Phase 4 Individual Project Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Phase 4 Individual Project - Essay Example Such ethical standard promotes high standards of integrity and ethical behavior for the benefit of the company instead of an individual. The ethical standards in any business create a fundamental foundation in maintaining public trust, for every ECG member. In the first situation the executive member of ECG violated professional integrity, honesty, objectivity and genuineness while serving in the company. The financial interest disclosure of any member serving as an executive in the company in Government Allies increases the integrity standards in the company’s leadership to all investors. Any person serving in the leadership roles is entitled to show uppermost level of transparency and trust. The shareholders have a lot of expectation in the leadership of the company and if that confidence is not maintained may lead to the migration of the investors. In this case there may be no confidence in the management of the ECG stock after the completion of the initial public offer (IP O) successfully and the acquisition if all executive members and their families does not disclose their financial interest. ... Several lawsuits may also be witnessed due to company employees acting in contrary to ethics that are significant to the organization’s productivity. Professional integrity brings implicit trust of the shareholders interest and more confidence in the management of the company. In the second scenario a team of members of ECG is formed to develop a proposal and give a presentation to X in order to win the contract in Information technology consultancy. One of the members who had worked with the two current executive at X Telco may influence the results of the bids review either negatively or positively depending on the past relationship when working with them. In this situation the composition of the team to participate in the review exercise may have violated the professional relationship code of conduct. This is because the past working relationships may increase the chances to harm the reviewing results or impair the team’s professional judgment. However, in some situa tions it may not be completely feasible to avoid nonprofessional or social contacts between the members in the two companies. Implicit trust is perceived as being an ethical practice in the management of dual relationship in the operations of the organizations. It is supposed to be communicated very clearly down the administrative line before taking the executive roles. The policy that relates to the company’s code of ethics finds its application in this regard (Hoffman &Dawn-Marie, 2002). The code of ethics in any organization should be clearly understood by all employees irrespective of their position in the work place. To enhance this understanding, the management of the ECG has the obligation of training and writing standardized ethical policies down and

Saving Time Essay Example for Free

Saving Time Essay Time management determines by the difference between successful and unsuccessful people. Successful people are able to balance the goals they wish to achieve and duties. And this success comes from their ability to their time optimally in light of their objectives. There are two types in our lives: Type I: A difficult time organizing, or managing how much time we spend in our basic needs such as eating, comfort, family relations and social mission. It is a time cannot use it a lot in what has been designated a degree of importance to keeping equilibrium in our life. Type II: Time that can be organized and managed to devote to work, our own lives. Can we take advantage of this time? Can we optimize our productivity? Before I give some advices for time management. I have to describe some of the reasons wasting time. Time wasting is defined as: all that prevents you from effectively achieve your goals. Planning: means the lack of goals and priorities, Overemphasis on priorities, leave the activity before the expiry of it, the lack of a deadline for the completion, trying to accomplish too much at one time. Organization: Disorganization Profile, do the job more than once, repeated efforts without result, the lack of clarity of the authority and responsibility, there is more than one president for one employee. Employment: Problems for staff, untrained staff and Non-appropriate, rehabilitation higher or lower than desired. Implementation: The desire to complete the work alone, a decrease in the level of stimulus, Inability to manage conflict. Control: The absence of regulatory standards, the absence of administrative efficiency. Communications: Lack of communication clarity vertical and horizontal, no organization meetings, misunderstandings. Decision-making: Postponement, Poor decisions. Humans are not able to organize their time without clear goals, plans and priorities. Planning is forward looking, work oriented . The future, that is, it begins with setting the access point, Then draw the way leading up to this point. Doing the work program (notebook) to achieve your goals at short (one year, for example) stating the business tasks and responsibilities that will accomplish, and the dates of the beginning and the end of completion, and timing of personaletc. Here are some points to help us develop saving time: -Type the reason that leads to the loss of your time. Number of problems usually caused by wasting time. Stop using fake excuses such as the need for more information. A day contains twenty-four hours and this is enough for others to manage large enterprises, but for some it is not enough to manage simple, taking advantage of the time determines the difference between success and failure. Success means achieving a balance between the objectives and duties required under the means available, and so through time management or other self-management. Concerning the time at work, there are many employees come to the meetings or the office just for wasting the time, and wasting other people’s time. Working too many hours, or be present in all meetings doesn’t justify the quality of work. According to Robert C. Pozen (June 15, 2012),’’be prepared to say no to requests that don’t matter ‘’ (Stop Working All Those Hours). And it is good to saving time if we: Decline meeting: means do not accept to be in meetings and explain the workload and request to see the meeting’s ones. Also delete emails: not all of them. But only keep and respond to the most important ones. Finally dial down the effort: means if we cannot say ‘’no’’ to a certain request, recognize that it may only require a B+ effort. It’s not easy to save time at work because there are some factors affecting time as: Pressure by superiors, Pressures of work on the part of subordinates, Pressure resulting from the nature and conditions of work, Pressure resulting from planning, Pressures resulting from organization, Pressure regulator. According to Alex Chris, (October 24, 2012), ‘’there are 9 ways to manage the time at work: -write in a piece of paper. -concentrate on the important activities -find productive time. -do not postpone things for later. -start a job and finish it without interruption. -delegate jobs to other people. -schedule a communication. -organize the office. ’’(www. manageyourlifenow. com). Sometimes we need rest and break to achieve the goal, so what we do is close the computer, close the phone, shut down the TV or anything that makes noise. Take a short nap. That gives more energy for every day. Also sleeping at night is better. What I understood from these ways is if we want to manage our time well, we have to look for efficacy and efficiencies. Efficacy: to perform work properly and reach the desired result. Efficiency: the performance of work in the right way and getting to the desired result, but with minimal effort, time and cost. we need to profit and Exploit marginal times, times between commitments and actions (such as: the use of the car, waiting at the doctor, travel, waiting for meals, expected visitors). We must know How we spend time, then decompose and identify times marginal, and develop a plan of operation to benefit them as much as possible. Also do not give up urgent for the things unnecessary. According to Cameron Chapman ’’bellow are sixteen tips to help us better managing our time: 1) Get organized. 2) Separate work Space from Everything-Else Space. 3) Take advantage of time management tools. 4) Set goals. 5) Set deadlines. 6) Plane Ahead. 7) Prioritize. 8) Delegate or outsource. 9) Optimize your processes. 10) Learn to say ‘’no’’. 11) Learn when you work beast. 12) Set regular working hours. 13) Don’t waste time 14) Avoid multitasking. 15) Take frequent breaks. 16) Maintain. ’’ Set deadlines are very important if we want to stop procrastination, so we can make a schedule with clear due dates then follow the calendar. We understand from these tips that Time is precious. Therefore, we must profit from time as well as we can, properly, and ultimately there are a few tips, as some scientists say helps us very wiling example: Focus on the target at all times , know our goal, be aware of our goal and then we will feel accomplishment when we complete each task, remember what seeks clearly in our mind, we will realize then that it is necessary to work hard to get things done. Also Keep our mental and physical health, it is necessary to do the best delivery systems and our time for a better life, it leads to good health and the life of the organization, we need for good health to enjoy the achievements should also be good. Nothing is more important than our health, keeping our self in good health gives us energy, endurance, and also makes us more open-minded and less tense, and exercise make us think better (Sports Life). Be an observer on our self, and the easiest way to develop self-motivation is to keep a clear vision of our goal all the time, the goal is the reason for doing what we do now, Always remember the goal, nothing is seeking to achieve, in order to give us the fuel needed to overcome the difficulties. References Article ‘’ stop working all those hours’’ by Robert C. Pozen, June 15, 2012. Harvard Business Review. 9 Ways to manage your time at work. By Alex Chris, October 24, 2012. www. manageyourlifenow. com Alex is editor-in-chief of manageyourlifenow. com SMASHING MAGAZINE: How To Find Time For†¦Everything! By Cameron Chapman, September 16th, 2009. www. smashingmagazine. com

