The Kite Runner Essay Example For Students

The Kite Runner Essay The beginning of this chapter focuses on Amirs thoughts while the doctors are attempting to save Sohrab from his self inflicted injuries. There are two main parts to this extract. The first part focuses on Amirs attempt to live out his panic about Sohrabs health. The second part focuses on the attempt Amir makes to calm himself down whilst he is forced to wait. Hosseini takes the reader along into these situations by employing techniques like personification and sensory writing to further the mood of panic and fear. Further, the reader will find that Amir is in panic about Sohrab not for the obvious reason. We will write a custom essay on The Kite Runner specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now The structure of the extract is very basic. After the first one line paragraph, there are two paragraphs. The first of which is mainly demonstrating the fear, panic and confusion Amir is in, letting the reader fell that with the use of personification and sensory writing. The second paragraph focuses less on the description of the scene, but the possibilities of further action and the internal conflict Amir is going through while he is excluded from Sohrabs room. These are shown by the feelings Amir has as he feels like his legs are blocks of concrete, his lungs are empty of air and his throat is burning (lines 18-19). Throughout the whole passage Hosseini also writes quite long sentences with a multitude of punctuation. These especially emphasize the jumps in Amirs thoughts as he attempts to analyze the situation he is faced with in the quickest possible way. This structure is only contrasted by the opening sentence:They wont let me in. This colloquial statement places the reader in the situation where he or she realizes that Amir has a Problem. The techniques Hosseini employs throughout the extract are mostly sensory writing and personification. These establish the mood of panic and fear in the extract. Already in the second sentence, the smell of iodine and peroxide hits (line 3) Amir rather than him just smelling iodine and peroxide. Later on the sliding doors are also personified as they swing shut behind him with a sigh. These aspects show the reader what Amir is going through in all his misery and create that tone of panic and helplessness. Sensory writing is also an important tool made use of by Hosseini. It envelopes the reader with Amir and lets them vividly imagine the scene. The strong emphasis on color and lighting shows the may jumps there are in Amirs mind as he analyses the situation before him. Besides the obvious mentions of color like the woman in green (line 4) and the man in blue (line 7), there are also subtle and indirect mentions of color like the pair of small bloody feet (line 6) alluding to the color red and the grimy checkered tiles (line 5) to a dull and dirty color. There is an underlying tone of selfishness in the passage that may be noticed through the fear and panic Amir is in. This tone comes through in the context of the passage. Sohrab was Amirs chance for redemption, and if he dies, Amir has killed not only Hassan, but also Sohrab. This selfishness is linked with the obvious fear in the passage. Amir is indeed afraid of Sohrab dying but it is uncertain if it is for Sohrabs of for his own sake. The indication Hosseini has given for this is the constant repetition of the words I and me despite the first person perspective. These words are used multiple times per sentence: I see them wheel him through a set of double doors and I follow. (line 2) or I want to scream again, I remember the last time I felt this way, (lines 14-15) .u3f8c258e941ad75719f5d0cc9fcfc5fa , .u3f8c258e941ad75719f5d0cc9fcfc5fa .postImageUrl , .u3f8c258e941ad75719f5d0cc9fcfc5fa .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u3f8c258e941ad75719f5d0cc9fcfc5fa , .u3f8c258e941ad75719f5d0cc9fcfc5fa:hover , .u3f8c258e941ad75719f5d0cc9fcfc5fa:visited , .u3f8c258e941ad75719f5d0cc9fcfc5fa:active { border:0!important; } .u3f8c258e941ad75719f5d0cc9fcfc5fa .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u3f8c258e941ad75719f5d0cc9fcfc5fa { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u3f8c258e941ad75719f5d0cc9fcfc5fa:active , .u3f8c258e941ad75719f5d0cc9fcfc5fa:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u3f8c258e941ad75719f5d0cc9fcfc5fa .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u3f8c258e941ad75719f5d0cc9fcfc5fa .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u3f8c258e941ad75719f5d0cc9fcfc5fa .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u3f8c258e941ad75719f5d0cc9fcfc5fa .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u3f8c258e941ad75719f5d0cc9fcfc5fa:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u3f8c258e941ad75719f5d0cc9fcfc5fa .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u3f8c258e941ad75719f5d0cc9fcfc5fa .u3f8c258e941ad75719f5d0cc9fcfc5fa-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u3f8c258e941ad75719f5d0cc9fcfc5fa:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: The Kite Runner By John Kite EssayThis extract shows the second part of the novel very well. Hosseini subtly indicates to the reader that Amir fears that his chance for redemption gets taken from him. Further, he takes the reader along into these situations by employing techniques like personification and sensory writing to further the mood of panic and fear. The reader will consequently be able to live with the character of Amir through this scene. Most importantly, Hosseini demonstrates how a typical situation full of panic, fear and confusion leads to the recognition of all he minor details that are actually irrelevant to it, but help the unfortunate victim of the situa tion to process it.

$2500 Essay Contest Scholarship! I Can Save The Earth!

$2500 Essay Contest Scholarship! I Can Save The Earth! $2500 Essay Contest Scholarship! I Can Save The Earth! We are thrilled to announce another essay contest scholarship with an amazing prize of $2500 in scholarship funds. This time around the topic is environmentalism and what students can do to save the earth! Have you done something to protect the natural environment in your community? Do you have a brilliant idea to counteract the human effects on the environment? If so, fire up your word processor and get to work! Keep reading to Learn more! Eligibility If you are a student in a college or university, attend a tech school or certificate program, or are a high school student in the US or a related territory, you are welcome to participate! Requirements We want you to have a fair shake at winning this money, so make sure your essay meets the following requirements: 1000 to 1500 Words Long Written in English Don’t Use Real Names! Send us Your Full Name And a Valid Email Address on a Separate Page Keep it Clean! No Offensive or Harassing Content. Be sure to send it in my 12/31/17. We’ll let everyone know who won on 01/31/18. Email your essay to @gmail.com What Does it Take to Win? Don’t start typing just yet. First, take a look at our judging criteria. Your essay must be impeccable! Use your spell checker, and be sure you get rid of any grammar or punctuation error. Next, stick to the topic at hand. Relevance is important. We’re looking for ideas that are original, and that can be put to work! Practical solutions are best! Finally, educate us! Provide examples and tips on ways that each of us can protect the environment. Disclaimer: Once you submit your essay, it becomes our property and will be protected by copyright laws. You may not publish your essay, copy it, or provide it to others without our express written permission.

Understanding the Special Needs of Children. Building Patterns of Essay

Understanding the Special Needs of Children. Building Patterns of Kindergarten Teaching from Student Assessment - Essay Example During this time I was introduced to the Kindergarten teacher Mrs. â€Å"Adams† as well as the school Principal and other teachers on the staff. The Edge Academy is a Kindergarten through Fifth Grade (K-5) school located in Akron with approximately 98% of the students coming from African-American families. According to statistics, â€Å"The Edge Academy spends $7,064 per pupil in current expenditures. The district spends 45% on instruction, 48% on support services, 7% on other elementary and secondary expenditures.† (Education.com, 2011) In standardized test results, the school scores an average of 2/10 nationally last year. This school can be seen as having potential problems due to the challenges the children and their families manage in coming from lower socio-economic backgrounds. Some parents have removed children from classes in preference for more racially diverse and integrated schools. However, while there may be many challenges in this school it is a very good place for children’s education. The teachers at Edge Academy are attentive and caring about the students’ needs, and conduct themselves in a professional manner. The school has facilities for music, sports, science, library, and other special activities. The Edge Academy has been developed to meet the challenge of providing the best education and foundation for future personal development to students in Akron. I am happy about the time I spent there in observation, and I gained many memories in working with the children and staff. The Edge Academy represents a school that I would like to seek a career in because I believe it is possible to make a difference in children’s lives by being a good teacher in such an environment. The Edge Academy is in the Akron School District and is publicly funded through tax dollars. It participates in standardized testing and also upholds Ohio Department of Education standards of quality in education. The Edge Academy has an enrollment of approximately 158 to 268 stude nts per year. (BES, 2006; Great Schools, 2008, Education.com, 2011) The school has been rated between 3/10 - 2/10 on the Standardized Testing Scale, based on national averages of performance for similar aged students in the country. (BES, 2006; Great Schools, 2008) The school has classrooms for six classes, plus additional rooms for group activities, events, and administration. The school has only a limited outdoor play area, but is near to a local city park in Akron. Source: Council of Chief State School Officers, 2011 The Kindergarten class I was assigned to observe in had all of the students sitting at four big tables in the room. There are three windows in the room to allow for natural sunlight and fresh air. There is a large chalkboard at the front of the room which the teacher uses for instruction. The classroom has a teacher’s desk in the corner that is used to prepare lessons and keep class materials organized. There is also a large rug that students can move to for p lay or other activities related to instruction. There is a restroom facility attached directly to the class for the students to access. The

Interferences in the Assay of Serum Albumin Using the Bromcresol Green Lab Report

