Monday, January 20, 2020

Macbeth As A Tragedy According To Aristotles Definition :: essays research papers

While the genre of some works of literature can be debated, Macbeth written by William Shakespeare seems to fit into a perfect mold. Aristotle’s definition of a tragedy, combining seven elements that he believes make the genre of a work a tragedy, is that mold. Displaying all seven aspects, Macbeth fits the definition precisely. Key elements in the play substantiate the fact that Macbeth is a serious story, the first elements of Aristotle’s definition. From the first lines of the play, the mood is set featuring witches whom speak of witchcraft, potions and apparitions. Not only do the three witches aid in making this a serious story but also, they appealed to Elizabethans whom at the time believed in such supernatural phenomena. War for centuries has represented killing and feuding, thus, the war taking place between Scotland and Norway provided a dark component. The Thane of Cawdor’s rapidly approaching execution due to his deceiving the king also plays a role in this grim work. Murder throughout all of Macbeth is an essential aspect when dealing with the seriousness of the play. From the beginning, Lady Macbeth urges Macbeth to do anything to overthrow King Duncan, whom is the king of Scotland, the role Macbeth desperately yearns for. During the excursion to become king, Macbeth successfully murders King Duncan, Macduff’s wife and children, and with the help of a group of murderers Banquo; a brave general who will inherit the Scottish throne. Through the whole play, while such dank occurrences are used to create deep mood, Shakespeare also uses strong language and words. Such as when Lady Macbeth calls upon the gods to make her man-like so she will have the fortitude to kill King Duncan herself in this quote, â€Å"Come you spirits that tend on mortal thoughts, unsex me here†¦ Make my blood thick†¦ Come, thick night, and pall thee in the dunest smoke of hell, that my keen knife see not the wound it makes, nor heaven peep through the blanket of the dark.† This type of language provokes thoughts of death, blood and darkness though the imagery such dank words create. The play also follows through with its theme of blood by in the end of the play, having both of its lead characters die. Lady Macbeth, distraught by guilt over the bloodshed, commits su icide while Macbeth is murdered and beheaded by Macduff, a Scottish noblemen.