Rainbow Parrotfish Scarus Guacamaia

Rainbow Parrotfish Scarus Guacamaia Abstract The rainbow parrotfish Scarus guacamaia is a prominent herbivore in the coastal waters of southeastern Florida whose life history is strongly linked to a dependence on both mangrove and coral reef habitats. Rainbow parrotfish also serve in maintaining the health of coral reefs by keeping algal populations in check. Using NOAA fisheries data from the Mangrove Visual Census and the Reef Visual Census, this study focused on observations of this species in Biscayne Bay and the Upper Florida Bay in order to quantify occupancy and to examine the different factors that affect the presence and absence, and the ontogenetic shifts present in this species between juvenile and adult stages. Logistic regression was used to predict abundance and occurrence using the environmental variables of temperature, dissolved oxygen, salinity, average depth, and distance from channel openings. Presence and absence were also measured against mangrove cover, bottom substrate type, and shoreline development. It was found that salinity, average depth, and distance from channel openings were significant in predicting the occurrence of this species, while temperature and dissolved oxygen were not. Conservation efforts for this species, listed as vulnerable under the IUCN, need to be given greater consideration as the health of this and other parrotfish may be useful in determining the management breadth and priorities on coral reef ecosystems across the Caribbean Sea. Key words: rainbow parrotfish, mangroves, logistic regression, conservation, land-use planning. Acknowledgements In completing this thesis research, I would foremost like to thank my advisor, David W. Kerstetter, Ph.D., and committee members John F. Walter III, Ph.D. and Richard E. Spieler, Ph.D., whose input and guidance has been critical in moving forward through this project. I would like to thank David L. Jones, Ph.D. for his assistance on equations and statistics. For their assistance in various aspects of ArcGIS, I would like to thank Brian K. Walker, Ph.D. and Kristian Taylor. Notably, I would like to thank James A. Bohnsack, Ph.D. and Joseph E. Serafy, Ph.D. and their work, without whom, this research could not have taken place. I would like to thank my lab mates, especially Bryan Armstrong, Shannon Bayse, Amy Heemsoth, Cheryl Cross, and Kerri Bolow for all their feedback, inquiries, assistance and advice throughout the entire research process. Finally, I would like to thank my family and all my friends for their tireless support and unfailing encouragement in the completion of my thesi s work. Introduction Life History of the Rainbow Parrotfish Rainbow parrotfish Scarus guacamaia is the largest herbivorous fish in the Atlantic Ocean and Caribbean Sea and is found in both mangrove and coral reef habitats (Mumby 2006). The rainbow parrotfish is a large, heavy-bodied, and laterally compressed fish, compared with other species of reef fish. It has a fusiform body shape with dull orange fins possessing streaks of green extending into the dorsal and anal fins; median fin margins are blue in color with the dental plates appearing a blue-green. In this species there appears to be no obvious color differentiation based on sex (Cervigà ³n 1994). Rainbow parrotfish are behaviorally cautious in nature, and are generally observed in isolation, though they can be found in schools of up to thirty individuals (Dunlop and Pawlik 1998). It has a daily home range of about 1000 m3 (Smith 1997), and occupies varying depths from the surface to 25 m. It depends on corals for shelter and space to inhabit (Cole et al. 2008) and seeks shelter under ledges at night or when threatened. The species has been shown to use the angle of the sun as an aid in returning to these shelters (Smith 1997). Rainbow parrotfish are herbivorous fish that, like most members of the Scaridae family, feed mainly by scraping macro-algae from coral structure (Bellwood et al. 2004). However, it has also been observed to feed directly on coral (Rotjan and Lewis 2006) and gut content analyses have revealed spicules from feeding on sponges (Dunlop and Pawlik 1998). Rainbow parrotfish life history characteristics are reasonably well known. It is a protogynous hermaphrodite, meaning individuals in this species undergo a sex change between their initial phase, where they are generally female and terminal phase, where they are male. Terminal phase male rainbow parrotfish defend a territory and a harem of females, and when the male dies, the most dominant female will become the dominant male, with her ovaries becoming functional male testes (Streelman et al. 2002). Like other species in this family, peak spawning occurs primarily in warmer summer seasons from May to August, but can occur year-round, and there is an active period of recruitment into the population occurring around February in this region (Haus et al. 2000). Spawning is found to take place generally around dusk, and may correlate to either the lunar cycle or the high tide, as this is an optimal time for egg dispersal. The initial phase is composed of females while the terminal phase i s composed of sexually mature males. Rainbow parrotfish aggregate into territories that contain a group of females and the dominant male, which pair-spawns almost exclusively within this group (Munoz and Motta 2000). The rainbow parrotfish is a relatively large reef fish, compared to most species of reef fishes in the Caribbean, and can achieve a maximum length of 120 cm (TL). The estimated K value of 0.293 equates to a minimum population doubling time of approximately four and a half to fourteen years (Robins and Ray 1986; Randall 1962). Observations of rainbow parrotfish have been made in waters with temperatures ranging from 12-36  °C, salinities ranging from 23.74 to 39.1 †° (parts per thousand), and dissolved oxygen concentrations ranging from 2.4 to 14.07 †° (Serafy et al. 2003). The species wide range of tolerances to these factors is most likely an adaptation to the wide range of its known habitats. These habitats range from estuaries to offshore areas, both of which are subject to large pulses of freshwater and storm events. The varied thermal and oxic conditions cannot be exploited by less tolerant species and may be beneficial in providing refuge from predators, foraging gr ounds, or potential nursery areas (Rummer et al. 2009). The diet of rainbow parrotfish has been shown to be variable across life stages and habitats. In the Dunlop and Pawlik (1998) study, sponge spicules were found in higher masses in the individuals collected from the mangrove sites as compared to those from coral reefs, suggesting there are shifts in diet preference based on the food sources available. A secondary food source is coral, as rainbow parrotfish has been classified as a facultative corallivore based on direct observations, meaning coral can be either a majority of their diet or only a minor component. These fish impose more permanent and chronic pressures on scleractinian corals (those that generate a hard skeleton such as Montastrea and Porites species) meaning there is repeat scraping activity on these corals, and the damage caused is longer lasting. However, chronic predation may play a factor in regulating distribution, abundance, and fitness of certain prey corals (Cole et al. 2008). Though not fully known, this corall ivory may be part of an ontogenetic diet shift, meaning coral is only an important food source for part of their lives, accounting for less than five percent of their bites (Cole et al. 2008). Along with this diet selectivity comes the ability to cause significant damage to corals by biting off growing tips or large portions of skeletal material, which means they are capable of having a disproportionately large impact on the physical structure of Caribbean reefs (Cole et al. 2008). It has also been observed that grazing reduced the density of zooxanthellae and increased the severity of a bleaching event in Belize (Cole et al. 2008). Rainbow parrotfish use a feeding method of scraping or grinding algae from the coral or other rocky substrate, and sometimes inadvertently ingests coral animals as well. The hard coral substrate is broken down through its digestive system, and the excretion of this limestone material is one of the main sources in the creation of the sand surrounding cora l reefs in the Caribbean. Parrotfishes are known to become progressively more important to coral reef ecosystems upon reaching a certain key size around 15-20 cm, at which point they become functionally mature (Lokrantz et al. 2008) and their actions provide a significant impact on the coral reef. This impact increases exponentially as there is a non-linear relationship between body size and scraping function. Calculations have suggested that up to 75 individuals with a size of 15 cm are required to functionally compensate for the loss of a single 35 cm individual, and a 50% decrease in body size can result in a 90% loss of function provided to the ecosystem (Lokrantz et al. 2008). In addition, the level of grazing impact in mangrove systems is also a power function of body length. A conservative estimate places the home range of S. guacamaia at 1600 m3 (Mumby and Hastings 2008), which is larger than that of many other scarids. Rainbow parrotfish also represents approximately 14% of the total grazing intensit y measured for mangrove depauperate systems (Mumby and Hastings 2008). The majority of the rainbow parrotfish diet consists mostly of short epilithic turf algae, cropped algae, red coralline algae, and filamentous algae (Mumby and Hastings 2008), and they feed heavily upon Halimeda opuntia, a green calcareous alga. Juvenile scarid abundance has also been shown to be positively related to the percent cover of Dictyota spp. algae at site level in the Florida Keys (Kuffner et al. 2009). Similar parrotfish species have been observed consuming whole pieces of the thallus rather than grazing on the attached epiphytes, and taking more bites from H. opuntia and fewer bites from coral than would be expected from the percent cover of different microhabitats (Munoz and Motta 2000). While not quantitatively known for rainbow parrotfish, a mean home range for similar parrotfish species, redband parrotfish and redtail parrotfish, in the Florida Keys was observed to be 4371.5 +/- 5869.5 m2 (Munoz and Motta 2000); the standard error was found to be high due to a low nu mber (n = 7) of study sites. Due to overlap in microhabitat and foraging areas in these home ranges, interspecific aggression between parrotfish species takes place when one species attempts to use defended resources to the detriment of the defending species. This aggression involves vigorous chasing over comparatively large distances, as well as biting. Engaging in resource defense behavior was found to be advantageous as the benefits gained outweighed the cost (Munoz and Motta 2000). Aggression has also been observed to be greater when encountering other parrotfish species as opposed to non-parrotfish species and rainbow parrotfish were instigated into these aggressive encounters most often by redband parrotfish Sparisoma aurofrenatum (Munoz and Motta 2000). Scarus guacamaia is most closely related phylogenetically to midnight parrotfish Scarus coelestinus and striped parrotfish Scarus iseri, with Scarus clades having root nodes at between 2 and 3 million years ago, thus implying that most Scarus species are products of recent speciation. This speciation likely occurred around the time of the complete closure of the Isthmus of Panama at approximately 3.1-3.5 million years ago (Smith et al. 2008). The pantropical distribution and the relatively recent ages of the divergence of the four main clades of Scarus imply that fluctuations in sea level and patterns of differential cooling of the oceans during the Pliocene and Pleistocene may be the driving forces behind the rapid radiation in this genus, which is today largely restricted to the complex reefs built by hard corals (Smith et al. 2008). Alternatively, processes of ecological speciation and divergence due to sexual selection remain a possible explanation for the rapid radiation of parr otfishes, which all have pelagic larval phases and highly similar morphology (Smith et al. 2008). The protogynous mating system of parrotfishes, where species aggregate and have male-dominated haremic systems organized by color recognition, has also been proposed as a possible driving force for speciation via sexual selection mechanisms (Smith et al. 2008). The phylogeny of parrotfish suggests a gradual shift from browsers living in seagrasses to excavators inhabiting rock and/or coral reefs to scrapers found exclusively in association with coral, with Sparisoma being considered the transitional genus (Streelman et al. 2002). It can be assumed that the Scarus genus has always had a habitat association with coral reefs as the Scarus genus is the third radiation off of the Sparisoma lineage (Streelman et al. 2002). Of the parrotfishes, S. guacamaia is the only species that possesses an obligate and functional dependence on the mangrove habitats (Nagelkerken 2007; Mumby 2006). This dependency has been shown quantitatively in the Mumby et al. (2004) study in which the species suffered local extinctions that corresponded with the removal of mangrove stands, and the extent of mangrove coverage in a region is one of the dominant factors in structuring reef communities. Mangrove connectivity enhances the biomass of rainbow parrotfish on neighboring coral reefs, because grazing influences the cover of macroalgae on reefs and high levels of parrotfish grazing has been shown to lead to a twofold increase in recruitment of Porites and Agaricia corals in the Bahamas (Mumby and Hastings 2008). Biomass of rainbow parrotfish has been shown to more than double when coral reefs were located adjacent to rich mangrove resources, defined as mangrove stands with 70 km or greater of fringing red mangrove Rhizophora mangle located in a region of 200 km2, equating to coverage of 35% (Mumby 2006). Juveniles of this species, those less than 30 cm total length (TL), are observed almost exclusively in mangrove habitats, while all individuals observed on the coral reef were greater than 25 cm TL (Dorenbosch 2006). Average sizes of 10.1 cm and 14.6 cm TL have been recorded in mangroves and seagrass beds, respectively (Nagelkerken et al. 2000). The species of juvenile reef fishes that utilize mangroves and seagrass beds do so because of the high food availability, the presence of shade and shelter that the mangroves provide, and a reduced risk of predation due to the plant and root configurations. There is also a lessened chance of interaction with predator species as well as low predator abundance and efficiency (Verweij et al. 2006). Shallow water habitats such as mangroves and seagrasses, are believed to contain less piscivores than the reef (Verweij et al. 2006) possibly because the energetic cost s of chasing the smaller fish in these habitats outweigh the gains of catching one of the prey fish. The turbidity of the water can also negatively affect predator efficiency due to scattering and reduction of light by suspended particles (Verweij et al. 2006). There is significant interannual variability in species composition that may be expected in mangrove fish communities, but spatial factors have been found to contribute more to differences in fish community structure than seasonality (Robertson and Duke 1990). Verweij et al. (2006) tested the effects of plant structure, shade, and food upon rainbow parrotfish foraging behavior using artificial seagrass leaves and artificial mangrove roots. Rainbow parrotfish showed the same trends as those of pooled herbivores, showing highly significant Poisson regression results for the tested variables of structure, food, structure*food, and location of the experimental unit. In this study, 72 individuals were observed ranging in size from 7.5-15.0 cm. The behavior observed was broken down into 2.8% of individuals