Interferences in the Assay of Serum Albumin Using the Bromcresol Green Indicator - Lab Report Example Albumin's molecular structure was reported from research in the past 30 years. Albumin's clinical importance was discussed, explaining that the test for Albumin is not a marker for any specific disease, while it is an important indicator for the physiological condition of the body. It was explained that an abnormally high result for Albumin needs to resolved and at face-value is considered a spurious result. The cause of elevated albumin levels are usually a result of accompanying serum proteins, acute phase infections, elevated immunoglobulins(found in multiple myeloma), or autoimmune issues. The BCG method was thoroughly researched. It is a valuable test for screening, when performing mass analysis of blood work in large clinical laboratories. It has fallen out of favor with laboratory clinicians for fear that the test can mask hypoalbunemia and low readings. BCG is an acid-base indicator, its acid to base color change is from yellow to blue, with a range in pH from 4.2-5.6. The de tection of hypoalbunemia is always important to a physician. Low Albumin readings are indicative of a deteriorating condition in the body. An alternative to the BCG indicator is Bromcresol Purple(BCP), also an acid–base indicator. A comparison studies have been performed of the two methods. When compared to a benchmark analytic method Capillary Zone Electrophoresis(CZE), the positive bias for BCG was 3.77, while BCP faired much better with 0.67. Our experiment produced linear curves needed in detection and quantification of albumin concentrations. We demonstrated the effect on accompanying globulins elevating the result in BCG determinations of albumin. We also showed that time, reagent concentration and wavelength of absorbance significantly affect albumin readings. We bring to consideration for further testing the affect of pH on the test. Background and Literature review In clinical medical laboratories the testing for serum albumin, globulins and total protein are standard procedures, performed daily. Theses assays may also be requested STAT or on an emergency basis for patients suffering a crisis situation. The techniques for determining albumin and total protein are numerous and varied. Most clinical laboratories perform three routine three routine examinations; 1) Total Protein(TP) 2) Serum Albumin(Alb) 3) Serum Globulins Human blood contains both a cellular and liquid portion. Albumin is the most abundant protein in the human circulatory system1 and contributes 80% to providing colloid osmotic pressure2. Albumin is chiefly responsible for maintenance of the blood's acid-base balance, commonly referred to as pH3. In mammals it is synthesized by the liver as a preproalbumin. It undergoes a two cleavage processes before release into the body's circulation in its final form. It has been determined that the half-life of a albumin molecule is 19 days4.. Figure 1: Molecular Cleavage of albumin from preproalbumin->proalbumin->albumin Figure 2: The classical perception of the Albumin molecule Peters, T., Jr. (1985). Serum Albumin. Adv. Protein Chem.37; 161-2455 Figure 3: Primary, secondary and tertiary structure (Carter and Ho, 1994) . 6 This picture shows the bovine albumin amino acid sequence. The BSA molecule is made up of three homologous domains (I, II, III) which are divided into nine loops (L1-L9) by 17 disulphide bonds. The loops in each domain are made up of a sequence of large-small-large loops forming a triplet. Each domain in turn is the product of two subdomains (IA, IB, etc.). The primary structure of albumin is unusual among extracellular proteins in possessing a single

Analysis of Walden Paddlers company business model Assignment

Analysis of Walden Paddlers company business model - Assignment Example Problems (1-3 problems) Walden Paddlers Company has been facing the following problems namely: 1. Whether the company should remaining being operated by two people, become a virtual corporation 2. Problem of finding alternative products 3. The problem of finding potential markets (Yang, 2015). Existing Alternatives Walden Paddlers Company had the following options; 1. Focus on kayak market and produce limited number of orders 2. Execute aggressive Kayak market expansion 3. Diversify into other recreational products. Solutions to each problem 1. The company grew tremendously, creating a need to grow virtually which made it able to reach customers located in different parts of the world 2. The company found a new alternative product called paddlers that were cheaper and affordable. 3. The Kayak market was full of giant companies; Walden focused on retail market segment and targeted school and college students (Yang, 2015) Key Metrics The key parameters, in this case, that shows the com pany success include; increase in revenues and sales volumes. i). Helping people to pursue outdoor paddling pleasure in a healthy way ii). To provide clean and suitable living by recycling waste products iii).

PESTLE Analysis of Sweden

PESTLE Analysis of Sweden Sweden, which occupies the eastern part of the Scandinavian Peninsula, is the fourth-largest country in Europe and is one-tenth larger than California. The country slopes eastward and southward from the Kjà ³len Mountains along the Norwegian border, where the peak elevation is Kebnekaise at 6,965 ft (2,123 m) in Lapland. In the north are mountains and many lakes. To the south and east are central lowlands and south of them are fertile areas of forest, valley, and plain. Along Swedens rocky coast, chopped up by bays and inlets, are many islands, the largest of which are Gotland and Oland. This country is having the area of 449964 sq km slightly larger than California. STOCKHOLM is the capital.They are having the Constitutional monarchy type of government and also have parliamentary democracy. PESTEL ANALYSIS OF THE SWEDEN: As in this country the government is having the constitutional monarchy and has parliamentary democracy. In the economy of the there is a big swap after 1991. This economy is enriched by the sources of the timer, hydropower and iron ore. POLITICAL ANALYSIS: Ordinary general elections to the Swedish Parliament are held every fourth year on the third Sunday in September. County council and municipal council elections take place at the same time. A party must receive at least 4% of the votes in the entire country or 12% in a single electoral district to qualify for any seats in Parliament.Sweden is a constitutional monarchy in which King Karl XVI Gustaf is main head of the state. Sweden is the unitary state currently divided into the 21 countries.Each country has a country administrative board, which is a government appointed board. Its led by a governor appointed for period of six years. The main responsibilities of the County Administrative Board are to coordinate the development of the county in line with goals set in national politics. In each county there is also a County Council or landsting which is a policy-making assembly elected by the residents of the county. Constitutionally, the 349-member Riksdag (Parliament) holds supreme authority in modern Sweden. The Riksdag is responsible for choosing the prime minister, who then appoints the government (the ministers). The legislative power is only exercised by the Riksdag. Legislation may be initiated by the cabinet or by members of Parliament. Members are elected on the basis of proportional representation for a four-year term. The Constitution of Sweden can be altered by the Riksdag, which requires a simple but absolute majority and two decisions with general elections in between. Sweden has three other constitutional laws: The Act of Royal Succession, The Freedom of Press Act and The Fundamental Law on Freedom of Expression. ECONOMIC ANALYSIS: GDP (2010 est., nominal): $438.8 billion. GDP (2010 est., per capita purchasing power parity): $37,032. GNI (2009, per capita purchasing power parity): $38,560. Annual GDP growth rate (2010 est.): 4.5%. Exchange rate (September 2010): Swedish kronor (SEK) per U.S. dollar = 7.073. Exchange rate (January-September 2010 avg.): Swedish kronor (SEK) per U.S. dollar = 7.3475. Inflation rate (2010 est.): 1.4%. Natural resources: Forests, hydroelectric power, iron ore, copper, lead, zinc, gold, silver, tungsten, uranium, arsenic, feldspar, timber. Industry (2010): Approximately 26.6% of GDP. TYPES: machinery/metal products (iron and steel), electrical equipment, aircraft, paper products, precision equipment (bearings, radio and telephone parts, armaments), wood pulp and paper products, processed foods. Services (2010): Approximately 71.8% of GDP. Typestelecommunications, computer equipment, biotech. Trade: Exports (2010)SEK 728.2 billion (U.S. $102.9 billion). Major trading partners, exports (2010)-Germany, Norway, U.K., U.S., Denmark, Finland, France, Netherlands, China. Imports (2010)SEK 687.6 billion (U.S. $97.2 billion). Typesmachinery and transport equipment, 41.8%; food, clothing, textiles and furniture, 19.6%; mineral fuels and electric current, 13.5%; chemicals and rubber products, 12.8%; minerals, 9.2%; wood and paper products, 3.1%. Major trading partners, imports (2010)- Germany, Norway, Denmark, Netherlands, U.K., Finland, Russia, France, Belgium, China. The typical worker receives 40% of his income after the tax wedge. The slowly declining overall taxation, 51.1% of GDP in 2007, is still nearly double of that in the United States or Ireland. The share of employment financed via tax income amounts to a third of Swedish workforce, a substantially higher proportion than in most other countries. REAL GDP GROWTH IN SWEDEN IN BETWEEN 1996-2006 SOCIAL ANALYSIS: Sweden has one of the most highly developed welfare states in the world. The country has a higher level of social spending to GDP than any other nation. Additionally it provides equal as well as comprehensive access to education and health care. Sweden provided solid support for free trade (except agriculture) and mostly relatively strong and stable property rights (both private and public), though some economists have pointed out that Sweden promoted industries with tariffs and used publicly subsidized RD during the countrys early critical years of industrialization. From the 1970s and onwards Swedens GDP growth fell behind other industrialized countries and the countrys per capita ranking fell from the 4th to 14th place in a few decades. Sweden adopted neo-liberal agricultural policies in 1990. Since the 1930s, the agricultural sector had been subject to price controls. In June 1990, the Parliament voted for a new agricultural policy marking a significant shift away from price controls. As a result, food prices fell somewhat. However, the liberalizations soon became moot because EU agricultural controls supervened. As of 2007, total tax revenue was 47.8% of GDP, the second highest tax burden among developed countries, down from 49.1% 2006. Swedens inverted tax wedge the amount going to the service workers wallet is approximately 15% compared to 10% in Belgium, 30% in Ireland, and 50% in United States. Public sector spending amounts to 53% of the GDP. State and municipal employees total around a third of the workforce, much more than in most Western countries. Only Denmark has a larger public sector (38% of Danish workforce). Spending on transfers is also high. TECHNOLOGICAL ANALYSIS: The traditional engineering industry is still a major source of Swedish inventions, but pharmaceuticals, electronics and other high-tech industries are gaining ground. Tetra was an invention for storing liquid foods, invented by Erik Wallenberg. Losec, an ulcer medicine, was the worlds best-selling drug in the 1990s and was developed by AstraZeneca. More recently Hakan Lans invented the Automatic Identification System, a worldwide standard for shipping and civil aviation navigation. Swedish inventors hold a total of 33,523 patents in the United States as of 2007, according to the United States Patent and Trademark Office. As a nation, only ten other countries hold more patents than Sweden. In 1991 the government announced it would begin taking applications from private television companies wishing to broadcast on the terrestrial network. TV4, which had previously been broadcasting via satellite, was granted a permit and began its terrestrial broadcasts in 1992, becoming the first private channel to broadcast television content from within the country. Around half the populations are connected to cable television. Digital terrestrial television started in 1999 and the last analogue terrestrial broadcasts were terminated in 2007. Swedens energy is largely privatized. The Nordic energy market is one of the first liberalized energy markets in Europe. The traditional engineering industry is still a major source of Swedish inventions, but pharmaceuticals, electronics and other high-tech industries are gaining ground. Tetra Pak was an invention for storing liquid foods, invented by Erik Wallenberg. Losec, an ulcer medicine, was the worlds best-selling drug in the 1990s and was developed by AstraZeneca. More recently Hakan Lans invented the Automatic Identification System, a worldwide standard for shipping and civil aviation navigation. A large portion of the Swedish economy is to this day based on the export of technical inventions, and many large multinational corporations from Sweden have their origins in the ingenuity of Swedish inventors. LEGAL ANALYSIS: The supreme court of Sweden is the last step for all civil and criminal cases. The Supreme Court consist of 16 councilors of justice which were appointed by government, but the court as an institution is independent and the government cannot interfere in the decisions of the court. The Swedish police service is government agency concerned with police matters. All the matters are solved by the national police as there is municipal police. The entire police is under national government from 1 January 1965. Here courts are divided in 2 parallel courts General court-for criminal and civil case General administrative court-for administrative cases. Mainly the justices for these courts are appointed by government. ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS: Environmental protection laws: These are mainly upgraded to have control over the environment from different factors. Disposal of wastes in a proper and specified manner. SOURCES OR POTENTIAL SOURCES OF COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE FOR SWEDEN BY USING PORTER DIAMOND MODEL: The potential sources are related with the competitive advantage for the various countries in the world. Porter diamond model (1990) shows direct relation of the growth of the different economies of the world. POTERS DIAMOND- THE DETERMINANTS OF THE NATIONAL ADVANTAGE: As the market in Sweden is growing at a stagnant growth. The economy is fastly growing in technical sector such as in computer equipments, biotech and telecommunications. Using the porters model the potential of Sweden can be analyzed not only separately but in combined form also. As the different countries have their combined technology with the Sweden to create the better form of product and services. As the incomes from these sources are up to the 71%of the total income. As the country started growing in the era of 1990s. Porter model shows us that how various nation grow up in the various clusters of the various industries and developing the different work groups which develops the country. Sweden has developed the potential sources of the telecomm and various sectors so as to increase the income and growth rate of the country. CONCLUSION: From this we conclude that the country is growing at a faster rate. The country is having the dynamic growth in the field of the telecom and the computer sector. As the net income is increasing at the higher rate and they are many businesses at the better rate. ANALYSIS OF THE PESTLE MODEL: As we have seen in PESTEL analysis of SWEDEN that how all the factors are closely related to the country .In start Sweden was not so grown country but after that government played a very important role in growth of Sweden and Foreign Direct Investment gave a big booster to sweden due to it Sweden started to use technology and it has become labor-intense economy from Agriculture economy. GDP of Sweden is also growing with a rapid speed and is near about 9%, inflation rate is very low 1.50% which is plus point for Sweden. Per capita income is also $ 16423 per annum because of it the standard of living of people has increased and people are living a luxurious life and If we talk about the social welfare so Swedens govt. is very helpful in social welfare, it is running many social welfare programs. For providing all these facilities every country need good Govt. Revenue so Sweden has a very strong taxation policy thats why Sweden easily raises funds and then it provides all the facilities to people, Education level of people has also increased and now people have become more literate. If we talk about legal and environmental factors then we can say that the production level of Sweden has increased thats why the energy consumption level has also increased so to make a balance in environment Sweden govt. has some rules and regulation which are helpful for Environment these rules.