Saturday, January 11, 2020

Effect of Internal Controls on Financial Performance Essay

Over the past decade, Africa and other developing regions have been in the midst of tremendous changes. Market liberalization and governmental decentralization policies have interfaced with globalization and urbanization trends to dramatically transform social, political, economic and cultural lives. In this context of rapid change, SME operations can no longer remain behind serving only to meet sustenance income for their owners. SMEs engagements have to become a dynamic and integral part of the market economy. The identification of factors that determine new venture performance such as survival, growth or profitability has been one of the most central fields of entrepreneurship research (Sarasvathy, 2004). A multitude of research papers has focused on exploring various variables and their impact on performance (Bamford et al., 2004). However, in order to be able to analyze and model the performance of new ventures and SMEs, the complexity and dynamism they are facing as well as the fact that they may not be a homogenous group but significantly different in regard to many characteristics (Gartner et al., 1989) have to be taken into account. In line with the above, there have been challenging debates all over the world on the role played by Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) towards economic development. Therefore, a vast literature on the growth and performance of SMEs has been developed over the years. Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) have had a privileged treatment in the development literature, particularly over the last two decades. Hardly any arguments are put forward against SMEs, even if development policies do not necessarily favour them and economic programs, voluntarily or not, often continue to result in large capital investment. Arguments for SMEs come from almost all corners of the development literature programs, particularly in the less developed countries (LDCs), tend to emphasise the role of SMEs, even if practical results differ from the rhetoric. (Carlos Nuno Castel-Branco. May, 2003) Therefore, SMEs seem to be an accepted wisdom within the development debate. It is believed that growth in SMEs should have a positive effect on the living conditions of the people, their income level, housing, utilities. Castel-Branco (2003), in a study, revealed that this is not always true because areas where SMEs are performing so well attracts public attention and many competitors begin to troop into the area. This subsequently leads to over congestion with its associated problems of which accommodation is not an exception. The structure of SMEs in Ghana as perhaps one of the main engines of growth can be viewed as rural and urban enterprises. For urban enterprises, they can either be planned or unplanned. The planned-urban enterprises are characterized by paid employees with registered offices whereas unplanned-urban enterprises are mostly confined to the home, open space, temporal wooden structures, and employment therein is family or apprentices oriented. In the recent pursuit of economic progress, Ghana as a developing country has generally come to recognize that the SME sector may well be the main driving force for growth, due to its entrepreneurial resources and employment opportunities. Nevertheless, the existing attempts to explore empirically the roles played by SME in the economic development of a nation are still somewhat ambiguous. This can be attributed, more or less, to the fact that when examining economic progress per se, economists have tended to ignore the industrial structure of the economy and the impact this can have on such development. The ambiguity of the role of SMEs has therefore necessitated the need for a study to be conducted to access the actual impact of the proliferation of SMEs on the inhabitants of the Medina community. 1.2 Problem Statement The small business sector is recognized as an integral component of economic development and a crucial element in the effort to lift countries out of poverty (Wolfenson, 2001). The dynamic role of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in developing countries as engines through which the growth objectives of developing countries can be achieved has long been recognized. The growth of small scale businesses in Ghana so rapid, that it is now seen as a daily affair. Many Potential owners of SMEs move to areas where the feel they can succeed to set them up there. More so, many factors may contribute to the movement of people to settle at certain geographical areas. It is believed that the factors that influence migration include the need for peaceful and violent free environment, the need for fertile business locations, the desire for privacy, government policy and a host of others. Specifically, with reference to the above, the Medina municipality of the Greater Accra region has experienced a noticeable growth and increase in the number movements into the area and for that matter SMEs increase in the last few years. It is important to mention that some research studies have been conducted to determine the real impact of migrations on host societies. In line with the above, this study sorts to assess the nature of SMEs in Medina with respect to the involvement of men and women, the main sources funds for them, the main objectives and challenges faced by SMEs in Medina, reasons the explosion of SMEs in Medina and the scio-economic impacts of this growth of SMEs in Medina. 1.3 Objectives: 1.3.1 Main Objective The main objective of this study is to assess the general impact of the plorefication of SMEs in Medina on the Medina municipality of the Greater Accra region. 1.3.2 Specific Objectives 1. To assess the nature and forms of SMEs in Medina and the relative involvement of women and men. 2. To identify the main objectives and challenges of SMEs in Medina and to rank them in order of importance. 3. Assess the main sources of capital for SMEs in Medina. 4. To assess the status of SMEs in Medina with regard to business registration, savings, record keeping and business account holding. 5. To determine the factors that account for the emergence of small scale businesses in the Medina community 6. To assess the socio-economic impacts of the growth of SMEs in Medina 1.4 Research Questions The study shall provide answers to the following research questions: 1. What is the nature of SME operation in Medina and the relative involvement of women and men? 2. What are the main objectives and challenges of SMEs in Medina and which are ranked more importance? 3. What are the main sources of capital for SMEs in Medina? 4. What are the status of SMEs in Medina with regard to business registration, savings, record keeping and business account holding? 5. What factors have accounted for the emergence of small scale businesses in the Medina community? 6. What are the socio-economic impacts of the growth of SMEs in Medina? 1.5 Justification of the Study It is difficult to analyze the performance, nature of operation and behavior of the SME sector in Ghana due to the lack of comprehensive data on them and their activities. The sector is not classified into sub-sectors and the last industrial survey was conducted in 1995 but covered only medium and large-scale industries. In respect of this, the justification of this study rests on the fact that, study will help provide information on the nature of SMEs in Medina with respect to the involvement of men and women, the main sources funds for them, the main objectives and challenges faced by SMEs in Medina, reasons the explosion of SMEs in Medina and the socio-economic impacts of this growth of SMEs in Medina. Furthermore, the study while provide vital information policy makers of the Medina municipality and all other stakeholders of the Medina community. Finally the study while produce information to will add on to existing literature for further studies in this area. 1.6 Scope and Limitations of the Study Due to time and resource constrains, this study is restricted particularly to the Medina community. The study focuses on the factors that account for the growth of SMEs in Medina and the socio-economic impacts of this change on the people of Medina among others. The study is limited in scope because it fails to cover the entire population of Ghana. The findings of this study may therefore lack generalizability as far as other communities in Ghana are concern. 1.7 Organization of the Study Chapter 1 deals with the background of the study, the problem statement, objectives of the study, justification of the study and organization of the study. Chapter 2 reviews both theoretical and empirical literatures on SMEs in general, in Ghana among others. Chapter 3 introduces the study area and describes the methodologies used to analyze the problems stated. It includes the methods used for data collection, and procedure for data analysis. Chapter 4 is devoted to presentation and discussion of results. Summary statistics of the variables used in the study are presented and discussed. Chapter 5 winds up this study drawing conclusions, their policy implications. Suggestions for future research based on the findings are made. CHAPTER TWO 2.0 LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1 Introduction This chapter reviews works on small and medium enterprises in the world, Africa and Ghana. The state of SMEs in Ghana is reviewed here. Also, Works on performance and determinants of performance of SMEs are captured. Furthermore, a section of this chapter assesses the various methods of measuring performance of SMEs which while help open up the understanding of the state of SMEs in Medina. Finally, this chapter closes with some migration theories to help facilitate the comprehension of the factors that actually account for human migration, in this case migration to Medina. 2.2 Definitions and Concepts of SMEs There is no single, uniformly acceptable, definition of a small firm (Storey, 1994). Firms differ in their levels of capitalization, sales and employment. Hence, definitions that employ measures of size (number of employees, turnover, profitability, net worth, etc.) when applied to one sector could lead to all firms being classified as small, while the same size definition when applied to a different sector could lead to a different result. The first attempt to overcome this definition problem was by the Bolton Committee (1971) when they formulated an â€Å"economic† and a â€Å"statistical† definition. Under the economic definition, a firm is regarded as small if it meets the following three criteria: i. It has a relatively small share of their market place; ii. It is managed by owners or part owners in a personalized way, and not through the medium of a formalized management structure; iii. It is independent, in the sense of not forming part of a large enterprise. The Committee also devised a â€Å"statistical† definition to be used in three main areas: a. Quantifying the size of the small firm sector and its contribution to GDP, employment, exports, etc.; b. Comparing the extent to which the small firm sector’s economic contribution has changed over time; c. Applying the statistical definition in a cross-country comparison of the small firms’ economic contribution. Thus, the Bolton Committee employed different definitions of the small firm to different sectors. 