Technical Writing, Project Specification Plan

Project Specification plan Sign-off sheet Name and Job title| Involvement in the project| Signature | Sharon Shameful,Chief Executive| -Signs off the project as a whole-Authorisation of interviews-Signs of on new project proposals| | Nathan SafeHuman Resources | -Hires new staff & also responsible for their interviews-Hires the technical writer-In charge of keeping up to date with staff reviews and reporting to management| | Money Penny Chief Financial Officer| -Signs off financial implications of the new policies and processes. Will provide financial background on health and safety training of staff. | | Mathew HandymanHealth & Safety officer & temporary Maintenance manager| -Signs off on the health and safety implications of the new policies and processes-Checks that proper health and safety procedure is implemented by all staff. -In charge of maintenance of all machinery and also trains new staff in using these. | | Hayden StarStaff Supervisor| -Supervisor ground staff-Interview n ew staff alongside human resource manager-Trains new staff in machinery| |Purpose The purpose of this documentation project is to come up with a new, improved process to prevent any future accidents involving dangerous equipment and providing employees with improved policies with proper health and safety procedure to prevent these accidents. The deliverables are: * A description of the new process, written up as business proposal, which will include a swim lane diagram illustrating who does what, at which level. * Dangerous Equipment use policy. * Procedures or instructions for one of the employees.The purpose of the documentation will be revised at daily meetings with the project manager, Nathan Safe. Definition of Audience Document| Audience | Audience Description| Business Proposal for training new staff and existing employees in the safe use of equipment| Management team| Has a good knowledge of finances and council operation as well as health and safety in relations to dangerou s equipment| Dangerous equipment use policy| All Employees| Ground knowledge of all equipment. Some already experienced in use of dangerous equipments. Are motivated to learn more after what has happened to a staff member. Procedure for Health and Safety and Maintenance officer| Mathew Handyman| Knows all about the machinery on hand and also their safety policies, but needs to be more proactive. | Note 1. Bruce alongside with his supervisor Hayden and 2 other colleagues will be available throughout the project for user testing Relationship of these documents to others The new documentation will replace the outdated Dangerous equipment use policy that has proved to be ineffective. The new policy and procedures must: * Follow proper health and safety codes set by ACC Fit with the councils financial budget * Fit with local councils general health and safety policies Production Information The business proposal will be presented in both electronic and paper form. The electronic copy wil l be make it easy for new additions. The proposal will consist of 2 – 3 pages and will also include at least one swim-lane diagram (in colour). The dangerous equipment use policy will be delivered as one page printed document. This will be handed out to all ground staff and also copies will be posted in the staff room in the maintenance shed.Intranet file will also be available to staff via the council network. Procedures will be only handed to one employee who will have to include this in action daily. Writers requirement Project will be mainly carried out on the premises of Maurati local council. Finalising and part of the writing will be done at the technical writers home office. During the project, the council will provide the technical writer, * Access to meeting rooms for interviews * Access to relevant documents * Access to scanner Admin will be assisting with all the printing and scanning.Originals will be printed by the technical writer at his preferred printing pres s. Nathan Safe, Money Penny, Mathew Handyman and Hayden Star will all be available for interviews during business hours. Sharon who is currently busy with the local gala will only be available on Friday. Ground staff will be available during their posted times, however, this will only be during their lunch hours. Free lunch vouchers will be handed at each interviews to all ground staff for taking time of their lunch to come for an interview.The technical writer will report all interview of staff to Nathan Safe. Schedules and Milestones Project Stage| Tentative time of Completion | Initial Research * Informal talk with Staff * Relevant document investigations * Scheduling with SMEs| 15 May 2012| Development of the project * Actual interviews conducted * Rough swim-lane diagram | 16-18 May 2012| Draft proposal complete| 20 May 2012| Draft Policy and procedure documents complete| 23 May 2012| Feedback on proposal and policy draftsTesting of procedure draft| 24 May 2012| Revising & Edit ing| 25 May 2012|Documentation Completed| 4 June 2012| Constraints Delays will be inevitable. Budget Technical writer’s work | Cost| Researching – 10 hours| $60 x 10= $600| Drafting Stage| $60 x 5= $300| Interview Staff and facilitating user-testing (vouchers will be provided free for charge to interviewees)| $60 x10= $600| Training Individual on Procedure| $60 x 10 =$600| Revising & Polishing – 10 hours| $60 x 10 =$600| Printing & Disbursement (standard) | $250| Total| $2,950 + GST|

Movie “The Blind Side” Essay

I have selected the movie; â€Å"The Blind Side†, it is the true story of Michael Oher, a homeless teenager who was able to overcome great obstacles in order to become a first round draft pick in the NFL. Michael Oher had a rough childhood as he didn’t know his father and his mother was addicted to drugs. He was in and out of foster homes and at times living on the street. The football coach at Wingate, a private school, saw football potential in Michael and got him admitted into the prestigious school. However, he had learning disabilities and still did not have a permanent home. Leigh Anne Tuohy, the mother of a Wingate student, and wife of the owner of several Taco Bell restaurants, finds out about Michael’s predicament and invites him to stay the night at their home. Once Michael is in the Tuohy home, a close relationship develops between him and the Tuohys. The one night stay turns into a permanent living situation for Oher. Leigh Anne makes it her personal mission to make sure Michael has everything he needs emotionally and academically to graduate from high school and to get admitted to Ole Miss. After a successful college football campaign, Oher was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens in the first round in 2009, thus fulfilling his dream. This movie has it all. As you watch it, you experience the emotions of both sadness and joy, as you watch this young man go from being homeless to being drafted in the first round of the 2009 NFL draft.

Business Management Affairs Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words - 1

Business Management Affairs - Coursework Example A sole proprietorship brings the authority of running and controlling business activities to a single individual who can make important and minor decisions, control business environment and change policies where necessary. The accounting requirements and legal rules applicable on sole proprietors are less rigid and complex as compared to partnerships and companies. It is also considered to be on e of the cheapest forms of setting up a business (Gitman et al 2008). The advantages and disadvantages of sole proprietorship, however, need a deeper and keen observation to form a decision based on the examination of the three available options for us. This recommendation would provide advantages and disadvantages of sole trader, Limited Liability Company and partnerships. It would further conclude as to which venture is better for the organization. Advantages of a Sole Trader As highlighted above, there are a number of benefits that sole proprietorship brings for the sole owner of the busin ess. The first and the most rewarding benefit that this kind of business brings is the Controlling power that the owner receives. Sole trading maintains the highest level of autonomy in terms of running the business, choosing activities, methods and making autonomous decisions. A sole proprietor enjoys the autonomy of running the business in a manner that he wishes or considers appropriate to do so. A decision made by sole proprietor is not challenged by others in normal circumstances. The interference of other parties is less likely to influence the decisions of a sole trader and hence, the level of independence is upheld when setting up a business as a sole trader (Mifflin 2004; Gitman et al 2008). The second most attractive effect of dealing as a sole trader is the ability and right to retain the whole profit earned by the business. The sole traders are not required to distribute whole or part of their profits as required in the partnerships and companies. Another benefit that so le traders enjoy is the privacy of their data and business records. The companies are required to publicize their data and submit the annual reports to the companies’ house. The sole trader is free from such formalities required by the law or the stock market rules. It is also argued that sole proprietors are more responsible and specialist in terms of the nature and size of the business they are managing. The argument is supported by the view that sole proprietors are individually responsible for the profits and losses their business makes. Hence, the owners try to exercise such systems and controls which assure the long-lasting survival and profits of the business. In that, sole traders are also quicker and more efficient in making decisions about their business. Their observation of the customer’s demands and expectations help them in making informed judgements of what may help in the long run success of their business. They implement policies and change which aid t he business’s aim (Toit et al 2007; DeFrancesco 2006). Disadvantages of Sole Trader The advantages are not enjoyed without the risks of certain disadvantages surrounding the sole trading. Sole responsibility for the liabilities and losses is one the basic disadvantage that sole traders face. The sole proprietorship, further, does not acquire the separate legal entity status which disables such

Microsoft Organisation - Overview, Challenges, Recommendations Research Paper

Microsoft Organisation - Overview, Challenges, Recommendations - Research Paper Example Unfortunately, an antitrust case was filed by the US Justice Department. The government argued that the customer must have a choice to choose products in a competitive market. It was not right on Microsoft's part to monopolise not only the operating systems market but also plan to do the same for the browser by porting their browser to the operating system. " Microsoft's share of the market for Intel-compatible PC operating systems has stood above ninety per cent. For the last couple of years, the figure has been at least ninety-five per cent, and analysts project that the share will climb even higher over the next few years. Even if Apple's Mac OS were included in the relevant market, Microsoft's share would still stand well above eighty per cent." Microsoft was set up as a company to develop and sell BASIC interpreters for the Altair 8800, a microcomputer design from 1975, based on the Intel 8080 CPU and sold as a mail-order kit through advertisements in hobbyist magazines. The ris e and popularity of home computers are attributed to Altair 8800. This was a turning point for Microsoft. With the growing popularity of home computers, Microsoft had started to dominate the home computer operating system market with MS-DOS in the mid-1980s. Microsoft has been a real wealth creator for its employees and shareholders. Statistics show that subscribing to shares of Microsoft has made four billionaires and an estimated 12,000 millionaires from Microsoft employees. Microsoft has footholds in other markets besides operating systems and office suites, with assets such as the MSNBC cable television network, the MSN Internet portal, and the Microsoft Encarta multimedia encyclopedia3.  

