Understanding of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Free Essay Example, 2500 words

In a new development to understand the neurobiology of OCD, scientists at University of Cambridge's Department of Psychiatry used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to evaluate brain activity in the lateral orbitofrontal cortex (OFC). It is located in the frontal lobes and helps in decision making and behavior. The scientists have observed that people with OCD and their close family members show under-activation of brain areas responsible for preventing repetitive behavior. The normal controls and OCD patients participated in the study. They were asked to look at superimposed pictures of a house and a face. The participants were asked to employ trial and error to find out whether the house or face was the correct target. They pressed a button to indicate which image they believed to be the target and response as 'correct' or 'incorrect' flashed on the screen. After the correct target had been identified six times continuously, it changed so the participant had to learn again. The fMRI was used to monitor their patterns of brain activity throughout. Later comparison of fMRI images of their brain activity throughout showed under-activation in the lateral orbitofrontal cortex and other brain areas in both the OCD patients and their family members. We will write a custom essay sample on Understanding of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder or any topic specifically for you Only $17.96 $11.86/page The behavior theory of OCD explains that normal intrusive thoughts, impulses, and images become associated with anxiety that has failed to subside (Swinson, 2001). The behavioral theories hypothesize that a neutral event evokes fear when associated with the offending stimulus.

Childraising - 687 Words

Section A Childraising. The way to raise a child is different form the three texts. The topic of the three texts is freedom and love. It is how you chose to interpret the texts. I think it is love because every parents use love to raise their Childs. To have a mother who decide everything in your childhood. To parents who give you all the space you need to be free and live your childhood completely. The three texts are just some few examples of raise a child. You cannot find a guide to raise a child. To have a â€Å"tiger mother† is the way to be the perfect raised child. It is just the mother, who thinks it is the best way to be the best raised child. And the mother decides the Childs childhood. Then if you have parents who let you†¦show more content†¦In the text Kate Loveys has written â€Å"Let them eat pizza: Parenting guru’s recipe for bringing up child† is there some good examples of raise a child. There is just that the three texts are good on their own way. So you can use them to make a good way you thing, is the best way to raise your child. But in the text you can take it as an example of child also need rules. Let them eat pizza and let them make homework. Tell your child what is wrong and right so they do not make stupid mistakes, forget to enjoy the childhood but take the school seriously. I think it is a good principle some of it. Let your child live like a child, let them eat pizza play games, see television and what ells. But it can be too much. A child need also to be active, they need motion. Motion is good for your child’s body, and it make the brain stay in focus. It is an important thing to stay motivated for the child and the parents. If the child I motivated for something it could be the school, then the child will make good results. But a child needs space and time to learn. It can take days, weeks and maybe years to learn. As a parent is the most important thing in life, to know your child will make it good in the future. And then you must let your child come to you. They always know mom and dad knows best. This is just one way to look at a child raise. It is different form parents to parents how they see the way to raise their child best. But the thing every parent hasShow MoreRelatedEssay on personality766 Words   |  4 Pagespersonality traits have substantial genetic components, and that heredity and environment interact to determine personality. They are generally stable but can be modified by experience. Cross- cultural differences in temperament may reflect childraising practices. A mothers depression, especially if severe or chronic, may have serious consequences for her infants development. Separation anxiety and stranger anxiety may arise during the second half of the first year and appear to be relatedRead MoreWhy I Love My Strict Chinese Mom932 Words   |  4 PagesSection A 1. Give an account of childraising as presented in the three texts Text 1 Sophia Chau-Rubenfeld tells her story of how her mothers †tough love† parenting methods raised her into a strong and independent girl who can make her own decisions. 18-year-old Chau-Rubenfeld thinks her rearing was good, and decided to write an official essay back to her mother, where she tells about how good it is to be raised by a so called tiger mom. She admits that her mum was very strict but that is onlyRead More Political Critique of Race Relations in Alice Walkers Color Purple2156 Words   |  9 Pageskinship in general and to explode the myth of the black mammy in particular. Separated from her own family and forced to join the mayors household against her will, living in a room under the house and assigned the housekeeping and childraising duties, Sophia carries out a role in the mayors household which clearly recalls that of the stereotypical mammy on the Southern plantation. However, as someone who prefers to build a roof on the house while her husband tends theRead MoreMary Kay Cosmetics2689 Words   |  11 Pages The Chinese government took consideration for female workers, they passed out the â€Å"Period Employment† system which women could choose to take three months maternity leave at 100% pay and/or up to seven years off at 70% of basic pay to aid in childraising. Entry Mode Strategy Both external environment and internal resources are crucial in determining the market entry strategy. External Environment The Japanese cosmetics market was well-matured and being the largest direct selling market in theRead MoreMary Kay Cosmetics2698 Words   |  11 Pages The Chinese government took consideration for female workers, they passed out the â€Å"Period Employment† system which women could choose to take three months maternity leave at 100% pay and/or up to seven years off at 70% of basic pay to aid in childraising. Entry Mode Strategy Both external environment and internal resources are crucial in determining the market entry strategy. External Environment The Japanese cosmetics market was well-matured and being the largest direct selling market

An Adverse Reaction To Medical Treatment A Clinical Situation

Question: Discuss about theAn Adverse Reaction To Medical Treatment for a Clinical Situation. Answer: Introduction: An 80 year old woman was admitted to a reputed hospital for the treatment of aspiration pneumonia. Upon reviewing her past medical history, she was found to be institutionalized in a nursing home for a prolonged period owing to multiple factors such as her increasing age, developing dementia, and her constant health issues. Her caregivers were not satisfied with the nursing home staff, as they felt that the woman was not constantly monitored, not even when she was eating, and she was left to fend for herself most of the time. Due to the carelessness of the staff, she was found to experience symptoms of choking breathing difficulty while eating, which was later diagnosed to be aspiration pneumonia. Her caregiver had previously reported such incidents in the course of her institutionalization, which unfortunately was passively dismissed. Upon hospitalization, she was administered an intravenous dose of Clindamycin for a couple of days. Upon her condition improving, she was discharged, with a follow-up regimen of 10ml oral Clindamycin liquid 4 times a day for 7 days. The patient did not turn up for the next two follow-up sessions which were scheduled for two consecutive weeks. Upon investigation, it was found out that she was in a very bad shape, dehydrated, with a severe bout of diarrhea. Two days later, she was reported to have passed away from severe diarrhea. Apparently, the caregivers had not informed the hospital about the patients death, and felt that the hospital was responsible for her death. This turned out as a severe shock to the hospital, who decided to review on her case to find out where things could have gone wrong, and who was responsible for the issue. The cause of the patients death was attributed to the adverse effects of the drug Clindamycin on the patients body. (Johnson, 1999) An Adverse Reaction To Medical Treatment The Aftermath The news of the patients death would have definitely come in as a shock to the hospitals healthcare staff involved in managing the patient. A lot of complicated processes and investigations would follow where in the staff silently becomes a second victim to the incident.(Seys, Albert, Gerven, Vleugels, 2012) TheImpact on the staff The news of the patients death would have definitely come in as a shock to the hospitals healthcare staff involved in managing the patient. Initially, the staff would panic, and express disbelief over the situation. The initial shock would give way to remorse, and they would berate themselves on not managing the patient properly. The staff would experience an emotional turmoil, with the apprehension of losing ones job, losing ones professional license, the financial and familial impact of unemployment, the possibility of involving in a lawsuit, and the reactions of the immediate community. (Wu, 2000) After subsequent happenings, and return to ones daily life proceedings, the individual would experience lack of self esteem, self-doubt, depression, symptoms of societal withdrawal and guilt. The psychological damage to the individual would be deep, and without any intervention, it could consume the individual. Though a few individuals have been able to put the past behind them and start on a new lease of life, a majority of the second victims have either quit their professions, or have taken up their lives. (Scott S. D., 2011) Role of other Staff in the Aftermath of the Event The staff who has committed a grave mistake leading to the patients death would immediate need reassurance by the peers, and her supervisors. She must not be treated at that point of time as solely responsible for the error, but as a human who has committed a mistake. Everyone concerned must remember that the staff has erred, and that it could happen to anybody. This particular staff would definitely have to face the consequences of her task, but letting an error of judgment affect her life would be very cruel, given that the psychological trauma which the individual faces would be very high.(Scott, Hirschinger, Cox, 2009) As a senior to the staff, the physician might let the staff describe her perspective of the incident, and validate what exactly went wrong, instead of taking her to task without letting her have any say on the incident. After all, there was no practitioner who has progressed without making any mistakes; they might have been just lucky to have escaped from serious issues. (Santomauro, Kalkman, Dekker, 2014) Deeper Impact of the Event An eventuality involving a clinical judgmental error not only affects the staff concerned, it also has a severe impact on the organization, its culture and dynamics. If the staff is relieved from her duties, there would be a general air of apprehension in the team, which would be an adverse influence on their confidence levels. If the staff continues, there would be a sense of awkwardness to interact with her; the situation would seem delicate. The trust on the staff would reduce exponentially, and certain challenges would not be allocated to her for a while. This would lead to increased feelings of depression and guilt in the staff. (Grissinger, 2014) Overall, the reputation of the staff and the hospital is in stake, as if the client decides to move a lawsuit against the hospital, the hospitals image would be tarnished. There is always the constant fear of negative projection by the media; what was a decent reputed hospital would be seen as an incompetent hospital, which would be detrimental for the hospital. Investigating and Reporting First of all, in an event like this, the staff that was in charge of the patient must be asked to give a report of the management of the patient, and must provide justification for each and every clinical decision taken. In this case, the adverse reaction of the drug presumably triggered diarrhea in the patient, leading to her death. The issues to be discussed are the rationale behind choosing the drug Clindamycin over other antibiotics, whether the age, physical and medical condition of the patient was considered upon administering the drug, whether the staff had considered the potential side effects of the drug on the patient, the correctness of the prescribed dosage, etc. (Treiber J., 2010) External investigations would be with the hospital management, on the staffs alleged error, and the Department of Pathology for the autopsy of the patient (which in this case was not applicable). The reporting must be done in a professional and unbiased manner, considering that the staff has no intentions to cause the incident, and that it was a human error. Supporting the Second Victims Whatever be the error on the part of the staff, he/she must be treated with respect and dignity as a healthcare professional. The staff must be immediately given psychological first aid, which is re-assurance, an opportunity and space to vent out their emotions, and a listening ear, to be able to listen to their feelings of emotional turmoil. This would help the staff get into terms with the situation, cope with depression, and prevent suicidal tendencies. The support of the staffs immediate family and society is much needed during the initial stages of the incident.(Decker, 2012) They must be empowered, with a renewed opportunity to work and utilize their skill in healthcare service. A lot of budding talent and a huge expertise have been lost due to the staffs quitting from his/her profession upon committing an error. They must be encouraged to work, by trusting them; this would help them get back on to their feet.(Burlison, Scott, Browne, Thompson, Hoffman, 2014 ) Role of Second Victims iPreventing Adverse Events Only a person who has committed a mistake would know the pain of its consequences, and the emotional turmoil associated with it. A second victim, who has decided to put the past behind, would possess a great deal of additional responsibility, in order to not commit any serious error in the future. She would have a great sense of empathy, which would hone her professional skills further, and make her more caring and approachable. A person who has made a mistake would be an efficient guide to other staff; and if she feels comfortable could quote herself as an example to other staff, thus reminding them to be extra careful in their work. She would naturally set the bar higher, in order to provide sincere and dedicated service to the patients in future.(Scott Hirschinger, 2009) Second victims are the unknown, unseen and unspoken people whom we often encounter in our daily lives. Whatever might be their error, treating them as humans would go a long way in restoring their faith in themselves, and in humanity. References Burlison, J. D., Scott, S. D., Browne, E. K., Thompson, S. G., Hoffman, J. M. (2014 ). The second victim experience and support tool (SVEST): Validation of an organizational resource for assessing second victim effects and the quality of support resources. Journal of Patient Safety . Decker, S. (2012). The Second Victim. Griffith University. Grissinger, M. (2014). Too Many Abandon the Second Victims Of Medical Errors. Pharmacy and Therapeutics , 591592. Johnson, S. S. (1999). Epidemics of diarrhea caused by a clindamycin-resistant strain of Clostridium difficile in four hospitals. New England Journal of Medicine , 1645-1651. Santomauro, C., Kalkman, C., Dekker, S. (2014). Second victims, organisational resilience and the role of hospital administration. Journal of Hospital Administration , 95-103. Scott, S. D. (2011). The Second Victim Phenomenon: A Harsh Reality of Health Care Professions. Patient Safety Network . Scott, S., Hirschinger, L. (2009). The natural history of recovery for the healthcare provider 'second victim' after adverse patient events. Quality and Safety in Healthcare , 325-330. Scott, S., Hirschinger, D., Cox, K. (n.d.). Sharing the load of a nurse "second victim" - Rescuing the Healer after trauma. PR . Seys, D., Albert, W. W., Gerven, E. V., Vleugels, A. (2012). Health care professionals as second victims after adverse events: a systematic review. London. Treiber, L., J., J. (2010). Devastatingly human: An analysis of registered nurse's medication error accounts. Qualitative Health Research , 1327-1342. Wu, A. W. (2000). Medical error: the second victim - The doctor who makes the mistake needs help too. British Medical Journal , 726727.

