Charter Of Rights And Freedoms - 1345 Words

Charter of Rights and Freedoms The Canadian constitution is the foundation that forms and brings together our nation government and its legal system. You can also consider the constitution as a rulebook. It contains rules and regulations that political parties must follow in order to adopt, amend, or revoke a law. The constitution has three main sources. In 1867 the British North American Act passed, which was the first source of the constitution. A change was made to the BNA act and was patriated in 1982. It was then officially called the Constitution Act 1867. The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms were included in the amendments that were added to the Constitution in 1982. The act was renamed Constitution Act 1982. The second source is the unwritten set of rules and conventions, which is crucial in Canadian law. These rules usually are developed and later on used by important politicians and government officials. The last source of the constitution is the court rulings and decisions. When there are dispute s or conflicts to solve, the courts are called upon to resolve them. The charter of rights and freedoms is known as the most important piece of paperwork to any living Canadian. (Alexandraowicz 104). It is made up of 34 sections and 9 subsections. The most significant subtopics in the charter are our fundamental freedoms, legal and equality rights. These rights allow us to speak and do as we will under a reasonable limit, protect us under the law, treat us fairly,Show MoreRelatedThe Charter Of Rights And Freedoms1627 Words   |  7 PagesThe Charter of Rights and Freedoms entrenched under the CA 1982 act in the Canadian constitution is seen as a decisive indicator of national identity by the majority of Canadians. The charter’s role in Canadian society ranges from providing individuals with intrinsic human rights such as freedom of expression, freedom of belief and acts particularly as a concrete limit on ‘tyranny of the majority’, advocating and enforcing basic rights of individuals and minorities. It is however worthy to note thatRead MoreThe Charter Of Rights And Freedoms1205 Words   |  5 PagesThe Charter of Rights and Freedoms is part of the Constitution and it was added to the Constitution in 1982. The Constitution has many laws about the essential guidelines one must follow in our country. It also governs how the government/ organizations should treat their citizens. The Charter allows the citizens and newcomers to feel like they are appreciated and also safe. However, there are situations where the Charter cannot protect you. The Charter can be stretched and can be looked at from differentRead MoreThe Charter Of Rights And Freedoms1181 Words   |  5 PagesThe Charter of Rights and Freedoms has significantly enhanced the power of the judiciary in Canada. Within the Supreme Court of Canada judges have been given the judiciary power and this amount of power is not excessive. Again, in the Supreme Court of Canada judges are federa lly appointed. Most of these appointments are made by the minister of Justice after Cabinet consultation and approval. In some other cases, appointments are made by the Prime Minister. Judges are public officers chosen to ruleRead MoreThe Charter Of Rights And Freedoms1139 Words   |  5 PagesThe Charter of Rights and Freedoms was constructed to replace the Bill of Rights, 1960. In the 1960’s-1970’s Quebec was extremely discontent with being apart of Canada due to the language barer and being a minority. Many citizens in Quebec even wanted to separate themselves from Canada and form their own nation. Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau decided that the new charter in order to ensure the rights of people residing in Quebec. In order to do this Trudeau had to create an amending formula for theRead MoreThe Charter Of Rights And Freedoms1934 Words   |  8 PagesThe Charter of Rights and Freedoms is part of Canada’s written constitution called the Constitution Act in 1982 it was the second main aspect of the Act and it guaranteed fundamental, democratic, legal, egalitarian, and linguistic rights and freedoms against government intrusion, it imposed f ormal new limitations on the governments in interaction with its citizens. The charter has made society more equitable for visible minorities through its use of its Fundamental Rights and Freedoms and SectionRead MoreThe Charter Of Rights And Freedoms2537 Words   |  11 PagesThis essay will argue the reasons behind the notwithstanding clause remaining within the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. In this paper, I will provide reasons as to why the clause should be kept within the Charter beginning with the arguments that it is an essential element in critical policy decisions being made by politicians and it s hard to remove which requires the amending formula to be used if changes are to be made. On