resting (spaced evenly throughout the water column), 91.7% foraging, and 5.6% swimming. Eighty-four percent of the rainbow parrotfish observed foraging in the study were found in the artificial mangrove roots, with six percent foraging on artificial seagrass leaves. It was determined that the presence of higher surface area on the root structure provided more substrate for algae, which allowed for diurnal feeding (feeding that occurs in the da ytime) on the fouling algae and epiphytes in mangroves and seagrass beds. Rainbow parrotfish observed in this study were also found to be preferential to experimental units with the highest structural complexity. Caribbean region mangroves and seagrass beds function as foraging habitats, but are not used continuously as shelter during the daytime (Verweij et al. 2006). The value of these habitats is diminished with decreased water clarity from turbidity originating from terrestrial run-off, leading to population declines in this and other species (Freeman et al. 2008). Seagrass minimum light requirements differ between species and systems. Halodule and Syringodium seagrass species often require more than 24-37% surface light intensity (Freeman et al. 2008). These seagrass species consistently require minimum light levels that are an order of magnitude higher than the requirements of terrestrial plants or other photosynthetic marine organisms. Reduced subsurface light intensity has c aused seagrass declines and the subsequent re-suspension of unstabilized sediments has impeded recovery of these seagrass systems, increasing the pressure placed on species such as the rainbow parrotfish that depend on them (Freeman et al. 2008). However, presence of preferential habitat is not the only contributing factor determining abundance. It is possible that habitat configuration has an influence on the connectivity between mangroves, seagrasses, and coral reefs and this configuration in terms of providing pathways and connections to the reef affects fish assemblage composition, fish density and size, and species richness (Dorenbosch et al. 2007). Local recruitment patterns can also play a major role. In a study off Curaà §ao, juvenile densities on the reef were comparable to those in seagrass beds, suggesting that this species can also use the coral reef as a nursery (Dorenbosch et al. 2004). Dorenbosch et al. (2007) concluded that for rainbow parrotfish, migration among these habitats most likely takes place along the coastline. The presence of seagrass-mangrove bays along the coasts of these islands strongly influences the distribution pattern of this species on the coral reef (Dorenbosch et al. 2004). The absence of seagrass beds and mangroves was shown to lead to reduced density of those species that utilize seagrass-mangrove bays in juvenile stages (Dorenbosch et al. 2004). For island sites, this migration was observed to occur on the sheltered or leeward shores, where most adult individuals were observed on coral reefs between 0 and 10 km from mangroves. However, no significant linear relationship was present between mean total density of adult rainbow parrotfish on these reefs and the distance to the nearest stands of mangroves (Dorenbosch et al. 2006). There was also reduced density or complete absence of juvenile rainbow parrotfish on the coral reefs that were farther than nine kilometers from the mangrove and seagrass habitats used by fish of juvenile ages. The density of these species is additionally regulated on local scales by variable habitat structural complexity and the available vegetation. Herbivory, measured by rates of grazing, was found to be highest at the maximum habitat complexity site (Unsworth et al. 2007). This suggests that the increased shelter and food abundance provided by denser seagrass beds may have increased fish abundance resulting in these higher levels of herbivory (Unsworth et al. 2007). Herbivory was found to increase away from patchy seagrass areas whilst increasing distance from a reef reduced the rate of herbivory due to a reduction in fish migration. Observed high levels of herbivory, however, may only be a short-term effect of irregular grazing by shoals of juvenile and sub-adult scarids (Unsworth et al. 2007). Rainbow parrotfish migrate across habitats in accordance with its life history stage, and will grow as large as possible before moving on to the next habitat (Mumby et al. 2004). Utilization of intermediate nursery habitats has been hypothesized to increase survivorship of small fish (Mumby et al. 2004). The intermediate nursery stages between mangroves, seagrass beds, and patch reefs serve the function of alleviating predatory bottlenecks in early demersal ontogeny (Mumby et al. 2004). A predatory bottleneck occurs when pressure from predation prevents a large percentage of a population from reproducing. The presence of seagrass beds has also been linked to significantly higher densities of rainbow parrotfish on coral reefs (Dorenbosch et al. 2006) while other studies (e.g., Gonzalez-Salas et al. 2008) have found differing results with respect to these nursery habitats. Noting high abundance of juveniles and adult members of S. guacamaia in coral reef habitats and a total absence in mangrove stands, it appears that mangroves in certain regions do not function as obligate habitats and that seagrass and coral rubble become the primary alternative for nursery, growth, and reproduction (Gonzalez-Salas et al. 2008). It is possible that with removal of mangrove forests the rainbow parrotfish are adapting to utilize other habitats that offer similar survival benefits. The reduced benefits of these marginal habitats may not provide rainbow parrotfish with the resources necessary to survive across their entire life history, allowing only temporary survival through one life stage or another (Rummer et al. 2009). This selective use, which is defined as use of a particular habitat patch disproportionately relative to its availability, can be exhibited either seasonally or spatially, and proximity rather than suitability has been found as the dominant pattern of habitat use (Faunce and Serafy 2008). Mangrove shorelines across broad spatial scales are not equivalent in thei r value as fish habitats due to the inherent patchiness within the ecosystem. A measure of total habitat area may therefore overestimate the amount of functional habitat utilized by these fishes. In addition, species richness and total number of fishes collected adjacent to mangrove shorelines has been shown to decline with increasing inland distance from creek mouths and oceanic inlets, with water depth greatly related to fish use (Faunce and Serafy 2008). Rainbow parrotfish are valuable members of the communities with which they are associated. The grazing activities of these parrotfish are beneficial in preventing algal overgrowth and enhance coral reef resilience to algal blooms and other competitor species (Hughes et al. 2007). The species also facilitates settlement and survival of corals by scraping and bioeroding the hard dead coral substratum and are crucial for the regeneration and maintenance of coral reefs (Lokrantz et al. 2008). Rainbow parrotfish and other scarid species participate in not only the uptake of carbon into the food chain in their direct consumption of seagrass, but also indirectly contribute to the detrital food chain with the removal of decaying seagrass material, which potentially results in the widespread dispersal of seagrass material into surface waters. Detached seagrass may also be cast onto the shore where it decays and may re-enter the system as detritus (Unsworth et al. 2007). Rainbow parrotfish may be equally important in influencing seagrass export from the system by the high rates of material discarded during consumption. The unattached plant matter, estimated to be as high as 11% of seagrass growth, becomes subsequently removed from the system by weather and currents (Unsworth et al. 2007). This figure is in addition to the amount consumed in grazing which causes the loss of at least 16% of the seagrass growth each day (Unsworth et al. 2007). In spite of their ecological role and importance, S. guacamaia populations are thought to be in decline and to have been fished to ecological extinction in Brazil, as well as other areas of the Caribbean (Floeter 2006). Rainbow parrotfish has been listed as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List. This designation means the species is facing a high risk of extinction in the wild based on one or more of the following five criteria: reduction of population size, shrinking geographic range, a population with fewer than 10,000 mature individuals, restricted population extent, or quantitative analysis showing the probability of extinction in the wild is at least 10% within 100 years (the full explanation of which are detailed in the 2004 IUCN criteria; version 2.3, Roberts 1996). Given this information and the ecosystem role of the species developing a model that details occurrence provides a means to assess the health and function of this parrotfish in this region. In addition, one may apply the methods not only throughout the range of this species, but it may be possible to apply this model to other parrotfish species and similar families across the Florida Reef Tract and the Caribbean Sea. Characteristics of the Biscayne Bay and Florida Reef Tract Region The Biscayne Bay region receives high numbers of larvae from offshore spawning adults and functions as a source point for juveniles and adults to migrate to the reef tract (Wang et al. 2003). The region also contains some of the most pristine habitat within the Florida Keys (Ishman 1997). The coastal shelf of the Florida Keys is characterized by shallow and highly variable topography, where currents are influenced by tides, wind, and the very energetic offshore Florida current system (Haus et al. 2000). The eddies and meanders of the Florida Current make it possible for upwelling and larval transport to occur across the shelf, and the scale of these perturbations can vary from slow moving mesoscale gyres to faster moving, sub-mesoscale eddies (Haus et al. 2000). Velocities of these eddies can range from 0.53 m/s to 0.80 m/s along the inshore edge of the Florida Current (Haus et al. 2000) and the variability of those velocities can have an impact on dispersal and the resulting end loc ations of larvae (Haus et al. 2000). Patch reefs in this region occupy a significant portion of the water column, which leads to variability in the water depth. These protrusions have the potential to change the strength and direction of the tidal flow in the bay. The northern Florida Keys contain over 4,000 patch reefs, composed generally of cemented reef (47.3 +/- 2.2% cover) and pavement (20.1 +/- 2.1%), with varying amounts of rubble, boulders and sand (Kuffner et al. 2009). The benthic community observed on these patch reefs is largely dominated by macrophytes, encrusting invertebrates, and suitable settlement substratum found beneath a substantial canopy of gorgonian (soft) corals (Kuffner et al. 2009). Macroalgae occupies a large portion of space on the reefs, especially Dictyota spp. (15.4 +/- 0.8% cover) and Halimeda tuna (11.7 +/- 0.6% cover). Live scleractinian corals account for only 5.8+/- 0.6% of the benthos (Kuffner et al. 2009). The tides are generally weak, with a semidiurnal height range of approximately 0.5 m (Haus et al. 2000). As measured in Caesar Creek, tidal velocity can exceed 25 cm/s, while current measurements within the inlets have shown peak tidal velocities in excess of 50 cm/s (Haus et al. 2000). These channels commonly referred to as the ABC Channels because of their names: Angelfish Creek, Broad Creek, and Caesar Creek form the main outlet from the southern end of Biscayne Bay onto the Florida reef tract. The ABC Channels convey large oscillating tidal flows and wind driven flows between the bay and the ocean, and transport through these corridors predominantly shows a semi-diurnal cycle with amplitudes of 500 m3/s, 300 m3/s, and 250 m3/s respectively (Wang et al. 2003). Based on observations, there is a net outflow at Angelfish and Caesar Creek, but an inconsistent inflow in Broad Creek (Wang et al. 2003). With the tidal flows and the input of freshwater, the residence times of the water varies widely from several months in the more enclosed Barnes Sound and circulation-restricted Card Sound (Ishman 1997), to about a month in the western parts of South Biscayne Bay, and nearly zero in the vicinity of the ocean inlets (Wang et al. 2003). The area encompassing Biscayne Bay south to Card Sound and Barnes Sound forms a barrier island lagoon system that exhibits estuarine characteristics near points of freshwater inflow during the wet and early dry season (Wang et al. 2003). This lagoon system leads to broad salinity regimes that are highly variable throughout the year, and vary greatly across relatively small areas of only several kilometers due to high freshwater input through canals (as opposed to groundwater), and limited tidal flushing. Salinity variations in Biscayne Bay primarily result from canal discharges through gated control structures, as well as smaller freshwater exchanges in the Bay driven by overland runoff, rainfall, and evaporation (Wang et al. 2003) and upwelling from groundwater (Ishman 1997). The greatest salinity fluctuations occur near canal mouths in Barnes Sound and along the western margin of Biscayne Bay. The smallest fluctuation ranges were observed near ocean inlets (Wang et al. 2003), where the vertical variations of salinity in the water column ranged from less than 0.2 †° to a maximum salinity change of 0.8 †° from top to bottom in the vicinity of the inlet mouth (Haus et al. 2000). In the Pelican Bank region of Biscayne Bay (see Figure 10), good circulation results in regular flushing and average salinities range from 33 to 35 †° (Ishman 1997). Water flow characteristics in this region are also determined by a network of drainage canals used for agricultural and industrial purposes. These canals also function to control flooding, which has greatly altered the distribution of freshwater within the watershed, as well as the quantity, quality, and timing of freshwater discharges to Biscayne Bay (Wang et al. 2003). This has led to greater pulses with larger peak discharges in the wet season and less freshwater reaching Biscayne Bay in the dry season due to reduced terrestrial storage and lowered groundwater levels (Wang et al. 2003). Increased runoff not only affects salinity conditions in coastal waters, but also can be a mechanism for increased nutrient loading (Rudnick et al. 2006). There exists a coastal ridge, bisecting the Bay, which acts as a groundwater divide, with water west of the ridge flowing toward Florida Bay. The outputs of freshwater from the canals have punctured massive holes through the ridge, changing the d irection and characteristics of the flow, and the qualities of the watershed (Wang et al. 2003). This region also is characterized by large coverage of submerged aquatic vegetation such as seagrasses, and wide availability of phytoplankton, microalgal and macroalgal species. Florida Bay is approximately 2000 km2 in total surface area, with 95% bottom coverage of seagrasses, characterized by sparse, patchy beds of Thalassia testudinum interspersed with locally abundant Halodule wrightii (Fourqurean and Robblee 1999). However, in the spring of 1991, Florida Bay exhibited a shift from a system characterized by clear water to one of extensive and persistent turbidity and phytoplankton blooms, which limits the ability of the seagrass to grow and function properly by reducing penetration of light in the water column (Fourqurean and Robblee 1999). This seagrass die-off was not accompanied or preceded by noticeable decreases in water clarity or increases in colonization by epiphytes, however. There were many hypothesized causes for this die-off which include hypoxia and sulfide toxicity , the loss of the estuarine nature of the system, overdevelopment of the seagrass beds, chronic hypersal