Ethics In Criminal Justice Forgiveness Essay Example For Students

Ethics In Criminal Justice Forgiveness Essay Ethics in Criminal Justice Forgiveness The issue to be discussed concerns the act of forgiving. Forgiveness can be shown in many different ways. The degree of forgiveness depends on ones personal beliefs. There are many ethical systems that one can apply forgiveness to. But I will apply forgiveness to my own ethical system. I live my life as a Christian and I try to live by its principles. I also believe that my God is a forgiving God and that I should be in his likeness. In this particular situation, I would have to forgive Carl for what he had done. Christianity teaches that one should be forgiven, no matter what the circumstances are. Christians believe that God sees our faults and he forgives our faults daily. So we in turn have to forgive our brother, because God is so forgiving to us. Simon could have been bitter because of what had happen to his people. But in my ethical system, he is not allowed to hold on to those feelings. First, I would tell Carl, that I would forgive him. Carl would be a bit shocked because he wouldnt expect me to be so forgiving. Then, I would go into explaining that my ethical beliefs would not allow me to hold any ill feelings toward him. I would tell Carl that my ethical beliefs are based upon forgiveness. I would advise Carl that he should pray and ask God for forgiveness. Forgiveness, according to my ethical system is not based on what the action is or what the punishment will be. But rather it focuses how one needs to go beyond anothers faults and forgive them anyhow. Compared to ethical formalism, it is very different because motive or intent is not a determining factor in my ethical system. Christianity teaches that one should be forgiven in spite of. My ethical system can be compare to utilitarianism because it is based on a decision that will benefit of the whole. When a man admits that he has done wrong and he is sincerely sorry, then he should be forgiven. By Simon forgiving Carl he saved another person from dying a silent death. Ethics Essays .

Are You Willing to Relocate for a Job 5 Questions to Ask Yourself

Are You Willing to Relocate for a Job 5 Questions to Ask Yourself With the internet continually breaking down barriers, the job hunt has gone global. In fact, relocation rates are at their highest since 2009, according to analysis from the outplacement firm Challenger, Gray Christmas. Your perfect job may be hundreds - or even thousands! - of miles away, but while relocating may sound like a no-brainer, the fact is that many more factors go into the decision process than simply salary. Consider these five questions for determining whether relocating is right for you. Is this in your future?1. Can you maintain your standard of living?It’s easy to get carried away by a salary offer, but the truth is that compensation is relative due to cost of living differences.For example, let’s say you’re contemplating a cross-country move from Portland, Maine to San Francisco, California. According to NerdWallet’s handy Cost of Living Calculator, the cost of living is a whopping 54 percent higher in San Francisco than in Maine. More specifically, if your current salary is $50,000, you’d have to make more than $76,000 to maintain your current standard of living. Certain factors vary more than others: while transportation varies by just eight percent between the two cities, the cost of housing differs by a staggering 161 percent.2. Is the position stable?Job security is never guaranteed, but some jobs have more potential than others in terms of security. Before accepting a position and agreeing to uproot your life, do your homework. Has the potential employer been in business for a long time? Are they financial solvent? Sources like the Better Business Bureau, the company’s SEC filings, and even quick Google news search can turn up useful information about whether the benefits of relocating for a prospective company outweigh any accompanying risks.3. Are you prepared to pay steep moving costs?While some companies cover moving costs, this is becoming less common practice in today’s tight econ omy. In some cases relocation expenses are negotiable, so be sure to inquire about the possibility. And keep in mind: a company’s willingness to pay for your move demonstrates an appealing investment on their end.If relocation coverage isn’t possible, don’t underestimate how much you’re likely to spend on the process. While costs vary by family size, distance, and your household goods, the average price tag on a domestic move is nearly $13,000. If you don’t have these funds set aside, it can make or break the possibility of a move.4. How will your family be affected?Let’s face it: moving is no fun. And even the most seamless relocation can place stress on the family unit. Keep in mind that the move isn’t entirely about you, but about all of the members of your household. Are the long-term gains worth any temporary stress and/or upheaval?Be sure to check out everything from academic rankings to college matriculation statistics in advan ce in order to determine whether the schools, programs and resources are good.Also, don’t forget to take into account your partner’s career prospects, as well as your kids’ interests and activities.5. Will you enjoy living there?All cities and towns have their own unique strengths and weakness. Before agreeing to relocate, it’s helpful to first spend some time in the prospective city. Explore everything from neighborhoods and housing to shopping and attractions. This will help you get a sense of the local vibe.Choosing to accept a new job is a momentous decision on its own, let alone when a relocation is involved. By taking time to think through all of the considerations, you can make a decision that will ensure both professional and personal fulfillment. Wondering what jobs are out there waiting to be discovered? Sign up for real-time Job Matching today!