Risk Management Systems Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Risk Management Systems - Essay Example In practice, the process can be very difficult and balancing between risks with a high probability of occurrence but lower loss versus a risk with high loss but lower probability of occurrence can often be mishandled. Intangible risk management identifies a new type of risk - a risk that has a 100% probability of occurring but is ignored by the organization due to a lack of identification ability. For example, when deficient knowledge is applied to a situation, a knowledge risk materializes. Relationship risk appears when ineffective collaboration occurs. Process-engagement risk may be an issue when ineffective operational procedures are applied. These risks directly reduce the productivity of knowledge workers, decrease cost effectiveness, profitability, service, quality, reputation, brand value, and earnings quality. Intangible risk management allows risk management to create immediate value from the identification and reduction of risks that reduce productivity. Risk management also faces difficulties in allocating resources. This is the idea of opportunity cost. Resources spent on risk management could have been spent on more profitable activities. Again, ideal risk management minimizes spending while maximizing the reduction of the negative effects of risks. In Norfolk Sentara, they have developed different programs to lessen the risks associated with diseases and they have implemented these programs efficiently that they have received recognition for their patient safety assurance. Norfolk Sentara addressed the needs and safety of their patients as if they were their own relatives. They work hard to provide the best patient care possible and also to provide treatment plans that will help alleviate the patients' pain and sickness.  Ã‚  

Logistics db Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Logistics db - Essay Example The recent increase in demand of Going Inc planes is evident that, Going Inc has so far differentiated its products to meet their target customers' needs and preferences. Therefore, the main thrust of operational strategy should be on how to reduce production cost and improve company's response to change in market demand. Going Inc. sources its raw materials entirely from U.S markets. Though the company ensure that it gets its raw materials at the lowest possible price, expansion of the raw material sources to include other countries or more conveniently decision to make small parts instead of buying from vendors would automatically lead to even lower cost and better quality. This will involve the realignment of supply chain of the company. According to Heizer and Render (2005), supply chain management is the integration of the activities that procure materials and services, transform them into intermediate goods and final products, and deliver them to customers. In order for the Going Inc. to manage its supply chain effectively, it has to improve the speed and flexibility for its manufacturing framework. Currently, the company is relatively slow in its production speed; only fifteen planes per month. To make the matter worse, the production is riddled with scrupulous customization that takes a lot of time and gives very little room for design flexibility. Going Inc.

Aboriginal studies Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Aboriginal studies - Essay Example Anon (no date) racismnoway.com [online search portal] Accessed online May 06, 2008 at: http://searchportal.information.com/index.mas?epl=00860032VFAXVE0DWlgVVRBeVwMAFQVbC1YKW1kADFAISllXWBZYWg1PWBwdVw5dRAZADBJDDkRbWAVTEQA_XFEFDgMIUQ An online search portal for issues and resources connected to racism. The site is appropriate for supervised use for older or advanced students. It is heavily text-based, so is less appropriate for indigenous students than non-indigenous students. Board of Studies NSW (2007) Affirmations of Identity: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Visual Artists Resource Kit - Teacher’s Handbook. Retrieved May 06, 2008, from: http://ab‑ed.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au/go/aboriginal‑art/affirmations‑of‑identity#gallery Contents cover eight new units of workdesigned to cover the NSW Visual Arts Years 7‑10 Syllabus (2003). â€Å"These units provide opportunities for students to study a range of artworks made by Indigenous artists using traditional and contemporary practices, and to investigate how ideas and interests are represented in artmaking and in critical and historical interpretations art.† The units are appropriate for both indigenous and non-indigenous learners. The role of art in the traditional culture of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples is highlighted. This resource can also be used for cross-subject units such as geography and visual art. Board of Studies NSW (2007) Affirmations of Identity: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Visual Artists Resource Kit - References and further reading on contemporary Indigenous art in Australia. Retrieved May 06, 2008, from: http://ab‑ed.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au/go/aboriginal‑art/affirmations‑of‑identity#gallery The bibliography contains information on a wide variety of resources for teachers of year 6-12 visual art and aboriginal studies. Resources are listed by format and include: syllabuses and support documents, government reports, educational

Job Satisfaction Perceived Efficacy Correlation Dissertation

Job Satisfaction Perceived Efficacy Correlation - Dissertation Example Population and Sample The population for this study included all 139 South Dakota public school special education administrators, including full-time, part-time, and mixed responsibility special education administrators. The information used in the study was gathered from the South Dakota Department of Education 2010-2011 Educational Directory. Data Collection Data collection included the use of three separate surveys. Paul Spector’s Job Satisfaction Survey was used to collect job satisfaction data. Chen, Gully, and Eden’s New General Self-Efficacy Scale was used to collect perceived self-efficacy data. Finally, a researcher-developed demographic survey was utilized to collect demographic data. The survey was posted electronically and all 139 public school special education administrators in the state of South Dakota were invited to participate via email. Names and email addresses of special education administrators were gathered from the South Dakota Department of Educ ation 2010-2011 Educational Directory. A cover letter (see Appendix G) with instructions on how to access the electronic survey was sentto all public school special education administrators in the state of South Dakota, via email. ... The invitees completed 35 useable surveys, accounting for a study response rate of 25.2 percent. Demographics Selected demographic characteristics of the study respondents are presented in Table 4.1. The two largest groups of respondents were aged 36-50 and 50 and over, with each category making up 40 percent of the respondents, while those aged 35 or younger represented 20 percent of the respondents. The majority of respondents were female, representing 71.4 percent. It is important to note that all demographics were computed using the responses provided by respondents. Not all respondents completed all questions. Masters Degrees represented the highest level of education for 40 percent of respondents, which was the largest group. Those holding a Bachelors Degree accounted for 22.9 percent of the respondents. Both the Education Specialist and Doctorate degree each represented 20 percent of the respondents. The current certification question allowed respondents to check all that appl ied so that some respondents selected multiple current certifications. The largest number of respondents, 57.6 percent, responded that their current certification was Special Education Director. Pre-K-8 Principals accounted for 11.4, while 7-12 Secondary Principals comprised 6 percent of respondents. Similarly superintendents also accounted for 6 percent of respondents. One respondent selected Superintendent and Special Education Director, one respondent chose PK-12 Principal, Superintendent, and Special Education Director as his or her current level of certification, one respondent chose PK-8 Principal and Superintendent as his or her current level of certification, and one respondent selected PK-8 Principal, Superintendent and

