that are activated when individuals observe and witness emotional states of others (Preston and de Waal 2002). Meaning, the cognitive capacities for the emotional complex of empathy may not be strictly limited to humans, but may also function similarly with closely related nonhuman primates. The suggestion that nonhuman primate may also posses the capacity for empathy has not come without contention. Many scientists believe humans are the only species cognitively advanced enough to possess the innate capacity to internalize the emotions of others (eg., Schino, 2007). If Preston and de Waals claim is true, then empathetic hard-wiring has an ancient evolutionary lineage that evolved long before modern humans. Theoretically, innate empathetic capacities would help maintain and shape cooperation, reconciliation, and altruism between human and nonhuman primates. The origins of such a complex behaviour may have originated due to stronger selection on maintaining increased group size within ancestral primates. Therefore, it should be no surprises if we discover humans due in fact share the capacity to empathize with other social primates. This study promotes a possible link between the evolution of the complex sociality and empathetic emotional capacities in primates. Investigations like this exemplify the potential ethological methodologies pose when looking into proximate and ultimate roots to complex human and animal behaviour. Discussion An ethological approach to animal behaviour derived from early behavioural sciences. Today, modern ethnology places emphasis on different biological aspects to account for the contexts in which animal behaviour occurs using physiological and evolutionary perspectives. Most behavioural phenomena are not satisfactorily explained at the proximate or ultimate levels. Therefore, to understand the behavioural process fully, ethology appropriately focuses on answering Tinbergens four questions to correctly identify the reciprocal relationship between causal and evolutionary explanations of behaviour.

Operating System Used In Portable Devices Computer Science Essay

Operating System Used In Portable Devices Computer Science Essay This report is about Operating system used in portable devices like PDA and laptops etc. As the passage of time consumer needs are becoming more and more demanding and life is becoming compact so as devices are also becoming more powerful and their OS also more advanced and complicated we will discuss some those most commonly used OS and their different uses and the devices they are used produced by different manufacturers and a brief introduction to OS and its types. Operating system is the most important program which enables hardware to communicate with each other and humans also. Every program needs an operating system to run on computers or handheld devices. It is responsible of managing inputs given by user and transferring them into desired outputs by using devices like keyboard, mouse, printers and monitors etc. attached to motherboard. OS usually exists in hard drives of computers or in handheld devices in flash rom memory. OS also arrange, manage organize all file and folders on computers. The more systems are larger the more complex the process in those system becomes so the OS used in these systems are more powerful and the task they perform are also exponential. They are capable of doing many tasks simultaneously without interference of each other and providing expected performance at the same time. Different type of OS available for desktop or laptops are Windows which is dos based and Mac OS which is Unix based, Ubuntu which is Linux based etc. and for handheld there are many choices as well like Symbian OS, Android, Windows mobile and apple iOS etc. Operating system can be mainly of four types based on their use and support. They are as follows: Real time OS This OS is developed for devices which have limited memory and to make them efficient and fast less coding is used as resources are crucial and execution time needs to be minimal. Example is Windows CE. Single user single Task It is a advanced version of previously mentioned Real time OS. In this type one user can perform one task at one time. The palm top or PDA fits in this type. Example is Window mobile. Single user multi Task This is the most commonly used OS type nowadays. These OS are capable of Multitasking and capable of performing all user tasks as multimedia, internet ,games and all commonly used tasks Example of this type could be Window 7 ,Mac OS etc. Multi User These are the most powerful OS of all. They are capable of handling many users at same time and providing all of them with the resources they need. These OS are not like single user multi task where only one user can perform task at a particular time in this type many user can login at same time. Example is UNIX, Linux etc. Literature Review The increasing demand of handheld or portable devices created a new era in computing history as from year 2000 and onwards the approach of people regarding mobile devices changed and life started becoming fast and compact day by day so the need of business and entertainment devices and so the mobile OS started become popular and lots of computer hobbyist and developers started developing faster and efficient mobile OS and its applications. The use of internet, emails and messaging started becoming popular in devices and these facilities started becoming a part of handheld devices and some of those are discussed below. 