The Roommate Debate :: Personal Narrative College Essays

The Roommate Debate College is a life altering experience. It is a place where you leave anything and everything you have ever known, to come to a place where nothing is familiar. The summer before your freshman year of college can be a nerve racking experience. You anxiously wait for the day when the mailman will bring you that envelope that holds your fate. Enclosed in this envelope is the name of your roommate. Your roommate can have the biggest influence on your freshmen year. They can turn into your best friend or your worst enemy. You anticipate the day when you actually get to meet the person you will be living with for the whole year. At Penn State there are no guarantees that you will have anything in common with your roommate at all, and that is a scary thing. As the Housing Administration of Penn State, I ask you to put yourself in the shoes of the incoming freshmen. As a freshman, you hope for a roommate you can relate to and spend your time with. But at Penn State the chances of you getting along with your roommate are slim to none. I know so many people who cannot stand living with their roommates. Two of my friends actually switched at the semester because they could not deal with their living situation. At Penn State we are placed together by major. Two people with the same major are not guaranteed to have any of the same habits, interests, or goals. I feel that this is not an effective way of matching people up. I researched other colleges to see how roommates were paired. The colleges I researched were: Albright, Bucknell, Virginia Tech, Saint Joseph’s University, Millersville, and University of Pittsburgh. At Albright, Bucknell, and University of Pittsburgh the housing administration requires incoming freshmen to fill out a survey that asks about their sleep patterns (early bird/ night owl), taste in music, if they smoke, their qualities of an ideal roommate, pet peeves, and major. This enables the housing administration to effectively match up freshmen that would be compatible with each other. My friend Maureen, who attends Bucknell, said, â€Å"My roommate and I have become best friends and I am so thankful that we were matched together. I think that all colleges should use surveys to match up freshmen. The summer before my freshmen year, I was less nervous about meeting my roommate, because I knew that even if we were not the best of friends, I knew we would be compatible enough to live together. The Roommate Debate :: Personal Narrative College Essays The Roommate Debate College is a life altering experience. It is a place where you leave anything and everything you have ever known, to come to a place where nothing is familiar. The summer before your freshman year of college can be a nerve racking experience. You anxiously wait for the day when the mailman will bring you that envelope that holds your fate. Enclosed in this envelope is the name of your roommate. Your roommate can have the biggest influence on your freshmen year. They can turn into your best friend or your worst enemy. You anticipate the day when you actually get to meet the person you will be living with for the whole year. At Penn State there are no guarantees that you will have anything in common with your roommate at all, and that is a scary thing. As the Housing Administration of Penn State, I ask you to put yourself in the shoes of the incoming freshmen. As a freshman, you hope for a roommate you can relate to and spend your time with. But at Penn State the chances of you getting along with your roommate are slim to none. I know so many people who cannot stand living with their roommates. Two of my friends actually switched at the semester because they could not deal with their living situation. At Penn State we are placed together by major. Two people with the same major are not guaranteed to have any of the same habits, interests, or goals. I feel that this is not an effective way of matching people up. I researched other colleges to see how roommates were paired. The colleges I researched were: Albright, Bucknell, Virginia Tech, Saint Joseph’s University, Millersville, and University of Pittsburgh. At Albright, Bucknell, and University of Pittsburgh the housing administration requires incoming freshmen to fill out a survey that asks about their sleep patterns (early bird/ night owl), taste in music, if they smoke, their qualities of an ideal roommate, pet peeves, and major. This enables the housing administration to effectively match up freshmen that would be compatible with each other. My friend Maureen, who attends Bucknell, said, â€Å"My roommate and I have become best friends and I am so thankful that we were matched together. I think that all colleges should use surveys to match up freshmen. The summer before my freshmen year, I was less nervous about meeting my roommate, because I knew that even if we were not the best of friends, I knew we would be compatible enough to live together.