2.2.1 Criticism of the Bolton Committee’s â€Å"Economic† Definition of SMEs A number of weaknesses were identified with the Bolton Committee’s â€Å"economic† and `statistical’ definitions. First, the economic definition which states that a small business is managed by its owners or part owners in a personalized way, and not through the medium of a formal management structure, is incompatible with its statistical definition of small manufacturing firms which could have up to 200 employees. As firm size increases, owners no longer make principal decisions but devolve responsibility to a team of managers. For example, it is unlikely for a firm with hundred employees to be managed in a personalized way, suggesting that the `economic’ and `statistical’ definitions are incompatible. Another shortcoming of the Bolton Committee’s economic definition is that it considers small firms to be operating in a perfectly competitive market. However, the idea of perfect competition may not apply here; many small firms occupy `niches’ and provide a highly specialized service or product in a geographically isolated area and do not perceive any clear competition (Wynarczyk et al, 1993; Storey, 1994). Alternatively, Wynarczyk et al (1993) identified the characteristics of the small firm other than size. They argued that there are three ways of differentiating between small and large firms. The small firm has to deal with: (a) Uncertainty associated with being a price taker; (b) Limited customer and product base; (c) Uncertainty associated with greater diversity of objectives as compared with large firms. As Storey (1994) stated, there are three key distinguishing features between large and small firms. Firstly, the greater external uncertainty of the environment in which the small firm operates and the greater internal consistency of its motivations and actions. Secondly, they have a different role in innovation. Small firms are able to produce something marginally different, in terms of product or service, which differs from the standardized product or service provided by large firms. A third area of distinction between small and large firms is the greater likelihood of evolution and change in the smaller firm; small firms that become large undergo a number of stage changes. 2.2.2 Criticism of the Bolton Committee’s â€Å"Statistical† Definition of SMEs (i) No single definition or criteria was used for â€Å"smallness†, (number of employees, turnover, ownership and assets were used instead) (ii) Three different upper limits of turnover were specified for the different sectors and two different upper limits were identified for number of employees. (iii) Comparing monetary units over time requires construction of index numbers to take account of price changes. Moreover, currency fluctuations make international comparison more difficult. (iv) The definition considered the small firm sector to be homogeneous; however, firms may grow from small to medium and in some cases to large. It was against this background that the European Commission (EC) coined the term `Small and Medium Enterprises (SME)’. The SME sector is made up of three components: (i) Firms with 0 to 9 employees – micro enterprises (ii) 10 to 99 employees – small enterprises (iii) 100 to 499 employees – medium enterprises. Thus, the SME sector is comprised of enterprises, which employ less than 500 workers. In effect, the EC definitions are based solely on employment rather than a multiplicity of criteria. Secondly, the use of 100 employees as the small firm’s upper limit is more appropriate given the increase in productivity over the last two decades (Storey, 1994). Finally, the EC definition did not assume the SME group is homogenous, that is, the definition makes a distinction between micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises. However, the EC definition is too all embracing for a number of countries. Researchers would have to use definitions for small firms that are more appropriate to their particular `target’ group (an operational definition). It must be emphasized that debates on definitions turn out to be sterile unless size is a factor that influences performance. For instance, the relationship between size and performance matters when assessing the impact of a credit programme o n a targeted group (also refer to Storey, 1994). 2.2.3 Alternative Definitions of SMEs World Bank since 1976 – Firms with fixed assets (excluding land) less than US$ 250,000 in value are Small Scale Enterprises. Grindle et al (1988) – Small scale enterprises are firms with less than or equal to 25 permanent members and with fixed assets (excludingland) worth up to US$ 50,000. USAID in the 1990s – Firms with less than 50 employees and at least half the output is sold (also refer to Mead, 1984). UNIDO’s Definition for Developing Countries: Large – firms with 100+ workers Medium – firms with 20 – 99 workers Small – firms with 5 – 19 workers Micro – firms with < 5 workers UNIDO’s Definition for Industrialized Countries: Large – firms with 500+ workers Medium – firms with 100 – 499 workers Small – firms with ≠¤99 workers From the various definitions above, it can be said that there is no unique definition for a small and medium scale enterprise thus, an operational definition is required. 2.2.4 Definitions SMEs in Ghana Small Scale enterprises have been variously defined, but the most commonly used criterion is the number of employees of the enterprise. In applying this definition, confusion often arises in respect of the arbitrariness and cut off points used by the various official sources. As contained in its Industrial Statistics, The Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) considers firms with less than 10 employees as Small Scale Enterprises and their counterparts with more than 10 employees as Medium and Large-Sized Enterprises. Ironically, The GSS in its national accounts considered companies with up to 9 employees as Small and Medium Enterprises (Kayanula and Quartey, 2000). An alternate criterion used in defining small and medium enterprises is the value of fixed assets in the organization. However, the National Board of Small Scale Industries (NBSSI) in Ghana applies both the `fixed asset and number of employees’ criteria. It defines a Small Scale Enterprise as one with not more than 9 workers, has plant and machinery (excluding land, buildings and vehicles) not exceeding 10 million Cedis (US$ 9506, using 1994 exchange rate) (Kayanula and Quartey, 2000). The Ghana Enterprise Development Commission (GEDC) on the other hand uses a 10 million Cedis upper limit definition for plant and machinery. A point of caution is that the process of valuing fixed assets in itself poses a problem. Secondly, the continuous depreciation in the exchange rate often makes such definitions out-dated (Kayanula and Quartey, 2000). Steel and Webster (1990), Osei et al (1993) in defining Small Scale Enterprises in Ghana used an employment cut off point of 30 employees to indicate Small Scale Enterprises. The latter however dis-aggregated small scale enterprises into 3 categories: (i) micro -employing less than 6 people; (ii) very small, those employing 6-9 people; (iii) small -between 10 and 29 employees. 2.3 Why Small and Medium Scale Enterprises? The choice of small and medium scale enterprises within the industrial sector for this study is based on the following propositions (Kayanula and Quartey, 2000). (a) Large Scale Industry (i) Have not been an engine of growth and a good provider of employment; (ii) Already receive enormous support through general trade, finance, tax policy and direct subsidies; (b) Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (i) Mobilize funds which otherwise would have been idle; (ii) Have been recognized as a seed-bed for indigenous entrepreneurship; (iii) Are labour intensive, employing more labour per unit of capital than large enterprises; (iv) Promote indigenous technological know-how; (vii) Are able to compete (but behind protective barriers); (viii) Use mainly local resources, thus have less foreign exchange requirements; (ix) Cater for the needs of the poor and; (x) Adapt easily to customer requirements (flexible specialization), (Kayanula and Quartey, 2000). 2.4.0 The Role and Characteristics of SMEs 2.4.1 Role of SMEs in Developing Countries Small-scale rural and urban enterprises have been one of the major areas of concern to many policy makers in an attempt to accelerate the rate of growth in low income countries. These enterprises have been recognized as the engines through which the growth objectives of developing countries can be achieved. They are potential sources of employment and income in many developing countries. It is estimated that SMEs employ 22% of the adult population in developing countries (Daniels & Ngwira, 1992; Daniels & Fisseha, 1993; Fisseha, 1992; Fisseha & McPherson, 1991; Gallagher & Robson, 1995). However, some authors have contended that the job creating impact of small scale enterprises is a statistical flaw; it does not take into account offsetting factors that make the net impact more modest (Biggs, Grindle & Snodgrass, 1988). It is argued that increases in employment of Small and Medium Enterprises are not always associated with increases in productivity. Nevertheless, the important role performed by these enterprises cannot be overlooked. Small firms have some advantages over their large-scale competitors. They are able to adapt more easily to market conditions given their broadly skilled technologies. However, narrowing the analysis down to developing countries raises the following puzzle: Do small-scale enterprises have a dynamic economic role? Due to their flexible nature, SMEs are able to withstand adverse economic conditions. They are more labour intensive than larger firms and therefore, have lower capital costs associated with job creation (Anheier & Seibel, 1987; Liedholm & Mead, 1987; Schmitz, 1995). Small-scale enterprises (SSEs) perform useful roles in ensuring income stability, growth and employment. Since SMEs are labour intensive, they are more likely to succeed in smaller urban centres and rural areas, where they can contribute to the more even distribution of economic activity in a region and can help to slow the flow of migration to large cities. Because of their regional dispersion and their labour intensity, it is argued that small-scale production units can promote a more equitable distribution of income than large firms. They also improve the efficiency of domestic markets and make productive use of scarce resources, thus, facilitating long term economic growth. 2.4.2 Characteristics of SMEs in Ghana A distinguishing feature of SMEs from larger firms is that the latter have direct access to international and local capital markets whereas the former are excluded because of the higher intermediation costs of smaller projects. In addition, SMEs face the same fixed cost as Large Scale Enterprises (LSEs) in complying with regulations but have limited capacity to market products abroad. SMEs in Ghana can be categorised into urban and rural enterprises. The former can be sub-divided into `organised’ and `unorganised’ enterprises. The organised ones tend to have paid employees with a registered office whereas the unorganised category is mainly made up of artisans who work in open spaces, temporary wooden structures, or at home and employ little or in some cases no salaried workers. They rely mostly on family members or apprentices. Rural enterprises are largely made up of family groups, individual artisans, women engaged in food production of local crops. The major activities within this sector include:- soap and detergents, fabrics, clothing and tailoring, textile and leather, village blacksmiths, tin-smithing, ceramics, timber and mining, beverages, food processing, bakeries, wood furniture, electronic assembly, agro processing, chemical based products and mechanics ( Liedholm & Mead, 1987; Osei et al, 1993, World Bank, 1992). It is interesting to note that small-scale enterprises make better use of scarce resources than large-scale enterprises. Research in Ghana and many other countries have shown that capital productivity is often higher in SMEs than is the case with LSEs (Steel, 1977). The reason for this is not difficult to see, SMEs are labour intensive with very small amount of capital invested. Thus, they tend to witness high capital productivity, which is an economically sound investment. Thus, it has been argued that promoting the SME sector in developing countries will create more employment opportunities, lead to a more equitable distribution of income, and will ensure increased productivity with better technology (Steel & Webster, 1990). 2.5 SME Approaches There are several approaches or theories to entrepreneurship and small and medium enterprises. For the purpose of this study, the research team will dwell on three major theories. These include: venture opportunity, Agency Theory and Theory of Equity Funds 2.5.1 The Venture Opportunity The venture opportunity school of thought focuses on the opportunity aspect of venture development. The search for idea sources, the development of concepts; and the implementation of venture opportunities are the important interest areas for this school. Creativity and market awareness are viewed as essential. Additionally, according to this school of thought, developing the right idea at the right time for the right market niche is the key to entrepreneurial success. Major proponents include: N Krueger 1993, Long W. & McMullan 1984. Another development from this school of thought is what is described by McMullan (1984) as â€Å"corridor principle’’. This principle outlines that, giving prior attention to new pathways or opportunities as they arise and implementing the necessary steps for action are key factors in business development. The maxim that â€Å"preparation meeting opportunity, equals â€Å"luck† underlines this corridor principle. Proponents of this school of thought believe that proper preparation in the interdisciplinary business segments will enhance the ability to recognise good venture opportunities. Comparing the study with the above theory, the question that arises is: What are the factors or opportunities that have led to the proliferation of small and medium scale enterprises in Medina Township? Is it due to a particular market niche, creativity or market awareness? If so, then what socio-economic impact do they have on the people of Medina Township? 