1) PDA PDA stands for Personal Digital Equipment usually called pocket pcs or pocket computers it is an handheld device which has functionalities like phone, internet, multimedia etc. all in pocket able size. User interact with these through a stick called stylus or nowadays mostly fingers some of these also have built in QWERTY keyboards for quick and better input. PDA also have features like hand recognition, voice recognition and gesture response. 1.1) Types of PDA Some types of PDS available are as follows: 1.1.1) Palm It is kind of PDA which runs its own OS called Palm OS example could be Palm TX, Palm Pilot etc. Palm became a very renowned name in portable computing industry. It played a major role in the development of PDAs it introduced a variety of different versions of devices in market. Palm OS can also be found in Sony Clie, Handspring Visor and Tapwave Zodiac. 1.1.2) Pocket PCs These kinds of PDA are usually based on Microsoft Windows Mobile OS which uses Windows CE core. They are capable of all sorts of functionalities like video and music playback, Web browsing through built in internet explorer, fax sending, and email etc. There are many manufacturers of pocket pcs in market some of which are HP, HTC, Motorola, Dell etc. 2) Laptops These are smaller, lighter and in most cases equally powerful in performance computers compared to desktops. They are meant to do computing on the move. laptops got large capacity ,more memory and better processors as compared to other mobile computing devices. They run Windows Xp, Vista or 7, Mac OS and Ubuntu etc. 2.1) Netbooks These are a newer kind of laptops which are much smaller in size as well as computation. They include all components as normal laptops but in scaled down version there size is normally of a A4 size page and qwerty keyboard with a bit less keys then normal laptops. They are capable of performing normal day to day task as surfing web, using word watching HD YouTube widows (newer versions only).There battery life vary from 8 to 9 hrs. That is 4 to 5 times more than standard size laptops. Mostly Ubuntu, Android, Windows XP and Windows 7 starter are used as OS in netbooks. 3) Other Mobile OS We have discussed Palm OS and Windows Mobile but there are very well known OS which are as follows: 3.1) Symbian OS This OS is the most renowned in the industry and more than 85 percent of mobiles manufacturer use this as standard in their devices and lots of developers had become interested in developing their applications which totally changes the user experience of Symbian running devices. Symbian has released different versions of its OS like Symbian series 20 or 30 for low end handsets, Symbian series 40 and 60 for mid-range and series 90 for high end business communicators and uses 2.5G and 3G. 3.2) Android This is the one of the most promising and trusted OS compared to others. It is verily used in devices like 3G internet tablets ,mobile phones and recently released a 4G version of their android also installed in HTC EVO 4G. It is mainly based on Linux kernels so the development is quite easier and lots of applications are already in market for this OS. 3.3) iOS It is created and developed by apple Inc. It was knows as iPhone OS before it uses apple OS X also UNIX like OS. The new version iOS 4 is a hybrid system and it uses kernel type from Darwin foundation uses 4 abstraction layers. It also supports multitasking and features like video calling, VoIP (Voice over internet protocol), background music playback etc. Conclusion Operating System of devices like PDA and Laptops solves many user problems as the passage of time these mobile devices are more and more compact and high performance so their OS is also becoming more and more complex to develop. As we can see from this research that plenty of mobile devices companies are paying more attention to their OS because if its poorly designed whole device no matter how best the hardware is will change whole user view about device. If the device is losing its internet connection every second or hanging or giving unexpected errors means its OS is not properly developed and tested after implementation on device under different scenarios and environment. The best examples of well-designed OS in mobile industry are Android, iOs, Symbian etc. as mentioned in this report. Laptops on the other hand can run any desktop version OS according to their hardware capabilities and netbooks usually use lighter version of these OS as we have seen in this report.