Transformation of Islam: Islam in the societies of Central Asia Essays

Arab conquest led to the spread of the Arabic culture within Central Asia, including the spread of the Arabic language as the state and literary language. However, from 700s the authority of Arab governors and military leaders declined, and the flowering of the literature in non-Arabic languages began under the rule of the Samanids and the Karakhanids. Non-Arab peoples adjusted the Islamic religion to their way of life. Therefore, this decline in the prestige of the Arabs in politics did not symbolize a failure of Islam, but represented a transformation of Islam in Central Asia. This paper will evaluate how the gradual changes in the social status of Arabs and non-Arabs from the 600s to the 700s affected development of Islam. In order to characterize the transformation of Islam, this essay will first look at the biographical notes of Ibn Sina. Then, Ferdowsi’s â€Å"Shahname† will be discussed. Last, Islam during the period of Turkic rules will be analyzed. As a result of the Islamization process, the Arabic language became an important element of the spiritual, political and social life of the conquered nations (Soucek, page 69). Islamization was accompanied by a transformation of the Arabic language and literature to popular and prestigious means of communication. Due to the fact that the Koran was written in Arabic and translation of holy texts was forbidden (Soucek, page 71), in order to understand Islam conquered tribes had to learn Arabic. Thus, they eventually became carriers of Arabic language and culture. Proficiency in Arabic was an important condition for well being, especially as guarantee of political success (lecture 2, week 4) and prosperity. Moreover, Arabic also became language through which scholars studied and wro... ...is not restricted only in Arabic. In general, to be Muslim in 600s was not the same as in 700s. If at 600s propagating Islam meant being ethnic Arab, and if not, strictly obeying shariah, comparatively, since 700s new elements in Islam began to emerge. Core concepts of Islam combined with ancestor’s cult, belief in omens, and belief in fire power formed new liberal Islam in Central Asia. This transformation is evident in ibn Sina’s works, which promoted Islam as a religion hospitable to science, in Ferdowsi’s â€Å"Shahname†, which offered an example of new form of Islam containing local elements, and in the Turks’ conversion to Islam. Overall, it can be assumed that main principles of Islam remain the same; however, people adjust religion to their lifestyle by introducing local features, and, apparently, these transformations positively affect actuality of Islam.

New Business Development

This assignment cannot be completed without the effort and co-operation from our group members, Mood shaded, Mood Fakir, Rye polonium and Mood Fakery We also sincerely thank our lecturer of .NET 028, Madam Russian for the guidance and encouragement in finishing this assignment and also for teaching us in this course. Last but not least, we would like to express our gratitude to our friends and respondents for the support and willingness to spend some times with us to fill in the questionnaires. Introduction We started our company with the name Fresh & Sweet since 2012.As a new start up for our Fresh & sweet bakery. We have already done identifying on how we are going operate our bakery shop. So, as it starts operating, this company will be manage by five members. Thus, Our main focus is to sell our bakery product with our own recipe. Hence, this has been selected most of the demand from our customers. Fresh & sweet is located at Curia Saba, Jota Kimball. This location is best suitabl e for our business because there is not much competitors. Over the recent years, the profitability of our business is growing faster and has a lot of response from the public.The business is working from the capital loan from RIB bank with the amount RAM 100, 000. Purpose Pu repose Firstly, this company was established with the purpose of attracting the customers to taste our own recipe of bakery products of cakes, muffins and breads. Second, is to fulfill the demands Of our customers Of their satisfaction. Thirdly, it is to give our customer the serve;ice they need such an occasion like birthday party or weeding ceremony and so on. Besides that, our company is also set up to boost the country's economic growth and compete in the international.