Full case study analysis of a company (Apple) Essay

Locating the company in its environment. This is where you set the scene and so you should Offer a brief overview of the company (from your own research or the case material provided). Put the company in its context, which will be international or global. At this point you will start to use the various analytical tools available to tell me about the environmental opportunities and constraints operating on the company and its industry. PESTEL is the usual device employed. You should also analyze the characteristics of the industry and business in which the company has to compete and here you should employ the 5 Forces of Competition analysis carried out in some analytical depth. Note: You could emerge from this first analysis with a PARTIAL SWOT, which is drawing out the opportunities and threats facing the firm. After having analyzed the company’s environment, the focus moves to the company itself by conducting an internal analysis where the objective is to identify the capabilities and resources developed by the company. This will be carried out through the application of some well tried analytical instruments, such as the value chain, the threshold and distinctive resources and competencies framework and the VRIO framework. Note: You should be able by now to complete the above SWOT analysis by identifying the strengths and weaknesses of the company. Finally, you should now be able to define the competitive position of the company in relation to the Generic Strategy chosen. Part two: The selection of strategic options You should emerge from this Phase with an inquiry based view of your company’s level of business success and what it must do to sustain that success and continuously improve. Which are the main options for growth? To answer this question you can refer to the Ansoff Matrix and – if the company is part of a larger diversified corporation – to the Boston Consulting Group (BCG) Matrix. Somewhere in this phase you will need to appraise the company’s financial state of health using well-established measures of efficiency and profitability. But please take note that we do not cover finance in our twelve weeks together but my expectation is that your studies in corporate finance (Financial Accounting and Management) should equip you to include a commentary on Apple financial predicament. Part three: Your strategic solutions for the company’s ongoing health Now that you have derived a picture of your Company’s state of health, can it be improved—what medicine can you offer? So, phase/part three is about Strategic options for the future. There could be many but which strategic option/s would you recommend and why? Are you happy that your choices are derived from your systematic analysis of the company at Phases one and two? Are they feasible? Can they be resourced? Can they be implemented and sustained?