Free Essays on Multiculturalism

In Australia there has been a lot of political debate in recent years about whether or not we are a multicultural society. In broad terms, multiculturalism is defined as situation wherein the overall character of a society is shaped by the harmonious mutual influences of more than one race or ethnic group. From well before the First World War, but more particularly after World War II, Australian society has been shaped by the influx of migrants from all over the world. Our food, clothes, sports and general way of life are all indicative of the fact that as a society we have taken on many of the customs and traditions of other nations in the name of becoming multicultural. But is multiculturalism really an absolute essential required for efficient functioning of society? It seems quite far from being imperative for an operative society, but rather such diversity seems a sure road to destruction. Multiculturalism is merely racism in a politically correct disguise. Many people have a very superficial view of racism. They see it as merely the belief that one race is superior to another. It is certainly much more than that; it is a fundamental view of human nature. Racism is the notion that one’s race determines one’s identity. It is the belief that one’s convictions, values and character are not determined by the judgement of one’s mind, but by one’s anatomy or blood. This view causes people to be condemned or sometimes praised, based on their racial membership. This in turn leads them to condemn or praise others on the same basis. But in fact, one can gain an authentic sense of pride only from one’s OWN achievements, not from inherited characteristics. The spread of racism requires the destruction of an individual’s confidence in his own mind. Such an individual then anxiously seeks a sense of identity by clinging to some groups, abandoning his independence and rights, allowing his ethnic group to tell him wha... Free Essays on Multiculturalism Free Essays on Multiculturalism In Australia there has been a lot of political debate in recent years about whether or not we are a multicultural society. In broad terms, multiculturalism is defined as situation wherein the overall character of a society is shaped by the harmonious mutual influences of more than one race or ethnic group. From well before the First World War, but more particularly after World War II, Australian society has been shaped by the influx of migrants from all over the world. Our food, clothes, sports and general way of life are all indicative of the fact that as a society we have taken on many of the customs and traditions of other nations in the name of becoming multicultural. But is multiculturalism really an absolute essential required for efficient functioning of society? It seems quite far from being imperative for an operative society, but rather such diversity seems a sure road to destruction. Multiculturalism is merely racism in a politically correct disguise. Many people have a very superficial view of racism. They see it as merely the belief that one race is superior to another. It is certainly much more than that; it is a fundamental view of human nature. Racism is the notion that one’s race determines one’s identity. It is the belief that one’s convictions, values and character are not determined by the judgement of one’s mind, but by one’s anatomy or blood. This view causes people to be condemned or sometimes praised, based on their racial membership. This in turn leads them to condemn or praise others on the same basis. But in fact, one can gain an authentic sense of pride only from one’s OWN achievements, not from inherited characteristics. The spread of racism requires the destruction of an individual’s confidence in his own mind. Such an individual then anxiously seeks a sense of identity by clinging to some groups, abandoning his independence and rights, allowing his ethnic group to tell him wha... Free Essays on Multiculturalism Human beings live in what for them is a Multicultural world, in which they are aware of different sets of others to whom different cultural attributions must be made, and of different cultures of which they are aware and expected to operate. W.H. Woodenough. The term Multiculturalism has recently come into usage to describe a society characterized by a diversity of cultures. Religion, language, customs, traditions, and values are some of the components of a culture, but more importantly culture is the lens through which one perceives and interprets the world. When shared culture forms the basis for a "sense of peoplehood", based on consciousness of a common past, we can speak of a group possessing an Ethnicity. Ethnicity is not transmitted genetically from generation to generation; nor is it unchanging over time. Rather ethnicity is invented or constructed in response to particular historical circumstances and changes as circumstances change. In this essay, ethnicity will be used to identify groups or communities that are differentiated by religious, racial, or cultural characteristics and that possess a sense of people-hood. The "Multicultural America" is the product of the mingling of many different peoples over the hundred years in wh at is now the United States. Cultural diversity was characteristic of this continent prior to the coming of European colonists and African slaves. The indigenous inhabitants of North America who numbered an estimated 4.5 million in 1500 were divided into hundreds of tribes with distinctive cultures, Languages, and religions. Although the numbers of "Indians" as they were named by Europeans, declined precipitously through the nineteenth century, their population has rebounded in the twentieth century. Both as members of their particular tribes (a form of ethnicity), Navajo, Ojibwa, Choctaw, etc., and as American Indians (a form of panethnicity), they are very much a part of today's cultural and ethnic...

Northumbria University Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Northumbria University - Essay Example The largely modularized curriculum is delivered to just over 23,500 students, about 16000 of whom are full-time and the remainder study on a wide range of part time and short term courses. It offers around 500 courses from Part-time, 'Taster' courses, programmes through Distance learning to Full time degree courses. Academic registry, Accodomation services, Corporate Planning, e Learning Initiative Team, Finance, Human resources, IT services, Marketing and Recruitment, Public Relations and Communications, Student Services, Regional European affairs. Product : In case of Northumbria University, the product is the variety of Courses it offers to the world. It is a service industry, thus the product offered is not tangible. The Courses vary from part-time, short-term, to full time courses. They also offer courses through Distance learning programmes. The target market for the University varies from Higher school students to Graduates to Professionals to Housewives across the world. Promotion or Communication mix : Modern marketing calls for more than just developing a good product, pricing it attractively, and making it available to the target customers. The company needs to communicate with their customers, and what they communicate should not be left to chance . The promotion strategy includes the activities that communicate the merits of the product and persuade the target customers to buy it. The specific mix of advertising, personal selling, sales promotion, and public relations a company uses to pursue its advertising and marketing objectives is referred to as communications mix. Role of Communications mix in Marketing : From the beginnings of the time, man has sought to communicate. At its basic level, communications are the most important element of the social interchange between the individuals. As the time progressed and, importantly, with the development of rudimentary printing processes and television, it became possible to expand communications to reach wider audiences. Today, consumers are exposed to a vast amount of information on daily basis - everything on news reports on television, radio and in the press, weather forecasts, traffic information, store signs, product packaging, in-store point of sale material, and so on. The essential requirement of the new

Food Insecurity in Ethiopia Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Food Insecurity in Ethiopia - Essay Example Ethiopia has a population of approximately 75 million people, making it the second most heavily populated country in Sub-Saharan Africa. Most of the people in Ethiopia rely on agriculture as the main means of subsistence, and the agricultural industry is controlled by smallholder agriculture. The risk of famine in Ethiopia is extremely high. With the fast increase in population, food shortage has escalated. The researcher gives some explanations on Ethiopian market, that is still weak, with extensive price fluctuations and instability. Besides fast increasing population, the causes of food insecurity include incompetence in the organisational, institutional, policy, market, and production sectors. Food security is defined by the World Health Organisation (WHO) as a condition â€Å"when all people at all times have access to sufficient, safe, nutritious food to maintain a healthy and active life†. Due to the complexity of the causes of famine, manifold measures are needed to le ssen or totally prevent it from occurring. To conclude, the researcher sums up that food insecurity in Ethiopia has been primarily caused by rapid growth of population, environmental destruction, and overexploitation of natural resources, recurring drought, climate change, poverty, and civil conflicts. Ethiopian governments have made an attempt to resolve the country’s food insecurity. Unfortunately, as the researcher states none of these measures have effectively dealt with the issue. Therefore, drastically new measures are needed.

Cyber Security Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Cyber Security - Assignment Example This aspect that a person from one end of the world can access information from far makes cyberspace a threat to the nation, organization or individual. The fact is that cyber attackers can launch cyber-attacks in a place far from the organization they are attacking (Schiller, 2010). It is true that cyber security is a challenge need to be addressed by the government. In addition, cyber-attacks have increased in the last few years prompting the government and policymakers to look for ways of mitigating the problem. Cyber-attacks require a government intervention because it is not possible for a small organization to tackle such problem. The U.S. is one among many advanced economies that have had their corporations cyber-attacked by culprits operating in other countries (Bajaj, 2012). Some cyber-attacks is said to have been instigated by some countries. This follows a cyber-security breach that was witnessed recently by Sony Pictures Entertainment Inc. The United States government alleged that North Korea was behind the attack. Based on such case and many others that have occurred previously, it is true that the governments need to help in tackling cyber-attacks (Paletta & Nissenbaum, 2015). In conclusion, Cyber Security is a twenty-first-century problem that is increasing and, as a result, many companies are losing their assets. Cyber-attacks are also seen as a weapon used by states against other countries. As such, a state is required to help in tackling cyber security problem because they have all the resources. Paletta D. & Nissenbaum D. (2015). Debate Deepens Over Response to Cyberattacks. The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved from