Reviews of Native Son :: Native Son Essays

Reviews of Native Son Native Son, by Richard Wright, was hailed by reviewers as an instant classic upon its release in 1940. The novel was an instant bestseller, having been included in the book-of-the-month-club. Due to its proto revolutionary themes it was the subject of many reviews. Two such reviewers are Clifton Fadiman and Malcolm Cowley. Clifton Fadiman, writer for The New Yorker declared that Native Son was the most powerful American novel since the Grapes of Wrath. He is positive that anyone who reads this book has to know what it means to be a Negro, especially being a Negro in the U.S. over seventy years after the Emancipation Proclamation. Fadiman then goes on to compare the novel to Theodore Dreiser's An American Tragedy, declaring that his novel did for the American white as Native Son did for the Negro. Fadiman begins criticizing Bigger Thomas, the main character in the novel. He feels that Bigger is just a stupid fool, having done everything possible to actually get himself caught. Fadiman also writes that Bigger "...knew that the moment he allowed what his life meant to enter fully into his consciousness, he would either kill himself or somebody else." Fadiman then goes on by criticizing Wright stating that he is too explicit, repetitive, and overdoes his melodrama from time to time. Fadiman does not believe Wright to be a finished writer just yet. However, he does think that Wright possesses the two absolute necessities of the first-rate novelist, passion and intelligence. He also understands that Wright must have been greatly affected by the labor movement, which may have contributed to Native Son. At the conclusion of his review, Fadiman once again compares Native Son to An American Tragedy. He says that the two novels tell almost the same story. Although He feels that Dreiser's novel is filled with better, more controlled knowledge; he feels that Wright's novel will have the same affect on the reader if they are not afraid of a challenge. By saying "afraid," Fadiman means that Native Son is not merely a story but a deep experience. The next review that we will look at is one done by Malcolm Cowley,

Essay --

Throughout the annals of humanity, there have been two predominant groups in a society. The first group is made up of individuals who possess the power to define the proper characteristics of those who belong into the dominant group. The secondary groups of people are referred to as the â€Å"others†. The â€Å"other† is nothing more than a mere social construct developed by the dominant party to either exclude or subordinate the groups of people who do not fit the normal characteristics or mores of the dominant group in their respective society. This process is dehumanizing, and these appellations create social barriers that inhibit the growth and evolution of society. Othering is a very insidious process that defies the human conscience. Furthermore, this process has perpetuated xenophobia, gender discrimination, genocide, and various other crimes against the dignity of humankind. Creating â€Å"others† does nothing to advance the human species. Instead this application of discriminatory labels has separated humans from one another. These barriers and constructs have been used to justify slavery, genocide, gender discrimination, apartheid, and various other atrocities. The first step in creating an â€Å"other† is stripping a person of their humanity. This process is gradual, and it is not noticeable. It only takes one pejorative term to initiate this process. Once a negative thought about an individual or a group of people coalesces then the â€Å"other† is created. By separating humans into different constructs and groups, the apathy and prejudice of disenfranchised group grows over time. Once the label and construct is firmly established; the humanity of the stigmatized group is expunged. This paves the way for discrimination, and hate to suffuse ... ... proved to be a severe detriment to human society in terms of not only gender equality, but racial and religious equality as well. Racial and religious constructs are artificial, Race and religion was determined by the dominant society. The dominant group chose the racial characteristics that were favorable, and the people who did not possess these characteristics were marginalized. The dominant group also embraced a certain religious creed that reinforced their morals and standards. The individuals who did possess these characteristics were now considered an â€Å"other†. Othering allowed for the justification for the Holocaust, the Bosnian genocide, imperialism, slavery, and other heinous practices. The groups of people that possessed a different skin color, religion, culture, morals, and other traits were subjected to the greatest evils, because they were dehumanized.

Are Leaders Born or Made?