2.5.2 Agency Theory Agency theory deals with the people who own a business enterprise and all others who have interests in it, for example managers, banks, creditors, family members, and employees. The agency theory postulates that the day to day running of a business enterprise is carried out by managers as agents who have been engaged by the owners of the business as principals who are also known as shareholders. The theory is on the notion of the principle of ‘two-sided transactions’ which holds that any financial transactions involves two parties, both acting in their own best interests, but with different expectations. Major proponents of this theory include: Eisenhardt 1989, Emery et al.1991 and JH Davis – 1997. These Proponents of agency theory assume that agents will always have a personal interest which conflicts the interest of the principal. This is usually referred to as the Agency problem. 2.5.3 Theory of Equity Funds Equity is also known as owners’ equity, capital, or net worth. Costand et al (1990) suggests that ‘larger firms will use greater levels of debt financing than small firms. This implies that larger firms will rely relatively less on equity financing than do smaller firms’. According to the pecking order framework, the small enterprises have two problems when it comes to equity funding [McMahon et al. (1993, pp153)]: 1) Small enterprises usually do not have the option of issuing additional equity to the public. 2) Owner-managers are strongly averse to any dilution of their ownership interest and control. This way they are unlike the managers of large concerns who usually have only a limited degree of control and limited, if any, ownership interest, and are therefore prepared to recognize a broader range of funding options. Modern financial management is not the ultimate answer to every whim and caprice. However, it could be argued that there is some food for thought for SMEs concerning every concept. For example Access to Capital is really eye-opener for SMEs in Ghana to carve their way into sustaining their growth. 2.6 Policies for Promoting SMEs in Ghana Small-scale enterprise promotion in Ghana was not impressive in the 1960s. Dr. Nkrumah (President of the First Republic) in his modernization efforts emphasized state participation but did not encourage the domestic indigenous sector. The local entrepreneurship was seen as a potential political threat. To worsen the situation, the deterioration in the Balance of Payments in the 1980s and the overvaluation of the exchange rate led to reduce capacity utilization in the import dependent large-scale sector. Rising inflation and falling real wages also forced many formal sector employees into secondary self-employment in an attempt to earn a decent income. As the economy declined, large-scale manufacturing employment stagnated (Kayanula and Quartey, 2000). According to Steel and Webster (1991), small scale and self-employment grew by 2.9% per annum (ten times as many jobs as large scale employment) but their activities accounted for only a third of the value added. It was in the light of the above that the government of Ghana started promoting small-scale enterprises. They were viewed as the mechanism through which a transition from state-led economy to a private oriented developmental strategy could be achieved. Thus the SME sector’s role was re-defined to include the following (Kayanula and Quartey, 2000): (i) Assisting the state in reducing its involvement in direct production (ii) Absorbing labour from the state sector, given the relatively labour intensive nature of small scale enterprises, and; (iii) Developing indigenous entrepreneurial and managerial skills needed for sustained industrialization. 2.6.1 Government and Institutional Support to SMEs To enable the sector perform its role effectively, the following technical, institutional and financial supports were put in place by government. (i) Government Government, in an attempt to strengthen the response of the private sector to economic reforms undertook a number of measures in 1992. Prominent among them is the setting up of the Private Sector Advisory Group and the abolition of the Manufacturing Industries Act, 1971 (Act 356) that repealed a number of price control laws, and The Investment Code of 1985 (PNDC Law 116), which seeks to promote joint ventures between foreign and local investors. In addition to the above, a Legislative Instrument on Immigrant Quota, which grants automatic immigrant quota for investors, has been enacted. Besides, certain Technology Transfer Regulations have been introduced. Government also provided equipment leasing, an alternative and flexible source of long term financing of plant and equipment for enterprises that cannot afford their own. A Mutual Credit Guarantee Scheme was also set up for entrepreneurs who have inadequate or no collateral and has limited access to bank credit. To complement these efforts, a Rural Finance Project aimed at providing long-term credit to small-scale farmers and artisans was set up. In 1997, government proposed the establishment of an Export Development and Investment Fund (EDIF), operational under the Exim Guarantee Company Scheme of the Bank of Ghana. This was in aid of industrial and export services within the first quarter of 1998. To further improve the industrial sector, according to the 1998 Budget Statement, specific attention was to be given to the following industries for support in accessing the EDIF for rehabilitation and retooling: Textiles/Garments; Wood and Wood Processing; Food and Food Processing and Packaging. It was also highlighted that government would support industries with export potential to overcome any supply-based difficulty by accessing EDIF and rationalize the tariff regime in a bid to improve their export competitiveness. In addition, a special monitoring mechanism has been developed at the Ministry of Trade and Industries. In a bid to improve trade and investment, particularly in the industrial sector, trade and investment facilitating measures were put in place. Visas for all categories of investors and tourists were issued on arrival at the ports of entry while the Customs Excise and Preventive Service at the ports were made proactive, operating 7-days a week. The government continued supporting programmes aimed at skills training, registration and placement of job seekers, training and re-training of redeployees. This resulted in a 5% rise in enrolment in the various training institutes such as The National Vocational and Training Institute (NVTI), Opportunity Industrialization Centres (OIC), etc. As at the end of 1997, 65,830 out of 72,000 redeployees who were re-trained under master craftsmen have been provided with tools and have become self-employed. (ii) Institutions The idea of SME promotion has been in existence since 1970 though very little was done at the time. Key institutions were set up to assist SMEs and prominent among them was The Office of Business Promotion, now the present Ghana Enterprise Development Commission (GEDC). It aims at assisting Ghanaian businessmen to enter into fields where foreigners mainly operated but which became available to Ghanaians after the ‘Alliance Compliance Order’ in 1970. GEDC also had packages for strengthening small-scale industry in general, both technically and financially. The Economic Recovery Programme instituted in 1983 has broadened the institutional support for SMEs. The National Board for Small Scale Industries (NBSSI) has been established within the then Ministry of Industry, Science and Technology now (Ministry of Science and Technology) to address the needs of small businesses. The NBSSI established an Entrepreneurial Development Programme, intended to train and assist persons with entrepreneurial abilities into self-employment. In 1987, the industrial sector also witnessed the coming into operation of the Ghana Appropriate Technology Industrial Service (GRATIS). It was to supervise the operations of Intermediate Technology Transfer Units (ITTUs) in the country. GRATIS aims at upgrading small scale industrial concerns by transferring appropriate technology to small scale and informal industries at the grass root level. ITTUs in the regions are intended to develop the engineering abilities of small scale manufacturing and service industries engaged in vehicle repairs and other related trades. They are also to address the needs of non-engineering industries. So far, 6 ITTUs have been set up in Cape Coast, Ho, Kumasi, Sunyani, Tamale and Tema. (iii) Financial Assistance Access to credit has been one of the main bottlenecks to SME development. Most SMEs lack the necessary collateral to obtain bank loans. To address this issue, the Central Bank of Ghana has established a credit guarantee scheme to underwrite loans made by Commercial Banks to small-scale enterprises. Unfortunately, the scheme did not work out as expected. It was against this background that the Bank of Ghana obtained a US$ 28 million credit from the International Development Association (IDA) of the World Bank for the establishment of a Fund for Small and Medium Enterprises Development (FUSMED). Under the Programme of Action to Mitigate the Social Cost of Adjustment (PAMSCAD), a revolving fund of US$ 2 million was set aside to assist SMEs. This aspect is too scanty in the midst of the abundant information, especially with reference to Ghana. 2.7 Gender and Small Business Performance Until more recently gender differences in small business performance remained largely unaddressed by social scientists (Greene, Hart, Gatewood, Brush, & Carter, 2003). The majority of studies either disregarded gender as a variable of interest or excluded female subjects from their design (Du Rietz & Henrekson, 2000). However, it is generally accepted that male and female owner-managers behave differently and that these behavioral differences influence their performance (Brush, 1992), but these differences have been recognized but not fully explained (Brush & Hisrich 2000). A comparison of performance of male and female owner-managers in Java, Indonesia showed that female-owned businesses tend to be less oriented towards growth compared to male-owned businesses (Singh, Reynolds, & Muhammad, 2001). Boden & Nucci (2000) investigated start-ups in the retail and service industries and found that the mean survival rate for male owned businesses was four to six percent higher than for female owned businesses. Loscocco, Robinson, Hall & Allen (1991) in their study of small businesses in the New England region of the USA found that both sales volume and income levels were lower for female- than for male-owned businesses. In a longitudinal study of 298 small firms in the United Kingdom (UK), of which 67 were female owned, Johnson & Storey (1994) observed that whilst female owner-managers had more stable enterprises than their male counterparts, on average the sales turnover for female owners were lower than for male owners. Brush (1992) suggests that women perform less on quantitative financial measures such as jobs created, sales turnover and profitability because they pursue intrinsic goals such as independence, and the flexibility to combine family and work commitments rather than financial gain. In contrast to the above findings, Du Rietz and Henrekson (2000) reported that female-owned businesses were just as successful as their male counterparts when size and sector are controlled. In his study of small and medium firms in Australia, Watson (2002), after controlling for the effect of industry sector, age of the business, and the number of days of operation, also reported no significant differences in performance between the male- controlled and female-controlled firms.