Sentence Definition and Examples in English Grammar

Sentence Definition and Examples in English Grammar A sentence is the largest independent unit of grammar: it begins with a capital letter and ends with a period, question mark, or exclamation point. The word sentence is from the Latin for to feel. The adjective form of the word is sentential. The sentence is traditionally (and inadequately) defined as a word or group of words that expresses a complete idea and that includes a subject and a verb. Types of Sentence Structures The four basic sentence structures are the: Simple: A  sentence  with only one  independent clause.Compound: Two (or more)  simple sentences  joined by a  conjunction  or an appropriate  mark of punctuation.Complex: A sentence that contains an  independent clause  (or  main clause) and at least one  dependent clause.Compound-complex: A  sentence  with two or more  independent clauses  and at least one  dependent clause. Functional Types of Sentences Declarative: Clothes make the man. Naked people have little or no influence on society.  (Mark Twain)Interrogative:  But what is the difference between literature and journalism? Journalism is unreadable and literature is not read. (Oscar Wilde)Imperative:  Be careful about reading health books. You may die of a misprint. (Mark Twain)Exclamatory:  To die for an idea; it is unquestionably noble. But how much nobler it would be if men died for ideas that were true!  (H. L. Mencken) Definitions and Observations on Sentences I am trying to say it all in one sentence, between one Cap and one period. (William Faulkner in a letter to Malcolm Cowley) The term sentence is widely used to refer to quite different types of unit. Grammatically, it is the highest unit and consists of one independent clause, or two or more related clauses. Orthographically and rhetorically, it is that unit which starts with a capital letter and ends with a full stop, question mark or exclamation mark. (Angela Downing, English Grammar: A University Course, 2nd ed. Routledge, 2006) I have taken as my definition of a sentence any combination of words whatsoever, beyond the simple naming of an object of sense. (Kathleen Carter Moore, The Mental Development of a Child, 1896) [A sentence is a] unit of speech constructed according to language-dependent rules, which is relatively complete and independent in respect to content, grammatical structure, and intonation. (Hadumo Bussmann, Routledge Dictionary of Language and Linguistics. Trans. by Lee Forester et al. Routledge, 1996) A written sentence is a word or group of words that conveys meaning to the listener, can be responded to or is part of a response, and is punctuated. (Andrew S. Rothstein and Evelyn Rothstein, English Grammar Instruction That Works! Corwin Press, 2009) None of the usual definitions of a sentence really says much, but every sentence ought somehow to organize a pattern of thought, even if it does not always reduce that thought to bite-sized pieces. (Richard Lanham, Revising Prose. Scribners, 1979) The sentence has been defined as the largest unit for which there are rules of grammar. (Christian Lehmann, Theoretical Implications of Grammaticalization Phenomena, Published in The Role of Theory in Language Description, ed. by William A. Foley. Mouton de Gruyter, 1993) The Notional Definition of a Sentence Sidney Greenbaum and Gerald Nelson give a different take in explaining what a sentence is and does: It is sometimes said that a sentence expresses a complete thought. This is a notional definition: it defines a term by the notion or idea it conveys. The difficulty with this definition lies in fixing what is meant by a complete thought. There are notices, for example, that seem to be complete in themselves but are not generally regarded as sentences: Exit, Danger, 50 mph speed limit...On the other hand, there are sentences that clearly consist of more than one thought. Here is one relatively simple example: This week marks the 300th anniversary of the publication of Sir Isaac Newtons Philosophiae Naturalis Principia Mathematica, a fundamental work for the whole of modern science and a key influence on the philosophy of the European Enlightenment. How many complete thoughts are there in this sentence? We should at least recognize that the part after the comma introduces two additional points about Newtons book: (1) that it is a fundamental work for the whole of modern science, and (2) that it was a key influence on the philosophy of the European Enlightenment. Yet this example would be acknowledged by all as a single sentence, and it is written as a single sentence. (Sidney Greenbaum and Gerald Nelson, An Introduction to English Grammar, 2nd ed. Pearson, 2002) Another Definition of a Sentence D.J. Allerton provides an alternative definition of a sentence: Traditional attempts to define the sentence were generally either psychological or logical-analytic in nature: the former type spoke of a complete thought or some other inaccessible psychological phenomenon; the latter type, following Aristotle, expected to find every sentence made up of a logical subject and logical predicate, units that themselves rely on the sentence for their definition. A more fruitful approach is that of [Otto] Jespersen (1924: 307), who suggests testing the completeness and independence of a sentence, by assessing its potential for standing alone, as a complete utterance. (D. J. Allerton. Essentials of Grammatical Theory. Routledge, 1979) Two-Part Definition of a Sentence Stanley Fish felt that a sentence can only be defined in two parts: A sentence is a structure of logical relationships. In its bare form, this proposition is hardly edifying, which is why I immediately supplement it with a simple exercise. Here, I say, are five words randomly chosen; turn them into a sentence. (The first time I did this the words were coffee, should, book, garbage and quickly.) In no time at all I am presented with 20 sentences, all perfectly coherent and all quite different. Then comes the hard part. What is it, I ask, that you did? What did it take to turn a random list of words into a sentence? A lot of fumbling and stumbling and false starts follow, but finally someone says, I put the words into a relationship with one another....Well, my bottom line can be summarized in two statements: (1) a sentence is an organization of items in the world; and (2) a sentence is a structure of logical relationships. (Stanley Fish, Devoid of Content. The New York Times, May 31, 2005. Also How to Write a Sentence and How to Read One. HarperCollins, 2011) The Lighter Side of Sentences Some authors a humorous view of a sentence: One day the Nouns were clustered in the street.An adjective walked by, with her dark beauty.The Nouns were struck, moved, changed.The next day a Verb drove up, and created the Sentence... (Kenneth Koch, Permanently. Published in The Collected Poems of Kenneth Koch. Borzoi Books, 2005)

Advantages of Attending an All-Boys School

Advantages of Attending an All-Boys School Every parent wants his child to succeed, and sometimes we need to think outside the box to find the perfect path to that success. That path may be one that requires the family to look outside of the traditional public school realm to find an ideal learning environment where a child can succeed. For some boys, a traditional classroom model can provide distractions and create unnecessary challenges as they are learning. That is why some families have chosen to enroll their sons in private all boys schools as opposed to the more traditional coed school. I can think of three advantages of a boys school which you ought to consider: 1. The Freedom to Be Himself Boys often thrive in a single sex academic setting for many reasons, ranging from academics to athletics and even social environments. With no girls to impress, boys can get on with being themselves. Conformity gives way to individuality, and boys are expected to fill all the roles on campus. There are no gender stereotypes at a single sex school, allowing the boys to feel free to explore subjects like languages and the arts without fear of ridicule. Even sexual stereotypes tend to fade into the background; youd be surprised that macho posturing can even yield to sensitive dialog. 2. Boys and Girls are NOT the Same When I attended Westmount High School back in the 1950s, single sex classes were the order of the day. Well, for most of the day. Our home rooms were segregated. Certain classes were not. We were joined by the girls for certain subjects with low enrollments like trigonometry. Orchestra and band were integrated classes, but physical education was not. I had many friends who attended boys or girls schools. Looking back I wonder what all the fuss is about. Why? Because it seems pretty obvious to me that boys and girls are quite different people. Educating boys and girls in single sex settings is not an assault on equal rights. It is an opportunity which ultimately will enhance equality by allowing boys and girls to develop their own unique characters. For example, take boys and the arts. America has traditionally been a sports dominated society. Boys are taught to be jocks from birth. Sports equate with manliness. In addition, American sports teaches boys that you must win at all costs. Boys learn that message, then go on to apply it in their adult lives, many times with disastrous results. The divide between jocks and geeks grows as children reach adolescence. A boy who wants to play the violin or be a painter runs counter to what society expects him to be doing. And I certainly can remember being called a sissy because I was a serious musician from childhood. Being artistic was considered unmanly. Then and now. If you are not a jock, you are a geek. In American coed schools jocks and geeks dont mix. You are labeled as one or the other. 3. Different Learning Styles Science has proven that each gender learns in a different manner, accelerating at different rates of learning with varying ability to process information being presented. Teachers have mastered techniques that are tailored to meet the needs of each gender, and a single sex school allows for those techniques to be used to their fullest potential.   4. More than just an opportunity, but an expectation to try new things A single sex school allows boys to explore subjects and activities that they may never have considered at a coed school. Boys are expected to fill all the roles within the school, from class officers and student leaders to actors and artists, there is no room for gender stereotypes in an all boys school. One area that some boys may feel hesitant to explore includes the arts. Visual art, drama and music are instead made available to students, without fear of judgement from their peers. A boys school develops a boys uniqueness and his individuality. Teachers in a boys school can teach effectively in ways which reach boys and appeal to their learning style. Visit a boys school. Talk to graduates and current students. Find out more about the advantages of attending a boys school. Its a terrific choice for many young men. Resources Boys In SchoolBoys SchoolsNASSPE(National Association of Single Sex Public Education)Where The Boys AreWhy an All Boys School?