the other side, its use in policy can create grave and problematicRead MoreThe Charter Of Rights And Freedoms1363 Words   |  6 Pages The phenomenon of entrenching the Charter of Rights and Freedoms is not new to Canadian citizens, but it is a notion that is perceived in se veral ways. Many view it as a feature that disregards the fundamental right to democracy, an integral part of Canada’s political system. A functioning democracy is an important factor in providing citizens with the utmost rights and freedoms deserved. Society’s full potential is not being achieved if there are individuals who believe their principle of democracyRead MoreThe Charter Of Rights And Freedoms1596 Words   |  7 PagesPrime Minister Pierre Trudeau was establishing the renowned Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Since the three decades of being established, the Charter of Rights and Freedoms has protected the individual rights and freedoms of thousands of Canadians. The Charter of Rights and Freedoms has become a part of the national identity and has become a big patriotic symbol for the country. The Charter of Rights and Freedoms is the document the truly separates Canada from all the other powerful nations and isRead MoreThe Charter Of Rights And Freedom2222 Words   |  9 Pagesthe Charter of Rights Freedoms a mistake? It is believed that the Charter s creation was a significant benefit as it guarantees certain political rights to Canadian citizens and civil rights of everyone in Canada from the policies and actions of all areas and levels of government. However, many believe the Charter makes Canada more like the United States, especially by serving corporate rights and individual rights rather than group rights and social rights. Also, there are several rights thatRead MoreThe Charter Of Rights And Freedom2268 Words   |  10 PagesThe Charter of Rights and Freedom and its Effect on Canada Prabhjot Banipal 10 Dec 2014 Topic 4 University of the Fraser Valley The Charter of Rights and Freedoms is a bill of rights granted constitutional status that was introduced in the Constitution Act of 1982 by Prime Minister Pierre Elliot Trudeau. The Constitution Act is also known as the repatriation of the Canadian Constitution. The Charter had several purposes; the first is â€Å"to outline and guarantee the political rights of Canadian

Benefits And Costs Of Immigration - 927 Words

Benefits and costs of immigration When it comes to the topic of immigration, most of us will readily agree that both illegal and legal immigration is an issue in the United States. Where this agreement usually ends, however, is on the question of the economy. Whereas some are convinced that the United States economy benefits from both illegal and legal migration, others maintain there are costs in allowing immigration. Increased immigration would expand the American work force, and encourage more business start-ups. However, American anti-immigrant groups have long feared the possibility that immigrants drive native born workers out of jobs. With that being said, an immigrant policy focused on increasing economic growth would seek ways to admit more immigrants with the advanced education levels desired by domestic employers. Millions of immigrants migrate to the United States to escape the political repression that is taking place in their homeland. So immigrants choose to migrate to the United States because of the prospect of economic betterment. According to â€Å"Immigration† an article by Helmut Anheier, â€Å"immigrants compare wage rates and unemployment rates in their countries of origin as well as in potential destination countries.† Immigrants see the wage gap, therefore, they decide to migrate to the United States for greater good job opportunities. The job opportunities in America intrigue immigrants, so they migrate here to find work and make a new living. There are aShow MoreRelatedThe Cost of Illegal Imigration Essays1560 Words   |  7 Pagesas the great nation we are. The struggle I speak of is not immigration but illegal immigration. Illegal immigrants have caused a struggle politically, in the government and have affected you even in your own schools and work. We must rectify the immigration system to help our predicament because the effects of illegal immigration may surprise you. One of the largest disadvantages of allowing illegal immigrants in our country is the cost. They take great sums of money away from taxpayers and ourRead MoreIllegal Immigration And The United States1481 Words   |  6 PagesPurpose Statement Illegal immigration can cause substantial tension on the current economic configuration in a country. However, it can also, assist the said configurations by providing cheap and effective manpower at the same time. Contemporary study on political opinions concerning immigration frequently pits points of view highlighting economic self-interest versus cultural or ideological