Friday, January 3, 2020

The Alchemist Themes

Disguised as a fable or a hero’s journey, Paulo Coelhos The Alchemist reflects a pantheistic worldview where all things—from humans to kernels of sand—share the same spiritual essence.   Themes Personal Legend Each individual has a Personal Legend, which, according to the lore of The Alchemist, is the only means by which to achieve a satisfying life. The universe is attuned to that, and it can achieve perfection if all of its creatures strive to achieve their own Personal Legend, which in turn leads to an inner evolution that comes with a higher Personal Legend and an even higher goal. When it comes to alchemy, for example, even metals have their own Personal Legends, which is their turning into gold. The Personal Legend is an individual’s highest calling, which comes at the expense of other things bringing joy. In order to fulfill his own destiny, for example, Santiago has to give up his sheep and put his budding relationship with Fatima on hold. The crystal merchant, having put off his Personal Legend, lives a life of regret, especially because his attitude also caused the universe to not bestow him with any favors.   Close to the concept of Personal Legend is the word maktub, which several characters pronounce. It means â€Å"it is written,† and it is usually spoken when Santiago has taken a significant risk in order to proceed in his quest, which, in turn, reassures him. As Santiago learns, fate actively cooperates with those pursuing their own Personal Legends.   Pantheism In The Alchemist, the Soul of the World represents the unity of nature. As Santiago comes to realize, every natural element, from a grain of sand to a river and all living beings, are connected, and they have to undergo similar processes in a pantheistic worldview, which posits that everything shares the same spiritual essence. Just like a metal has to be purified in order to turn into gold, so does Santiago have to transform into something else in order to achieve the Personal Legend. This is a purification process, with an individual having to tap into the Soul of the World in order to achieve it.   Santiago communicates with nature, and by doing so, he starts understanding the common language of the world, and this serves him well when he has to speak to the Sun when he needs to turn into the wind.   Fear Giving in to fear hinders the fulfillment of one’s own Personal Legend. Santiago himself is not immune to it. He was afraid of letting go of his sheep, of letting the old woman interpret his dream, and of having to let go of his security by departing Tangier to join the caravan.   Both of his mentors, Melchizedek and the alchemist, condemn fear, as it is usually tied to material wealth, which leads people to get distracted from the fulfillment of their own Personal Legends. The crystal merchant is the embodiment of fear. He thinks that his calling is to make a pilgrimage to Mecca, but he never does that, out of fear of the future, and he remains an unhappy individual. Omens and Dreams Throughout the novel, Santiago experiences both dreams and omens. His dreams are a rough form of communication with the Soul of the World and a representation of his Personal Legend. Omens serve as a guidance to fulfill his dreams. Dreams are also a form of clairvoyance. Santiago dreams of fighting hawks, which he relates to the tribal chieftain of the desert, as they indicate an impending assault. Santiago’s propensity for dreams likens him to the biblical figure of Joseph, who, through his prophetic visions, was able to save Egypt. Omens are more instrumental and are usually singular events, seen as a sign that the universe is helping him achieve his Personal Legend. They are also signifiers of Santiago’s personal growth.   Symbols Alchemy Alchemy is the medieval forerunner of modern chemistry; its end goal was to transform base metals into gold and to create a universal elixir. In the novel, alchemy serves as a metaphor of people’s journeys in pursuit of their own Personal Legend. Just like a base metal’s Personal Legend is to turn into gold by ridding itself of impurities, so must people rid themselves of their own impurities to achieve it. In Santiago’s case,  it’s his flock of sheep, which represent material wealth, as well as his budding relationship to Fatima.   Despite the tomes devoted to alchemy, actions are better teachers than written instruction. As we see with the Englishman, book-centric knowledge does not take him very far. The right way is listening to omens and acting accordingly.   The Desert As opposed to Spain, the desert area is quite harsh. Santiago first gets robbed, then has to trek all the way to the oasis, and then is subject to even harsher trials, including becoming the wind and enduring a severe beating, before fulfilling his own Personal Legend. The desert, as a whole, symbolizes the trials that the hero must endure while on his quest. However, the desert is not just a land of trials; it pulses with life underneath its barren appearance, as the Soul of the World makes everything on Earth partake in the same spiritual essence. Sheep Santiago’s sheep represent  shallow material wealth and his mundane existence before he became attuned to his own Personal Legend. While he loves his sheep, he mainly sees them as his material livelihood and belittles their intelligence, asserting that he could kill them one by one without them even noticing. Some characters remain in the â€Å"sheep† stage of their lives. The crystal merchant, for example, , prefers to stay in his everyday life despite having a Personal Legend, which leads to regret. Literary Devices: Biblical Metaphors Despite being an allegorical hero’s journey with a pantheistic worldview, The Alchemist is rife with references to the Bible. Santiago’s name is a reference to the Road of Santiago; Melchizedek, the first mentor figure he encounters, is a biblical figure who helped Abraham. Santiago himself is likened to Joseph for his gift of prophecy. Even the mundane flock of sheep have a biblical connotation, as congregants of a church are usually likened to sheep.