Market position of Bisleri

Market position of Bisleri The case discussed below is about the biggest brand in the world of mineral water that is Bisleri, the company as all of us know is the best in its field but due to some problems before some time its production was stopped by the government and at the same time its customers who cannot find Bisleri anymore shifted to some other brands and its market share decline The discussion below is about the actual market position of the company using the SWOT, Porters five forces and the PESTEL framework which analyzes the actual position of the company in the industry as well as the market and society. Contents INTRODUCTION: Water is one of the basic necessities for human life to survive on this planet today getting pure water is not an easy task with so much harmful chemical being disposed into the water by various industries is making the water harmful for drinking. 71% of the earth is made of water out of which only 1% of water can be used by living beings. Among this 1% of water 50% of water is polluted. (Upadhyay, 2005) According to the Bureau of Indian Standards there are 1,200 bottled water factories all over India (of which 600 are in one state Tamil Nadu). Over 100 brands are vying for the Rs. 1,000-crore (Rs. 10 billion) bottled water market and are hard selling their products in every way possible better margins to dealers, aggressive advertising, catchy taglines. In such a scenario, The Strategist takes a look at how it all started with Bisleri and how Ramesh Chauhan, chairman, Bisleri created a market out of pure water. (Bisleri, 2008) This is an SWOT analysis report of one of the premium, recognized trusted brand in the Indian bottled water market named BISLERI INTERNATIONAL PVT LTD. This is enjoying the huge share in the market both in bulk segment in small packs. The origin of BISLERI lies in Italy and the brand owes its name to its founder MR.FELICE BISLERI, an Italian entrepreneur. In 1967, BISLERI set up a plant in Bombay for bottling and marketing actual mineral water, which did not quite work. By 1969, BISLERI wanted to exit the business and to help him out the Chauhans bought the brand, intending to turn it into a soda brand. (Raturi, 2005) Since then it has come a long way. Now, it owns a large percentage of shares in the Indian market and also it has its presence in International Water Market. (Bisleri, 2008) Tag line of Bisleri: WATER EVERYWHERE BUT JUST A LITTLE THAT IS CLEAN SWOT ANALYSIS ON BISLERI: STRENGTHS 1. QUALITY STANDARD: Every bottle of BISLERI is put through a rigorous Multi stage purification processes which includes micron filtration and ionization. It acquires 6 stages of purification processes which ensure quality water which is pure and safe for drinking purpose. Good manufacturing are the strength all the time processing in religiously monitored at every stage. (Vora, 2009) 2. TRUST FOR BRAND:- More than 5 million people trust the BISLERI. They buy only BISLERI water because it has became generic name for mineral water. For example: When people go to buy the mineral water many of them ask for BISLERI, even though they get other brand. 3. LARGE RANGE OF PRODUCTS:- BISLERI offers a large range of products which attracts consumer of all categories. For example: 1 liter or 500 ml pack is useful for individual buyers, 12 liters or 20 liters is useful for organization. Therefore it attracts large number of customer. 4. MARKETING:- BISLERI is promoted by an aggressive print TV. TV is backed by a Hoarding point of sale material. Every interface with customer is used as an opportunity to reinforce. For example: All vehicles used for supply have been painted in light green, bears the BISLERI logo sport catchy baseline likes drink and drive. 5. DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM. With little belief in the distributor system, the company leverage its large fleet of truck to supply bottled water directly to retailers through a system called Route Selling where the driver of truck is trained to be a service person. This ensures that water supplied is fresh and bottles are in good shape. BISLERI has more than 80,000 outlets in the country. 6. EXPERIENCE OF MR.CHAUHAN (M.D OF BISLERI) From the vast experience of marketing Gold Spot and Thumps Up, Mr. Chauhan knows that distribution plays a crucial role in the successful marketing of bottled drinks. He knows that making fresh water available within a particular period of time is crucial for its success. He is pursuing a multi- pack and multi- price strategy. 7. BULK SEGMENT IS USEFUL FOR HOUSEHOLDS ALSO:- Households in certain parts of the country spend a huge amount of money on fuel in order to purify the water. They are supposed to buy the impure water and then they have to spend money to purify it. For instance the water scarce south people spend large some of money to buy water and still more to purify it. The 12 liter product is hit in various cities of south. 8. GROWING POPULARITY:- The popularity of BISLERI is increasing rapidly day by day. People in the market when it comes to mineral water a person goes to any shop and asks for BISLERI as his/her first preference. BISLERI is seeing a growth of almost 50% per year. With the small pack being popular among individuals user its bulk pack is also generating the huge demand which is capturing the market for BISLERI. Today 60-70 % of total income of BISLERI comes from its bulk segment and the company is planning to increase it up to 80%. 9. THE BREAK AWAY SEAL:- Keeping in mind the consumers need to recognize a genuine product that cannot be tempered with. The unique cap has been patented and cannot be duplicated. This technical strength ensures that the consumer will only get a high safe product when they will drink BISLERI. (Vora, 2009) WEAKNESS 1. METHOD ADOPTED FOR DISTRIBUTION:- THE ROUTESELLING policy adopted by BISLERI for distribution is more expensive than more commonly followed method of appointing distributors in different towns. This reduces the profit of company. The dealer margin is reduced due to this .therefore not many dealer keeps BISLERI in many areas. Indirectly this is reducing the coverage of BISLERI. 2. REUSE OF BOTTLE BY LOCAL SELLERS AND ILLEGAL MANUFACTURERS:- Market research conducted by BISLERI revealed that the other overriding concern for this set of buyers is the tampering of seal and the reuse of bottles. Many have witnessed used bottles being refilled at railway stations. This deteriorates the brand image of BISLERI. For example: local sellers fill the bottle of BISLERI with impure water and the bottles are purchased by illiterate customers as BISLERI water but they buy water of low quality. In this way brand of BISLERI gets affected. 3. FAULTS IN PRODUCTION:- Tests conducted by various authorities shows that it contains pesticides. In 2002 the 2cm long insect was found in the bottle of BISLERI. This has affected its sales and reputation. The license of its two factories one at Noida and other at Bangalore has been cancelled because of fault in production. 4. PRESSURE BY GOVERNMENT AUTHORITY:- After insect was found in the bottles, FDA (Food Drug Adulteration) has cancelled the production of BISLERI. Afterwards it was allowed to resume it but in this period its customer were moved towards other products. It is constantly under check by various authorities. 5. NOT MEETING THE DEMAND OF THE CUSTOMER:- In certain parts of south in our country big bottles of BISLERI are in huge demand but the company is unable to meet the demand of the consumers. This is affecting the demand for the product. So People are forced to use other brands of mineral water. (Hiteshi, 2010) OPPORTUNITY 1. FAST GROWING FIELD:- The best beverage for India in the new millennium seems to be water. In recent years, the bottled drinking water market has been witnessing high decibel level of activity, with a host of new entrants. The bottled water market which worth Rs. 1000 crore is expected to be Rs. 5000 crore by 2010. This will increase a lot of scope for bottled water market. 2. BISLERI CAN UTILISE ITS DISTRIBUTION CHAIN:- With BISLERI becoming a generic name for bottled drinking water. If company can manage the distribution chain of the product to make it available where the consumer needs it the most, the company may well succeed in his gamble with water. For this the company can connect it with dealers and other distributors who will market the products for them all around the world. 3. EXPANSION IN EUROPE:- The launch of BISLERI in the European market on 4th September, 2003 has created a lot of scope for BISLERI in the field. This will also compensate the deterioration of image; BISLERI has suffered after insect wasfound in the bottle. It will silence the critics and it will also increase the faith of the customer for the brand. It will create an international brand image and the quality will increase. 4. LAUNCH OF PREMIUM PACK:- The company also has its premium product range. This is prepared keeping 5-star hotels and other premium customer. This pack will be sold at Rs. 20 per liter. This will give a tough competition to the EVIAN, the biggest player in the premium water range which sells its 1 liter water at a hefty of Rs.85 per liter. 5. CHANGE OF IMAGE:- The company has changed the colour of the product. It has changed from blue to green. By changing the colour, the company has provided a new product to the consumers; they will be getting a new and a refreshing product. 6. INCREASE IN PRODUCTION:- BISLERI is eyeing the Market and is in the process of increasing the production by setting 4 new plants adding to its 23plants. This will increase the production capacity of the company. (Hiteshi, 2010) THREATS MARKET IS EYED BY THE BIG PLAYERS:- The growth of the market indicates the need for the mineral water. Due to this the heavy weights are eyeing the market. Coke, Pepsi, Britannia, Nestle, Auswater-is keen on raising their stakes in this market. With the cut throat competition between Coke and Pepsi, BISLERI is not safe. ENTERING OF NEW PLAYERS:- To get some share in the market many new players are entering in the market. Among them major names are Godrej, which is launching its product AQUA-PURE and Tata-Tea is looking forward to bring Himalayan, this will increase the competition. Also Britannia which is distributing EVIAN is planning to launch its own brand. There are also new entrants ATCO with BRILLIANT water, DS FOODS with CATCH are also coming. Even Hindustan lever is planning to enter into the market. This is giving a tough competition to the current water brands including BISLERI. WATER FILTER MANUFACTURERS:- BISLERI is not only getting competition from mineral water maker but is also facing a tough competition from various water filter manufacturers such as Eureka Forbes (Aqua guard). They have been marketing there purifiers in the market which has decreased the sales of bottled water supply to homely customers. ILLEGAL MANUFACTURERS:- Company is facing a tough competition from illegal manufacturers in the rural areas. The illegal manufacturers provide water at a very cheaper rate then the branded manufacturers. There are 1000s of illegal manufacturers which are providing the water at a very cheaper rate. This is a serious problem for branded manufacturers. This companies also use the fake name of branded bottled water i.e. BISLERI and supply their products in the market. STRONG DISTRIBUTION CHANNEL OF THE OTHER MANUFACTURERS:- Analysts feel that BISLERIS break away seal will not at all be effective the company having strong distribution channel will only survive. This rings the warning bell for BISLERI because among other players Kinley and Aquafina are having a strong distribution network of Coke and Pepsi. Nestle will be banking on its chocolate distribution network. Even though the BISLERI has a strong networks but its concentration on bulk segment can lead to improper network. For example: A chemist who is selling the 1 litre pack may not sell the 20 litre pack. This could disturb the network. NEW GOVERNMENT POLICY:- For preparing 1 liter of mineral water 3 liters of ground water is required. Government was not charging tax on the extraction of the ground water. Now by introducing the new policy government is going to impose tax on the extraction of the ground water, this will increase the production cost because of which the companies will be forced to increase the price which all consumers of all categories cannot afford. The companies can compensate the high production cost by reducing their marketing expenses but this will keep the consumer unaware about the product. This is also affecting the quality of the bottled water. (Vora, 2009) (Porter M. , 1980) PORTERS FIVE FORCES ANALYSIS: Analyzing the above through the porters framework: As we can see above that the company is going through various threats instead of being in a good position and capturing a large market share still it is facing a very tough competition from the existing competitors as big players like Coke and Pepsi are keen to increase their market share and both of them being the biggest competitor of each other, there is a hyper competition in the market and a cut throat situation where any of the companies can take away the market at any time without being late in order to rule the market. Bisleri being in the market of water which a very profitable area faces the new entrants threat also as brands like Godrej, Tata Tea, Britannia, Atco, DS Foods etc. are coming out with their own brands and trying to make money in fact some of them are even out with their brand and planning to modify and expand it which in turn increases the threat to Bisleri with the fear of losing the market share. (Gerry Johnson, Exploring Corporate Strategy, 2005) (Porter M. E., The Five Competitive Forces that Shape Strategy, 2008) PESTEL ANALYSIS: Analyzing the above through the PESTEL framework: As can be seen above that the company is affected a lot by the new government policy and that is to charge tax on the extraction of ground water but now the government is imposing tax which is a major concern for the company as to manufacture 1 liter of water they need to extract 3 liters of water from ground which in turn will increase their cost of production which they will try to reduce by reducing the quality of the product which will in turn harm the health of people and company image. (Gerry Johnson, Exploring Corporate Strategy, 2008) CONCLUSION With this SWOT analysis we have derived the conclusion that: The base of BISLERI water is very strong in the Indian market. Its managing director is one of the biggest achiever in the packed water bottled market; it is found that its weakness lies in the production. The company was in trouble because of its production related techniques; The Company has a lot of opportunity which can be exploited in the future which will give the company a profit, proper utilization of opportunities will be a key to survive in the market, But with more and more competitors entering the market, there are also various threat to company. One wrong step can lead to a white-wash of company from the market in the future. REFRENCES: Bisleri. (2008). Bisleri.com. Retrieved January 1st, 2011, from bisleri.com/home.html Charles Hill, G. J. (2009). Strategic Mnagement Theory: An Integrated Approach (9th ed.). South-Western . Economic Times of India. (2010). Fruity flavoured water from bisleri to hit market soon. finewaters. Gerry Johnson, K. S. (2005). Exploring Corporate Strategy (7th ed.). FT Prentice Hall. Gerry Johnson, K. S. (2008). Exploring Corporate Strategy (8th ed.). FT Prentice Hall. Hindustan Times. (2010). Bisleri to launch flavoured water soon. Hindustantimes. Hiteshi. (2010). SWOT analysis of Bisleri Co. Hitt, M. I. (2003). Strategic Management (5th edn ed.). Singapore.: South-Western. Porter, M. (1980). Competitive Strategy. Free Press. Porter, M. E. (1996). What Is Strategy? Harvard Business Review. Porter, M. E. (2008). The Five Competitive Forces that Shape Strategy. Harvard Business Review. Raturi, P. (2005). And this is how Parle Bisleri began. Rediff. Upadhyay, S. J. (2005). Mineral Water of the World. Minerakwaters.org. Vora, Y. (2009). Bisleri.