Education policies Essay Example for Free

Education policies Essay Education is so important in any given society. For this reason, it forms a major part of any government’s plans. The plans that any government wishes to implement as regards their education system is determined by existing policies. Factors which influence formulation of policies form the subject of this discussion. For orderly presentation, the essay is divided into three chapters namely the introduction, the main body and conclusion. The introduction gives definitions of key terms used in the essay as well as conceptual frame work, the main body outlines and discusses major factors which influenced education policies in African countries after achieving their independence and lastly the conclusion draws a summary of the essay. 1. 1 Statement of essay purpose This essay aims at discussing the factors which influenced education policies in African countries after their achievement of independence. The essay will outline these factors and later give a detailed discussion of each factor. 1. 2 Definitions of terms In order to make this discussion meaningful, it is imperative that definitions of key terms that are involved are done. The key terms involved in the discussion are education, policy and independence. The definitions of the terms are as given below Education. According to the United Nations Education, Scientific and Culture Organisation (1975:1), education is defined as â€Å"organised and sustained communication designed to bring about learning† Thus education in this context involves a lifelong process by which an individual is incorporated into the group and made capable of behaving in the ways expected by the society for an individual of a particular age, sex or status. Education can take place formally, non formally and informally. However, in this context the emphasis is on formal education. Policy  A policy is defined as a deliberate plan of action which is put in place to guide decisions and achieve intended outcomes. Policies differ from rules or laws. Rules or laws are established to compel or prohibit certain behaviours while policies guide actions towards desired goals. This discussion, however, focuses on education policies. Bartlett and Burton (2012:134), define an education policy as the â€Å"rafts of laws and initiatives that determine the shape and functioning of educational systems at both national and local levels. Therefore, education policies give direction to the functioning of an education system. Independence This is defined as the freedom from being governed or ruled by another country. African countries in this discussion acquired the freedom to rule themselves from colonial mast 1. 3 Conceptual Framework Blackmore (1999), states that there are three models of policy making namely popular participation, decree and delegation models. This discussion will refer to these three models in outlining and discussing the factors which influenced education policies in African countries after achieving their independence. These models are discussed in detail below. (a) Popular Participation Policy making model. (b) In this model, everybody is given an opportunity to contribute to the formulation of policies. People in African countries were given opportunities to make suggestions on changes to make to the education system. For example, Zambia’s educational reforms of 1977. (c) Decree Policy Making Model In this model, the head of state makes pronouncements on the direction to be followed in a given education system. (d) Delegation Policy Making Model This involves appointing a commission to review the education system of a given country. For example the Onide Commission was appointed to review the education system of Kenya in 1963. Policies are made with respect to the findings of the commission. CHAPTER TWO 2. 0 Main Body This chapter outlines and discusses the major factors that influenced education policies in African countries after achieving independence. These factors are as given and discussed below. Education for Economic Development The consideration given to education as an important vehicle for economic development is one of the factors which influenced education policies in African countries after achieving independence. Investment in formal education was considered as an essential precondition for economic growth. African countries learnt lessons from developed countries that a high basic platform of education was a catalyst to rapid economic development. There was a belief among developing countries that the modernisation, industrialisation and wealth of developed countries were the direct consequence of their educational systems. Coombs (1970) argues that during the 1960s education in developing countries was regarded as a sort of intellectual yeast which would ferment and transform pre industrial societies by promoting knowledge, skills and attitudes which were favourable to economic and social development. Therefore, education policies in African countries after the achievement of independence were directed at promoting education pro vision expansion in order to achieve meaningful development. In fact an argument is advanced by Anderson (1965), that analysis of evidence from major developed countries such as Britain, France, United States of America and Russia that in general terms, a thresh hold male literacy rate of 40 percent was required before there be any significant take off of economic development. To this end, African countries directed their policies on education after attaining independence towards increased access to education in order to reach the required thresh hold of literacy. Therefore, in the 1950s and 1960s, demand and plans for investment in formal education by African countries increased. Education was regarded to be a principal weapon in achieving economic growth. To this end rapid quantitative expansion of the education system became the order of the day in newly independent African countries. Man power Shortages. After attaining independence, African countries were confronted with shortage of manpower in various sectors of the economy. As a result of this scenario, they experienced economic stagnation. Man power shortages were heavily felt in technical and managerial fields. Thus, education policies in most African countries were directed towards resolving the man power shortages experienced. This situation was evident from what obtained in Kenya. As Eshiwani (1993:26), observes ‘’at independence in 1963, Kenya found herself with a high shortage of skilled manpower to run the economy. In order to solve this problem, a commission was appointed to advise the government on the formulation and interpretation of national educational policies. † Therefore, it can be stated that man power planning in newly independent countries of Africa gave a direction to the formulation of education policies. Consequently, the governments of newly independent countries of Africa saw it paramount to expand the education systems of their countries in order to produce more graduates from the education system that would fill the manpower gaps which were experienced in various sectors of the economy. Most technical and managerial jobs at independence in most African countries were occupied by foreigners. Therefore, the aim of most African governments was to decolonise the education systems, produce more output from secondary and higher education so that manpower to participate in national development could be realised. Fafunwa (1974), Contends that education development in African countries like Nigeria was treated as a national emergency for the reason of curbing manpower shortages in crucial areas of the economy. In order to meet the requirements of manpower in various sectors of the economy, the policies of African countries after independence were directed at increasing school enrolments, especially at the post primary level. Rapid expansion of secondary and higher education was considered as a pre requisite for sustainable economic growth. Enhancing education as a basic human right Newly independent African countries were confronted with a task of providing to every child their basic, essential right to education. The kind education that was to be provided was supposed to be relevant to the child in his or her African setting. For this reason, most newly African countries had massive capital and recurrent budgets towards the financing of primary education for all. The provision of education especially at elementary level to citizens of newly independent African countries was prompted by the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights in which education is enshrined as a basic human right. As Bishop (1989:1), postulates, â€Å"Everyone has the right to education. Education shall be free at least in the elementary and fundamental stages. Elementary education shall be compulsory. Technical and professional education shall be made generally available and higher education shall be equally accessible to all on the basis of merit. †Therefore, from the foregoing, newly independent African countries were compelled to provide education especially primary education on the grounds of human justice and equity. The newly independent African countries were supposed to consider primary education as the birth right of every child. This was due to the fact that education was seen as an effective way to give all children regardless of sex or family background an equal start in life. Furthermore, the leadership of newly independent African countries considered education to be the great equaliser that would help to narrow the wide disparities which were apparent in conditions of living in rural and urban communities. Before the attainment of independence, education in most African countries was a preserve for the elite. In order to correct this, African leaders made radical changes to their education systems to make them more accommodative to everyone. As Carmody (1994:23), contends â€Å"As in most African countries, from the early days Africa’s leaders viewed education as a powerful, often the most powerful vehicle for social transformation. Thus, as the UNIP government assumed power, among its immediate priorities were the elimination of racial segregation in schools and expansion of education provision. Tuition and boarding fees were abolished. † A point was also made by Bishop (1989), which in the days of the 1950s and 1960s massive expansion of education provision was regarded as the best means available for rooting out old prejudices and socio economic injustices. Therefore, education was regarded as basic human right which everyone needed to enjoy as provided in the foregoing arguments. In the pursuit of providing universal primary education, newly African countries set for themselves benchmarks. For example, the Addis Ababa conference on the development of education in Africa held in 1961 recommended that primary education was to be universal, compulsory and free by 1980. The conference further recommended that secondary education was to be provided to 30 percent of the children who completed primary school. Similarly, the conference of Arab states which met in Tripoli in 1966 also set 1980 as the target date for achieving universal primary education. To this end, it can be argued that one of the factors that influenced the formulation of education policies of African countries after achieving independence was related to the consideration that education was a basic human right which every citizen of a given country was supposed to enjoy . Hence, massive investment in the provision of education was undertaken by African countries after attaining independence in order to promote the achievement of universal primary education. As Court and Kinyanjui (1978:14), comment on the provision of Universal Primary Education in Tanzania. â€Å"President Nyerere had the choice of expanding the number of classes at grades V to VII so that those children entering primary education received seven years of schooling instead of four†. It can be concluded from the foregoing statement that the decision was arrived at because it enabled finances to be spent on the provision of 7 years of education to one child which helped him or her to become a useful member of society. African countries aimed at improving the access to education by increasing the number of school places which was facilitated by expanding already existing schools as well as construction of new schools in different parts of their countries. Promotion of Modernisation. African countries formulated their education policies with respect to the purpose of attaining modernisation. In order to influence modernisation in their countries, there was massive investment in education. This was a result of the belief that schooling would assist in the inculcation of modern ideas and attitudes. Bishop (1989), postulate that evidence seemed to indicate that schooling influenced the development of modern traits and ideas. To this end, schooling had some impact on modernisation. This was manifestated in higher levels of modernity among urban people and lower modernity among rural people. Consequently, many African leaders in newly independent countries felt modernisation of attitudes and behaviours was an important pre requisite for their countries’ development. According to Carmody (1994), education should socialise a nation’s population into modern values, attitudes and personalities. For this reason there was more emphasis on the expansion of education systems in newly independent African countries in order to enhance the access levels. Increased access to education meant increased modernity levels within a given country. In studies which were conducted be Inkeles and Smith (1974), indicate that education was the single most variable for modernisation. The studies indicate that each year of schooling improved a person’s score on their modernity scale by about 2 points. Education was also very effective in the development of positive attitudes and values. For this reason, formulation of education policies in newly independent African countries was influenced by the idea of modernisation. Modernisation was to be attained by every citizen in the newly independent African countries through education. Ensuring Citizens’ Political Participation The citizens’ participation in political affairs of their countries could be seen as one of the major factors which influenced education policies in African countries after achieving independence. Political participation of citizens of a particular country was linked to the notion of modernisation. This was due to the fact that knowledge was regarded as power. For this reason, many political leaders of African drafted educational policies which were responsive to the promotion of political participation of citizens in nation matters. This was highly evident in the content of education which was offered to the citizens . Again this could only be realised through the wide spread of education in African countries which most leaders promoted through the expansion of the education system. Cowan (1965), stressed that any political principle which governed education policy in independent African countries was supposed to regard as a top priority the provision of an education that would establish the most vigorous form of self government and independence. Therefore, extending schooling to a larger population would make more people politically and socially conscious and more active in the process of nation building. Thus, if equal political rights were to be enjoyed by everyone then everyone ought to have at least an adequate primary school education to participate more fully in the political process of their country. Promotion of Social Equality and Removal of Divisions The attainment of social equality is among the major factors which influenced education policies in African countries after achieving independence. Education was regarded as an instrument of social equality which was critical in the upbringing of social responsibility. Therefore, education policies which were put in place by African countries after attainment of independence were directed towards the promotion of social equality within their countries. Consequently, more and more school places were created in most parts of African countries to bring about the issue of equality within their countries in the provision of education services. Equality in the provision of education was called for as it ensured that child was provided with varied and challenging opportunities for collective activities and corporate social services. Furthermore, Eshiwani (1993), points out that the promotion of social equality in the formulation of education policies in African countries after achieving independence helped young people to acquire positive attitudes of mutual respect which enabled them to live together in harmony and to make a positive contribution to the national life. This contribution to national life was not supposed to be extended to every part of the country, hence the need of social equality in the provision of education. Respect and Development of Cultural Heritage The formulation of education policies in African countries after achieving independence was influenced by the need for promoting respect and development of cultural heritage. Education policies were directed towards the promotion of respect, fostering and developing the rich cultures which African countries have. For this reason, policy formulation as regards this situation was clearly addressed in the content of education which African countries were to provide to their people. The content of education was adapted to the culture of the people in any particular African country. In support of this assertion, Eshiwani (1993), states that the commission which was assigned to review Kenya’s education system in 1963 recommended that Kenyan schools were to respect the cultural traditions of the people of the country, both as expressed in social institutions and relationships. Similarly, Damachi et al (1978), reports that education policies in African countries after attainment of independence were influenced by the need to enhance every aspect of human development which included the promotion of cultural heritage. Consequently, African countries were to state clearly their language of instruction in their education system both at lower and higher levels. This was done with the sole aim of promoting the preservation of cultural heritage and national unity. To this end the education policies which most African countries drafted after the attainment of independence were geared towards learners understanding of past and present cultural values and their valid place in contemporary society. Education for Self Reliance The education policies of African countries were influenced by the need for the curriculum offered to respond to the attainment of self reliance. Thus the recipients of such education were supposed to engage themselves in self employing activities. The curriculum of African countries emphasized practical subjects in order to ensure the acquisition of self reliance by learners. It was realised that the kind of education which was offered in some countries in Africa was too bookish and academic. The education system in most African countries separated manual work from learning. Thus theory was separated from practice. This situation further alienated young people from their societies. Therefore, education reforms in most African countries were inevitable so as reverse this trend. As Bishop (1989:116), reports â€Å"By the mid 1950s it was being argued once again that schooling should be reformed principally through curriculum reform to include more practical and vocational studies’’ Similarly, Carmody (1994), reports that Zambia’s First National Development Plan pointed to the need for increasingly relating secondary education to the needs of the country by diversifying the secondary school syllabus into technical and commercial fields and giving a new place to agriculture. Therefore, it can be pointed out that education policies in African countries were supposed to address the concept of self reliance. Academic schooling was to be placed side by side with technical and vocational training in African countries. Improvement of Education Efficiency The education policies of most African countries after achieving independence were influenced by the need of improving the efficiency of the education systems. In education systems of African countries, it was felt that there was no correlation between inputs and out puts as well as between costs and returns. Education policies were centred on the need of making the systems of education to be more efficient. That is, the education systems were supposed to achieve their output at the lowest cost and also get the greatest return for a given cost. According to Bishop (1989), most education systems in African countries after achieving independence were inefficient, particularly at secondary and higher levels. The inputs such as expenditure per student or teacher training did not seem to have the effects on test scores which educators anticipated. Therefore, education policies were designed in a manner that would make the education systems in newly independent African countries to be more efficient. Additionally, education in many African countries was dysfunctional. It relied heavily on rote learning and led to an inappropriate reverence for paper qualifications. Furthermore, most curricular in African countries were irrelevant to pupils’ future lives and created an imbalance with many school leavers unemployed. Consequently, African countries formulated policies which were aimed at addressing the challenges which were faced in education systems. Education as a means of fostering international consciousness Education policies in African countries were influenced by the need to foster international consciousness in learners. Education policies as complimented by the content of education provided to learners was supposed to ensure that positive attitudes towards other countries as well as the international community were upheld. This was emphasized because no country existed as an island. Each country depended on others for its prosperity. Therefore, it was essential that learners were provided with education that would instil international consciousness for the purpose of promoting cooperation among countries. CHAPTER THREE. 3. 0 CONCLUSION Education policies in African countries after their achievement of independence were influenced by a number of factors. Some of the major factors which influenced education policies in African countries included manpower shortages, recognition of education as a basic human right, consideration of education as a tool for development, modernisation, improving education efficiency, need for citizens’ political participation, and promotion of international consciousness among learners as well as self reliance. Changes in education policies were inevitable due to the fact that African countries experienced change in government. A change in government is associated with an ideological shift, thus aspects of the education system in a given country  will be in a continual state of reformation. Hence, changes occurred in education aspects such as content, teaching methodologies, assessment and structure. REFERENCES. Anderson, C. A (1974), Education and Development Re considered, Newyork: praeger Publishers. Bartlett, S and Burton, D (2012), Introduction to Education Studies, Los Angeles: Sage Publishers. Bishop, G (1989), Alternative Strategies for Education, London and Basingstoke: Macmillan Carmody, B (1994), The Evolution of Education in Zambia, Lusaka: Book World Publishers. Coombs, P. H (1970), The Need for a New Strategy of Education Development, Paris: UNESCO. Court, D and Kinyanjui, K, K (1978), Development Policy and Education Opportunity: The Experience of Tanzania and Kenya, Paris: Macmillan. Cowan, J. O (1965), Education and National Building in Africa, London: Macmillan Damachi, U. G, Routh, G and Abdel, R. A (1978), Development Paths in Africa and China, London and Basingstoke: Macmillan. Eshiwani, G. S (1993), Education in Kenya since Independence, Nairobi: East African Education Publishers Fafunwa, A. B (1974), History of Education in Nigeria, London: Macmillan Press. Inkeles, A and Smith, D (1974), Becoming Modern, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press.