Hitler and WWII essays

Hitler and WWII essays There are many factors that contributed to the German successes in WWII. One important factor is their sudden massive attacks, a.k.a. blitzkrieg, which they used to capture territory such as Poland. Bombers of the German luftwaffe attacked Norway, which also fell to Germans within 2 days. Next, Hitler aimed for France. Using the blitzkrieg, German troops captured Belgium, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands. Hitler was able to capture the northern 2/3 of France. Hitlers success was basically due to his well-thought out strategies of sneak attacks, along with the luftwaffe bombers to knock out defensives. Hitler tried but was unable to capture Britain, despite Britains inferior military force. Although disappointed, Hitler moved on to capture Yugoslavia and Greece. With the Balkans in his power, Hitler decided he was ready for war with the USSR. The high point of Germany was considered the time before the attack on Russia. If Hitler had conquered Russia and then Great Britain, he would have achieved total victory. A major turning point in the war was Hitlers attack on the Soviet Union. The invasion of Russia led German troops to disaster. Although completely surrounded by German troops and forced into starvation, the Russians refused to surrender. Meanwhile at Moscow, other German troops met stiff resistance from Soviet troops. They also faced the brutal cold of a Soviet Winter. The Germans, dressed only in summer uniforms, were not ready for the cold. Hitler refused to retreat and forced German troops to face the harsh winter conditions. The Soviets, however, were well prepared for the winter warfare. When spring came, the Germans took the offensive, but not for long. After the Battle of Stalingrad, where Russian forces defeated the Germans, the Germans were on the defensive. Soviet tanks and artillery hammered Hitlers armies. German military leaders were starting to realize what Hitler refused to admit...

The challenges nurses are facing with nursing informatics Essay

The challenges nurses are facing with nursing informatics - Essay Example According to Ball (303), Informatics thus refers to the process of modification of a discipline by combining information as well as knowledge to its discipline. In fact, it is an acknowledged specialty for nurses who are registered, but it poses several challenges to the profession of nursing. Nurses have experienced other problems as a result of the innovations in means of communication, improved transport systems as well as the created global economies. This has compelled the nurse to accept the universal perception of health policies, which has led to the changing roles of the nurses, as they have had to incorporate the global phenomena into the primary health care system.The use of technology has been the greatest challenge that the nurses have had to face. They have had to use computers in health caregiving, administration duties as well as in education and research (Ericksen, 1). Basically, informatics is incorporated in every task of a nurse. All these challenges facing the nu rsing profession are caused by advancements in technology, reforms in the healthcare sector, too much workload and little number of professional nurses as well as the increased lifespan of the patients.This is because research has shown that the number of healthcare providers has always been less than that of the health seekers. Technology, therefore, becomes the only solution to this growing burden. Nurses must be kept abreast with the all the advances in technology to enhance the quality as well as the price of care given to patients.

Management research project Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Management research project - Essay Example These strategies should take into consideration factors like outsourcing activities and the development of leadership skills. These steps can be incorporated in an organization in order to develop the training processes of the employees. The purpose of the research is to investigate the experiences and perceptions of the training department staffs in a multi service healthcare firm based in New York. The main objective of the research is to identify the leadership practices that are involved in the development of a positive work culture in a setting where the internal and outsourced employees work concurrently. The selected qualitative research work is done with the aim of identifying the different leadership factors that if cultivated would lead to the development of a positive work culture in a company with outsourcing arrangement. The paper identifies the leadership skills and culture existing in the training department of the chosen healthcare services company which has an established outsourcing arrangement. The name of the company is kept confidential by the researchers because of the sensitivity of the information related to children’s services provided by this healthcare organization. The rationale of the report is that there are many complex challenges associated with leadership within an organization in which outsourcing management is done. Since, there remains a factor of continuous introduction of innovative technologies in the outsourcing systems and solutions, the complexity of leadership challenges become more in these types of organizations. The increase in the multi-generational and multi-cultural composition of the employee base makes the training and leadership challenges more evident in a workplace. But if a company can navigate through these challenges in an efficient way and bring out the best of the outsourcing, it would ensure that a skilful and well trained workforce is established. The chosen company which is an

Communication Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 3

Communication - Essay Example Interpersonal communication entails the process of using feelings, ideas, and thoughts to initiate and develop relationships with other members of the society. Initiating and developing relationships follow three systematic stages. The first stage involves understanding another person’s situation. This enables us to understand the context and perspective from which the other person is speaking. The next step involves responding to the message in an appropriate manner. This entails employing the right tone and emotional expression based on the understanding of the person communicating (Wood 72). After communicating the response in the right manner, the respondent should be able to achieve the objective of communicating. This entails the establishment of a common understanding between the subject parties. Good interpersonal communication skills help in conflict resolution contexts. Interpersonal conflicts arise when people reaches a disagreement over their convictions, beliefs, ideas and desires. Interpersonal conflict can present serious consequences to the parties involved. Therefore, the best solution on resolving a conflict is by employing effective interpersonal communication skills. In reality, conflict leads to emotional stress, hurting feelings and situational disappointments. When any conflict is handled in an unhealthy way, it might result in irreparable damages in social relationships. Therefore, the best method of resolving any conflict is applying some ethical principles while striving to reach a compromise. One of the essential ethical elements during conflict resolution is empathy. Empathy entails putting oneself into another person’s shoes. Thought empathy allows one to understand what another person is saying. Feeling empathy allows someone to acknowledge how another person feels. Therefore, empathy facilitates healthy communication when resolving a conflict. The other ethical element is exploration. Exploration allows one to enquir e thoroughly on the other person’s thoughts and feelings. Stroking is also essential during conflict cases. Stroking involves complimenting the person by making respectful and positive opinions about him/her. To resolve a conflict successfully, I align myself to these three ethical aspects, which are empathy, exploration, and stroking. The definition of gender roles and other aspects associated with gender and society depends on an individual’s social background. The beliefs and convictions held by an individual concerning the social roles expected from different genders influences social relationships to a substantial extent. On my part, I expect females to be submissive, and accommodative to different ideas and situations. The other factor that may affect my communication is ethnicity. Ethnicity brings about prejudice and discrimination within the society. Discrimination entails behaviors directed towards people from a different ethnic background while prejudice invo lves holding irrational and inflexible attitudes towards members of another ethnic group. Prejudice influences communication whereby negative prejudice results in discrimination. Therefore, ethnicity might affect my judgments and decisions during communication in a positive or a negative way. The other factor than influences communication is culture. Culture is comprised of behaviors, beliefs and other social characteristics that define a particular social group. Though people would like to define themselves individually, the society conforms an individual to some set standards of beliefs, values and behavioral norms. These inbred cultural principles in an individual influence his/her relationship with people within a culturally diverse environment. As a

A Double Diamond Comparison of the Automotive Industry of China, Essay

A Double Diamond Comparison of the Automotive Industry of China, India, and South Korea - Essay Example The prime merit of executing the model of Double Diamond is that the model forces different government leaders as well as businesses to think about management strategies and public policies in a different ways. The model has been viewed to depict certain valuable factors or attributes through which competitive advantages can be generated by a considerable level. It has been apparently observed in this similar circumstance that various industries have applied this particular model in order to enhance as well as raise their competitiveness by focusing upon the different attributes of the model. According to Porter, the four broad attributes of the model determines the competence level at large. A detailed explanation of these attributes has been provided hereunder: Related and supporting industries refer to one of the most pervasive findings of Porter’s model. The findings state that when there lays large industry presence in an area then it will certainly increase market competition and higher risk of losing employment Firm strategy, structure and rivalry refer to the business market competition that eventually makes the organisations to develop their different products and attain superior competitive position over their chief market contenders (Tallman, 2010) In order to explain the differences between the Double Diamond Model and Porter’s Diamond Model, it has been apparently observed that the newly revised model of Porter i.e. Double Diamond Model emphasises upon certain important aspects through which superior competitiveness can be attained. The aspects comprise technological innovation, domestic competition and general infrastructure among others. It has been viewed in this particular context that the newly revised Double Diamond Model elaborately discusses various significant factors that can raise competitiveness by a greater extent as compared to Porter’s Diamond Model. The

The working class of Indian mens working in the field of Fashion Dissertation

The working class of Indian mens working in the field of Fashion - Dissertation Example The study "The working class of Indian mens working in the field of Fashion" talks about The working class of Indian fashion Industry. With industrialization and mass production fashion got a new shape in the western world. Fashion industry has became more popular when combined with visual effects, that is through the art of photography which brings the outcomes of the designers to the doors of common people through different print media forms. on one hand photography makes the dresses and models all the more attractive and famous, while on the other, it makes the conceptual loopholes quite prominent. The 16 page editorial published in the Vogue Issue of August 2008 in India sees the new nation as a place where even the poor class takes to expensive brands and carries it off gracefully. Hence Vogue attempts to make fashion reach out to all classes of people instead of the wealthy ones or celebrities. The magazine published some photos of lower middle class people flaunting expensive branded clothes and accessories. However this kind of portrayal drew lots of controversy because the people modeling in the magazine belonged to the similar class, which witnessed suicides and poverty. What becomes prominent in this discussion is the strong influence of western culture or the cultural dependency witnessed by the Indian fashion industry. Yet, the same fashion trends which has been a pride of the glamour seeking people of the upper middle class and wealthy sections are now imposed upon. those working class people who are merely able to cover their cost of production of labor hours and some who are not even able to do so. They perhaps belong to the class of contractual or casual workers who thrive to make both ends meet. When we think of the designers and fashion photographers a finger might be raised at their sensitivity towards the human dignity. It hurts when one sees the contrast between the social status and the expensive brands. Why would a person thriving for ba re survival want to use a Burberry umbrella? Even if we assume this might one day become an economically viable option, the individual might not decide to flaunt his money through these brands even if he can afford it. The middle class people working in the fashion industry (photographers, designers and editors of fashion magazines) need to be sensitive to the ethical viability of any form of art which represents fashion trends. This prompts us to ask the question: Can Vogue’s way of representing ‘new India’ support Realism or it is an example of Aestheticism in fashion photography? II. LITERATURE REVIEW This section attempts to discuss the theories of Realism and Aestheticism in visual art and how they apply to fashion photography in particular. Reviews of different literatures are covered to learn about the evolution of fashion industry in India and the works of different fashion photographers including the way they portray fashion in the daily lives of the soc iety. The study incorporates details regarding the middle class people working in the fashion industry of India and how they portray culture and economy through their works. How the trends change along with the impact of globalization and economic upgradation. At the end of the review one might raise questions about ethics and priorities while portraying