godfater character comparison Essay examples -- essays research papers

Comparison of the Characters Michael Sonny in â€Å"The Godfather† At a first glance Michael and Sonny appear to be quite different. Upon further observation, however, they do have some similarities. Although they are very different in their personality, values, and tempers, they are similar in areas of loyalty, their respect for their father, and their strong family ties. Their personalities are a study in contrasts. Sonny is brash and arrogant, where as Michael is calm and cool. When Don Corleone was in the hospital and Sonny was placed in charge, the family became kind of careless. He didn’t seem to care what could happen due to his actions. He wanted to kill the police captain and didn’t think about the repercussions. Tom has to tell him that it wouldn't be good to kill a cop, but they end up doing it anyway. I think Michael was pushed into it because of his loyalty to the family. He is more calculating in manner. Near the end when he "takes care of all the family business" on the day of the Baptism is a prime example of this. Because he was this way, the objects of his violence had no idea that it was coming. Their senses of values are also very dissimilar. Michael is a man of honor. He doesn't run around having affairs with different women. He only marries twice because his first wife was killed in the explosion. Sonny is an adulterer. He is with another woman during his sisters wedding, along with a few other times throughout the movie. The two brothers h...

One Sample Hypothesis Test Essay

Earning potential and income of every person is severely different; many factors have a hand in determining the amount of money a person makes and how much his or her earning potential can increase. Some of the factors currently determining the earning potential of people around the United States are; education, marital status, age, union participation, race, age, years of experience, sex, the industry in which the individual works, and the position held by individual. This paper is going to show the correlation between marital status and income, the team has disregarded all other determinants to answer the research question clearly. The research question that the team has developed and the hypothesis was formed from goes as follows; does marital status affect earning potential? Every decade that passes, it seems as though people are waiting longer to get married. Waiting for job security, completion of college and social norms are just a few factors that influence this trend. This is a big change from 50 years ago, when most people would get married straight out of high school. The fact is being single has some advantages when deciding to start a career, it also affects ones earning potential. Being single allows more dedication to the job as well as the mobility to go wherever the job may take an individual. While being single may be good for starting a career, being married will actually increase a person’s earning potential in the long run. The mean salary for the single person is $24,864 per year. The mean income for married individuals is $33,303. This leads us to our null hypothesis (H0) that being married will not improve the earning potential of an individual. Our alternate hypothesis (H1) is that being married will help improve the earning potential of an individual. Numerically it is stated: H0: ÃŽ ¼1 ≠¤ ÃŽ ¼2 H1: ÃŽ ¼2 > ÃŽ ¼2 The five-step hypothesis test starts with stating the null and alternative  hypothesis. The null is H0: ÃŽ ¼1≠¤ÃŽ ¼2 and the alternative hypothesis is H1: ÃŽ ¼1>ÃŽ ¼2. The second step in find the decision rule. The decision rule is reject H0 if ÃŽ ¼1< ÃŽ ¼2< ÃŽ ¼1. Step 3 is to calculate the test statistics. It has come to the mean of the earning potential of those who are married and those who are unmarried. Married couples have a mean salary of $33,303.00 and unmarried individuals have a mean salary of $24,864.00. Step 4 is to compare the test statistics to the critical value. The test results in married couples have a greater income than the salaries of unmarried people. Step 5 is to state the results. In result, married couples have greater earning potential than that of their unmarried counterparts. Therefore, in this case the team has to reject their null hypothesis because they have discovered a greater earning potential for married couples over unmarried individuals. The team’s results provided support to the null hypothesis that a married individual has a higher earning potential than that of a single individual. As previously stated a single individual on average makes $25, 000 while married individuals make on average $34,000 a year. Our research also indicates more working individuals are married over single. Our sample only included 33 single and 67 married individuals. Our study also found non-married men have wages that range from $11,000 to only $27,000 while non-married females wages range from $15,000 to $83,000. Married men have wages that range from $28,000 to $84,000, married women however only have wages that range from $11,000 to $50,000. This shows independent women with one sole income on average make more than men. However, after marriage, the men tend to become the higher wage earner. Education does not appear to play a significant role it ranges from four to 18 years. A married man with 18 years of education can made up to $84,000 while a single man also with 18 years of education only made $27,000. That is in contrast with a single woman with 17 years of education who make $83,000 a year and a married woman with 17 years of education who made $34,000. The maximum wage for a married woman was $50,000 and this was with 12 years of education. We analyzed many different aspects of earning potential and the majority proves a married individual will make more than that of a single individual. With all of the numerical data analyzed, the research question answered, and the hypothesis being correct, the team has been able to state confidently that marital status drastically affects  earning potential. On average, those who are married make nearly $8,500 more than those who are unmarried. Several other factors determine the income potential differences, but without further analyses of data not provided in the data set, the team would just be throwing around assumptions on the matter. References David P. Doane, L. E. (2007). Applied Statistics in Business and Economics. New York: McGraw- Hill.

Writing Tips Percent, Per Cent and Percentages - Get Proofed!

Writing Tips Percent, Per Cent and Percentages - Get Proofed! Percent, Per Cent and Percentages We’ve been told that putting 110% into anything is mathematically impossible. But we’re proofreaders, not mathematicians! As such, we’re not going to let math get in the way of putting everything we have into solving your writing problems. Today, for example, we’re looking at writing percentages. Words and Numbers As with any numbers, percentages can be written as either words or numbers: Words: Around nine percent of people dislike coffee. Numbers: Approximately 91% of people like coffee. The examples above reflect three important guidelines when writing percentages: Numbers up to ten are usually written as words, while larger numbers are written as numerals When a percentage is written as a word, it should be followed by â€Å"percent† When a percentage is written as a numeral, it should be followed by the â€Å"%† sign However, this can vary depending on the context (e.g., measurements in scientific writing are almost always written as numerals, even for numbers under ten). It’s therefore a good idea to check your style guide for advice on how to write percentages. Percent vs. Per Cent The question we’re asked most often about writing percentages is whether to use â€Å"percent† or â€Å"per cent.† Ultimately, though, this doesn’t really matter: both are accepted spellings of this term. Again, we recommend checking your style guide if you have one, as some publishers and colleges have a preference. And â€Å"percent† is much more common these days than â€Å"per cent.† But other than that, the main thing is picking one spelling and using it consistently throughout your work. Percent vs. per cent When to Use â€Å"Percentage† Finally, we have the word â€Å"percentage.† Although similar to â€Å"percent,† this word has a slightly different usage: â€Å"Percent† is used with specific numbers, while â€Å"percentage† is used when referring to a general or non-specific amount of something. For example: A small percentage of the forms were coffee stained. Almost seven percent of the forms were coffee stained. As shown above, you should use â€Å"percentage† when the exact amount is unspecified.

The Decline of the Ancient God essays

The Decline of the Ancient God essays I have always thought the idea of gods and goddesses very interesting, ancient goddess being most interesting. I have felt this way because the majority of people in this day and age were raised with the male figure being the head of the household. In some third world countries the women are not even allowed to show there face, and are considered to be property of there husbands. I think that everyone should be treated equally no mater what there sex, religion, age, or ethnicity are, but what made this dramatic decline of the goddess? The biggest fixation of women and goddesses were there ability to give birth to new life, and give there babe nutrition with milk. I say this because in the book Goddesses all of the women in the pictures are shown with either large, full breasts or large stomachs, as if they were pregnant. This whole process must have seemed like some kind or powerful miracle, or godly event. Not that child birth even today doesnt seem anything short of a miracle, but none of these people knew anything at all about human biology. Some even thought that if a women walked passed a certain tree that they would get pregnant. After some time went by, people started raising there own animals for food, and soon started to make the connection between sex and child birth. Farmers would see there animals having sex, and then a few months later there would be a baby. I am convinced that the meaning behind sex, or the connection between sex and child birth was at first discovered by people that were around animals the majority of the time. After the connection between animals, sex and child birth was made it did not take long to figure out where human children came from. In my opinion this time period when people began to realize how women got pregnant is the time that the decline of the goddess began. All this time it was though that giving birth was some kind of magical feat, but it wasn ...