Economic philosophies Essay Example for Free

Economic philosophies Essay This paper will focus on the contributions of John Maynard Keynes and Milton Friedman to economic philosophies. Keynes is considered by many as the most famous and influential economist. Though having that veneration, a number of economists had been in opposition to the Keynesian school of thought. Among the forefront oppositions to the Keynesian economic philosophy is Milton Friedman, along with his accounts on monetarism. In his â€Å"General Theory of Employment, Interest and Money,† Keynes laid out the foundations of his framework, which nearly all macroeconomists make use of today. This framework finds its basis on spending and demand, the factors that determine the components of spending, the liquidity-preference theory of short-run interest rates, and the necessity of the government to make strategic but powerful interferences in the economy in order to keep it on balance and avoid the extremes of depression, as well as manic excess (Delong, 2006). Keynes’ theory was said to be incomplete as it only deals with interest employment and money. There was no mention on the theory about prices. Friedman introduced the principles of prices and inflation to Keynes’ framework, based on the idea that there exists a natural rate of unemployment. Friedman also made mention of the limitations of government policies have with regard to the stability of the economy, taking into consideration the trend of its long-run growth. Friedman considered these as limits beyond which an intervention from the government would trigger an inflation of uncontrollable and destructive nature (Delong, 2006). The events that took place during the Great Depression made Keynes and his orthodox followers to underestimate the influence and role monetary policies have in making a viable solution (Delong, 2006). Keynesians are inclined to prefer fiscal policy to monetary policies as a tool to influence production and employment. They believed that money has no direct influence. Moreover, they question the power of monetary policies to influence employment and production (McCain, 2007). The Great Depression was indeed considered to be a unique event in history, which called for explanation in terms of events rather than in pursuit for a new line of economic theory. One of the events that took place during the Great Depression was the failure of the money and banking system. Thus, the Great depression illustrates the influence of changing monetary conditions (McCain, 2007). Keynes and Friedman both agreed on the necessity of a superb macroeconomic management. The private economy, when on its own, might be subjected to unbearable instability and that there is a necessity for a powerful, strategic, but limited intervention coming from the government in order to maintain stability within the economy (Delong, 2006). Though having these ideas in agreement, Friedman had been a staunch opposition to some of Keynes’ economic principles. According to Keynes, the key to maintaining economic stability is to keep government spending and private investments on stable grounds. Friedman, on the other hand, opined that the key to economic stability is keeping money supply, i. e. the amount of purchasing power, which are readily available to be spent by businesses and households stable (Delong, 2006).