Wednesday, December 18, 2019

Theory of Multiple Intelligences and Personal Experience

personal names I fleetingly recall being in fourth grade and my teacher, Mr. Pox, was instructing us how to tell time. The feeling of trying to overcome this hurdle to recognize the â€Å"big hand† is for the minutes and the â€Å"little hand† correlates with the hours, was such a great feat for a fourth grader. At the time, that felt like such an accomplishment yet there would be many more and greater to come. According to Howard Gardner’s theory of multiple intelligences in his essay â€Å"A Rounded Version: Theory of Multiple Intelligences,† he contends that we have more intelligence than what a test could prove because we all each excel in different areas of life (Gardner and†¦show more content†¦Listening to the other ideas instead of just my own, taught me to compromise. This was a way to work well with people and get things done quickly to get the best grade I wanted. In school I have seen students who are timid than most and feel awkward working with people. They work better by viewing things alone allowing them to excel in individual assignments. They display an Intrapersonal Intelligence guiding them to be self-sufficient. They have a greater sense of their self enabling them to utilize that knowledge. Learning your own self could be said to help you work with others but it helps to look from your own feeling and notice others around you. People get farther working with others than always working alone. Linguistic intelligence is not only the ability to make a proper sentence with error free grammar, but it includes the expertise to formulate words that convey a clear and thoughtful message. Learning a language is a highly sought linguistic intelligence and some might even say very necessary. I have, not mastered yet, learned three languages; Swahili, English and Spanish are in order of what I have been taught first in my life. Mastering these three languages is a long journey far from over. Sometimes in my Spanish class, I feel that I will never learn all of the language in time or be secure when I speak it. I remind myself, though, that there are many words in English that I still have not encountered yet in my life andShow MoreRelatedCognitive Development: Multiple Intelligences1536 Words   |  7 Pagesoverview of Gardner’s Theory of Multiple Intelligences (MI). I will also discuss the merits and critiques of the theory in the field of cognitive development. I will also discuss the applicability of Gardner’s theory to my personal development. The final section will cover the application of the theory in a counselling framework. This will be supported by discussing theoretical orientations that would best adopt application of Gardner’s theory. Theoretical Overview Gardner’s theory of MI offers an alternativeRead MoreHoward Gardner and Project Zero1231 Words   |  5 PagesUniversity School of Medicine, and Senior Director of Harvard Project Zero† (Gardner bio, Multiple Intelligences and Education, MI Theory, and Project Zero). As director of Project Zero, it provided and environment that Gardner could begin the exploration of human cognition (Multiple Intelligences and Education). Project Zero colleagues have been designing assessment and the use of multiple intelligences (MI) to realize more personalized curriculum, instruction, and teaching methods; and the qualityRead MoreThe Theory Of Multiple Intelligences1489 Words   |  6 Pagesrelated to intelligence cognitive and learning as a style of individual differences, explanation the complex process of learning through of the intelligences. Howards Gardner developed the theory of multiple intelligences thirty years ago, explain the intelligence is the profile and each individ ual has different ways to learn, he affirm has seven intelligences differ in their thinking, feeling, and behavior. â€Å"No two people are alike, yet no two people are unlike† Gardner (1983). Gardner s theory has beenRead MoreHoward Gardner and Multiple Intelligences796 Words   |  4 PagesStephanie Kilhullen ENG101 The Theory of Multiple Intelligences       On Howard Gardner and Multiple Intelligences      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The beginning of the school year is possibly one of the most stressful experiences for a student to endure due to mandatory placement testing—ultimately deciding where and what level a student belongs to based upon their test scores. However, what if a student does not do well on the placement testing because the subjects that the educational system deem ‘intelligent’ areRead MoreQuestions On Intelligence And Intelligence1252 Words   |  6 Pagescapabilities are what we typically associate with intelligence. However, intelligence cannot easily be defined by a single IQ number on a scale or even by saying someone is â€Å"smart† or â€Å"dumb† in a certain area of knowledge such as math or science. Each and every person is unique in their own respect and there are a multitude of facets that contribute to the way we measure and assess an individual’s abilities to understand or adapt to a given situation. Intelligence is a combination of an individual’s abilityRead More Choosing the Right Application of Multiple Intelligence Theory1700 Words   |  7 Pagesextreme methods have too specific of an approach. A combination of learning styles, or multiple intelligences, is required to teach successfully. The introduction of the multiple intelligence theory has positively benefitted teaching by encouraging educators to stimulate each student’s learning strength everyday; regardless of the traditional teaching methods more commonly used. The multiple intelligence theory was created by Howard Gardner, and has been summarized nicely by McCain and Weiten (2004)Read MoreLearning Styles Experienced As An Online Tutor And Academic Director1555 Words   |  7 Pagesinstitution. Sincerely, Owen Cameron Linton ID 20583182 Table of Contents List of Figures and Tables†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..iii Summary†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.iv 1.0 Introduction†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..1 2.0 The Theory of Multiple Intelligences†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦2 2.1 Other Learning Theories†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..3 2.2 The VARK Model†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..4 3.0 Applications of learning styles †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.......5 3.1 Applications in online tutoring †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦...5 4.0 Evidence against Learning StylesRead MoreThe Most Intelligent Person I Know969 Words   |  4 Pagespeople I know personally. 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Finally, Gardener’s theory of multiple intelligences is the brain based theory use for my educational beliefs. Vygotskian theory is the fundamental frameworkRead MoreApplying Learning Theory Of Life1507 Words   |  7 Pages Applying Learning Theory to Life Kristen Lewis PSY331: Psychology of Learning Nina Dulabaum 2 Feb 2015 Introduction: Learning can be defined as a lasting change in behavior of an entity that is down to the experience gained by the entity. The basic purpose of this paper is to apply the learning principles to by presenting and teaching the information to others in the workforce, to help people learn in the best way. We have to choose the best methods and best principles of learning