Holocaust is fake david cole Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Holocaust is fake david cole - Essay Example As if to point out that there was no way faith would work and no such power greater than that of Hitler may intervene to alter this course of history, each victim could be inclined to contemplate with scorn that the fateful event was indeed meant to take place. Back then, how could it be said or thought that Holocaust was not a journey to death and merely a path back to a seemingly neglected spirituality, at least for the Jews? Certainly, one would only afford a weakening capacity to figure tormenting memories and horrible imaginings of all occurrences marked by the reign of ruthless terror as they transpired. To have fallen into the hands of pure evil, clearly, nothing remained of dignity, well-being, and perhaps even the last strands of faith and hope to hold on to for a multitude deprived of every inalienable right, like the concept of choice never existed. Even those who were far from bearing witness to the Holocaust could well identify and concretize deep in their assuming minds the type of Hitler’s injustice which only the lowest form of animal may dare accept as fair to suffer with. Nevertheless, for those who find the potential of gaining a more unique insight, such terrifying portion of history can be perceived with sensible meaning at another paradigm but should certainly not be held in denial as in Cole’s revision attempt. Through a more profound meditation, one discovers the possibility of pondering a moment when humans weren’t dull in senses, rather alive with mixed reflexes despite the pain severities. It appears equivalent to arriving at a point when every second of time counts and love for life or the desire to live is vividly strong that any tendency toward feeling emptiness and meaninglessness is driven

Patagonia Case Analysis Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Patagonia Analysis - Case Study Example Customers in their desired target market, however, seem to be willing to pay this price for the quality, durability, and environmentally-focused attributes of the company’s brand name. The problem at Patagonia, however, is not related to the product, pricing or the above-industry-norm commitment to environmentalism as it is related to customer lifestyle. Patagonia only spends 1% of its entire budget on promotion and advertising, thus relying on social media and sales representatives to maintain the promotional function. The firm requires more visibility to extend its product line beyond the higher resource buyer segment to balance its profit goals. PROPOSAL ALTERNATIVES Experts in public relations identify the many competitive advantages that come from utilization of professional, externalized public relations firms. These include a positive corporate identity, improved national standing among competition, and improved consumer purchase intention (David, Kline & Dai, 390). Des pite Patagonia’s current sales success in gaining a higher volume of customers, the marginal increases in sales are much lower than industry norms for a business of this variety. Granted, some of this profit reduction comes in the form of environmentalism and charitable donations, however achieving higher profitability without losing the current positioning related to eco-friendly production is attainable by devoting a large portion of the operating budget to advertisment. In order to achieve a successful brand with high visibility, the focus should be on empowerment: â€Å"putting them in charge to take action† (Bayley, 15). Patagonia is a highly action-oriented business active lifestyles related to surfing, climbing, rafting and other outdoor recreation. Under the VALS2 Marketing Diagram for segmentation, action-oriented individuals spend a majority of their disposable income on social activities, buy on impulse, and follow fashion and fads significantly (Boone & Kur tz, 302). Even though Patagonia’s products are priced higher than industry norms, they are not priced significantly higher than other sportswear and outdoor wear companies overall, thus making them affordable for lower-income customers still in an above-average category. Action-oriented individuals in society include other recreational activities related to camping, skiiing, and general boating and lake/oceanfront activities. Patagonia requires extension of its brand presence into these markets in order to find profit success without sacrificing its core values that leadership is so dedicated to sustaining as top priority. The action plan for Patagonia is to develop relatively low-cost advertising and utilize assistance from external public relations consultants to create a system of well-coordinated press releases that give more visibility to the general consumer public. Reliance on the distribution network to conduct advertising function takes control of advertising from ow nership and places it in a third party, thus adding an element of risk to the business model in relation to sales. Consumers of all demographics respond positively to advertising with vivid

MERS-CoV Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

MERS-CoV - Research Paper Example Having been first reported in 2012 in Saudi Arabia, MERS has spread in other countries through the Saudi Arabia visitors who travel in other countries (Butler, 2012). Major symptoms of MERS-CoV include fever, shortness of breath and coughing. According to a report by World Health Organization, indicates that although transmission of MERS-CoV from one person to another is one of the ways through which the illness is transmitted, it is not the major way (McKay, 2014). The viruses according to National Institute of Health based in Maryland indicate that the viruses are able to mutate once they are inhaled. The viruses are mostly transmitted through the air when an infected individual comes very close to other people (Bermingham et al, 2012). Infected camels have also major way through which the virus can be transmitted to the people. Momattin, H et al. (2013). Therapeutic Options for Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV) – possible lessons from a systematic review of SARS-CoV therapy. International Journal of Infectious Diseases 17