Evaluation of Materials Management Information System

Evaluation of Materials Management Information System Executive Summary The purpose of this report is to assess the effectiveness of the existing Materials Management System (MMS) in â€Å"ABC Construction†, identify the gaps in business processes and define user needs and stakeholders expectations concerning the implementation of new Information System (IS) proposed by the Modernization Committee of the Company. Field study and research through questionnaires showed that there were major failures in the existing MMS in the field of planning, tracking and inventory of materials and equipment. There was no integrated automated control over the materials planning process. Vendors and Suppliers databases were poor. Tracking of materials was processed through MS Excel spreadsheet making the expediting of Suppliers submissions inefficient as sometimes the data was simply lost which led to mismatch between the Company and Suppliers data in the context of delivery status. The control and monitoring of the materials in stock was characterized by inefficient inventory paperwork. The overall MMS documentation was not comprehensive enough provoking heavy workload, manual verification of the data and unsatisfactory reporting which consequently caused failures to meet construction completion deadlines. The proposed IS SAP MM was critically evaluated as a potential solution for the automation of MMS in â€Å"ABC Construction†. Taking into consideration principle business objectives the success of IS was diagnosed by means of IS Success Framework developed by DeLone and McLean (see Appendix 1). The outcome of the analysis showed that IS proved to be applicable and could meet the expectations of either Senior Management or Materials personnel, and to align with the Companys strategy and business objectives. The main processes of Materials Management and the relations between â€Å"ABC Construction† and Vendors/Suppliers can be efficiently managed and coordinated if proposed IS is implemented. The recommendation to utilize the proposed SAP MM for efficient Material Management was supported. Professional MM IS and speed of execution can provide the Company faster time to market, potential growth as a long-term objective and thus, sustainable future of the business. Further comprehensive financial analysis for IS implementation project will be conducted by the Financial Department and presented to stakeholders in order to make final investment decision. Introduction â€Å"ABC Construction† is a medium Russian Construction Company founded in 1995 specializing in general construction, construction management, and design services. It is a material-intensive business in which control over materials required for construction has a major impact on the revenue of the company. In order to access the current performance of Material Management System, identify its inefficiency and define user needs and expectations of the stakeholders with regards to implementation of new proposed Information System (IS) a field study and research through questionnaires were conducted. Based on the results of the interviews and data from the questionnaires of 1 Project Director, 4 Project Managers, 4 Contracts Managers, 5 Chief Engineers, 3 Material Managers and 10 Materials Coordinators the major drawbacks of the existing MMS were identified in the field of planning, tracking and inventory of materials and equipment. The following implications are summarized to describe the outcome of the research with regards to MMS utilized in the Company: There is no efficient automated control over the materials planning process. Vendors and Suppliers database is poor, not up-to-date, not all the required information included. Vendor Data requirements are not defined in terms of requisitions, package and purchase orders (PO), no materials specifications available and deliveries timelines indicated. No comprehensive pricing information available in the system. Tracking process of status of materials and equipment deliveries is done through MS Excel spreadsheets making the expediting of Vendor submissions inefficient. A number of Materials Specialists and Coordinators are working on one spreadsheet at the same time and due to human element while transferring data information may be lost. This causes the mismatch between the Company and the Contractors data in terms of materials status. Inefficient control over the materials in stock. Inventory reports are not detailed; shortages of materials are not specified and can be depicted by means of PIVOT tables only. Materials Coordinators working in various projects of the Company sometimes do not have enough time for monitoring the stock which can cause such major problems as failures to meet construction completion deadlines and initial budget deficit due to incidental expenditures caused by damaged/lost or undelivered materials which were not properly indicated in craftwork database. The overall MMS documentation is not comprehensive: process sheets, inventory records, material requisitions, material call-off schedules, shortage notes, lot tickets, delivery notes and quality test sheets provide incomplete information and you have to take time and refer to another documents and spreadsheets to find the required information. There are no procedures on document standards between the Company and its vendors/suppliers. Contract Managers are not satisfied with the reporting system which is not transparent enough and is to be developed to better standards. Due to the Companys Modernization Strategy and taking into account the gaps in the existing MMS a standard integrated IS SAP MM (Materials Management) was proposed for implementation within the Company. The main objectives of IS Implementation set by the Senior Management are as follows: To ensure that â€Å"ABC Construction† has the right material, in the right place, at the right quantity and price. To develop and unify materials related procedures and make materials purchase, transfer and receipt clear for all involved parties. To stay competitive in construction market and build a sustainable future. Analysis and Implications In order to assess the integral ERP solution SAP MM (module that is used for Procurement Handling and Inventory Management) was reviewed to evaluate the applicability of IS to meet the requirements of the stipulated business objectives. IS was inspected through the application of the success metrics specified in Updated IS Success Model developed by DeLone and McLean. SAP MM success evaluation based upon success metrics aligned with stakeholders expectations is indicated in the table below. # IS Success Dimensions Valued Qualities Preliminary Assessment of SAP MM 1 Information Quality Usability Information is comprehensive and complete. Consistent track of historical data. Availability / Reliability Data can be accessed from multiple geographical locations, IS stable and reliable. Adaptability IS flexible architecture with high scalability. Response time Real-time application, response time is short. 2 System Quality Content Personalized Clear definition of user access rights. Completeness IS covers all stages from Planning to Procurement and Warehousing (see Appendix 2). High integration with other ERP systems. Relevant Single data storage with the relevant data. Secure R/3, 3-tier architecture: database, application server and client, all data stores on server side. Encrypted client-server data transfer. 3 Service Quality Assurance IS if fully integrated and do not require additional adaptation. Developer Support 24/7 helpdesk. Easy remote administration options. 4 Usage Simplicity of operation Basic training usually takes 5-10 days. User-friendly interface. Quick Access to the most updated data. 5 User satisfaction Business purposesorientation SAP MM is able to provide the required graphs and analytics for planning, tracking and inventory; reporting structures are clear and easy to reconfigure. 6 Net benefits Improved Cost Control IS lowers total cost of ownership with a scalable and flexible solution that enables to implement enterprise-wide changes and deploy them globally. IS improves efficiency with a solution that has the functionality to support the business processes. Improved Strategic and Operational Procurement IS optimizes vendor base, improves inventory turnover and cycle times, and reduces operational costs. IS covers all tasks within the supply chain, including consumption-based planning, planning, vendor evaluation and invoice verification. It also includes inventory and warehouse management to manage stock until usage dictates the cycle should begin again. Electronic Kanban/Just-in-Time delivery is supported. Information transparency IS enables management oversight; support overall decision-making processes. IS facilitates time saving. One of the main objectives of the capabilities of described IS is to improve streamline collaboration between the Materials Department and its suppliers while drastically decreasing procurement and inventory costs and maximizing the value of relationships on both sides. Thus, the supplier participation and automation of cross-company processes are increasing which leads to enhancing the supply chain visibility, to increasing the overall speed accuracy, and adaptability of Vendors which is vital for construction field. Proposed IS can improve and simplify the inventory procedures and control over stock in the Company. IS Supplier portal component is available. That eliminates manual data entry, improves internal and external communications and reduces errors and process costs. IS provides the required transparency of the Material Management processes and Supplier/Vendor base visibility enabling companies to monitor and evaluate suppliers with real-time performance feedback. The following expectations of the Company can be met if proposed IS is implemented: Automation, simplification and acceleration of Material Management processes. Less mismatching between Supplier/Vendor and the Companys status documentation Accurate and detailed information on Supplier/Vendor abilities and rates. Improved reporting system and configuration of the reports per requirements of Senior Management, Materials Staff and Financial Dept. Lowered procurement and inventory costs; improved asset utilization. Reduced risk of supply and delays through the efficient IS electronic tracking. Reduced downtime overtime; paperwork, adjustment and compilation of the forms. Recommendations Based on the results of SAP MM critical evaluation the IS proves to be applicable in order to develop or replace the existing MMS in â€Å"ABC Construction† and to meet the expectations of either Senior Management or Materials personnel, and to align with the Companys strategy and business objectives. The principal processes of Materials Management can be fully monitored and controlled if proposed IS is implemented. Therefore, the recommendation to utilize the proposed SAP MM for efficient Material Management is supported. To build a sustainable future and to remain competitive in construction market the materials and equipment as well as relations of â€Å"ABC Construction† with Vendors/Suppliers can be efficiently managed and coordinated through proposed SAP MM. Professional MM IS and speed of execution can provide the Company with faster time to market and potential growth of business as a long-term objective. Further comprehensive financial assessment in terms of costs and commercial value, benefits and risks of the IS implementation project is to be conducted by the Financial Department and presented to stakeholders in order to make final investment decision. Microsoft Rapid Economic Justification (REJ) Framework can be recommended for further reference see Figure below. Bibliography 1. Bancroft NH, Sep H, Sprengel A., 1998, â€Å"Implementing SAP R/3 (2nd edn.)†, Manning Publications: Greenwich, CT. 2. Carr N.G., â€Å"IT Doesnt Matter†, Harvard Business Review, 2003. 3. DeLone, W.H., and McLean, E.R., 2003, â€Å"The DeLone and McLean Model of Information System Success: A Ten-Year Update†, Journal of MIS, vol. 19,no.4, pp. 9-30. 4. DeLone, W.H., and McLean, E.R., 1992, â€Å"Information systems success: The quest for the dependent variable†, Information Systems Research, vol. 3, no.1, pp. 60-95. 5. Microsoft (2010). Build an airtight business case for new IT investments, 2005. [Online]. Available from: http://www.microsoft.com/business/enterprise/value.mspx [Accessed: 15 January 2010] 6. SAP (2010) Workload Overview. [Online].Available from: http://help.sap.com/saphelp_nw04/helpdata/en/21/2c8f38c7215428e10000009b38f8cf/content.htm [Accessed: 14 January 2010] 7. SAP (2010) MM Overview. [Online].Available from: http://www.docstoc.com [Accessed: 12 January 2010] 8. Seddon, P.B.; Staples, D.S.; Patnayakuni, R.; and Bowtell, M.J., â€Å"The dimensions of information systems success.† Communications of the Association for Information Systems, vol. 2, art. 20. Retrieved January 10, 2010, from www.clemson.edu 9. Skok, W., and Kalmanovitch, C., 2005, â€Å"Evaluating the Role and Effectiveness of an Intranet in facilitating Knowledge Management†, Information Management, vol. 42, no. 5, pp. 731-744. 10. Skok, W., and Legge, M., 2002, â€Å"Evaluating Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) Systems using an Interpretive Approach†, Knowledge and Process Management, vol.9, no. 2, pp. 72-82. 11. Skok, W., Kophamel, A., and Richardson, I., 2001, â€Å"Diagnosing Information Systems Success: Importance-Performance Maps in the Health Club Industry†, Information and Management, vol.38, no. 7, pp. 409-419. 12. Willcocks, L.P., and Lester, S (eds.), 1999, â€Å"Beyond the IT Productivity Paradox†, Wiley. Chichester.

The Simple Pleasures of Life Bring Happiness Essay -- Happiness Essays

"I am determined to be cheerful and happy in whatever situation I may find myself. For I have learned that the greater part of our misery or unhappiness is determined not by our circumstance but by our disposition." -- Martha Washington "Happiness is not something ready made. It comes from your own actions." -- Dalai Lama An emotion is an intense feeling. Happiness is one of the many emotions humans experience. It may perhaps be the most important feeling a person can have and it is the one feeling everyone strives to achieve, yet strangely, for the most part, people seem to only get a glimpse of it. Pleasurable satisfaction, a state of well-being and contentment are the more outstanding elements of happiness. Happiness, known more formally as felicity, is good. A state of well-being characterized by emotions ranging from contentment to intense joy and can be applied to almost every kind of enjoyment. It can be defined and characterized in several ways- metaphorically, by life’s everyday pleasures, and by the behaviors and accomplishments of a happy person. This emotion can be metaphorically compared with expressions such as, the sun shining through the rain and the â€Å"silver lining behind the dark cloud†. These expressions capture the optimistic outlook of happiness, they symbolize hope of a bigger, better and brighter future even in the midst of what could be termed as the â€Å"darkest hour†. Happiness is the essence of life, the wind gently blowing flowers in the open field, the puppies frolicking in a pile of leaves, and is reflected in the merriment of men. It is exciting, playful, full of good cheer and lighthearted and signifies life. It brings the smiles to the faces of children one to ninety-nine. Happiness i... ...e way. Apart from success, good health and longevity are associated with happiness. The lightheartedness that accompanies happiness has been said to lower the chance of strokes and heart attacks. Laughter releases tension and add to persons overall sense of well-being. Happiness is not death, or sorrow. It is not gloom, depression or heavy-heartedness. Happiness does not lament nor does it worry. It is neither moody nor pensive, neither wanton nor pessimistic. Happiness does not mourn for what was it instead rejoices in what will be. Happiness comes through good fortune and through loving and being loved. Eating a good meal, being in good health and enjoying the comforts of life can also achieve it. The simple pleasures of life bring happiness, whether it be enjoying a favorite dessert, smelling a rose or running in the rain. O happiness! our being's end and aim!