Tuesday, December 10, 2019

Balancing equations free essay sample

Balancing equations is a fundamental skill in Chemistry. Solving a system of linear equations is a fundamental skill in Algebra. Remarkably, these two field specialties are intrinsically and inherently linked. 2 + 02 - H20A. This is not a difficult task and can easily be accomplished using some basic problem solving skills. In fact, what follows is a chemistry texts explanation of the situation: Taken from: Chemistry Wilberham, Staley, Simpson, Matta Addison Wesley 1 . Determine the correct formulas for all the reactants and products in the reaction. . Write the formulas for the reactants on the left and the formulas for the products on the right with an arrow in between. If two or more reactants or products are involved, separate their formulas with plus signs. 3. Count the number of atoms of each element in the reactants a products. A polyatomic ion appearing unchanged on both sides of the equation is counted as a single unit. We will write a custom essay sample on Balancing equations or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page 4. Balance the elements one at a time by using coefficients. A is a small whole number that appears in front of a formula a an equation. When no coefficient is written, it is assumed to be 1. It is best to begin with an element other than hydrogen r oxygen. These two elements often occur more than twice in an equation. 5. Check each atom or polyatomic ion to be sure that the equation is balanced. 6. Finally, make sure that all the coefficients are in the lowest possible ratio. Now lets use these rules to balance the equation for the formation of water from hydrogen and oxygen. Example 3 When hydrogen and oxygen react, the product is water. Write a balanced equation for this reaction. Solution skeleton equation. H2(g) + 02(g) H20(l) Hydrogen is balanced but oxygen is not. If we put a coefficient of 2 in front of H20, the oxygen becomes balanced. H2(g) + 02(g) 2H20(l) Now there are twice as many hydrogen atoms in the product as there are in the reactants. To correct this, put a coefficient of 2 in front of H2. The equation is now balanced. 2H2(g) + 02(g) 2H20(l) Check the coefficients. They must be in their lowest possible ratio 2(H2)s 1(02), and 2(H20). End of Quotation B. Not a bad process. However, it is not an exact process. It will not work the same way every time, and, for more complex equations, it may prove very frustrating. Another way to balance equations is to mathematically solve them as a linear system of equations. This method is more time-consuming than the previous method, but, it has several advantages: It is more concrete. lt is especially valuable in solving more complex equations. lt is a method that can be easily programmed into a computer or calculator. t demonstrates a terrific connection between math and science!! 2 + 02 H20:A. First, place letter coefficients in front of each term: aH2 + b02 CH20 B. Now, use each element to produce an equation involving the coefficient letters: Hydrogen: 2a + 0b = 2c Oxygen: Oa + 2b = lc C. Next, use math to solve this system of equations: 2a=2c implies a=c 2b=c implies b=1/2 c olutions, c=2 works well). E. If c=2; then a=2 also; and b=1/2 c = E. IC2H60 + 3 02 2C02 + 3H20 1. zn + HCI znC12 + H2 F. Thus, as before 2H2 + 102 2H20. 2H60 + 02 C02 + H20 CC02 + dH20 B. Equations: C: 2a+0b = r +0d H: +0b = oc+2d O: la+2b=2c+1d C. Solve in terms of any letter. In this case, a may work best since it is represented in each equation: c=2a 2d=6a implies d=3a 2c+d-2b=a by substituion: 2(2a) + 3a -2b =a implies 7a -2b †a which implies: -2b = -6a implies b=3a Therefore: b=3a; c=2a; and d=3a D. Now let a be any integer (1 works well when no fractions are involved). Thus, a†I; b=3; c=2; and d=3 and consequently F. This equation may have been difficult for a student to solve under the old method. Where do I start might have been a common reply to the problem. Mastery of this mathematical method should elimnate that dilemma. Later, we will discover how matrices will make this process even easier. 2. A1 +02 A1203 4. Li + H20 LiOH + H2 Balancing chemical equations is a basic skill in chemistry. Chemical reactions have the same number of atoms before the reaction as after the reaction. This collection of ten chemistry test questions deals with balancin g chemical reactions. Question 1 Balance the following equation: sn02+ H2-+ sn+ H20

Monday, December 2, 2019

Rise of Women`s Movement in 1960s an Example of the Topic Government and Law Essays by