Leadership sets the tone for team development, and this implies its necessity in an organization. Possessing appropriate leadership skills drive a team in meeting its objectives. The means of acquiring such skills may be through nature or developmental programs. The debate on whether leaders are made or born continues to trigger many thoughts, but none has come conclusively. This paper goes through the skills required for effective leadership, and how such skills can be acquired, in an attempt to solve the puzzle of the debate. (b) Leaders are born and made. The question as to whether leadership is genetically acquired or developed remains a debate for decades evoking many opinions. Some scholars are of the idea that leaders are born naturally intelligent, charismatic, visionary, strategic and able to rally and plan for teams around them. Some believe that leadership is an ongoing experience that requires training, development, mentoring and coaching. Some are of the opinion that leaders are both born and made whereby they possess natural intelligence, which is enhanced with education, training, and mentorship. Developing a conclusive statement on this debate requires an understanding of leadership; a leader is an individual who establishes directions for a team of individuals, one who gains commitments from the team towards the established direction, and one who motivates the team to achieve the direction’s expected outcomes (Manktelow and Brodbeck, 2006). A leader needs not to exercise the three elements in a leader’s definition, in the eyes of other teams or fellow leaders. This is so because every team has its objectives and the means to attain the objectives differ amongst teams. The implication is that to fit in different scenarios or teams an effective leader needs some intelligence, which cannot be attained by learning, but that which is a talent or acquired naturally. This is important in understanding the needs of every team and fitting into the needs of every team. In a majority of cases, naturally acquired skills and abilities play a crucial role in developing ones personality, interpersonal, and motivational skills, which motivates one to lead. However, having leadership genes is not all; work experiences, education, mentorship, opportunities, and being a role model, are necessities that craft effective leadership. These are attained through learning, and from experiences. The implication is that leaders learn to lead through education programs, mentorship, experiences, and while playing different leadership roles (Kets, 2004). Successful CEOs, like Bob McDonald of Procter & Gamble, Ginny Rometti of IBM, and John C. Maxwell started with a set of the team leading skills, and associated this with furthering their skills in different colleges. Such drives, ambitions, emotional stability, and extraverted personalities may develop genetically. However, possessing such traits does not mean that these leaders are effective; they learn from experiences and challenges, which demand developmental skills. To prepare for change of roles, they require prerequisite competencies so that they can communicate, shape strategies, solve problems, excel, and have the capability to inspire and motivate others (Manktelow and Brodbeck, 2006). This, therefore, implies that leadership is acquired genetically, but requires to be nurtured if one is to be classified as an effective leader. Having leadership genes is not enough as such intelligence may not be diverse in meeting the needs of different groups. It requires nurturing, development and acquisition of skills so that one becomes flexible in coping with different personalities, and also motivates others (Kets, 2004). (c) Conclusion. Leadership is partly natural, partly nurtured and partly to self ability (Manktelow and Brodbeck, 2006). Most debaters’ in whether ‘leaders are born or made’ overlook the self creative ability and nurturing element in defining leadership. However, being a leader by nature does not make a leader. Additionally, the passion of leadership cannot be achieved through experiences, and other developmental programs; it requires a natural inspiration that comes from within an individual (Kets, 2004). Leadership, therefore, is both born and made. Are Leaders Born or Made The definition of leadership is the art of motivating a group of people to act towards achieving a common goal. Put in even simpler terms, the leader is the inspiration and director of the action. He or she is the person in the group that possesses the combination of personality and skills that makes others want to follow his or her direction (Ward). Which brings us to the most basic and most often-asked question in all leadership development, are great leaders born or made? Some people believe that leaders are born with the set of skills to become a successful leader. While others believe that leadership can be learned and developed through life. With that being said I am sure we have all been told once or more in our lives that leaders are born, not made; that leadership is about ego, and nice guys finish last (Kjerulf, 2009). Well think again my friends, leaders are not born, they are made. What makes someone a good leader is the aspect of discovery. It is the set phrase of a person at their finest whose endeavor is