Black Diaspora and the Founding of Liberia Research Paper

Black Diaspora and the Founding of Liberia - Research Paper Example According to these people, the strength of the blacks lay in their own hands and not in the hands of whites. African Americans belonged to Africa and their movement from America to Liberia was expected to be the result of their freedom and not their further enslavement. The journey to the founding of Liberia is a long one and captures the vision of the elders of African America who eliminated the differences within the African community that still comprises of a variety of languages and cultures. They wanted to see Africa as a whole, united in its dream. Hence the term ‘Pan-Africanism’ has been coined. It is the ‘political project’ to allow those in African diaspora to return by way of unification of all the Africans in a single African state4 the intellectual roots of the movement strongly lie in the racial conception of Africa by its founders, the African American and the Afro-Caribbean intellectuals. Pan-Africanism aimed to challenge the anti-black racism on two fronts since it started off from the New World among the slave descendants spreading back to Africa. Firstly, in the diaspora it condemned racial domination and secondly it also challenged the colonial domination which eventually seemed to have taking a racial form in Africa alone. The great divide in the movement is mainly due to the â€Å"stresses and strains† caused by the aforementioned goals which pull it in different directions.5 Liberia eventually grew into a colony and then a commonwealth nation. It achieved independence in 1847 with the help of the American Colonization Society. It was not until the 1980 that the descendents of freed slaves, also known as Americo-Liberians, got away with the socio-political control of the... This essay declares that the journey to the founding of Liberia is a long one and captures the vision of the elders of African America who eliminated the differences within the African community that still comprises of a variety of languages and cultures. They wanted to see Africa as a whole, united in its dream. Hence the term ‘Pan-Africanism’ has been coined. It is the ‘political project’ to allow those in African diaspora to return by way of unification of all the Africans in a single African state the intellectual roots of the movement strongly lie in the racial conception of Africa by its founders, the African American and the Afro-Caribbean intellectuals. Pan-Africanism aimed to challenge the anti-black racism on two fronts since it started off from the New World among the slave descendants spreading back to Africa. This paper discusses that colonization was in many ways a missionary task which it quite a â€Å"benevolent project†. Hence the method of carrying out the plans was very much private and was done on a small scale. There was definitely a plan of colonization behind Thomas Jefferson’s plea to end slavery and allow the blacks to visit and enjoy their own lands. There was indeed evil arising from the slavery through which the Americans were benefiting. They did not know the anger they were breeding among the natives of Africa who learnt what was being done to their brothers abroad.

A Double Diamond Comparison of the Automotive Industry of China, Essay

A Double Diamond Comparison of the Automotive Industry of China, India, and South Korea - Essay Example The prime merit of executing the model of Double Diamond is that the model forces different government leaders as well as businesses to think about management strategies and public policies in a different ways. The model has been viewed to depict certain valuable factors or attributes through which competitive advantages can be generated by a considerable level. It has been apparently observed in this similar circumstance that various industries have applied this particular model in order to enhance as well as raise their competitiveness by focusing upon the different attributes of the model. According to Porter, the four broad attributes of the model determines the competence level at large. A detailed explanation of these attributes has been provided hereunder: Related and supporting industries refer to one of the most pervasive findings of Porter’s model. The findings state that when there lays large industry presence in an area then it will certainly increase market competition and higher risk of losing employment Firm strategy, structure and rivalry refer to the business market competition that eventually makes the organisations to develop their different products and attain superior competitive position over their chief market contenders (Tallman, 2010) In order to explain the differences between the Double Diamond Model and Porter’s Diamond Model, it has been apparently observed that the newly revised model of Porter i.e. Double Diamond Model emphasises upon certain important aspects through which superior competitiveness can be attained. The aspects comprise technological innovation, domestic competition and general infrastructure among others. It has been viewed in this particular context that the newly revised Double Diamond Model elaborately discusses various significant factors that can raise competitiveness by a greater extent as compared to Porter’s Diamond Model. The

Black Diaspora and the Founding of Liberia Research Paper

Black Diaspora and the Founding of Liberia - Research Paper Example According to these people, the strength of the blacks lay in their own hands and not in the hands of whites. African Americans belonged to Africa and their movement from America to Liberia was expected to be the result of their freedom and not their further enslavement. The journey to the founding of Liberia is a long one and captures the vision of the elders of African America who eliminated the differences within the African community that still comprises of a variety of languages and cultures. They wanted to see Africa as a whole, united in its dream. Hence the term ‘Pan-Africanism’ has been coined. It is the ‘political project’ to allow those in African diaspora to return by way of unification of all the Africans in a single African state4 the intellectual roots of the movement strongly lie in the racial conception of Africa by its founders, the African American and the Afro-Caribbean intellectuals. Pan-Africanism aimed to challenge the anti-black racism on two fronts since it started off from the New World among the slave descendants spreading back to Africa. Firstly, in the diaspora it condemned racial domination and secondly it also challenged the colonial domination which eventually seemed to have taking a racial form in Africa alone. The great divide in the movement is mainly due to the â€Å"stresses and strains† caused by the aforementioned goals which pull it in different directions.5 Liberia eventually grew into a colony and then a commonwealth nation. It achieved independence in 1847 with the help of the American Colonization Society. It was not until the 1980 that the descendents of freed slaves, also known as Americo-Liberians, got away with the socio-political control of the... This essay declares that the journey to the founding of Liberia is a long one and captures the vision of the elders of African America who eliminated the differences within the African community that still comprises of a variety of languages and cultures. They wanted to see Africa as a whole, united in its dream. Hence the term ‘Pan-Africanism’ has been coined. It is the ‘political project’ to allow those in African diaspora to return by way of unification of all the Africans in a single African state the intellectual roots of the movement strongly lie in the racial conception of Africa by its founders, the African American and the Afro-Caribbean intellectuals. Pan-Africanism aimed to challenge the anti-black racism on two fronts since it started off from the New World among the slave descendants spreading back to Africa. This paper discusses that colonization was in many ways a missionary task which it quite a â€Å"benevolent project†. Hence the method of carrying out the plans was very much private and was done on a small scale. There was definitely a plan of colonization behind Thomas Jefferson’s plea to end slavery and allow the blacks to visit and enjoy their own lands. There was indeed evil arising from the slavery through which the Americans were benefiting. They did not know the anger they were breeding among the natives of Africa who learnt what was being done to their brothers abroad.