Right to Education Essay Example for Free

Right to Education Essay On 12 April 2012, in its historical decision the Supreme Court (SC) of India threw its weight behind the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009. The court upheld the constitutional validity of RTE Act that guarantees children free and compulsory education from the age of 6 to 14 years of age. The judgment makes it mandatory for the government, local authorities and private schools to reserve 25 percent of their seats for ‘weaker and disadvantaged sections’ of society. The decision has wiped away many apprehensions regarding the future of the Act. It has been welcomed by academicians, politicians, journalists and others. The Union minister for human resources development Mr. Kapil Sibal, articulated, â€Å"RTE can be a model for the world†. While there has been enthusiastic praise of the judgment, concerns related to quality, finance, ensuring of 25 percent reservation in private schools and change in classroom structure cannot be thrown into the winds. The amount put aside by Finance minister Pranab Mukherjee, for the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan is only Rs. 25,555 crores for 2012-13, which falls short of the recommended financial requirement of Rs 1. 82 lakh crore. From where will the rest of amount come? According to Kapil Sibal (2012) more than 90 percent of households will have to enroll their wards in government schools. Thus 90 percent of households’ wards will have poor access to education; if at all they are enrolled in schools, as the quality of education in government schools is a matter of serious concern. There is no clarity on how 25 percent reservation in private schools will be filled. There may be more than one private school in a neighborhood, so how will they decide who will go where? How will reservation in private schools be monitored? The 25 percent reservation in private schools will dramatically change the structure of classrooms in schools. Whether diversity of classroom will create democratic learning environment and enhance teaching learning process or will it put children from ‘weaker and disadvantaged sections’ in discomfited position? Concern of Quality Education One of the primary objectives of Right of Children Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009 is improving quality education. The quality of elementary education, particularly in government schools, is a matter of serious concern. The quality of school education depends on various variables which includes physical infrastructure, method of teaching, learning environment, type of books, qualification of teachers, number of teachers, attendance of teachers and students and so on. There has been substantial progress in increasing enrollment with national average now at 98. 3 percent (2009-2010) according to official statistics. However, the attendance of pupils in class rooms has declined. In 2007, 73. 4 percent students enrolled for Standards I-IV/V were present in class, which has fallen to 70. 9 percent by 2011 (EPW, 2012). Fayaz Ahmad (2009) came with the findings that despite lack of staff in government schools, teachers remain absent on rotational bases. He adds that due to vacancies for teacher, absenteeism of teachers and poor infrastructure in government schools classrooms are multi-grade, i. e. one teacher attending to children from different grades in a single classroom. The attendance of teachers and students in schools is directly related with the quality of education. Furthermore, mere enrollment of children in school does not fulfill the aims of RTE. Amman Madan (2003) argues ‘the question of reform in Indian education has usually been conceived of in narrow ways – putting children in school and getting schools to function efficiently’. Despite high enrollments in schools 50 percent of children studying in the fifth grade lack the reading skills expected of children in the second grade (Annual Status of Education Report, ASER 2010). Ensuring 25 percent Reservation The RTE, Act, 2009 clause, 12 (1) (c) mandates for private schools to admit quarter of their class strength from weaker section and disadvantaged groups 1. The constitutional validity of this clause was challenged in the apex court of country. However on 12, April 2012, a bench of Chief Justice S . H. Kapadia, Justice K. S Radhakrishnan and Swatanter Kumar upheld the constitutional validity of the Act. In response to the Supreme Court order, HRD minister Kapil Sibal said, â€Å"I am very happy that the court has set all controversies at rest. One of the biggest controversies was on whether the 25 percent reservation applies to private schools or not†¦ that controversy has been set to rest. †2 Reacting to the 25 percent reservation Krishna Kumar (2012) penned down â€Å"most ambitious among its objectives is the social engineering it proposes by guaranteeing at least 25 percent share of enrolment in unaided fee-charging schools to children whose parents cannot afford the fee. † Both Krishna Kumar and Kapil Sibal did not give indepth critical insight to the provision. The questions like, what will be the mechanism of selection process of 25 percent children from ‘weaker and disadvantaged sections’. Some private schools are very reputed and provide very high quality of education and some are either at par with government schools or little ahead. There is a hierarchy of private schools which are stratified in quality education. Who will go where what will be the criteria for that? Furthermore Indian society is patriarchal in nature, boys are even served good food in comparison to girls how one can expect parents or guardians will send a girl child to these private schools, if at all they agree to send a girl child to school. The reservation benefits will go to a particular gender of society. This will further reinforce and reproduce gender bias and social inequality in society. Thus RTE itself creates a vacuum for â€Å"reproduction of culture†. Fayaz Ahmad (2009) underlines, parents prefer schooling for their girl child but prefer government schools for them in comparison to a male child. The important finding which has been revealed by Fayaz Ahmad (2009) is the enrollment shown in schools was higher than what actually it was. This was done to get mid-day meals for more and more children so that teachers can save some money to bear other hidden expenditures and avoid wrath of authorities for poor enrollment. Despite employment of Resource Persons and Zonal Resource Persons by Jammu and Kashmir government in the department of school education ,who are obliged to ensure smooth and normal functioning of schools, such kind of loopholes are observed, how can the government ensure that private schools will follow the provision of 25 percent reservation. Change in the Structure of Classroom and Beyond. The RTE Act directed all schools, including privately -run schools, to reserve 25 percent of their seats for students from socially and economically backward families. That means, quarter of students in classes will be from marginalized section of the society. This will change the structure of classes. Krishna Kumar (2012) maintains â€Å"a classroom reflecting life’s diversity will benefit children of all strata while enriching teaching experience. † He further adds â€Å"classroom life will now be experientially and linguistically richer. It will be easier to illustrate complex issues with examples drawn from children’s own lives. † He rightly articulates that class room will reflect diversity and will be experientially and linguistically richer. But his argument that classroom diversity will benefit children from weaker section of society is hypothetical and ambiguous. School education can’t be separated from its social context, those who teach and learn carry with them attitudes, beliefs, habits, customs, orientations which differ from class to class. The elite schools have their own culture which suits to children of upper class. The teaching-learning environment at these schools suits children of upper class while children from weaker section may find themselves alienated from the schools. Bernstein (1971) while examining the mode of communication of working and middle class argues that both have different mode of communication and most of the teachers in schools belong to middle class which gives edge to middle class children in learning. Bourdieu(1977) empirical research in France explores that performance of a child in school on his access to cultural capital. He maintains that children of upper classes are able to understand contents of knowledge better than their counterparts belonging to marginalized sections of society. The present experience of India with mixed or diversified classroom is not encouraging. The children from marginalized sections of society are discriminated in the classroom on the bases of gender, caste, and ethnicity. Despite Indian constitution strictly prohibits discrimination on the bases of caste and other social backgrounds and makes it a punishable act yet children from marginalized sections are discriminated in schools. How can discrimination of ‘weaker and disadvantaged sections be prevented? There are various theoretical and empirical studies which have come up with that children from lower classes are at a backfoot in schools in the learning process. They are more vulnerable when enrolled in elite schools. Conclusion Indian children now have a precious right to receive free and compulsory education from the ages of 6 to 14 years of age. The government will bear all the expenditures of schooling. The act has mandated for private schools to reserve quarter of classroom strength for deprived sections of society, which will change the structure of classrooms in elite schools to school who are not yet enrolled. However, there are many apprehensions with regard to achieving desired goals through RTE. By pressing for 25 percent reservation for the ‘weaker and disadvantaged sections’ of society, government has acknowledged poor quality in government schools where more than 90 percent of households in the country will have to enroll their children even if 25 percent reservation is implemented in true sense. This means that there will be further diversification of society in India. There are also concerns whether those enrolled in private schools will cope and adjust with education system and culture of elite schools. There are many other loop holes which are pressing and challenging in the way of RTE: quality education, funding, teacher skills and enhance of reservation policy are some major concerns. Despite the flaws in the way of RTE Act, it is important to simultaneously ensure proper implementation of the Act. —————————————- Footnotes 1. The Gazette of India, http://eoc. du. ac. in/RTE%20-%20notified. pdf 2. Dhananjay Mahapatra Himanshi Dhawan(2012) Times of India, RTE:Govt Subsidy to be based on KV expenditure, New Delhi, 13 April. References. Ahmad, Fayaz (2009) â€Å" A Sociological Study of Primary Education Among Girls: With Special Reference to Block Hajin of District Bandipora† Dissertation, Barkatullah University. Annual Status of Educational Report (2010): â€Å"Annual Status of Educational Report ( Rural) , assessed 21April 2012: http://www. pratham. org/aser08/ASER_2010_Report. pdf Bernstein, B (1973): â€Å"Class Codes and Control: Applied Studies towards a Sociology of Language†, London, Routledge Kegan Paul. Boourdieu,P (1977): â€Å" Cultural Reproduction and Social Reproduction†, In Karabel, J and A. H, Halsey, (ed), Power and Ideology in Education. OUP Economic and Political Weekly (2012): â€Å"The Right to learn: Two Years after the Right to Education Act, the government needs to focus on quality†,16 April, Vol XLVII No 16. Kumar, Krishna (2012): â€Å"Let a hundred children blossom: A classroom reflecting life’s diversity will benefit children of all strata while enriching teaching experience. †, The Hindu, Delhi,20 April 2012. Madan, Amman (2003): Education as Vision for Social Change, Economic and Political Weekly May 31, 2003 pp. 2135-2136 Sibal, Kapil (2012): â€Å"Admitting kids from weaker sections while not lowering quality of teaching will be difficult for pvt schools, but it can be done: RTE Can Be A Model For The World† The Times of India, New Delhi, 20 April. The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009, popularly known as the Right to Education (RTE) Act, came into being in India from April 1, 2010. The Act introduces a number of changes in education delivery through schools in India. Many of the changes are simply revolutionary, and if they are implemented properly will vastly improve the system of imparting education in the country. The Act is a landmark in the history of education related legislation in India. However, some of the provisions of the Act, although included with noble intentions, will have unintended consequences that might counter some of the advantages of the new system itself. The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009, as published in the Gazette of India [No. 39, Dated August 27, 2009] makes for interesting reading. I present below a critique of some of the salient provisions of the Act, and elucidate how these provisions also have unintended consequences that have not been addressed. Along the way, I also provide suggestions on what could be done better. Category 1: Decisions relating to screening and failing students (Section 16) No failing allowed: Section 16 of the RTE Act states that no child shall be failed in any class or expelled from school till he or she completes elementary education (defined as education imparted from Class 1 to Class 8). The Act also provides for special training for students who are deemed to be deficient and deserving of extra help. The Government reasons that failing a child is wrong, no matter the level of learning deficiency the child exhibits with respect to his or her peers. Any such deficiencies, the Government thinks, can be made up through special training provided by the school authorities under Section 4 of the Act. The intention of this rule is no doubt to support those children who are not able to attain the level of performance required to gain admission into the next class. Through this provision, the Government wants to reinforce that performance standards are relative, that failing a child is an unjust mortification for the child’s persona, and that a child younger than 14 is too young to be explicitly classified as deficient compared to his or her peers. While all these reasons hold good, a number of issues remain unaddressed: Skill development: While it is true that failing a child may well cause the child to intensely doubt his or her abilities, the Government fails to appreciate that failing a child also serves as a protective mechanism. Under the mechanism of failing, a child whose skills are clearly deficient with respect to his or her peers is held back in the same class and denied promotion. Failing therefore also acts as a protective mechanism, allowing a child to spend more time in the same class to make sure that he or she gains skills commensurate with his or her peers, and acts as a crucial aid in skill development. Under the new system, however, the child graduates to the next class regardless of performance or skill level in the previous one. The system then provides for special attention (through Section 4 of the Act) for such a child in the higher class to make up the deficiency in skills and ability. The critical question is – can a child who is unable to bear the workload of a junior class now deal with the workload of a senior class in addition to taking special classes? The embarrassment of failing, which under a system of failing a weak student is corrected at the first stage of inadequacy, now carries over into senior classes. This only accentuates the embarrassment that a child faces because of an increasingly steep learning curve which he or she finds ever more difficult to negotiate as compared to his or her peers. As a consequence, the child faces academic seclusion in the higher class. No feedback mechanism: Failing also acts as an important feedback mechanism, making the child and his parents and teachers aware that