Curbing Unemployment Through Skills Acquisition

Curbing Unemployment through Skills Acquisition: A Study of the National Directorate of Employment (NDE), Kaduna State By AMUPITAN, Oboromeni Federal University, Lokoja Nigeria January, 2011. ABSTRACT The paper â€Å"Curbing Unemployment through Skills acquisition: A case of the National Directorate of Employment (NDE)†Kaduna State is about unemployment and how it can be reduced through skills acquisition. This work is aimed at finding out how the NDE has reduced unemployment through its skills acquisition programme.Data was collected from both primary and secondary sources which include published and unpublished works, journals, internet, questionnaires and interviews. The systematic sampling method was used in determining the sample size of 150 respondents, statistical tables was used in data analysis while the Average Mean Score method was used for the test of the hypothesis formulated. The formulated hypothesis which states â€Å"that inadequate skills acquisition has led to an increase in graduate unemployment in Kaduna State† was Accepted.It was discovered and also recommended that skills acquisition is an effective tool in reducing graduate unemployment. Thus, specific skills acquisition schemes should be included in the curriculum of post-secondary schools to help make graduates self employed. INTRODUCTION 1. 1Background of the Study Unemployment is no longer an alien word to the world’s populace. Even the western world experienced a notable rise in their unemployment rate, as the official unemployment rate in the 16 European countries that use the euro rose to 10% in December, 2009. Deutsche. 2010) Developed countries which hitherto experienced full employment are presently affected. The situation in Nigeria is quite alarming as the unemployment rate tends to be on a perpetual rise. In nations, most especially, developing countries like Nigeria unemployment serves as a major yardstick for development as was rightly portrayed in Dud ley Seers definition of development. Seers (1969) asserted that: The questions to ask about a country’s development are therefore: what has been happening to poverty? What has been happening to inequality?What has been happening to unemployment? If all three of these have declined from high level, then beyond doubt this has been a period of development for the country concerned. If one or two of these central problems have been worse especially if all three have, it would be strange to call the result â€Å"development† even if per capita income doubled. As a result of this consequence and the rising rate of unemployment, the Federal Government of Nigeria established a committee in 1986 to proffer solution to the menace (unemployment).The committee’s recommendations formed the basis for the establishment of the â€Å"National Directorate of Employment† in 1986 established to curb and reduce the rate of unemployment through skills acquisition, self employm ent and labour intensive work scheme. 1. 2Statement of the Problem The International Labour Organisation feels â€Å"occurs when a person is available and willing to work but currently without work†. It is unfortunate that such occurrence is prevalent in the nation. Ake opined that â€Å"unemployment remains the greatest challenge of the economic wellbeing of the Nigerian Nation† (Daily Trust Newspaper, Jan. , 2010 Pg. 34) Unemployment rate has been of immense interest to the general public and policy makers. The Small and Medium Enterprise Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) was established in 2003 to promote the development of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) sector of the Nigeria economy. It is to source, process and disseminate business information, develop policy, establish business support programmes build capacity and promote services, enhance MSME access to finance. The question is: how may Micro Small and Medium Enterprises have emerged from this scheme?The recent crisis in the financial sector which has led to a ban on loan is an obvious limitation to this scheme. Should our graduates then become unemployed because banks are not giving out loans? Another of such programme is the Nigerian Agricultural Co-operative and Rural Development Bank (NACRDB) Limited which is dedicated to financing agriculture at both micro and macro levels, they are to provide affordable financial and advisory services to the farm and non-farm enterprises of the Nigeria economy using well trained and highly motivated staff, back by appropriate technology.If the NACRDB provided such assistance on time and make their procedures less cumbersome, many people would have been attracted to the scheme. But ironically, such funds more often than not are eventually made available at the end of the farming season. Also programmes such as (the Directorate for food, Roads and Rural Infrastructures otherwise known as (DFRRI), Mass Mobilization Self Reliance and Ec onomic Reconstruction (MAMSER) and the National Agricultural Land Development Project (NALDA) created by the Babangida regime were all scraped by the Abacha regime.During the 1980’s there was a global recession which became progressively worse for Nigeria because of the inherent weakness in the economy. The sudden reduction in oil prices led to cuts in government expenditure budgets leading to a reduction in employment opportunities especially school leavers. Hence, in order to curb the menace of the rising unemployment rate and considering its political and socio-economic implication; which includes a general increase in crime rates, such as armed robbery, youth restiveness, political thuggery, alcoholism, vandalization of petroleum pipes and electricity cables and prostitution.Economic wastage such as excessive loss of output which manifests in a reduction of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and gross underutilization of Human Resources were reasons which led to the establishme nt of the National Directorate of Employment in 1986 to create employment for the teaming unemployed. Unfortunately, unemployment has either been on the rise or fluctuating, this is reflective in the various unemployment rates. As at 1985, unemployment rate was 8. 5%; 14. % in 2005 and as at December, 2009 it became 19. 7% (Wikipedia Encyclopedia). Is the National Directorate of employment living up to its mandate or are there other factors that affect unemployment? This, the researcher seeks to find out. Hence, this study seeks to find out how the National directorate of Employment has helped in reducing unemployment through skills acquisition programmes. 1. 3Objectives of the Study 1) To determine the causes of unemployment in Nigeria. ) To find out whether skills acquisition will help curb unemployment to the barest minimum. 3) To proffer possible solutions to the problems being faced by the National Directorate of Employment and make recommendations that will help improve the Di rectorate. 1. 4 Hypothesis Tested The following hypothesis was formulated: That inadequate skills acquisition has led to an increase in graduate unemployment in Kaduna state. 1. 5Significance of the StudyThe study would provide vital information on the reduction of unemployment through skills acquisition; thereby helping not just students of public administration but the general public, policy makers and politicians, who are either affected in one way or the other or charged with the task of making developmental policies to set their priorities right. On the whole, the work would also add to knowledge. 1. 6Scope and Limitation This study is limited to the graduate scheme of the National directorate of Employment, Kaduna state.Focus was on two local governments, that is, Zaria and Kaduna north, mainly because they contain the highest proportion of graduate beneficiaries. The time frame used is 2005 to 2009. 1. 7Methodology Data for this study was collected from both primary and secon dary sources, which include textbooks, journals, newspapers, article, and the brochure of National Directorate of Employment, National Directorate of Employment annual reports, file documents, internet, and publication, among others.Primary data were sourced mainly from questionnaires administered to both staff and beneficiaries of the National Directorate of Employment. Population and Sample Size Two local governments (Zaria, and Kaduna South) were picked as the focus basically because they have the highest amount of graduate beneficiaries. Thus, 150 questionnaires were administered to both members of staff and beneficiaries. The Systematic Sampling method in which 1 respondent was picked out of every 8 respondents was used. This gave a sample size of 150 respondents out of the total population size of 1200 people.The total population size includes both beneficiaries and staff is 1200. The data collected were analysed using descriptive statistical techniques i. e. Average mean scor e and tables will form the basic analytical tools. LITERATURE REVIEW AND THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK 2. 1Discussion of Related Concepts 2. 1. 1Unemployment Unemployment as defined by the International Labour Organisation â€Å"occurs when a person is available and willing to work but currently without work. Thus ILO agrees that only a person who is willing and available to work can be referred to as unemployed.This implies that not everybody who is not working is unemployed, To Colander D. C. unemployment occurs when people are looking for a job and cannot find one. This further concurs with the earlier definition where there is a conscious effort by the person or people seeking employment, but fails to point out if the person or people in question have something doing or not, because some people who are working seek new jobs. Form the foregoing definitions, one is forced to ask if anybody willing and available to work could be termed unemployed, evened if the person is a child.To this F rank R. et al defined unemployment as â€Å"adults not holding a job but looking for one. † Who then is an adult? An adult is one who is 18 years and above, therefore the definition could be said to be â€Å"Anyone who is 18 years and above who is not holding a job but looking for one could be termed unemployed. In line with the aforementioned, the Bureau of Labour Statistics USA considers a person who is 16 years or older who has not worked during the preceding week but made some effort to find work (for example, by going to a job interview) in the past four weeks as unemployed.Unemployment in Nigeria has actually become a menace, a vivid picture of which was painted by former executive secretary, National Manpower Board (NMB) Umo when he said at a seminar that â€Å"the problem of unemployment amongst our tertiary gradates is of recent vintage, if situated in a historical perspective, it is not more than two decades since it started, but since then, it has become unabated and cumulative†. To him many young graduates move from long spells of unemployment to high crimes including armed robbery while others have become handy tools for unscrupulous politicians. 2. 1. 2EmploymentThe Oxford Advanced Learners Dictionary defines employment as â€Å"the situation in which people have work†. This definition clearly States that when a person has work doing he/she is employed but fails to specify if the person is being paid for the work or not. Operationally, employment could be referred to the act of labour force being temporarily or fully occupied on either wages basis of interest basis for self occupied work. This definition added a new dimension, in that employment could be work based on wages or mere self interest either way, one is employed provided he/she is working.Frank et al defined employment in terms of being employed. To them a person is employed if he or she worked full-time or part-time (even for a few hours) during the past week or is on vacation or sick-leave from a regular job. In a nut shell, employment could be defined as a person who is currently working for wages or self-interest. 2. 1. 3Labour Force Thomas J. H. et al (1970) defines labour force â€Å"as the non-institutional population who are working or looking for work†.That is, it includes the unemployed, employed, proprietors, the self employed and members of the armed forces. To him, the labour force excludes all person engaged exclusively in housework in the homes or attending school, that is, a student, is not a member of the labour force unless he is working in addition to attending school (it is worthy of note that â€Å"non-institutional population† refers to all persons 16 years of age and older including members of the armed services but excluding persons in institutions). 2. 1. 4 Full EmploymentTo Ackely the concept of full employment is a very â€Å"slippery concept† and though â€Å"full employment is not definable nor should it be defined†, believes that Henry Hazlutt, it is worth-while analyzing the various views of economists on full employment. The Classical View The classical economists believed in the existence of full employment in the economy. Full employment to them was a normal situation and any deviation from this was regarded as abnormal. To the classical economists â€Å"unemployment resulted from the rigidity in the wage structure and interference in the working of free market system.This comes in the form of trade union legislation, minimum wage legislation etc. On the other hand, Full employment exists â€Å"when everybody who at the running rate of wages wishes to be employed†. According to Pigou, those who are not prepared to work at the existing wage rate are not unemployed because they are voluntarily unemployed. To them, there should be no possibility of involuntary unemployment in the sense that, people are prepared to work but they do not find work. Accordi ng to the classical economists, the above view only operates in an ideal economy.This far differs from the reality in which involuntary unemployment is prevalent. The Keynesian View To Keynes, full employment means the absence of involuntary unemployment. That is, full employment is a situation in which everybody who wants to work gets work. He assumes that â€Å"with a given organisation, equipment and technique, real wages and the volume of output are uniquely co-related so that, in general, an increase in employment can only occur to the accompaniment of a decline in the rate of wages†.In order to achieve full employment, Keynes advocates increases in effective demand to bring about reduction in real wages. 2. 2Types of Unemployment Economists have distinguished between various types of unemployment which includes Cyclical Unemployment, Frictional Unemployment, Structural Unemployment and Classical Unemployment. The aforementioned types are the most widely accepted by scho lars. Other additional types that are occasionally mentioned are Seasonal unemployment, Hardcore unemployment Migrated unemployment. . 2. 