to change something for the better and to expand this forthcoming in others. Many individuals often get caught up in believing that leadership is based on a title or position but in reality this is far from the truth. Leadership qualities are derived by any individual who is enabled and encouraged to express themselves while working with purpose and meaning. Leadership is a process in which leaders and followers engage to achieve mutual goals. We are all leaders and followers at different times. â€Å"Followership† is not a passive role but a dynamic one: Followers ensure that the leader follows the purpose (Owen, 2002). Leadership entails the following components; passion, values, vision, knowledge, drive, and creativity. All components that develop from happiness and delightfulness in terms of something an individual enjoys, if a person is happy, you are going to seek a means to find the greatest good for the greatest number of people, making it possible for the individual to find a way to lead others to their happiness. Every individual has their own area of talent and inclination for success. These attributes, the things that individuals are passionate about, are the reasons why every one person can be a leader in their own means of enjoyment. Take for example a very quite and extroverted individual who has grown up throughout his/her entire life being an individual rather than a leader. He/she stumbles upon something they are madly passionate about, volunteering at animal shelters. In order for these thousands of animals to be saved and not euthanized, these volunteers have to find each and every animal a home within a certain amount of days. Being the extroverted individual he/she is, they reluctantly take a step back, but realize that without their strong passion and desire to lead his/her fellow volunteers; these animals will be put to sleep in a matter of no time. The simple meaning behind this example is that it is not about knowing every piece of advice on how to become a successful leader, or having the proper training, or being born with a set of skills to be able to lead; but rather it is simply about having the passion and strength to lead individuals in a subject that he/she feels so strongly about in order to benefit the most number of people.

Interpersonal and Transferable Skills Essay

You’re probably familiar with the phrase ‘what gets measured gets done.’ Defining and measuring effectiveness – especially the performance of workers – is a critical part of your job as a manager. The question is: How do you define the skills, behaviors, and attitudes that workers need to perform their roles effectively? How do you know they’re qualified for the job? In other words, how do you know what to measure? Some people think formal education is a reliable measure. Others believe more in on-the-job training, and years of experience. Still others might argue that personal characteristics hold the key to effective work behavior. All of these are important, but none seems sufficient to describe an ideal set of behaviors and traits needed for any particular role. Nor do they guarantee that individuals will perform to the standards and levels required by the organization. A more complete way of approaching this is to link individual performance to the goals of the business. To do this, many companies use ‘competencies.’ These are the integrated knowledge, skills, judgment, and attributes that people need to perform a job effectively. By having a defined set of competencies for each role in your business, it shows workers the kind of behaviors the organization values, and which it requires to help achieve its objectives. Not only can your team members work more effectively and achieve their potential, but there are many business benefits to be had from linking personal performance with corporate goals and values. Defining which competencies are necessary for success in your organization can help you do the following: †¢ Ensure that your people demonstrate sufficient expertise. †¢ Recruit and select new staff more effectively. †¢ Evaluate performance more effectively. †¢ Identify skill and competency gaps more efficiently. †¢ Provide more customized training and professional development. †¢ Plan sufficiently for succession. †¢ Make change management processes work more efficiently. How can you define the set of practices needed for effective performance? You can do this by adding a competency framework to your talent management program. By collecting and combining competency information, you can create a standardized approach to performance that’s clear and accessible to everyone in the company. The framework outlines specifically what people need to do to be effective in their roles, and it clearly establishes how their roles relate to organizational goals and success. This article outlines the steps you need to take to develop a competency framework in your organization. Design Principles of a Competency Framework A competency framework defines the knowledge, skills, and attributes needed for people within an organization. Each individual role will have its own set of competencies needed to perform the job effectively. To develop this framework, you need to have an in-depth understanding of the roles within your business. To do this, you can take