the child is deficient in critical skills. It also acts as feedback for teachers – if more students fail in a teacher’s class than those in other teachers’ classes, the teacher’s methods and effectiveness should be put under the scanner. However, under the new system, when every child is promoted to the next class irrespective of performance, both parents and teachers in general put in less of a marginal effort to ensure development of the child. The onus to support the child is passed from teachers and parents to schools (through Section 4 of the Act), and rarely, if ever, will teachers be held accountable for falling standards of teaching. Similarly, the incentive for children to learn is diminished, because the fear of failure and the repercussions of non-performance are removed. No doubt all consuming interest rather than fear should be the motive for sustained academic development of children but a system that ensures less accountability for all concerned (students, parents, and teachers) in no way creates a case for substituting ‘fear’ with interest. The stick has been removed, but where is the carrot? Postponing development does not work: One reason often put forward is that failing creates a frustration and lack of confidence in the child, causing them to drop out of school. However, a child that is deficient in skills will find it even harder to catch on in a senior class. The frustration and inclination to quit will therefore be even stronger. Ultimately, the child may be inclined to drop out of school in frustration with the system (experienced over a number of years) rather than with just a particular teacher or class. With the latter, there is still hope to bring the child back into the system. With the former, even that is gone. Inability to deal with failure: A child who does not learn the value of accountability, performance, and hard work in the initial stages of its schooling will be ill-equipped to meet these constants of life in later stages. The child will grow up not with resilience, but with a sense of entitlement, feeling that it is the duty of teachers to provide special training when he or she does not perform. When this sense of entitlement is suddenly removed after 14 years of age, the child may well feel deprived, unsupported, and unable to deal with performance expectations. Rewarding competence is the rule in all professions and vocations – why not embed it into the child at an early age? Category 2: Prohibition on physical punishment and ‘mental harassment’ (Section 17). Section 17(1) of the Act prohibits physical punishment or mental harassment of students. While a ban on physical punishment is laudable, the one on mental harassment is incompletely defined. What, after all, is ‘mental harassment’? It could be anything from a light admonition for not completing homework to vile abuses meant to strip the student of all self-respect. The Act sheds no further light. The problem then becomes one of establishing the commission of mental harassment itself. When rules are incompletely defined, they are subject to manipulation and misuse. Consider the plausible scenario when the rule on mental harassment is sought to be enacted. The clear and visible effect is that teachers will not be able to physically punish or mentally berate students. However, there are also some unseen effects. No clear escalation mechanism: One of the unseen effects is that in rural areas and impoverished regions, where acts of mental harassment are most often carried out, these acts are not even reported (except in severe cases). This is because the child risks arousing further displeasure of the teacher concerned, and is not assured of action in any case. Section 17(2) of the Act prescribes disciplinary action against any teacher violating the rule. However, in a set up where mental harassment is hard to establish, reporting mechanisms are poor, the social matrix favours teachers, and where administrators are already feeling a crunch of available teachers, strong action against the guilty is unlikely. If at all it is to be more effective, the provision needs to be given more teeth – establish a uniform reporting and escalation mechanism for teacher misconduct and ensure that whistleblowers are not at the receiving end of punitive measures. ‘Mental harassment’ not clearly defined: In an urban, metropolitan setting, again the loose definition of mental harassment becomes a problem. Here, students are more empowered, and find it easy to report any behaviour which would constitute ‘mental harassment’ in their opinion. In such schools, errant behaviour from students is encouraged because any admonishment, even if it is meant to serve as a correction, can be (mis)interpreted as mental harassment. This will reduce the effectiveness of teachers to administer suitable admonitory measures to this class of students. A solution for improvement, then, seems to be introduction of a uniform escalation and protection mechanism for students, along with clearly defining what mental harassment constitutes, allowing students and teachers to be aware of potential violations when they occur. Category 3: Only ‘recognized’ schools allowed to function (Section 18) Schools which do not have a certificate of recognition from the local authority or government shall no longer be allowed to function, under Section 18 of the Right to Education Act. If such a school is already functioning, the Act prescribes that it be shut down within 3 years if it fails to meet norms. If a new school is set up, it must conform to the norms for a school as laid out in the Schedule of the Act, or be shut down within three years. The norms themselves prescribe minimum teacher-student ratios for different classes, the existence of a permanent building, minimum number of working hours per teacher, and a functioning library, among other things. There is no doubt that a school which provides all of these will be superior in imparting education to an institution which provides only some of these. However, two main difficulties arise – it is erroneous to conclude that private, unrecognized schools offer a quality of education that is less than that offered by recognized schools, and banning private unrecognized schools further aggravates the problem of scarcity of formal education institutions. Unrecognized schools may be better than recognized ones: In a study conducted on private, unrecognized schools in the slums of East Delhi in 2004-05[1], James Tooley and Pauline Dixon from the University of Newcastle found that there were more unrecognized schools than government schools in the locality. In this research paper, the authors found, through unannounced visits, that a higher number of teachers were teaching in private unaided schools as compared to government schools. Further, they found that private unaided schools (including unrecognized ones) had superior or similar inputs than government schools. Most significantly, in this study, Tooley and Dixon found that children in unrecognized private schools scored 72% higher in Mathematics, 83% higher in Hindi, and 246% higher in English than students in government schools. Students in private unaided schools were found to be more satisfied with facilities being provided to them than their counterparts in government schools. Teachers in these schools reported a level of satisfaction similar to that reported by teachers in government schools. Importantly, even head teachers or principals were reported to maintain closer monitoring on teachers in private unaided schools (including unrecognized schools) than in government schools. Considering that monitoring and continuous evaluation of teachers is an important element of the strategy under the new Act, this last point gains even more significance. In another study conducted by Tooley and Dixon[2] in 918 schools within a locality in Hyderabad, 37 percent were found to be private unrecognized schools, compared to only 35 percent government run schools. Around 65 percent of school-going children in the area went to the private, unrecognized schools. It may be argued that this study was conducted only in particular areas, and that things might be different in other parts of the country. This notion is refuted by another study done by Karthik Muralidharan and Michael Kremer of rural private primary schools in India in 2003[3]. This study, as claimed by the authors, is a â€Å"nationally representative survey of rural private primary schools in India conducted in 2003†[4]. While conducting this research, the authors found that private schools are most common in areas with poor public school performance. In spite of paying lower teacher salaries, these schools have children with higher attendance rates and higher test scores. The teachers are 2 to 8 percentage points less likely to be absent as compared to public school teachers, and 6 to 9 percent more likely to be engaged in regular teaching activity. These research studies do present strong evidence for the view that private unrecognized schools are comparable, if not superior, to their government counterparts. The onus is on the government to prove conclusively that this is not so. Until this has been done, closing down the unrecognized schools, even with a 3 year grace period to confirm to standard regulations, might be hasty, unwarranted, and a step backward. Unrecognized schools solve the problem of outreach: Under Section 13(1), the Government has mandated that no school should collect any capitation fee for granting admission to a child. This move is welcome, and it will ensure that discretionary admissions are not the hegemony of the rich. However, having addressed the symptom, the Government has failed to address the underlying cause. Why do schools demand that capitation fees be paid for admission? The simple reason is that the number of children seeking admission is much higher than the number of seats available. The school therefore sees this as a convenient way of ensuring admission for those wards whose parents can contribute the most to the school financially. The presence of this phenomenon itself indicates the paucity of available education. The solution would be to either ensure that government schools or private recognized schools can ensure education for every child who seeks it. As this is a huge task and is not easily accomplished in at least the foreseeable future, private unrecognized schools must be a crucial part of the strategy for enabling outreach. Not only will this ensure a lesser burden on the government to set up new schools quickly, but it will also ensure that the overall vision of the Act – basic education for the widest base of children possible – is more convincingly achieved. We need to create more schools, not less. Private unrecognized schools are not the alternative to recognized institutions – they are the alternative to no education at all! By proposing to shut them down, the government decreases the outreach of education made possible by these institutions. An uncertain future for students: The RTE Act mandates that unrecognized institutions which fail to meet the set criteria will have to close down after a period of about 3 years. However, apart from mandating that the students in these schools will have a right to seek transfer to other schools within the area, the Act does not specify how and on what basis these students will be given admission in other schools. With recognized schools already straining under the burden of having to support free education for all students who approach them (till their capacity), the room for accommodating more students will be scarce. This itself will create uncertainty for students studying in these unrecognized institutions, and will also create a strain on recognized institutions to accommodate them later. The only alternative is for the state to open as many recognized schools (of approximately similar capacity) as the number of unrecognized schools that it closes down. A Times of India report[5] cites various studies that show that in Punjab, 86% of more than 3000 private schools are unrecognized and 3. 5 lakh children are enrolled in them. The report also says that in 1996, the Public Report on Basic Education in India (PROBE) survey of UP, Bihar, Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Madhya Pradesh found that 63% of private schools were not recognized. According to the report, Andhra Pradesh has 10,000 unrecognized schools, and Delhi has at least 1,500 catering to around 6 lakh children. The report also cites Prof Yash Aggarwal of the National Institute of Educational Planning and Administration (NIEPA), who in 2000 had said that the number of unrecognized schools in the country was doubling every 5 years and the number of such schools was soon expected to be 1. 5 to 2 times that of government schools in the country. With 10 years already having passed since this assertion, one can assume that unrecognized schools form a large part of the educational backbone of India. To break this apart and yet keep the neck straight will be a difficult endeavour. Category 4: Prohibition of private tuition by teachers (Section 28) Section 28 of the RTE Act mandates that no teacher should engage himself or herself in private tuition activity. Through this provision, the Government is trying to address the problem of teachers not teaching properly in schools and then requiring students to attend private tuitions to actually learn the subject material. The intention again is worthy of appreciation – any provision that improves standards of teaching in the classroom and removes perverse incentives for teachers to earn money from their students through unethical means is welcome. A question of money: The primary reason why teachers underperform in the classroom and then require their students to attend private tuitions is the want of additional income, unfettered by a loose monitoring and punitive system. Banning teachers from taking private tuitions does not do away with the cause of the problem. With the RTE Act enforcing strict norms on the appointment of teachers, some aspirational educationists might well be forced to sit out. It is then possible for their collaborators inside the system to promote the seeking of private tuitions with these private teachers, with of course a money sharing arrangement being worked out between the two. While banning private tuitions by teachers themselves is a welcome step in this regard, this should also be reinforced with a ban on referring students for private tuitions. Monitoring this will not be an easy task, but then neither will be monitoring teachers to ensure they do not provide private tuitions. It is student reporting that must be the proof of misdemeanour in this case (with suitable verification and safeguards to ensure false reports are filtered out). Banning referral for private tuitions along with private tuitions by teachers themselves will make the legislation more complete. A question of performance: Even if private tuitions by teachers are successfully done away with, it still does not address the prevalence of teacher underperformance and absenteeism. One may argue that with an alternative source of revenue (private tuitions) now removed, teachers will be loath to take up government school jobs, as the effective income earned is lower. Some capable teachers who would otherwise have taught well in school, and also taken private tuitions, will therefore walk away from a government school teacher job, choosing to dedicate themselves completely to private tuitions. On the other hand, some less capable teachers, who were not teaching well in school but were supplementing their income through private tuitions, will elect to stay on. With the failing mechanism also removed, the performance evaluation of these teachers will become even more difficult. Underperformance, therefore, will stay, and teacher absenteeism will only increase (especially to pursue other income opportunities). Section 24 of the Act prescribes punitive measures to be undertaken in case absenteeism and non-performance of duties is observed. While it prescribes the minimum duties to be undertaken by each teacher, no specification is made of what constitutes high performance.