1Cyclical or Keynesian Unemployment Cyclical or Keynesian unemployment is also known as Demand Deficient Unemployment. It occurs when there is not enough aggregated demand in the economy. Cyclical unemployment exists when the number of workers demanded falls short of the number of persons supplied (in the labour force). It gets its name because it varies with the business cycle which consists of alternating periods of booms and depressions. Robert F. et al said it could e likened to the most familiar form of musical chairs, in which the number of chairs is always less than the number of players. The Great Depression of the 1930’s is a striking example of Cyclical unemployment. In Nigeria today, the recent economic in Nigeria recession where supply was more than demand, most especially in the private sector is an example of cyclical unemploy ment. 2. 2. 2Frictional Unemployment Frictional unemployment occurs when a worker moves from one job to another. The time period between jobs is considered â€Å"frictional unemployment†.Frictional unemployment is an example of a productive part of the economy, increasing both the worker’s long term welfare and economic efficiency and is also a type of voluntary unemployment. 2. 2. 3Structural Unemployment Structural unemployment occurs when the numbers of jobs in a labour market are unable to provide substantial jobs for everyone who wants one. 2. 2. 4Classical Unemployment Classical or real-way unemployment occurs when real wages for a job are set above the market clearing level, causing the number of job-seekers to exceed the number of vacancies.Economists like Murray Ruthbard, suggest that even social taboos can prevent wages from falling to the market clearing level. Some economists believe that this type of unemployment can be reduced by increasing the flexibilit y of wages (abolishing minimum wages or employee protection) to make the labour market more like a financial market. This suggestion unfortunately, will lead to massive exploitation on the part of employers most especially in developing countries. 2. 2. 5Seasonal Unemployment Bradley R. S. s of the view that some joblessness is virtually inevitable as long as we continue to grow crops, build houses, or go skiing at certain seasons of the year. At the end of each season thousands of workers go searching for new jobs, thereby experiencing some seasonal unemployment in the process. Like in Nigeria, during the raining season, farmers are actively employed to plough sow, cultivate and harvest crops, this include both the aged and young. It is very common to see rural-urban migrants, return to their rural villages to cultivate during the raining season.And once harvest is over they return to towns to search for menial jobs to carter for their needs. 2. 3Causes of Unemployment in Nigeria T he cost of unemployment in any nation cannot be overemphasized, below are some of the costs identified by eminent scholars: individuals, economists, psychological, social socio-political. Economic Causes i)The Legacy of British Rule The bequest of some Nigerians who had high school education after independent and held job felt to be remunerated with high wages was a right.This made majority of high school graduates at that time expressed their distaste for agriculture and their desires to be â€Å"pen pushers† these people were attracted to white collar jobs which were borrowed from the colonial master. This white collar jobs were unlike agriculture which provides employment for about eighty percent of the population. The colonial government fiscal policy with respect to employment also discouraged new entrants into agriculture which was the major alternative for white collar job.Under the policy, marketing boards were introduced where farmers were heavily taxed by the coloni al government. This made agriculture less appealing and killed the incentive that would have made people wish to take it upon as a carrier. Therefore, the mentality of white collar job was built into individuals Nigerian as a future employment. ii)The Oil Boom Era (1974-1980) Agriculture prior to the exportation of petrol had been the main asset of the economy but was neglected during the oil boom. All sorts of things were imported into the country.The government of the day embarked upon all sorts of â€Å"white elephant:† projects e. g Ajaokuta Steel, building of Refinery, etc instead of investing in property with the windfall from oil. Over reliance on petroleum has till today led to fluctuation in government’s expenditures on unnecessary things and wastage of resource. The sudden slump in the international market for oil makes many projects undertaken especially construction come to stand still. Many employment opportunities were forced to reduce their capabilities. Nigeria found itself in economic mess which it is still battling to salvage. iii)Consumption Pattern This entails the pattern of consumption of Nigerians’ as a relationship to the problem of unemployment. It has contributed to the high level of urban unemployment because the consumption of urban centres’ entails imported goods which attracted more able people from rural areas to search for job in urban centres’. This is due to the fact that Nigerians are to believe their home made goods are inferior.But the more the demand for goods and services from foreign source the more employment we make available to the nationals of those countries and the reverse is the case for Nigeria. Social Causes i)Rural-Urban Migration The flow of labour force from rural to urban area has been a major cause of Nigeria’s unemployment situation. As a result of the neglect of agriculture and great increase in government expenditure during the oil boom era led to the migration of many young people who would have otherwise stayed in the rural areas to practice agriculture as an occupation.Most migrants from rural areas were found to have only primary education with few having six years of secondary education. This led to surplus of unskilled workers and shortage of high level manpower. But now that Nigeria’s economy is producing more and more gradates from her institutions of higher learning, in almost all the metropolitan cities the unemployment problem continues to increase. People unable to get job since urban areas became saturated and unable to absorb every skilled job seekers. Table 1Unemployment Rates, 2003-2007 (as at December) Description| 2003| 2004| 2005| 2006| 2007| National (Composite)| 14. 8| 11. 8| 11. 9| 14. 6| 10. 9| Urban | 17. 1| 11. 0| 10. 1| 10. 0| 10. 0| Rural | 13. 8| 12. 1| 12. 6| 15. 1| 12. 6| Source: National Bureau of Statistics, 2007. From the table above the composite unemployment rate stood at 11. 9% in 2005 compared with 14. 6% in 2006, and 10. 9% in 2007. It also shows that the rural unemployment rate is higher, hence, the reason for migrating to the urban areas in search of greener pastures.Educational Factors The type of educational system inherited from the colonial masters put more emphasis on the production of gradates for white collars jobs at the expense of technical and vocational type. The result is that gradates do not only get unemployed but do not even find â€Å"black – collar† jobs to manage. Government policy with respect to university admission for first degrees in favour of the science as opposed to the arts does not still encourage students to study the science and other technological subjects, which Nigeria lacks.However, the expansion in all educational level ranging from primary to tertiary institutions has contributed more to the unemployment problem. This is because the expansion does not correspond with the job provisioning for future graduates from the numero us schools. Political Causes i)Political Instability Ever since Nigeria got her independence from the British colonial masters in 1960, there has been political instability. A major problem of post independent Nigeria has been conflicts of personalities in politics and unbridled political party rivalries both of which affected government policies in all parts of the country.Apart from the fact that the country had to go through a civil war form 1960 up till 1970. There has also been series of coups which have often resulted in abrupt changes in government up to date like that of June 12, 1993. This political environment which is unstable has negative effects on investment thereby creating problem of unemployment in the country. ii)Migrants from Neighbouring Countries People from neighbouring countries such as; Ghana, Benin Republic, Ivory Coast and Togo move down to Nigeria in search for jobs.They feel that the Nigeria economy is better and more promising. As a result of this the Ni gerian Labour Market cannot absorb all the job seekers, since it has too many factors to contend with. Foreign job seekers especially those from the Economic Community of West Africa States (ECOWAS), those countries are often prepared to accept lower wages than Nigerians for the same type of work. And as employers are looking forward of cutting costs, they have no choice but to absorb these foreign seekers. Socio-Political CausesThe political independence Nigeria got from Great Britain was more of a flag independence and not economic Independence. Nigeria even today remains subservient to the whims and caprices of countries like Britain and United States of America. Despite the effort made to gain total control of the economy through the promulgation of the indigenization decree of 1977, Nigeria’s economy is still dominated by multinational corporations that employ a substantial number of Nigerians, thus, the fact remains that the profit is fleeing Nigeria to foreign countrie s head quarters.The profit flight is supposed to be ploughed back into the country for provision of more jobs and development. Furthermore, external participation in the domestic activities of Nigeria by foreigners which is not reciprocated by similar Nigerian participation in their own domestic affairs militate against development efforts. All these slow down the economic growth and cause unemployment problem. Ethnicity Problem Nigeria is made up of many ethnic groups. Each of this ethnic group had the fear that another group may dominate it.Apart from this, some ethnic groups which tend to be closer to neighbouring countries identify more with the than with other ethnic groups in the country that they are not familiar with. It is a fact that some northern States in Nigeria prefer to recruit Pakistani, Egyptians, and Indian professionals other than Nigerians from other ethnic group. Such discriminatory policies no doubt cause more unemployment in the country. 2. 4Theoretical Framew ork Various scholars have propounded theories relating to employment and unemployment.These include those of the Classical view who believe that full employment was a normal situation and any deviation from this was regarded as abnormal. Okun’s law which was propounded by an American Economist named Arthur Okun (1926-1980) who looked at the US GNP during the 1950s and 1960s. Thus, for the purpose of this work the KEYNESIAN THEORY was adopted. It was propounded by John Maynard Keynes, a British Economist whose ideas have profoundly affected the theory and practice of modern macro economics, social liberalism and economic policies of government. 2. 3. 1TheKeynesian Theory In the Keynesian theory which was propounded in 1936, Keynes argued that aggregate demand determined the overall level of economic activity, and that inadequate aggregate demand could lead to prolonged periods of high unemployment. He opined that if aggregate demand is not high enough to sustain full employmen t level of economy, then a gap is created between aggregate demand and aggregate supply known as the deflationary gap. To him this gap must be closed through concerted government programmes if not, the situation could degenerate into chronic unemployment.The Keynesian prescription for reducing unemployment includes the following: 1) Increase in aggregate total demand through direct increase in government expenditure 2) By government policies that indirectly encourage more private investments (e. g. investment subsidies, tax allowances, low investment rates on business loans, establishing of institutions, etc). 2. 3. 2Its Application to this Study Looking at its applicability to this work, the Keynesian theory States that: inadequate aggregate demand could lead to prolonged periods of high unemployment.It is no longer news in Nigeria that the demand for labour is on the decrease, as industries (e. g. textile) which hitherto where major employers of labour have been closed down due to unfavourable working conditions such as poor electricity supply, financial institutions have been hit by global recessions and the public sector have also resorted to downsizing thus making aggregate demand grossly inadequate thereby leading to a high rate of unemployment. Nigerian unemployment is a typical case of shortage in aggregate demand; the supply by far supersedes the demand.With thousands of graduates leaving the higher institutions each year, the demand for time in the labour market depreciates. To Keynes, if aggregate demand is not high enough to sustain full employment level of the economy, then a gap is created between aggregate demand and aggregate supply known as the deflationary gap. This gap manifests itself in chronic unemployment which is been witnessed in Nigeria, with an unemployment rate of 19. 7% as at December, 2009. He further propounded that this gap must be closed through concerted government programmes so as to avoid unemployment.From the foregoing it i s evident that the Keynesian theory of unemployment not only explains the unemployment problem but has proffered solutions or ways of eradicating it. An Overview of the National Directorate of Employment 3. 1Introduction The worldwide economic depression of the early 80s caused a rapid deterioration in Nigerian’s economy. Industrial output shrank to an all time low and commercial activities were consequently reduced, leading to the loss of employment opportunity for many Nigerians.By the end of 1985 the unemployment situations in Nigeria had reached desperate and alarming proportions (about 8. 