Rise of Women`s Movement in 1960s Women were historically considered inferior to men physically, mentally and intellectually. Early civilizations, laws and religions considered women as the source of temptation and evil and seldom respected them. For example, a famous theologian opined that woman was created to be man's helpmeet, but her unique role is in conception . . . since for other purposes men would be better assisted by other men. Women are naturally considered as feeble compared to men as they are unable to perform work that need high muscular and labor involvement. Women are confined to the jobs that require less labor from the beginning of the world itself. Maternity, which is the biological and natural role of women has been considered as their one and only role, which created the saying that a woman's place is in the home (Boris, 1994). Women were suffering under these racial, ethnic and religious barriers right from the birth of America. In the early history of United States, men virtually owned their w ives and children as mere material possessions (Bataille, 1991). There were times in United States when the role of women was confined to wifehood and motherhood. Throughout the history of United States, women had fewer legal and career opportunities compared to men. Need essay sample on "Rise of Women`s Movement in 1960s" topic? We will write a custom essay sample specifically for you Proceed A legal right guaranteed by the 15th amendment to the US constitution; guaranteed to women by the 19th amendment really gave the right to vote to women. Women, to a certain extent fought for the reevaluation of the traditional views and accomplished many rights and privileges. Several factors led to the rise of the womens movement in the 1960s. The status of women started rising right from the beginning of the twentieth century. They attained the right to vote and came up in the education and career field. However, various types of racial, ethnic, class and religious discriminations that exist in United States really slowed down the progress achieved by women (Anderson, 1996). Women never became completely relieved from discrimination and still are ill treated in colleges, schools and work places. Women belonging to certain racial groups and ethnic minorities are highly disadvantaged because of this segregation in institutions. The reformation activities for the improvement of womens rights commenced by the beginning of the twentieth century and finally culminated into the great period of the 1960s. From the nineteenth century onwards women started working in small firms, mostly garment shops and textile mills. Women used to work for long hours in those times (nearly 12-14 hours) and were not much privileged in their work places (Jones, 1998). But legislations were passed in United States by 1910 reducing the working hours and improving the working environments. More and more women started prospering in their education as well as career and found themselves in several important designations in government and private sectors. American women, mostly belonging to the white middle class became privileged enough to attend higher education and professional training during the period from 1900 1930. The revolutionary second half of the twentieth century was really a favorable period as far as American women are c oncerned. In United States, the number of professional women was just 100,000 in 1870. The reforms and legislations happened during these periods raised the number to 2 millions by 1960. However before the reforms of the 1960s women did not enjoy any crucial rights in America. None of the legislations really helped them. Standardized testing promoted segregation since these sorts of assessments are influenced by social and cultural history of the participants as a result of which minority racial groups score less. Segregation-discouraging legislations did not help women to a good extent. Women belonging to lower class and ethnicity were still under grave discrimination. Several of the legislations were found to be multifaceted and vaguely defined and women were least benefited out of it. Racial discriminations are found to be maximum to the women belonging to inferior races. Even though it is true that more and more women were occupying high paid jobs, the number of women working as managers, officials, and other high administrators were still less compared to men. Women are paid less that that of men even though there came up several legislations that demanded equal wage policy. Thus women were still under the shadow of discrimination based on race, ethnicity, class and religion during the first half of the twentieth century, even though several measures have improved their previous ill privileged condition. The highly discriminated plight of the women during these periods led to the rise of womens movement in the 1960s Women were under various curses in the early periods. Motherhood, which is the cultural pressure before women to get married and become mothers, was blocking many talented women from going for higher studies and pursuing their careers. Many academically bright women were found to be leaving their studies and jobs and joining the baby sitter duty in their homes. The cultural, racial, religious and other pressures were subduing women to a good extent. Young girls were supposed to follow their mothers path of cooking, cleaning and child caring and were supposed to become good house wives as they grow up. Scholastic achievements of women were also not valued much and they were not supposed to prepare themselves for their studies and career. The legal status of women was also too poor during the early periods. Even though the Legal Status of Women has progressed substantially since they achieved the voting rights, in United States, women were not allowed to maintain their own property and were not permitted to occupy significant positions in offices. In certain regions and ethnic groups, women are supposed to virtually surrender all the properties under her name to their husbands name even though law permits women to sue her husband and also to maintain property in their names separate from their husbands (in United States). Women suffered wrong and unjust discriminations because of the racial, ethnic and religious segregations that existed in United States. Women were vulnerable to racial, religious and ethnic segregations, compared to men (Anderson, 2006). Women belonging to non-white race were discriminated and insulted in colleges, job places and schools. Race, ethnicity and religious segregations limited the impact of all favorable reforms for women in American society. Even though laws and privileges uphold women to a good extent, all recruitments, admissions and all other actions were still found to be highly biased. Race, religion and ethnicity were crucial in all the important dealing happening in the society. For example, women belonging to non-white race were found to be suffering from racial profiling problems in United States. Non-white women were unnecessarily suspected because of the inferior nature of her race, nationality, ethnicity or religion. Police officers often stop, check, and examine their vehicles without any reason or proof about the misbehavior or criminality of the person. Racial, ethnic and religious segregations totally nullified the advantages of all the reforms and laws that are supposed to uplift women from the discriminated situation. No laws really served the purpose during these periods of discrimination. These factors pressed American women to cry for the reforms that started during the 1960s. Various reforms like Prohibition (A law made through a constitutional amendment forbidding the sale of alcoholic beverages in the period from 1920 to 1933 in United States), right to vote, birth control and laws that limit economic exploitation have uplifted women to the mainstream of the society. More and more women are occupying top positions in government and other private sector offices (Baron, 1991). Legislations have definitely contributed to the overall improvement of women. The first two decades of twentieth century were very much favorable for the women who wanted to come to the mainstream of the society. Women, in almost all countries gained the right to vote in the beginning years of the twentieth century. In United States, during the period from 1902-1919, more and more women started coming up in education, career, literary and sports fields. They are several notable American women who gained fame and popularity in their respective fields. State passed various legislations in the first decade of the twentieth century to improve the working conditions and privileges of women. Women used to work in poor environments and for more than 12 hours a day before the reforms brought in the twentieth century (Baxandall, Rosalyn, and Linda, 1995). United States government, in 1920, passed legislation for bettering the working conditions of women and for reducing their working hours. Women were thus paid better salary and were given more privileges and facilities. During the nineteenth century women were involved only in low class and low paying factory labor or domestic work. However, by the beginning of the twentieth century, more and more women started coming up in the teaching and writing jobs. During the nineteenth century not many women were found in professional careers and other prestigious jobs. But by the1930s more and more women gained admission in leading medical schools. American Medical Association started admitting women members. Women started appearing in the political arena of United States by the beginning of twentieth century (Chafe, 1974). The result of the Women's rights convention, Declaration of Independence and various other women advancement legislations started appearing by the early years of the twentieth century. A great revival started appearing among the women in United States during the 1990-1930 periods as a result of various campaigns and legislations like the Union victory in the Civil War and several other legislations. However, certain legislations like the 14th and 15th Amendments to the Constitution presented citizenship and suffrage only to racially backward minorities, and not to women. National Woman Suffrage Association (NWSA) and few other associations fought for the rights of women and attained several privileges for women during the period from 1990-1930. The fruits of various reform movements that happened in the last decade of the nineteenth century appeared in the beginning of the twentieth century. The reform movements enhanced the education facilities and rights, initiated prison reforms, and also brought about the banning of alcoholic drinks during the 1990-1930 periods, in United States. Various favorable legislations and improvements have uplifted women from discrimination to a certain extent. For example, policies like affirmative action intended to help minorities, particularly the women. In general, it is true that women have made giant leaps through affirmative action as women started occupying nearly half of all corporate middle-management jobs. The percentage of women-owned business has increased substantially in the recent years. Affirmative action initially served as a means to strive for equality, indiscrimination and inclusiveness. Women made giant leaps through affirmative action as they are found to nearly half of all corporate middle-management jobs. The percentage of women-owned business has increased by 57% since 1982. Affirmative action has helped several pe ople (many women and also many people from the minorities group) to find success in their careers. Reforms of the 1960s changed the plight of women. Women actively took part in numerous campaigns for agrarian as well as labor reforms, and most importantly for birth control. Women started becoming conscious about their rights and privileges during these periods. Women started acquiring a new sense of self worth and ability and started showing their presence and power in jobs and other major sectors of the society. They started becoming more committed to their career relate and appointments and even started appearing in public meetings, parties and shows (Boris, 1994). Rising importance of feminism during these periods also increased the identity and status of American women. Reforms began during the first half of the twentieth century and finally led to the reform period of 1960s. References Bataille, Gretchen M. Native American Women: A Biographical Dictionary. New York: Garland Publishing, 1991. Chafe, William H. The American Woman: Her Changing Social, Economic, and Political Roles, 1920-1970. New York: Oxford University Press, 1974. Jones, Jacqueline. American Work: Black and White Labor since 1600. New York: W. W. Norton, 1998. Anderson, Karen. Changing Women: A History of Racial Ethnic Women in Modern America. New York: Oxford University Press, 1996. Baron, Ava, ed. Work Engendered: Toward a New History of American Labor. Ithaca, N.Y.: Cornell University Press, 1991. Baxandall, Rosalyn, and Linda Gordon, eds. America's Working Women: A Documentary History. 2nd ed. New York: W. W. Norton, 1995. Boris, Eileen. Home to Work: Motherhood and the Politics of Industrial Homework in the United States. New York: Cambridge University Press, 1994. A Question of Fairness Ladies Home Jorunal, March 1996, p 17-20. Boston, Thomas. Ready, Aim, Fire Black Enterprise. March 1996, p 24.