rationalization. They (studies) are also based on the particular immigration policy at hand at the time,Read MoreLegalization For Hard Working Immigrants890 Words   |  4 PagesImmigration has become a very relevant topic in the past few years and has sparked various arguments between Americans. No agreement has been reached regarding immigration reform, possibly because many people view it as an immediate amnesty rather than a possibility of legalization for hard-working immigrants. Despite of the negative meaning associated with it, an immigration reform would be beneficial to the U.S. in social aspects, such as having undivided families, and by stimulating economic growthRead MoreIllegal Immigrants Are Good For The Economy Of The United States1250 Words   |  5 Pagesanalysts, government officials, as well as scholars have sought to ascertain the political, social, and economic impacts of the illegal immigrants (Hanson 11). Particularly, there has been raging debate regarding the economic impact of illegal immigration to the United States of America. It has become a matter of debate and study as it relates considerably to the nation’s politics and economy. At the centre of this debate is the question of whether illegal immigrants are good or bad to the economyRead MoreIn Search of a Dream Essay1372 Words   |  6 Pagesimpact on American life, they contribute new productivity-enhancing ideas to industry and science, and they win Nobel prizes. According to a professor at Chapman University’s law school in California, Francine Lipman, the belief that illegal immigrants cost US citizens more than they give contribute to them is â€Å"demonstrably false† and evidence is justifying this. Lipman wrote that the undocumented workers, which form 5% of the worker population in the U .S. live in households where the average annual incomeRead MoreThe Impact Of Immigration On The United States1301 Words   |  6 Pagesâ€Å"The US Council of Economic Advisers on Immigration s Economic Impact. Population and Development Review, 33. 3, (2007), 641. Web. Feb. 2017. Immigration remains the subject of significant public and political debate in the United States. In May and June of 2007, a lot of public attention was concentrated on a debate in the U.S congress on legislation. The bill in front of the senate formally named the â€Å"Secure Borders, Economic Opportunity and Immigration Reform Act of 2007,† was controversialRead MoreThe New Colossus By Emma Lazarus955 Words   |  4 Pagesit is left unregulated, it can have many adverse affects. Preview: Today, I will be addressing how illegal immigration impacts us and I will be introducing a policy to address the problem. Transition to first main point: To start, there are multiple problems that result from illegal immigration. Body: Population levels have risen drastically, partially due to increased illegal immigration activity, that affects the job market for Americans. According to Jens Krogstad and Jeffrey Passel, seniorRead MoreThe Issue Of Illegal Immigrants1441 Words   |  6 Pagescalled ethnocentrism. Ethnocentrism is the reason that American citizen’s highly debate and criticize illegal immigration, arguing that illegal immigrants are drug addicted thieves who thrive off of stealing American’s jobs and harming the United States labor force and the economy. As the immigration rate progressively rise’s it simultaneously concerns those who favor strict immigration laws and believe that illegal immigrants are harming the United States. However, these assumptions are hardly factRead MoreThe Costs And Benefits Of Crime1723 Words   |  7 PagesThere have been studies that have confirmed that the estimated costs and benefits of crime are influenced by such factors as the individuals’ level of self-control, moral beliefs, strains, emotional state and association with delinquent peers. There have been countless of other studies that have examined whether peoples’ estimates of the costs and benefits of crime influence their levels of offending or their intentions to offend. Such studies have examined the perceived likelihood that crime willRead MoreHow To Set A Good Price For Immigration Case Study804 Words   |  4 PagesHow to Set a Good Price for Immigration Cases Individual moving or visiting the US go through a detailed application process in order to work, seek legal resident status or US citizenship. Most people are forced to seek the services of immigration law attorneys to help them navigate the whole immigration process. Besides immigration VISA application, the other services provided by immigration attorney include spouse sponsoring, immigration change of status, cancelation of removal, deportation of

A Nurse is a Nurse Free Essays