American Fashion returns to the classics :: essays research papers

American fashion returns to the classics 4th March 2005 Preppy, the classic American fashion that defined the 1980s, has become the look for spring 2005. Trend-right dressing will include turned-up collars, argyle socks, layered polos...and, of course, penny loafers. Bass introduced the first penny loafer in 1936, naming it the "Weejun" after its Norwegian origin. The style quickly became an American classic. Penny loafers evolved into a symbol of "cool" in the 1950's and 60's, and celebrities like James Dean and Steve McQueen were spotted wearing them. They were again elevated to a must-have in the 1980s, worn with white socks, during a resurgence of the preppy trend. Now that classic American style is again at the forefront of fashion, Bass has reintroduced its iconic Weejuns, with a modern twist. Instead of classic brown, the women's version now comes in a choice of pink, white or lime green! For men, Bass squared the toe for a dressier approach. The trend, sometimes called "preppy," is driven by a general agreement that people are tired of "grunge" looks. Instead, they are turning to the clean, crisp fashion of Polo shirts, slacks and pleated skirts - all of which are loafer-friendly. Spring's updated color palette of pink mixed with green and turquoise paired with white gives this classic style a fresh, modern appeal. Many high-end designers are capitalizing on this trend with their own versions of the penny loafer. Consistent with its heritage, authentic Bass penny loafers come with a realistic price tag - about $60 for women's and about $90 for men's. Bass penny loafers for both men and women are available at BassShoes.com and Famous Footwear. While they come in an array of pastels for women, the classic browns, burgundy and black remain the colors for men. Brown Shoe is a $1.9 billion footwear company with worldwide operations. The Company operates the 900-store Famous Footwear chain, which sells brand name shoes for the family. It also operates 400 Naturalizer stores in the U.S. and Canada that sell the Naturalizer brand of shoes and accessories. Brown Shoe, through its Wholesale divisions, owns and markets leading footwear brands including Naturalizer, LifeStride, Connie and Buster Brown; it also markets licensed brands including Dr.

Calorimetry Lab

Which foods have the most calories? Hypothesis: If we burn the food then the heating released will be measured as calories because the energy stored Inside Is released as heat and light. Parts of the experiment Control Group-water Experimental Group- different foods Independent variable- Type of food Dependent Variable- temperature of water Controlled variables- water temperature of unheated water Materials Stirring Rod, Beaker, ring clamp, evaporating disk, matches, crackers, marshmallows Analysis Questions 1 . Which foods gave off the most calories/gram?Marshmallows 2. Which foods gave off the least calories/gram? The chips give off the least, when they were burned we realized they had the least. 3. How do these results compare with your prediction? The result are somewhat like my prediction, I predicted that when the food is burned it will release heat and light.I liked this lab because it's a way to figure UT certain things within food substances. I probably would not take the ti me out to try it out at home, but I did like the lab. Despite us being very careful with trying to make everything accurate I don't think everything was so accurate. However scientists do this all the time to fugue out the calories of foods, so it is still a legit experiment. The temperatures did not change drastically it was mostly around 4 or 4. 5 degrees Celsius. Citation Mar. 2013. Web. 14 May 2014. Http://www. Chem†¦ Davidson. Deed/vice/calorimeter/ heatcapacityofcalorimeter. HTML

Americanization Versus National Culture Essay

Changes are realities of life regardless of one’s origin, skin color, beliefs and traditions. These are unavoidable facts that affect all living creatures on earth in both ways-good and bad. Like all other changes, globalization is one concept born as early as 1960s and has rapidly influenced literally all peoples even those at the edge of the world. In fact, the United Nations Organization (UNO) declared the 1960’s as the dawn of global development (Dass, Rakesh 2008). Drivers of globalization include economic, political, cultural and social factors that eventually led to the spread and elimination of traditions and practices in all aspects of human life. The bottom line is that globalization has two faces: the beneficial and the devastating one. One’s point of argument will depend on which side is he in at the moment. Although the reality that globalization has been advantageous in some ways, this paper would try to prove that globalization has more devastating effects especially on human culture and identity. In particular, this paper would like to point out the multi-faceted risks posed by globalization trend in South East Asian nations. Cultural differences are sacred things that each person is required to respect. It is this culture and tradition that South East Asian nations are rich of and their individual history will prove this argument right. â€Å"Culture is used by the organizers of society – politicians, theologians, academics, and families – to impose and ensure order, the rudiments of which change over time as need dictates† (Rothkopf, David 1997). It is this culture that identifies Asians from the Americans and the Europeans. The differences should not however be treated as walls that hinder other nation to relate with others because the significance of international relations for national development should also be acknowledged. It happened however that globalization forced each nation to open not only their doors but also their windows to let the influence of the Western culture peep in and eventually seep deep into its culture and tradition. Globalization and the technological revolution will also have a significant impact on the diversity and convergence of cultures (Huntington, Samuel 1993, p. 22). We can take culture in its two meanings. The first meaning encompasses a people’s lifestyle, folkways, traditions, art, literature, dance, music and so on. Culture by this definition has to be preserved, nurtured and enriched. It links people to the origins of whom and what they are. It is what binds them together. It gives them their identity beyond the family. It is the source of their sense of self-worth. It imparts meaning to their lives. The diversity of people’s cultures and the interaction among them enrich the human race. Culture comprehends a people’s set of values and attitudes, their outlook on life, their ways of thinking and working, and their mindsets. It is people’s cultures in this sense that globalization and technology are disrupting. In this sense, cultures have to adjust in order for people and nations and regions to be competitive in the global economy (Achenbach, Joel 2001, p. 17). If science and technology, especially information and communications technology and biotechnology, are the arena and weapons for global competition, nations and companies have to undertake a massive re-allocation of resources to education, training, research and development, and the infrastructure for the knowledge industries. National and corporate priorities have to be reset. Legal assumptions and institutional arrangements have to be re-examined. Just as importantly, people’s mindsets have to change. They have to acquire a scientific bent, develop a certain rigor in their thinking, and cultivate the capacity and inclination to turn knowledge into practical applications. People have to develop the willingness to question knowledge that is handed down and challenge intellectual authority – and be allowed to do so. Personal relationships have to be tempered by the objective application of law and rules in the conduct of government and business. In sum, the proverbial paradigm shift must take place. â€Å"Language, religion, political and legal systems, and social customs are the legacies of victors and marketers and reflect the judgment of the marketplace of ideas throughout popular history† (Rothkopt, David 1997). Rothkopt also stressed that culture is often seen as living artifacts, bits and pieces that are being passed from generation to generation through the processes of indoctrination, popular acceptance, and unthinking adherence to old ways. This way, cultural differences lead one nation to consider globalization a threat to one’s culture and eventually to one’s identity. Whether it is the rapid proliferation of Starbucks in Tokyo, changing realities of the real estate market in Greater Vancouver, the recent boom in Korean popular music and TV dramas in Taipei, or the widespread employment of Filipino maids in Hong Kong, the fabric of everyday life in many cities in the Asia Pacific region are comprised of increasingly transnational elements. Intensification of foreign direct investment, trade, cross-national corporate alliances and mergers, cultural exchanges, and university tie-ups have fortified world-wide links between people, organizations, regions, and governments of various nation-states. Terms such as â€Å"global economy,† â€Å"cultural diversity,† and â€Å"global environment† have wended their way into the lexicons of major business schools, while at the same time, a constellation of demonstrations and discontents have been stuffed into the category of â€Å"the anti-globalization movement. † Observing these trends and changes is an easy enough task, requiring little more than a walk along any major commercial street in any major city, or a casual perusal of university course catalogues. How one analyses and understands the changes associated with â€Å"globalization† are another issue, one that presents a considerably more complex intellectual problem. Does â€Å"globalization† writ-large promote greater understanding of cultural similarities and differences, or does it merely diffuse a wider array of simplistic and essentialist stereotypes? Does globalization propagate exploitation and income disparity, or does it offer the individual freedom of choice and convenience of standardization? Do these shifts bring the world closer together, consuming the same hamburgers in a new global community, or is this a homogenizing cultural imperialism, obliterating local cultures in MacWorld synchronicity? How does the nexus of global and local inform individual and collective identities and cultures? First, the historical context behind globalization needs to be kept in mind. While there are some obvious discontinuities as well as continuities, European expansion, modern colonialism, modernization, and globalization constitute different media for the intensification of global ties. For example, certain clothing practices for men in the Asia Pacific (such as wearing ties in suffocating humid midsummer heat) were initially disseminated via Western European imperialism and colonialism. The use of modern statistical methods to measure economic output is yet another example of a â€Å"global† standard originally propagated through the practices of colonial administrations throughout the region. This is not to suggest that the process of globalization can be explained solely by tracing the expansion of European notions of â€Å"civilization† and â€Å"modernity† (both terms which need to be examined critically before blind invocation) or that there is a universal teleology that history must inevitably follow, but to point out that the decoupling of cultural experience from particular geographic locales is not an unprecedented phenomenon. By acknowledging the historical precedents, we may focus our analysis on what might be different or new about the term â€Å"globalization† or whether we ought to discard the term entirely due to the absence of any meaningful conceptual or descriptive value-added. For example, some scholars have argued, however vaguely, that the speed, scale, and scope of these changes and flows have accelerated over the last fifty years. The oft-cited acceleration in the development and diffusion of communication technologies has facilitated the dissemination of information and intensified financial transactions. Thus, while commodity trade may be less global than in pre-1945 years, the amount of money traded in foreign currency exchange dealings or the capital flows through various investments is more intense now than before. Second, it is important to examine the underlying assumptions and operating definitions undergirding much of the debate. The ways concepts such as â€Å"culture† or â€Å"global† or â€Å"local† are defined invariably affect the analytical approach taken. For example, â€Å"culture† is a frequently contested term. Many disciplines such as anthropology, having devoted considerable efforts to grappling with the concept, consider it a central analytical issue. Conversely, some approaches in other disciplines might exclude it from analysis, feeling that â€Å"culture† is too vague a black box to constitute a meaningful independent variable. If one takes the former view, cultural industries and exchanges are central to any understanding of any economic, political, social, and technological change. If one adheres to the latter approach, then it makes sense to distinguish between â€Å"globalization,† confined to economic activities, and â€Å"internationalization,† applied to ‘cultural’ interactions. In another example, some scholars invoke Manichean contrasts between an idealized â€Å"local† or â€Å"traditional† culture and a menacing â€Å"global† or â€Å"modern† culture. If one associates â€Å"local† with sites of national purity and resistance to rising tide of global capitalists, â€Å"local† culture should presumably be protected and maintained. If one defines â€Å"local† culture as reactionary, ignorant, and parochial, than one would presumably wish that â€Å"global† culture ‘enlightens’ â€Å"local† culture. Such latent normative values need to be fore-grounded for any meaningful discussion to occur. Further complicating the issue is the fact that there are increasingly fewer pockets of isolated, undiluted fonts of â€Å"local† identity left, at least in the major urban centers. For example, some commentators in Korea assert that McDonald’s is undermining traditional Korean culinary culture, and promoting obesity in young Korean children. However, the employees and managers of McDonald’s in Korea are Korean, as are its customers (Choe, Yong-shik. 2001). For better or for worse, the reality is that to make it more essential the visions of ‘good’ â€Å"local† and â€Å"traditional† cultures elide the fact that cultures — at the global, national, regional, local, and individual levels — change over time, and are often retroactively reconstituted to serve political interests of a particular moment, place, or institution.