a few different approaches: †¢ Use a pre-set list of common, standard competencies, and then customize it to the specific needs of your organization. †¢ Use outside consultants to develop the framework for you. †¢ Create a general organizational framework, and use it as the basis for other frameworks as needed. Developing a competency framework can take considerable effort. To make sure the framework is actually used as needed, it’s important to make it relevant to the people who’ll be using it – and so they can take ownership of it. The following three principles are critical when designing a competency framework: 1. Involve the people doing the work – These frameworks should not be developed solely by HR people, who don’t always know what each job actually involves. Nor should they be left to managers, who don’t always understand exactly what each member of their staff does every day. To understand a role fully, you have to go to the source – the person doing the job – as well as getting a variety of other inputs into what makes someone successful in that job. 2. Communicate – People tend to get nervous about performance issues. Let them know why you’re developing the framework, how it will be created, and how you’ll use it. The more you communicate in advance, the easier your implementation will be. 3. Use relevant competencies – Ensure that the competencies you include apply to all roles covered by the framework. If you include irrelevant competencies, people will probably have a hard time relating to the framework in general. For example, if you created a framework to cover the whole organization, then financial management would not be included unless every worker had to demonstrate that skill. However, a framework covering management roles would almost certainly involve the financial management competency. Developing the Framework There are four main steps in the competency framework development process. Each steps has key actions that will encourage people to accept and use the final product. Step One: Prepare †¢ Define the purpose – Before you start analyzing jobs, and figuring out what each role needs for success, make sure you look at the purpose for creating the framework. How you plan to use it will impact whom you involve in preparing it, and how you determine its scope. For example, a framework for filling a job vacancy will be very specific, whereas a framework for evaluating compensation will need to cover a wide range of roles. †¢ Create a competency framework team – Include people from all areas of your business that will use the framework. Where possible, aim to represent the diversity of your organization. It’s also important to think about long-term needs, so that you can keep the framework updated and relevant. Step Two: Collect Information This is the main part of the framework. Generally, the better the data you collect, the more accurate your framework will be. For this reason, it’s a good idea to consider which techniques you’ll use to collect information about the roles, and the work involved in each one. You may want to use the following: †¢ Observe – Watch people while they’re performing their roles. This is especially useful for jobs that involve hands-on labor that you can physically observe. †¢ Interview people – Talk to every person individually, choose a sample of people to interview, or conduct a group interview. You may also want to interview the supervisor of the job you’re assessing. This helps you learn what a wide variety of people believe is needed for the role’s success. †¢ Create a questionnaire – A survey is an efficient way to gather data. Spend time making sure you ask the right questions, and consider the issues of reliability and validity. If you prefer, there are standardized job analysis questionnaires you can buy, rather than attempting to create your own. †¢ Analyze the work – Which behaviors are used to perform the jobs covered by the framework? You may want to consider the following: †¢ Business plans, strategies, and objectives. †¢ Organizational principles. †¢ Job descriptions. †¢ Regulatory or other compliance issues. †¢ Predictions for the future of the organization or industry. †¢ Customer and supplier requirements. Job analysis that includes a variety of techniques and considerations will give you the most comprehensive and accurate results. If you create a framework for the entire organization, make sure you use a sample of roles from across the company. This will help you capture the widest range of competencies that are still relevant to the whole business. †¢ As you gather information about each role, record what you learn in separate behavioral statements. For example, if you learn that Paul from accounting is involved in bookkeeping, you might break that down into these behavioral statements: handles petty cash, maintains floats, pays vendors according to policy, and analyzes cash books each month. You might find that other roles also have similar tasks – and therefore bookkeeping will be a competency within that framework. †¢ When you move on to Step Three, you’ll be organizing the information into larger competencies, so it helps if you can analyze and group your raw data effectively. Step Three: Build the Framework This stage involves grouping all of the behaviors and skill sets