The public and professional images of nursing and the portrayal of nurses in the media have a great impact on several work-related issues – how health care as a collaborative enterprise is provided to patients, the extent that nurses’ work is valued, the participation of the nurse in healthcare team decision-making, the visibility of nurses in shaping national health care and the effect of these images on nurses’ job performance (Fletcher, 2007. Most researchers agree that although there have been improvements in the image of nursing, the portrayal today is still largely negative – an issue that has been raised by nurses for the past century. Gender issues seem to be at the core of this situation. We will write a custom essay sample on A Nurse is a Nurse or any similar topic only for you Order Now Other disciplines, specifically the medical profession, view nurses based on certain qualities. In a study by Weinberg, Miner and Rivlin (2009) on the perspectives of medical residents on working with nurses, nurses were trusted and regarded as colleagues depending on how competent, congenial and hardworking the residents perceived them to be (p.37). This implies that the collaborative approach does not always permeate the nurse-medical resident relationship despite nursing practice being elevated into a profession that is equal to other health disciplines. To be respected as a colleague requires a condition – nurses must first have to prove that they possess the qualities expected of them. Meanwhile, the media reinforces the image of nurses as a health worker that is lower in status than physicians or as other concepts other than being a professional. In a literature review conducted by Fletcher (2007) concerning the media portrayal of nurses, the author found that television shows, novels, films and advertisements then and now mainly portray nurses in four categories, namely â€Å"as ministering angel, battleaxe, physician handmaiden and naughty nurse† – negative images because these do not capture the reality of nursing (p.208). As an acute nursing shortage looms ahead, the campaign to improve the image of nursing, in order to attract more students into the profession, yielded a positive outcome. A recent Gallup survey on professional ethics and honesty found that 84% of Americans agreed that nurses are the most trusted professionals (Singleton, 2009). The Gallup survey image of nurses represents a positive development because nurses were viewed as professionals who are bound by a code of ethics and who adhered to such a code. Both the positive and negative images of nursing seem to reflect the unequal power relationship between men and women in society where women are viewed as either sex objects or as domestic partners. The end product is a stereotypical view of women’s roles as subservient to men. Along with this role are the associated feminine traits ranging from obedience, hard work, compassion and congeniality to promiscuity. The physician-nurse relationship reflects these stereotypes as physicians are disproportionately male and while nurses are disproportionately female. As a male-dominated profession, the physician’s work is highly recognized and valued while the nurse’s work is undervalued and unrecognized. Because of the stereotypes reinforced by media, the public largely identifies nurses only with bedside care and with carrying out physician’s orders. Most would think that since the work involved seems trivial, nurses do not need to obtain a 4-year BSN degree. They do not see the complex daily responsibilities of the nurse that requires education, training and autonomy or the current scope of nursing practice. As such, they fail to appreciate the significant impact of nurses’ work on patient health and outcomes. Although men have enrolled in nursing, it is still mainly a women’s profession and as Lavinia Dock (cited in Fletcher) aptly put it, â€Å"the status of nursing in all countries and at all times depends on the status of women† (2007, p.210). Because the nurse is a woman in a caring profession, expectations of her relate to female gender roles as well. Hence, further improvements in the status of women will similarly uplift the status of nursing. How to cite A Nurse is a Nurse, Papers

The Orion Shield Case Analysis free essay sample

The Orion Shield Project Case Study Executive Summary Project management is the science of planning, organizing, executing, and managing the resources needed to achieve a specific goal. Effective project managers (PM) strategically facilitate the entire project management process to ensure the project’s success. To do this the PM must adequately meet the specific requirements (i. e. , time, scope, quality, and cost) set forth by the project and its stakeholders. It is theorized that PM must possess a set of core competencies in order to successfully manage a project. Those competencies are development of project management knowledge areas, application of appropriate project management tools and techniques, understanding of the project environment, possession of leadership skills, and general managerial and human relations skills. This