5%). In the urban areas, where the educated tend to congregate, the unemployment rate was especially high. In the rural areas, it was no less severe. Graduate unemployment, which hitherto was unnoticed, emerged and was growing rapidly. The effect of such large-scale unemployment spelt disaster for both the society and individual victims. Deviant behaviours expressed in crimes and other anti-social behaviours were frequent among the frustrated youths.The increase in crime rates and riots further created an atmosphere of general insecurity. Unemployed youths were easily susceptible to such manipulations and incitement by unscrupulous elements in the society or even politicians. It is in line with this that president Babangida appointed a committee on 26 March 1986 to deliberate on strategies for dealing with mass unemployment under the auspices of the Federal Ministry of Employment, Labour and Productivity. The report of the Chukwuma committee, as it became popularly known, was approved by the Federal Government in October 1986.Based on its recommendations the National Directorate of Employment (NDE) was established on November 22, 1986 and its initial core programmes were formally launched on 30th January 1987. The president in his 1987 budget speech directed the new body to concentrate its effort on the reactivation of public works, promotion of direct labour, pro motion of self-employment, organisation of artisans into co-operatives, and encouragement of a culture of maintenance and repairs.To ensure effective implementation of the President’s directive, a board of Directors representing a cross section of all interest groups from industry, commerce, agriculture, finance, employers, labour and government was set-up to define policy and supervise operations. This board articulated four (4) practical programmes nationwide, each operating as a separate department. They include: a) National youth Employment and Vocational Skills Development Programme. b) Small scale industries and graduate employment programme. c) Agriculture sector employment programme d) Special public works programmes.These programmes were backed by the necessary administrative, monitoring and support personnel, thus enabling optimum use of resources and prompt response to the requirement of the public. 3. 2Objectives of the National Directorate of Employment The objec tives of the NDE were clearly Stated in Decree No. 24 of 1989 [i. e. NDE Decree (1989)] section 2 of the Decree provides for the objectives of the directorate. Thus, the NDE mandate is as follows: i) To design and implement programmes to combat mass unemployment. ii) To articulate policies aimed at developing programmes with labour intensive potentials. ii) To obtain and maintain a data bank of employment and vacancies in the country with a view to acting as a clearing house to link job seekers with vacancies. iv) To implement any other policies as may be laid down from time to time by the Board established under section 3 of its enabling act. NDE’s main function is to combat mass unemployment through skills acquisition, self-employment and labour-intensive work scheme. 4. 1Summary of discussions and findings It is no longer news that salaried jobs can no longer cater for the teaming graduates turned into the labour market from various higher institutions in Nigeria.This has led to the search of alternative means of lively hood. One of such is the acquisition of specific skills to make graduates self-employed. It is against this backdrop that the hypothesis which States, â€Å"That skills acquisition is a prerequisite to a reduction in graduate unemployment in Kaduna State† was formed. In order to ascertain the hypothesis above, respondents were asked questions bordering on their level of acquisition vis-a-vis unemployment. The questions were answered by checking one position on two point scale of â€Å"Yes and No†. 4. 1. 1SkillsAcquired apart from Western Education Here respondents were asked if they have acquired any skill apart from the regularly western education. The responses gotten are shown in table 4. 1 below: Table 4. 1 Acquisition of Special Skills apart from Western Education Response| No. of Respondents| Percentage| Yes | 86| 59. 7| No| 58| 40. 3| Total | 144| 100| Source: Researcher’s Survey, 2010. The table above indi cates that 86 respondents representing 59. 7% have acquired specific skills other than the western education while 58 respondents which represent 40. 3% have not.This shows that specific skills acquisition is not alien to graduates in Kaduna State. 4. 1. 2Self Employment The respondents were further asked if they were presently self-employed. The following were the responses gotten: Table 4. 2: Self Employment Response| No. of Respondents| Percentage| Yes | 55| 38. 2| No| 89| 61. 8| Total | 144| 100| Source: Researcher’s Survey, 2010. Table 4. 13 depicts that 38. 2% of the respondents are self employed while 61. 8% are not. This shows that some respondents are utilizing the skills they have acquired. 4. 1. 3Nature of Self EmploymentThe respondents who claimed to be self-employed were asked to specify the nature of their self-employment and the following responses were gotten. i) Fashion designing ii) Farming iii) Electrical works iv) Wood work/carpentry v) Mechanized farming vi) Forest trading 4. 1. 4Acquisition of Specific Skills by Graduates in Kaduna State Many people agree that depending solely on salaried jobs is not the best. Thus, people should learn to acquire alternative sources of income. Hence, the respondents were asked: Do you think that most graduates in Kaduna State have acquired necessary skills to make them self employed?Their responses are given below. Table 4. 3: Acquisition of Special Skills by Graduates in Kaduna State Response| No. of Respondents| Percentage| Yes | 36| 25| No| 108| 75| Total | 144| 100| Source: Researcher’s Survey, 2010. The table above shows that 36 respondents signifying 25% agreed that graduates in Kaduna State posses the necessary skill of being self employed while 108 respondents representing 75% were of the contrary view. , this shows that most gradates in Kaduna State have not acquired necessary specified skills to be self employed. 4. 1. 5Self Employment an Alternative to Salaried JobThe respondents were further asked if they agreed that self-employed in an alternative to salaried jobs. The following responses in table 4. 15 below were gotten. Table 4. 4: Employment an Alternative to salaried Jobs Response| No. of Respondents| Percentage| Yes | 136| 94. 4| No| 8| 5. 6| Total | 144| 100| Source: Researcher’s Survey, 2010. The table above indicates that 94. 4% of the respondents agreed that self-employment is an alternative to salaried jobs while 5. 6% do not agree that it is an alternative. Based on the responses gotten, it clearly shows that most people take self-employment as an alternative to salaried jobs. . 1. 6Skills Acquisition Schemes Established by the Government and Self Employment In a bid to make people become self-employed, government has put in place various schemes among which is the NDE. Thus, respondents were asked if the skills acquisition schemes put in place by the government have helped beneficiaries to become self-employed. The following were the res ponses gotten Table 4. 5: Skills Acquisition Schemes and Self Employment. Response| No. of Respondents| Percentage| Yes | 120| 83. 3| No| 24| 16. 7| Total | 144| 100| Source: Researcher’s Survey, 2010. From table 4. 16 above, 120 respondents representing 83. % agreed that the skills acquisition schemes put in place by government have helped beneficiaries to become self-employed while 24 respondents representing 16. 7% disagreed. 4. 1. 7Inclusion of Specific Skills Acquisition Programme in Post-Secondary School Curriculum With regards to specific skills acquisition, respondents were asked if skills acquisition programmes be included in Post-secondary schools’ curriculum and the following responses were gotten: Table 4. 6: Inclusion of specific skills acquisition programmes in post-secondary school curriculum Response| No. of Respondents| Percentage| Yes | 140| 97. 2| No| 4| 2. 8|Total | 144| 100| Source: Researcher’s Survey, 2010. For table 4. 17 above, 140 respo ndents representing 97. 2% opined that specific skills acquisition programmes should be included in all post-secondary schools curriculum while 4 respondents representing 2. 8% held a contrary opinion. 4. 1. 8 Opinions about Skills Acquisition Schemes in Nigeria Respondents were asked to state their opinion on the skills acquisition schemes put in place by government and the following opinions/views were gotten: i) That the skills acquisition schemes have helped reduced unemployment not only in Kaduna State but in the country as a whole; ii)That loan should be made available to the unemployed so that they can utilize both funds and skills together; iii) That skills acquisitions schemes should be fully implemented so that it’s aims and objectives can be accomplished; iv) That skills acquisition scheme should be well funded; v) It was also expressed that the skills acquisition schemes in Nigeria is too small compared to the population of the unemployed, thereby making it insign ificant; vi) That, the skills acquisition schemes are sub-standard and need to be improved so that it can compete with those in other nations; vii) That skills acquisition helps graduate to become self employed; viii) That for skills acquisitions to succeed an adequate system that ensures the monitoring and evaluation of the scheme must be put in place; ix) That the skills acquisition schemes have been bedeviled by poor management plan, indiscipline and corruption; x) That the culture of skill acquisition should be inculcated into the citizens right form primary schools; Finally, that there should be more awareness and funding of the schemes available The table below shows a summary of the questions asked and responses gotten. 4. 2Test of Hypothesis using the Average Mean Score Method. The average mean score was used to test the Hypothesis which States: â€Å"That inadequate skills acquisition has led to an increase in graduate unemployment in Kaduna State†. Formular: X = ? p x where X=Average mean score ?p=Summation of percentages x=Total number of variablesDecision Rule: Accept Ho if average means score is 60% and above, reject Ho if average means score is less than 60%. Variables 1) Acquisition of specific skills other than western education 2) Self employment 3) Acquisition of specific skills by graduates in Kaduna State. 4) Self employment and alternative to salaried jobs 5) Skills acquisition schemes and self-employment 6) Skills acquisition and post secondary curriculum Table 4. 7: Highest Responses Variables | Responses | 1| 59. 7% of the respondents opined that they have acquired specific skills other than western education. | 2| 61. 8% of the respondents said they were not self employed. 3| 70% of the respondents were of the view that most graduates in Kaduna State have not acquired specific skills. | 4| 94. 4% of the respondents agreed that self-employment is an alternative to salaried jobs. | 5| 83. 3% of the respondents agree that skills ac quisition schemes have made their beneficiaries self employed. | 6| 97. 2% of the respondents agreed that specific skills acquisition programmes should be included in post-secondary school curriculum. | Source: Researcher’s Survey, 2010. No. of Variables Percentages 159. 7 261. 8 375 494. 4 583. 3 697. 2 Total 6471. 4 ?p=471. 4= 78. 6% x 6 X = 78. 6% From the above calculation the average mean score of the Hypothesis is 78. 6%.Going by the decision rule which States that Accept Ho if average mean score is 60% and above, our Ho which States; â€Å"that inadequate skills acquisition has led to an increase in graduate unemployment in Kaduna State† is Accepted. This implies that adequate skills acquisition will lead to a decrease in graduate unemployment in Kaduna State. 4. 3Major Findings It was discovered that Skills Acquisition is an effective tool in the reduction of graduate unemployment in Kaduna State. The researcher found out that most unemployed graduates in Kadun a State will opt for self-employment through the acquisition of specific skills, rather than wait for the non-existent salaried jobs. The researcher found out that â€Å"skill acquisition schemes† when effectively implemented will go a long way to reducing graduate unemployment not just in Kaduna State but in Nigeria as a whole.It was also discovered that skills acquisition gives birth to small scale enterprise which in turn boost individual and national economy. As in the case of developed nations like China, Japan and even USA who started from small scale enterprises and they are world powers today. Thus, the importance of skills acquisition in unemployment reduction and by extension poverty reduction cannot be over-emphasized. 5. 1Conclusions and Recommendations As established by the study, the importance of skills acquisition cannot be overemphasized. Thus, it is recommended that learning of specific skills should be inculcated into the curriculum of the post-secondary sc hools of not just Kaduna State but Nigeria as a whole irrespective of the course of study.In developed countries like the USA courses are courses such as fashion designing, automobile repairs, traffic control, animal husbandry, typesetting, catering, horticulture, swimming, memo writing, satellite installation, wood work and even cooking are included in formal school curriculum. Such compulsory electives should be imbibed in the nation thereby creating the spirit of entrepreneurship. There should be a diversification in the activities of the National Directorate of Employment. New challenging and innovative skills should be introduced from time to time. This will make it more enticing appealing for gradates to enrol, as young people like to explore new grounds. Also, specific organisation or institution should be established with the sole aim of tackling graduate unemployment.Since unemployment cuts across various barriers (gender, class, age) and the National Directorate of Employm ent which is saddled with combating unemployment cannot effectively manage graduate unemployment as its resources (time, finance) are divided among other classes. Thus, giving more attention to graduate unemployment by establishing a body with the mandate of combating graduate unemployment will go a long way. References Bradley R. Schiller (2004) The Macro Economy Today 9th ed: New Delhi; McGraw Hill Irwin Companies. D. Rudiger et al (2004): Macro Economics: New Delhi; Tata McGraw-Hill Publishing Co. Ltd. David C. Colonader (2001) Macro Economics 4th ed. : New York; McGraw-Hill Irwin.Euro-Zone Unemployment Climbs to 10 percent High Deutsche Welle. January 29, 2010. F. Onosode (1993): The Decades of Development Crises in Nigeria Essays. Ikeja: Malthouse Press Ltd. F. A. Hayek, The Constitution of Liberty:www. google. com G. Umoden (1992): The Babangida Year: Ikoyi-Lagos; Gabumo Publishing Company ltd. http://atext. ap[lia. com/controller/apliatext. aspx International Labour Organisat ion: Resolution concerning statistics of the economically active population, employment, unemployment and underemployment, adopted by the thirteenth International Conference of Labour Statisticians (Oct. 1982) pg. 4. Jhingan M. L. (2004) Principles of Economics. 2nd ed. : India; Vrinda Publication Ltd.National Bureau of Statistics, Core Welfare Indicator Questionnaire Newswise, Retrieved on October 27, 2008. National Directorate of Employment (2006) Brochure. Kaduna State Office. Richard A. (2007): â€Å"Fact Sheet on the Impact of Unemployment (PDF) Virginia Teach, Department of Economics USA. Robert F. e al (2001): Principles of Economics: India; McGraw-Hill Publishers S. Dudley (1969): The Meaning of Development. Eleventh Conference of the Society for International Development, New Delhi India. Wikipedia Encyclopaedia. www. econlog. econlib. org/archieves/2009 www. google. com www. uo. org/public. /english/bureau/stat/dpownload/ res/ecacpop. pdf