into competencies. Follow these steps to help you with this task: †¢ Group the statements – Ask your team members to read through the behavior statements, and group them into piles. The goal is to have three or four piles at first – for instance, manual skills, decision-making and judgment skills, and interpersonal skills. †¢ Create subgroups – Break down each of the larger piles into subcategories of related behaviors. Typically, there will be three or four subgroupings for each larger category. This provides the basic structure of the competency framework. †¢ Refine the subgroups – For each of the larger categories, define the subgroups even further. Ask yourself why and how the behaviors relate, or don’t relate, to one another, and revise your groupings as necessary. †¢ Indentify and name the competencies – Ask your team to identify a specific competency to represent each of the smaller subgroups of behaviors. Then they can also name the larger category. †¢ Here’s an example of groupings and subgroupings for general management competencies: †¢ Supervising and leading teams. †¢ Provide ongoing direction and support to staff. †¢ Take initiative to provide direction. †¢ Communicate direction to staff. †¢ Monitor performance of staff. †¢ Motivate staff. †¢ Develop succession plan. †¢ Ensure that company standards are met. †¢ Recruiting and staffing. †¢ Prepare job descriptions and role specifications. †¢ Participate in selection interviews. †¢ Identify individuals’ training needs. †¢ Implement disciplinary and grievance procedures. †¢ Ensure that legal obligations are met. †¢ Develop staff contracts. †¢ Develop salary scales and compensation packages. †¢ Develop personnel management procedures. †¢ Make sure staff resources meet organizational needs. †¢ Training and development. †¢ Deliver training to junior staff. †¢ Deliver training to senior staff. †¢ Identify training needs. †¢ Support personal development. †¢ Develop training materials and methodology. †¢ Managing projects/programs †¢ Prepare detailed operational plans. †¢ Manage financial and human resources. †¢ Monitor overall performance against objectives. †¢ Write reports, project proposals, and amendments. †¢ Understand external funding environment. †¢ Develop project/program strategy. You may need to add levels for each competency. This is particularly useful when using the framework for compensation or performance reviews. To do so, take each competency, and divide the related behaviors into measurement scales according to complexity, responsibility, scope, or other relevant criteria. These levels may already exist if you have job grading in place. †¢ Validate and revise the competencies as necessary – For each item, ask these questions: †¢ Is this behavior demonstrated by people who perform the work most effectively? In other words, are people who don’t demonstrate this behavior ineffective in the role? †¢ Is this behavior relevant and necessary for effective work performance? These questions are often asked in the form of a survey. It’s important to look for consensus among the people doing the job, as well as areas where there’s little agreement. Also, look for possible issues with language, or the way the competencies are described, and refine those as well. Step Four: Implement As you roll out the finalized competency framework, remember the principle of communication that we mentioned earlier. To help get buy-in from members of staff at all levels of the organization, it’s important to explain to them why the framework was developed, and how you’d like it to be used. Discuss how it will be updated, and which procedures you’ve put in place to accommodate changes. Here are some tips for implementing the framework: †¢ Link to business objectives – Make connections between individual competencies and organizational goals and values as much as possible. †¢ Reward the competencies – Check that your policies and practices support and reward the competencies identified. †¢ Provide coaching and training – Make sure there’s adequate coaching and training available. People need to know that their efforts will be supported. †¢ Keep it simple – Make the framework as simple as possible. You want the document to be used, not filed away and forgotten. †¢ Communicate – Most importantly, treat the implementation as you would any other change initiative. The more open and honest you are throughout the process, the better the end result – and the better the chances of the project achieving your objectives. [pic] Key Points Creating a competency framework is an effective method to assess, maintain, and monitor the knowledge, skills, and attributes of people in your organization. The framework allows you to measure current competency levels to make sure your staff members have the expertise needed to add value to the business. It also helps managers make informed decisions about talent recruitment, retention, and succession strategies. And, by identifying the specific behaviors and skills needed for each role, it enables you to budget and plan for the training and development your company really needs. The process of creating a competency framework is long and complex. To ensure a successful outcome, involve people actually doing carrying out the roles to evaluate real jobs, and describe real behaviors.