paper will critically analyze the performance of a newly appointed project manager, Gary Allison, through his response to various issues that arose during the management of The Orion Shield Project. In my analysis, I will thoroughly discuss the technical, ethical, legal, contractual, and change issues and Gary’s response to each. I will conclude my analysis with a reasoned deduction of what competencies Gary lacks that prohibit him from being an effective project manager. Technical Issues Gary identified the presence of technical issues during the initiating stage of the project. According to the request for proposal (RFP) released by Space Technologies Industries (STI), the technical specification required that the design should be able to operate at temperatures ranging from to F. Gary spent two months trying to get the design to meet the required specifications; however, he was unable to get the preliminary design to operate over F. Armed with this knowledge, Gary should have informed the sponsor at STI of the potential problem so it could be dealt with efficiently. Instead he allowed the Director of Engineering, Henry Larson, to coerce him into bluffing the proposal submission. Had he properly reported the discovery of not being able to meet the specification requirements, STI may have made an allowance in the contract by changing the contract type, scope, or cost to accommodate the additional research and development efforts. At the onset of the project Gary showed that he lacked a very vital competency – understanding of the project environment. The project’s environment is the cultural, social, and organizational elements of the project. A keen understanding of a project’s environment would allow a project manager to identify the project’s stakeholders, learn whose opinion matters, and who benefits and suffers from the work performed (Bach, 2006). If Gary had possessed this understanding he would have known that most projects experience resources, constraints, and other forces that both enable and prohibit a project from being successful. Ethical Issues After spending a very extensive and rigorous amount of time working on meeting the desired specifications of the RFP, Gary was confident the design SEC manufactured wouldn’t work unless the materials were changed. Although after a brief meeting with Larsen he decided to deceive STI. He deceptively submitted the proposal stating the model SEC had constructed will remain operable in temperatures reaching up to Based on this submission SEC was awarded the contract. Another ethical issue that arose was when Henry Larsen interfered in the spec requirement problem and created what he thought was a solution – JBX3. To fund the testing of the new product, JBX3, Larsen insisted Gary tell STI that SEC had used independent research and development funds. When instead they had used STI’s money. Gary felt uneasy about both accounts of deception and felt it would surely lead to conflict and customer dissatisfaction. However, he did nothing. Gary’s inability to effectively act when the abovementioned ethical acts occurred shows that he lacks the leadership skills to lead a project of this size. An effective leader inspires a shared vision, is a good communicator, is emotionally intelligent, possesses team building skills, delegates tasks well, and have excellent problem solving skills. They also know when to â€Å"stand up to top management†¦, support team members, and encourage new ideas† (Schwalbe, 2010). F. Legal Issues In addition to intentionally deceiving the stakeholders in various areas of the project, Gary also ran the risk of dealing with other behavior that is deemed contractually illegal. When SEC took on the obligation of the contract they agreed to fulfill the requirement set forth by the scope of work, in the time allotted, and within specific cost measures. This is the one area Gary managed to somewhat succeed. Being conscience of the project’s time and scope he performed a lot of the duties himself that should have been delegated. He also spent numerous off-peak hours ensuring duties were complete. It also appears that he possesses knowledge of quality and communications management because he was able to quickly understand and communicate the issues with the product specifications. Although there was a slight breakdown in the use of the proper program management tools and techniques. For example, he failed to deliver concise status and progress reports and did not excel in communicating managerial plans. All in all Gary’s effective display of project management knowledge areas saved SEC from having the client take legal measures to offset and recover the costs associated with a failed project. Contractual Issues Project success is not only measured by the ability to meet time, quality, scope, and cost measures. It is also measured by how satisfied the stakeholders are with the performance of the contract. While