Disadvantages of Genetically Modified Food Products Essay

British scientific researchers demonstrated that genetically modified DNA from crops can find its way into human gut bacteria, raising possible health concerns. This is because antibiotic-resistant marker genes are inserted with GM material, which could cause a person to be resistant to antibiotic medicines. The study was conducted at Newcastle University on seven human volunteers who, in the past, had their lower intestine removed and now use colostomy bags. After eating a burger containing GM soy, researchers compared their stools with 12 people with normal stomachs. They found â€Å"to their surprise† that â€Å"a relatively large proportion of genetically modified DNA survived the passage through the small bowel. † None was found in people who had complete stomachs. To see if GM DNA might be be transferred via bacteria to the intestine, they also took bacteria from stools in the colostomy bags and cultivated them. In three of the seven samples they found bacteria had taken up the herbicide-resistant gene from the GM food at a very low level. Michael Antonio, a senior lecturer in molecular genetics at King`s College Medical School, London, said that the work was significant because the researchers demonstrated that you can get GM plant DNA in the gut bacteria, which was previously considered to be not possible. Antonio said the research suggests that antibiotic marker genes could spread around the stomach and compromise antibiotic resistance. If this were to happen, a person could be immune to beneficial antiobiotic medicines. Marker genes are inserted into GM plants to allow identification of GM cells or tissue during development. The House of Lords has called for them to be phased out as swiftly as possible. The research was conducted at the request of the UK’s Food Standards Agency, which released a statement saying the research, â€Å"concluded that the likelihood of functioning DNA being taken up by bacteria in the human or animal gut is extremely low. † * Genetically modified foods may gain undesirable properties. * The preservation of genetic variety in one specie is difficult. The technology make farmer to produce only one type fertile plants. * The technology may cause undesirable degeneration. So, surprisingly, low quality products may be obtained. * Genetically modified foods may change the microbial flora of the soil. It may cause deperdition of essential microorganisms on soil. This ruin natural balance. * When genetically altered microorganisms are consumed with food products, they may consolidate with human or animal organism. His combination may cause deperdition, metamorphosis, or any other strange organisms. * If the foods which were made antibiotic resistant by gene technology are consumed, it may give the same property to human. This cause failure of antibiotic-based treatments. * By this technology transferred genes may contaminate to other organisms undesirably. This may cause biologic disaster. * As a ring of nature chain, insects may be influenced by genetically modified foods and insects can develop resistant mechanism. * Even beneficial foods that carry toxic effect genes can cause human illness. * There is a risk of formation one kind of flora. * Other organisms in the same medium may be influenced by genetically modified foods. Video Transcription. This transcription will have some mistakes because it is partially automated. Hey guys! This is Heather from HealthyEatingStartsHere. com. Today I wanted to talk to you about the disadvantages of genetically modified food. I do mention genetic modification every so often and to be on the lookout for it and that’s one of the reasons why I buy organic foods. And whenever I mentioned I always got a lot of question what it is? Why is it bad? All that kind of stuff! So first of all let’s look out what exactly it is. Genetic modification is when a scientist, genetic engineer goes into the actual DNA of a seed and changes something about the DNA. What it is depends on what they are trying to do. Often in food crops what they’re doing is they’re slicing in a little bit of some other species of plant or animal into the seed for certain traits that they want that plant to have. So if you are a vegan and you’re concern about animal rights and the use of animal products in your food, you wanna be really careful about genetically modified food because they might have some animal genes place in. And that involves not only the animal gene but obviously they are taking it from somewhere so there is some kind of animal experimentation going on. Aside from that, another thing that often comes up in question of what’s the difference between genetic modification and hybridization? Because people have been making hybrids for a long time, is that bad? Well, the difference is with hybrid foods what they’re doing is that they are taking two plants and they’re putting them together, kind of like mating them and producing a slightly different second generation off spring. So, it’s different because they’re not going actually on the actual DNA of the seeds and changing things mechanically. They are cross breeding and hybridization have been going on for a long long time since the beginning of agriculture really and genetic modification is very very new. It only started being experimented with in the late 1980’s and then it’s only been on the commercial scale since the late 1990’s. So not a lot of time they have been gathering data on what the long term effects are and that is one of the main disadvantages that people talk about with genetic modification. Today I want to focus more on the positive and look at what can we come up with as better solutions to whatever it is that people are trying to which are like genetic modification. If you want to read more about the disadvantages, I did write about them in my blogs, you can check that out at HealthyEatingstartsHere. com but again let’s take a look on the positive. The benefits that people are going for in genetic modification, one of the first one is the resistant to pesticides and herbicides. What happens there is well let’s take the biggest example which is Roundup ready crops. Roundup is a chemical that is a herbicides so it kills plants. You probably heard of it, people use it on their lawn, stuff like that and basically just wipes everything out. And what’s the company that produces Roundup called Monsanto wants to do is allow farmers to go out and spray field of crops and have Roundup kill all of the weeds that they don’t want but leave the crops growing. So what they do is they go onto the seeds of these major crops and changed it so that Roundup does not kill them. So that’s one of the biggest and first uses of genetic modification and the solution there if you look at organic food production, the bases behind the whole process is about making plants healthy, making the soil healthy first so that it grows healthy plants and those healthy plants won’t have diseases won’t get pests and will grow in healthy soil and the weeds won’t even be a problem. So it eliminates the need for these Roundup ready crops, I mean it’s more complex than that but that’s the – the basic idea is let’s look at what we want and create that rather than taking how things are and kind of putting a band aid on it and trying to make it better. So you can read a little more about this over at my blog, go check that out but I wanna hear from you guys. Leave me a comment and let me know what you think about genetically modified foods. And whether you think there are some major disadvantages, whether you think they’re important, what you think are some good solutions that would be really awesome thing hear from you guys, what you think some better ways of doing things would be so let me know and I’ll see you guys next time. < p>Hey guys! This is Heather from HealthyEatingStartsHere. com. Today I wanted to talk to you about the disadvantages of genetically modified food. I do mention genetic modification every so often and to be on the lookout for it and that’s one of the reasons why I buy organic foods. And whenever I mentioned I always got a lot of question what it is? Why is it bad? All that kind of stuff!   first of all let’s look out what exactly it is. Genetic modification is when a scientist, genetic engineer goes into the actual DNA of a seed and changes something about the DNA. What it is depends on what they are trying to do. Often in food crops what they’re doing is they’re slicing in a little bit of some other species of plant or animal into the seed for certain traits that they want that plant to have. So if you are a vegan and you’re concern about animal rights and the use of animal products in your food, you wanna be really careful about genetically modified food because they might have some animal genes place in. And that involves not only the animal gene but obviously they are taking it from somewhere so there is some kind of animal experimentation going on. Aside from that, another thing that often comes up in question of what’s the difference between genetic modification and hybridization? Because people have been making hybrids for a long time, is that bad? Well, the difference is with hybrid foods what they’re doing is that they are taking two plants and they’re putting them together, kind of like mating them and producing a slightly different second generation off spring. So, it’s different because they’re not going actually on the actual DNA of the seeds and changing things mechanically. They are cross breeding and hybridization have been going on for a long long time since the beginning of agriculture really and genetic modification is very very new. It only started being experimented with in the late 1980’s and then it’s only been on the commercial scale since the late 1990’s. So not a lot of time they have been gathering data on what the long term effects are and that is one of the main disadvantages that people talk about with genetic modification. Today I want to focus more on the positive and look at what can we come up with as better solutions to whatever it is that people are trying to which are like genetic modification. If you want to read more about the disadvantages, I did write about them in my blogs, you can check that out at HealthyEatingstartsHere. com but again let’s take a look on the positive. The benefits that people are going for in genetic modification, one of the first one is the resistant to pesticides and herbicides. What happens there is well let’s take the biggest example which is Roundup ready crops. Roundup is a chemical that is a herbicides so it kills plants. You probably heard of it, people use it on their lawn, stuff like that and basically just wipes everything out. < p>And what’s the company that produces Roundup called Monsanto wants to do is allow farmers to go out and spray field of crops and have Roundup kill all of the weeds that they don’t want but leave the crops growing. So what they do is they go onto the seeds of these major crops and changed it so that Roundup does not kill them. So that’s one of the biggest and first uses of genetic modification and the solution there if you look at organic food production, the bases behind the whole process is about making plants healthy, making the soil healthy first so that it grows healthy plants and those healthy plants won’t have diseases won’t get pests and will grow in healthy soil and the weeds won’t even be a problem. So it eliminates the need for these Roundup ready crops, I mean it’s more complex than that but that’s the – the basic idea is let’s look at what we want and create that rather than taking