Battle of Amiens in World War I

Battle of Amiens in World War I The Battle of Amiens occurred during World War I (1914-1918). The British offensive began on August 8, 1918, and the first phase effectively ended on August 11. Allies Marshal Ferdinand FochField Marshal Douglas HaigLieutenant General Sir Henry RawlinsonLieutenant General Sir John MonashLieutenant General Richard Butler25 divisions1,900 aircraft532 tanks Germans Generalquartiermeister Erich LudendorffGeneral Georg von der Marwitz29 divisions365 aircraft Background With the defeat of the 1918 German Spring Offensives, the Allies swiftly moved to counterattack. The first of these was launched in late July when French Marshal Ferdinand Foch opened the Second Battle of the Marne. A decisive victory, Allied troops succeeded in forcing the Germans back to their original lines. As the fighting at the Marne waned around August 6, British troops were preparing for a second assault near Amiens. Originally conceived by the commander of the British Expeditionary Force, Field Marshal Sir Douglas Haig, the attack was intended to open rail lines near the city. Seeing an opportunity to continue the success achieved at the Marne, Foch insisted that the French First Army, just to the south of the BEF, be included in the plan. This was initially resisted by Haig as the British Fourth Army had already developed its assault plans. Led by Lieutenant General Sir Henry Rawlinson, the Fourth Army intended to skip the typical preliminary artillery bombardment in favor of a surprise attack led by the large-scale use of tanks. As the French lacked large numbers of tanks, a bombardment would be necessary to soften the German defenses on their front. The Allied Plans Meeting to discuss the attack, British and French commanders were able to strike a compromise. The First Army would take part in the assault, however, its advance would commence forty-five minutes after the British. This would allow the Fourth Army to achieve surprise but still permit the French to shell German positions before attacking. Prior to the attack, the Fourth Armys front consisted of the British III Corps (Lt. Gen. Richard Butler) north of the Somme, with the Australian (Lt. Gen. Sir John Monash) and Canadian Corps (Lt. Gen. Sir Arthur Currie) to the south of the river. In the days prior the attack, extreme efforts were made to ensure secrecy. These included dispatching two battalions and a radio unit from the Canadian Corps to Ypres in an effort to convince the Germans that the entire corps was being shifted to that area. In addition, British confidence in the tactics to be used was high as they had been successfully tested in several localized assaults. At 4:20 AM on August 8, British artillery opened fire on specific German targets and also provided a creeping barrage in front of the advance. Moving Forward As the British began moving forward, the French commenced their preliminary bombardment. Striking General Georg von der Marwitzs Second Army, the British achieved complete surprise. South of the Somme, the Australians and Canadians were supported by eight battalions of the Royal Tank Corps and captured their first objectives by 7:10 AM. To the north, the III Corps occupied their first objective at 7:30 AM after advancing 4,000 yards. Opening a gaping fifteen-mile long hole in the German lines, British forces were able to keep the enemy from rallying and pressed the advance. By 11:00 AM, the Australians and Canadians had moved forward three miles. With the enemy falling back, British cavalry moved forward to exploit the breach. The advance north of the river was slower as the III Corps was supported by fewer tanks and encountered heavy resistance along a wooded ridge near Chipilly. The French also had success and moved forward approximately five miles before nightfall. On average, the Allied advance on August 8 was seven miles, with the Canadians penetrating eight. Over the next two days, the Allied advance continued, though at a slower rate. Aftermath By August 11, the Germans had returned to their original, pre-Spring Offensives lines. Dubbed the Blackest Day of the German Army by Generalquartiermeister Erich Ludendorff, August 8 saw a return to mobile warfare as well as the first large surrenders of German troops. By the conclusion of the first phase on August 11, Allied losses numbered 22,200 killed wounded and missing. German losses were an astounding 74,000 killed, wounded, and captured. Seeking to continue the advance, Haig launched a second assault on August 21, with the goal of taking Bapaume. Pressing the enemy, the British broke through southeast of Arras on September 2, forcing the Germans to retreat to the Hindenburg Line. The British success at Amiens and Bapaume led Foch to plan the Meuse-Argonne Offensive which ended the war later that fall. Selected Sources History of War: Battle of AmiensFirst World War: Battle of AmiensBritish Army in World War I: Battle of Amiens

Promotion plan for increasing attendance at a minor league baseball Essay

Promotion plan for increasing attendance at a minor league baseball game - Essay Example Because of the existence of multiple number of minor league baseball games in the same country, the marketers for these baseball leagues often try to implement a series of promotion tactics so as to lure the fans of the baseball games. Some of the promotional tactics that are used by the marketers for increasing the popularity of the baseball games comprises of night time fireworks, concessions on fooding items. Also, some marketers focus on executing promotions by conducting three legged races as well as various other contests for children. Also, organizing of concerts, comedy, magic acts are performed to lure the interest of the sports fans for the minor league baseball games (Anderson, â€Å"Not So Minor Attractions†). However, to present a unique kind of promotional campaign in this case, focus has to be given to design a campaign which is different from the existing promotional clutter. The promotional idea that will be recommended in this case will be a mix of both online and offline medium. Selecting the Promotional Approach While designing the promotion for the league baseball games, the SMART objectives that were designed have to be considered. The SMART objectives focused on raising the level of popularity as well as the sale of merchandises from the gift shops.... Also, some marketers focus on executing promotions by conducting three legged races as well as various other contests for children. Also, organizing of concerts, comedy, magic acts are performed to lure the interest of the sports fans for the minor league baseball games (Anderson, â€Å"Not So Minor Attractions†). However, to present a unique kind of promotional campaign in this case, focus has to be given to design a campaign which is different from the existing promotional clutter. The promotional idea that will be recommended in this case will be a mix of both online and offline medium. Selecting the Promotional Approach While designing the promotion for the league baseball games, the SMART objectives that were designed have to be considered. The SMART objectives focused on raising the level of popularity as well as the sale of merchandises from the gift shops. Since the expected fans of the baseball games will be mostly young parents and kids who will fall in the category of Gen X and Gen Y category, hence to develop a connect with them, the online medium will be used. Promotion of the event will be carried out in the online networking sites by creating a Facebook Page and thereby providing updates about the latest happening for the minor baseball league games. Also, the Facebook Page can be used to conduct online contests targeted towards the young audience and thereby distributing rewards and freebies to the contest winners. This will help in boosting the interest and attendance rate for the games. Also, the traditional advertising medium can be used as a support process for increasing the awareness and interest for the baseball games of the minor league. For doing promotions using the traditional medium, the marketer can

Applying the Principles in Our Organization Essay

Applying the Principles in Our Organization - Essay Example After the World War II, people around began to grow a sense of entitlement at their places of work, making employment look like a right rather than a duty or obligation (Koberg and Bagnall, 1981). This paper is designed to look at how entitlement meets several job requirements at work places for the employees in the hunt to apply the basic organizational principles. At Apple Computers, entitlement helps to meet this requirement as it ensures that team leaders emerge from within the organization. The organization has also put in place efficient communication channels that ensure suitable flow of quality information and timely feedback. In addition, the organization has mechanisms that identify outstanding employees and rewards them for their performance. All these activities aim at ensuring that employees in the organization are fully stretched to their maximum of their capabilities and grown as well. Learning of new skills is easier when the learner is interested and highly motivated or attracted towards the acquisition of that skill. Job entitlement at General Motors has been instrumental in ensuring that everyone understands that for one to develop, it takes motivation and not authority. The organization has invested heavily in developing the skills of their employees to ensure sound future leadership. Many leaders fail owing to their lack of exercising of the above principles. In order to have an effective team for a given task, the team leader must have a sense of entitlement and understand it in order to ensure that their decision making process is in line with the organizational procedures. In addition, they have to develop a team and not an individual. The process for acquiring a suitable team will involve a number of activities key among them being; i. The team leader has to pick the correct people in making the team. To do this, they need detailed information