Educational Coaches Essay Example for Free

Educational Coaches Essay Educational or instructional coaches – also called â€Å"master teachers† – in elementary and secondary education are facilitators who train other teachers to improve instructional practices and generate higher levels of student achievement (Buly et al, 2004). Specifically, they are trained to serve as support for schools and districts experiencing â€Å"market failure;† i. e. , that have large numbers of students unable to meet state and federal achievement standards (Buly et al, 2004). This document is written as an outline to provide qualitative and quantitative evidence (in economic and real terms) that justifies educational managers (elementary, middle and high school principals, superintendents and school board members) utilizing educational/instructional coaches to achieve the following goals: (1) improving aggregate output through schools’ and districts’ overall level of student achievement on state- and/or federally-mandated testing, and (2) improving micro-level behavior through resource allocation, individual classroom management, implementation of learning strategies and instruction of subject matter. The following is a summary of the main points of this document: †¢ Discussion of what educational/instructional coaches are and their estimated microeconomic impact on students’ and teachers’ performances †¢ Discussion of district and schools’ economic costs and factors including fiscal policy, funding sources, overall output and the impact of budgetary decisions such as hiring educational/instructional coaches †¢ An econometric case study: regression analysis of schools in Duval County Public Schools in Jacksonville, Florida that utilize educational/instructional coaches Definition The field of education, unlike some markets, is not perfectly competitive. Individual buyers (students) and sellers (teachers) do have the ability to significantly influence the cost and quality of education. Consequently, educators continuously strive to make the educational marketplace more efficient and productive; i. e. , they search for methods and tools that improve the process of and environment for learning and address the diverse and changing needs of teachers and students. Unfortunately, the field of education is constrained by limits, and the equitable and efficient distribution of income (state and federal funding) and other resources (teachers) remains an issue that managers (educational administrators such as superintendents, school board members and principals) must address annually. In 1989, an educational organization called the National Center on Education and the Economy (NCEE) developed America’s Choice, a school design model based on high quality instructional materials, technical support and professional development for teachers (NCEE, 2009). Educational/instructional coaches are a central component of America’s Choice (NCEE, 2009). The goal of this paper is to determine whether or not educational managers are making the most fiscally responsible decision when hiring educational/instructional coaches to meet district- and school-based needs. While educational/instructional coaches are an often-used solution in some school districts, managers have other alternatives available to provide support to teachers and students in the classroom. These options utilize different methods of resource allocation. One alternative to â€Å"classroom coaching† is making capital improvements. An example of a capital improvement is upgrading a district’s and/or school’s technological infrastructure. This would involve purchasing computers and/or networks with more memory and larger capacities for data storage and manipulation, increasing the value and useful life of a district’s or school’s technological infrastructure. This could also involve purchasing software such as web-based educational tools for both students and teachers to use. Another option is additional training for teachers through in-service workshops (training provided during the school day) or additional education courses (college and/or university level). A third alternative is realignment of the student-teacher ratio based on aggregate demand; i. e. , the total demand (number of students) for goods (teachers/classes) and services (instruction) in the educational market (classroom). A fourth alternative is awarding financial bonuses to teachers with high or greatly improved student achievement rates. Educational/Instructional Coaches: Their Economic Costs and Factors When evaluating the benefits of using educational/instructional coaches, educational managers must ask themselves, â€Å"What are the accounting and opportunity costs of this decision? † In other words, managers need to determine expenses like salary, benefits, health insurance for the educational/instructional coaches; they also must construct the benefits of other educational options. According to payscale. com, a global, online compensation database, the average salary for K-12 public school teachers in the United States is $42,000 annually for a nine-month school year (Payscale, Inc. , 2009). Educational coaches are often at the top tier for teachers’ salaries and make on average $52,000 each year (Payscale, Inc. , 2009). Thus, the opportunity cost of hiring an educational coach at a school is, on average, $52,000 annually. An educational manager have an additional $52,000 (plus the cost of insurance and benefits) within his/her budget to invest in computer hardware, software, training for existing teachers, or actually hiring a new teacher (thereby reducing the teacher/student ratio). If a school principal hired more than one educational coach – many schools have one for every major academic discipline – the costs would be even greater. Across a school district, the aggregate costs would be much larger. For example, Duval County Public Schools is a school district in Jacksonville, Florida, has 160 schools, and uses America’s Choice, employing educational coaches at all 160 schools (Duval County Public Schools, 2009). At the very least, Duval County Public Schools’ accounting cost for hiring 160 educational coaches would be (on average) approximately 8. 32 million dollars annually, not including benefits and insurance. While educational managers must consider costs, they must also contend with economic factors. There are a wide range of economic factors that affect educational managers’ ability to hire educational coaches. Some of the most important are federal and state government policies, school district management, taxation, and student achievement levels. Before educational managers can make hiring decisions, school districts must meet state and federal approval through accreditation (Duval County Public Schools, 2009). Accreditation is the process by which â€Å"an official body gives authority to something when recognized standards are met† (Lindberg, Ed. , 2004, p. 8). The governing body for public schools in the southern part of the United States is the Southern Association for Colleges and Schools (SACS). In October 2008, SACS awarded Duval County Public Schools full accreditation, which indicates the district complied with meeting state and federal standards for student achievement (Duval County Public Schools, 2009). Schools must be accredited to hire new staff. Thus, the accreditation process was necessary before educational managers could hire educational coaches. Another factor affecting the hiring process is district management. Before principals can finalize hiring any new educators, including educational coaches, the new hires must be approved by the school board (Duval County Public Schools, 2009). The school board is â€Å"a local authority responsible for the provision and maintenance of schools† (Lindberg, Ed. , 2004, p. 1220). In Duval County Public Schools, for example, the school board must vote on whether or not they approve principals hiring educational coaches. Another factor affecting the hiring of educational coaches is funding. Funding for school districts is a fiscal policy issue and comes from a combination of local, state and federal sources (Howell Miller, 1997). Local funding is generally financed by property taxes (Howell Miller, 1997). State financing is generally through sales taxation (Howell Miller, 1997). Both local and state taxation are affected by state policy decisions and voting decisions of the population (Howell Miller, 1997). For example, a governor may issue a proposition to reduce property taxes across a state. If the population votes to accept the tax reduction, the funds available to make hiring decisions are reduced. While federal monies are financed through national income tax, these come to schools and schools districts via an assortment of federally mandated programs, often for at-risk student populations (U. S. Department of Education, 2007). For example, No Child Left Behind (NCLB) is the most recent federal education legislation. Enacted in 2001, NCLB is an initiative of former U. S. President George W. Bush and it authorizes the distribution of educational grants for low-income students, textbooks, professional development for educators and more (U. S. Department of Education, 2007). Often a school’s student population determines how much and if that school can receive federal funding (U. S. Department of Education, 2007) Thus, government policy decisions at the local, state and federal levels affect educational managers’ decisions to hire educational coaches. A final factor that determines whether or not educational managers hire educational coaches is actual student achievement. If a school has a significant number of students not meeting state and federal achievement standards, educational managers seek solutions through options like educational coaches. For example, in Duval County Public Schools, William M. Raines High School has a student population characterized by low-incomes and low test scores (Duval County Public Schools, 2009). The school district also contains Stanton High School, rated

Juveniles in the US Criminal Justice System

Juveniles in the US Criminal Justice System The juvenile court system has been in existence since 1899 (Kerbs, n.d.). Although this does not show how long juvenile crimes have been taking place, it does give one a glimpse into how long juvenile crime has been taken to courts. Politically, both sides of the spectrum; liberals as well as conservatives are calling for the abolition of the juvenile courts jurisdiction over delinquency adjudications (Kerbs, n.d.). Sadly, crimes that juveniles are committing have become more violent including rape and murder and although they are still, in fact children, they must still be punished for their crime. In most cases, a child who is over the age of 13 and commits a crime of that magnitude will be tried in an adult court. The one thing that needs to be remembered is that children are children, not adults. A possibility remains that children can be rehabilitated into becoming more productive members of society once they have gone through some sort of rehabilitation process. of course, ther e is always the exception to that rule when children just do not care and want to continue living a bad life and committing crimes. Adults have already gotten set in their ways and the chances of rehabilitating them are not as great as that of a child. Comparison between juvenile and adult courts Some differences between the two types of courts are the terminology used in each. For juveniles, they commit an act of delinquency whereas adults commit a crime (Misha, 2006). Differences in background are another way that the two courts can be distinguished. When considering the juvenile case, the courts look at both the students academic and family background. In adult courts, these issues are not considered when the adult is on trial (Misha, 2006). Juvenile courts look at rehabilitation efforts for the child who committed the delinquency. Adult courts focus more on the fact that the adult committed a crime and the community in which he or she lives or committed that crime does not approve of that crime and think the individual needs to be punished accordingly (Misha, 2006). Juveniles are not arrested but taken into custody. Adults are simply arrested. Adults are indicted and juveniles have petitions filed against them. Juvenile courts must either agree to a finding or deny the pe tition. Adults have to enter a plea of guilty, not guilty, or no contest. Juvenile courts have an adjustment made. In adult courts, this is also called plea bargaining (Misha, 2006). Juvenile courts will decide if the child should go to a detention facility or childcare center; adults who are facing due process are either sent to jail or sent back to jail (Misha, 2006). Similarities are present between the two as well. Both juveniles and adults have a right to get counsel to represent them in court. Both have a right to cross-examine and also to confront witnesses. They have the right to be protected against self-incrimination and a right to be advised of the charges pending against them. Last, the prosecution in both types of courts must show proof that the defendant is guilty beyond a reasonable doubt before the defendant can be convicted. Implications of Juveniles in Adult Courts There are times when judges will remand a juvenile to an adult court, depending on the severity of the crime that has been committed, including rape and murder. This is called waiving jurisdiction, and it also depends on some other factors such as the age of the juvenile, and whether or not the court feels that the juvenile can be rehabilitated (Steinberg, 2000). In some states, a juvenile court judge must waive jurisdiction for certain offenses if probable cause exists that the juvenile committed the offense (Steinberg, 2000). other states have a presumption waiver in which the juvenile will be transferred to criminal court, when it is presumed appropriate. If the juvenile can prove that he or she should be in a juvenile rehabilitation program, then they will not get a presumption waiver (Steinberg, 2000). The judge will make that final decision, but the juvenile must be the one to prove it. Direct File, which is also known as Prosecutorial Discretion, exists in some jurisdictions and the prosecutor who uses his or her own discretion can file charges either in a juvenile or criminal court (Steinberg, 2000). Statutory Exclusion, which is also known as Legislative Exclusion, Mandatory Transfer, or Automatic Transfer, there are certain categories under which the juvenile can be excluded automatically from juvenile court. This exclusion is determined by a combination of age and offense (Steinberg, 2000). In some states there is a reverse waiver where a criminal court judge can waive a case to juvenile court based on various characteristics of the offender and the offense (Steinberg, 2000). In some states like New York, juveniles who are age 16 or 17 will automatically be tried in a criminal court because the juvenile court jurisdiction ends at age 15, and this is not considered a transfer. More cases are being transferred to adult courts because the list of cases being tried are growing, approximately one-third of those cases are for non-violent offenses like robbery or drugs, and there are a larger number of black and Hispanic offenders transferred than white offenders, even when they have committed the same type of crime (Steinberg, 2000). The problem that exists in this area is that there are many cases being tried in adult courts for children who are too young to really and fully understand the consequences behind their actions. The punishments they are being given are the same as adults and this does not sound like a fair deal. Punishments that are handed down to these juveniles in the adult courts should be done so with the understanding of the juvenile that they know what they have done is wrong and they can accept the consequences of their actions (Steinberg, 2000). The age of the offender needs to be taken into account and the judicial system certainly needs to realize that some juveniles, even at the age of 17, may not be emotionally mature enough to have this understanding. Societal Implications of Abolishing Juvenile Court If juvenile courts are taken away, there will be more juveniles sent to adult prisons and given much harsher sentences and punishments than they should really get. It is crucial for the U.S. to keep these courts alive and active. Sending juveniles to adult prisons can make their lives much worse, and the chances of them being rehabilitated and becoming better citizens will be reduced greatly because of the things that can happen to them in prison and the things they will learn in prison. Children should not be housed with adults who are career criminals and have spent the better part of their lives doing bad things, hurting people and stealing. No one wants their children to end up like that. It is likely that society will not allow this to happen, but if citizens and law makers alike do not fight it, abolishing juvenile courts can become a reality.