how things are and kind of putting a band aid on it and trying to make it better. So you can read a little more about this over at my blog, go check that out but I wanna hear from you guys. Leave me a comment and let me know what you think about genetically modified foods. And whether you think there are some major disadvantages, whether you think they’re important, what you think are some good solutions that would be really awesome thing hear from you guys, what you think some better ways of doing things would be so let me know and I’ll see you guys next time. A lot of people aren’t clear on what exactly genetically modified food is. Very simply, it’s food that’s been changed on a genetic level through genetic engineering. The process usually involves splicing in a gene from a different species of plant or animal to take advantage of certain traits. Hybridization causes some confusion here, since it’s also a way of breeding plants (or animals) for certain traits. The difference is that hybrid food is created through cross-breeding two plants into a second generation. Genetic modification is done directly in the DNA of a seed. The main benefits producers are going for in genetically modifying food plants is a resistance to pesticides and herbicides, better tolerance of extreme weather conditions (like drought), longer shelf lives, and an increase of certain nutrients (like vitamin A-infused rice). That all sounds good on paper, but there are some serious disadvantages of genetically modified food. The most blatant one is that this GM seeds are already in widespread use in the industrial agriculture food chain without having had long-term testing. They only started small scale experiments in the late 1980’s, and large scale operations started in the late 1990’s. The future effects on our health, our environment and the sustainability of our food crops aren’t easy to predict in the best of times, but GM foods and crops throw a real curveball in the mix. Because they are a fundamentally new organism, there’s a lot of speculation that GM foods are treated as allergens – foreign invaders – by our bodies. There’s also the potential of splicing in a gene that is a natural allergen. The disadvantages of genetically modified food don’t stop at health and environmental concerns. There are some serious social justice issues, where farmers in developing nations (and even those in rich countries) are generating massive profits for large corporations without any gains for themselves. In fact, lots of farmers in India kill themselves because they just can’t see a way out of the downward spiral of paying for seeds that require paying for pesticides and fertilizers and machinery, then paying for more seeds and now having to pay for irrigation systems because their land is drying out†¦ Now, that’s just a quick overview of the disadvantages of genetically modified food. I don’t really like to dwell too long on the negative side of things, but sometimes it’s important to know why you don’t do certain things. What I much prefer looking at is the positive side of what you can do instead. If you look at the benefits of GM crops, there isn’t a need to use genetic modification to get them. Organic methods of growing food are about making plants optimally healthy, so that they don’t need pesticides, fertilizers or herbicides. Growing healthy plants from healthy soil also makes for higher nutrient levels, and getting a variety of healthy foods is a better way of getting nutrients than protein-enhanced sweet potatoes or vitamin A-enhanced rice. Growing food in polycultures (lots of different types of plants together) rather than massive monocultures (like the enormous fields of corn or soy beans you see all over North America), and using different varieties of plants brings biodiversity that can better withstand extreme environmental conditions. It’s like building diversity in your investment portfolio – having a wide variety of stocks helps lessen the impact of one or a few companies crashing. Local food systems make shelf life less of an issue. Besides, do you really want to eat rice that could last for a few years? When the farmers are the ones who are starving, there is something seriously wrong in our food supply chain. My main question is this: If there are so many unknowns and disadvantages of genetically modified food, why don’t we put our efforts into better solutions – ones that address the root of the issues? The best way to avoid the disadvantages of genetically modified food is to grow your own – and if you don’t have space or time for a vegetable garden, a jar of sprouts on the windowsill is still awesome. If you need pointers, you can watch me show just how easy it is to grow alfalfa sprouts at home. Want to know it? Answers to life’s questions Want to know it? This blog has a little bit of everything to challenge your mind and find answers to life’s questions. Home Disadvantages of Genetically Modified Food By: Want To Know It Photo Credit wheat field image by Soja Andrzej from Fotolia. com Genetic engineering has been practiced in the form of selective breeding throughout the history of agriculture. However, the discovery in 1953 of the structure of DNA gave scientists the ability to insert genes from one life form into those of a completely separate life form, thus arriving at the modern genetic engineering movement. Genetic engineering is fraught with controversy regarding its ethical and moral implications and health effects. Cancer Genetically modified foods share certain toxic effects on the liver, pancreas, kidneys and reproductive system that may cause cancer in these organs, according to a Greek study published in the February 2009 â€Å"Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition. † The widespread use of recombinant growth hormone — a genetically modified substance — in the agricultural industry is associated with increases in IGF-1, a growth hormone that, in excess quantities, can lead to cancer. Sponsored Links Humanization Special Rapid, Powerful, Full length IgG Short time only End-of-Year Pricing www. BioAtla. com Allergy Allergic reactions to genetically modified foods may arise due to the presence of proteins derived from the plant or animal used to modify the food, according to a U. S. study published in the July 2009 â€Å"Toxicological Sciences. † Current safety standards involve evaluation of the foreign proteins for allergenic potential, and a database of known allergenic proteins has been compiled, along with computer programs for assessing potential allergenicity of proteins. Additionally, animal and non-animal testing methods are being developed to assist in the process of screening for allergenicity. Intestinal Immunity Genetically modified corn caused an immune reaction in mice in an Italian study published in the December 2008 â€Å"Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. † Mice fed genetically modified corn for 30 days showed altered levels of white blood cells; interleukins, a category of protein molecules that regulate immune function; and MIP-1beta, a chemical produced by certain white blood cells that initiates inflammation. The researchers noted that young and old mice were similarly affected by the modified corn. Endometriosis Rising rates of endometriosis coincide with increased consumption of genetically modified foods over the last decade, according to a Canadian report published in the December 2010 â€Å"Gynecology, Obstetrics and Fertility. † The presence of pesticide residue and foreign proteins in genetically modified foods may be the culprit, say the authors, citing the â€Å"low-dose hypothesis† that accumulation of toxins, along with added chemicals for the stabilization and delivery of pesticides designed for use with genetically modified foods, multiply the risk factors and could be harmful for their immune-toxic effects and ability to disrupt the endocrine system. Read more: http://www. livestrong. com/article/345554-disadvantages-of-genetically-modified-food/#ixzz2G2YGRNlT. Genetically modified food has been on the market since the early 90’s and since that time has attracted both positive and negative attention. Many people believe genetically modified food to be unsafe for human consumption and a hazard to the natural environment. There have been numerous studies undertaken to determine the risks involved with genetically engineering foods. As yet no set conclusions have been reached about the risk involved with genetically engineered food and strict guidelines have been established to regulate the genetically modified foods that can be sold to the consumer. What is Genetically Modified Food? Genetically modified food is food that has been altered at the DNA level. This is done by very precise genetic engineering techniques developed by scientists. In general the aim of genetically modifying food is simple, either to make the food more marketable or make it easier to produce. Most food that is genetically modified are plant products or vegetables such as soybeans, corn and tomatoes. The genetic modification of crops happened prior to scientific engineering via breeding and cross pollination. This method is still used to create crops that are more resistant to pests or to produce plants that yield bigger harvests. Scientific genetic engineering allows for a specific gene to be taken from one organism and transplanted into another. The gene responsible for making a plant resistant to pests can be quickly and efficiently transplanted into another plant allowing it to gain this resistant property. Disadvantages of Genetically Modified Food. †¢ There have been numerous criticisms leveled at genetically modified produce and it is important that we as the consumer are informed about the possible drawbacks of a product. †¢ Changing plants may have lasting effects on other organisms in the ecosystem. The change in a plant may cause it to be toxic to an insect or animal that uses it as its main food source. †¢ Due to the widespread use of insect resistant genes in crops the insects may become resistant to the genetic modifications. This would cause a widespread loss of crops and plants that have the natural immunity leading to a loss in biodiversity. †¢ Breeding and cross pollination across unintended species could occur resulting in things such as insect resistant weeds. †¢ Cross pollination can also occur across crops that are not genetically modified leading to lawsuits about who owns the GM technology and seed. The same thing can happen between organic crops and genetically modified crops making it difficult to maintain an organic status. †¢ A huge concern is that genetic modification could cause allergies in humans due to gene modification of plants. People may find that they are now allergic to other food products – people because they contain a gene from the allergen they have. One example is the use of a Brazilian nut gene in corn. †¢ Some studies have shown that it may affect the human digestive system in a number of ways. The incorporation of substances that may interact badly with one another in food or in fact be poisonous to people may happen. The modification of certain genes may make some plant substances difficult to digest at all. †¢ A major economical concern is that the control of world food sources may be limited to large companies because they own the GM seeds and have the money to start and finish the accreditation process. †¢ Genetic modification can also make it difficult to know what you are eating, as a plant could contain animals products via genetic engineering. This could cause issues for those with dietary restrictions and religious commitments. Related Articles.