Gary managed to somehow succeed in meeting time, quality, and scope requirements. He failed in meeting satisfactory levels with the customer. At the initial interchange meeting STI’s rep, Sarah Wilson, communicated disappointment with Gary’s inability to properly balance the administrative and technical roles of the project. For example, he primarily focused on the technical aspects of the project and failed to deliver standard administrative forms (like the meeting agendas) in a timely fashion. Due to this discontent in several areas the customer began to micromanage the project. They required Gary to have his engineering staff report to STI’s engineering staff on a regular basis, they also set up a customer office to follow Gary’s work closely. Since the prime contractor, STI, had more at stake and started to distrust Gary’s management they had to dedicate more time and resources than expected to make sure the project was run properly. This could have easily been alleviated with the properly application of human relation techniques. Human relations is â€Å"the cornerstone of getting along with people and is one of the most important career skills† (Cook, n. d). Known as one’s soft skills, human relations allow one to understand human behavior, establish rapport, clarify misunderstandings, and create an environment of social interaction. All of which would have been helpful in Gary’s dealings with the STI rep, Sarah Wilson. Change issues Throughout the entire project Gary experienced one change after another. Initially it was the promise of Henry Larsen to be heavily involved in the project management of The Orion Shield Project. However, once the project was awarded Larsen involvement was very sporadic and not much help. Next, came the change in material to meet spec requirements. Then, came staffing changes along with the change in customer requirements. Not to mention the fact that Larsen had assured Gary that SEC would be able to get the customer to change the specification and accept a tradeoff analysis to keep the project from being overrun. Or the biggest change of all was Larsen’s complete outlook and endorsement of Gary. When he brought Gary onto the roject he congratulated him on being bendable with his ethics, values, and morals. However, after receiving a hefty bonus and word from the customer that the project had overrun and the dissatisfaction of the spec changes. Larsen quickly changed how he viewed Gary. He proceeded to criticize the very areas that he once encouraged – lack of communication and honesty. The fact that given all of the changes Gary incurred in the project he was still able to meet scope, quality, and time goals really says a lot about Gary’s managerial skills. In today’s society the ability to adapt and manage change is highly sought. Conclusion Gary Allison has the potential to become an effective project manager. However, he exemplifies a lack of many core competencies required for effective project management. The fact that he was easily persuaded to desert his personal ethical beliefs and lacked the ability to stand up for what’s right shows that he needs additional development in leadership skills. He also could use training in the project management environment and tools and techniques. This would help him secure the knowledge of the social, political, and physical environment of project management. It will also assist in the understanding of change within the project and build confidence on how to lead and handle change once it arise. Lastly, Gary needs additional instruction on adapting human relations skills. This will assist him in building a comfort level and trust into his involvement with the project management team, project sponsors, and project stakeholders. In conclusion, Gary has potential to be an effective project manager but he must continue his growth in certain areas before taking on another project the size of The Orion Shield Project.

ADHD (spanish!!!) essays

ADHD (spanish!!!) essays Las diferencias en ni ocurre alrededor de ellos. Entonces hay otros dà ­as cuando estos ni Esto puede plantear un problema para los jvenes afectados mientras que conduce otros a pensar que los nicilmente estos comportamientos. ADHD no discrimina. De hecho con la agitacin constante en sus vidas, estos nitnica y los fondos culturales de los nin de este desorden y sus comportamientos. Asà ­ como tambin afecta cualquier opcin del tratamiento que pudiera ser buscada, porqu todos los nin y del tratamiento disponible en sociedad de hoy. Los nin psiquitrica crnica llamada desorden de la hiperactividad del dficit de atencin, conocida como ADHD. Las estimaciones sugieren que este desorden est afectando el 3% a el 5% de los ni haciendo a casi 5 millones de nirmino de lujo para lo que llamarà ­an los padres a los nin, reconocida en aficit de la atencin, disfuncin mà ­nima del cerebro, dan mdica seria, que se piensa que es causada por niveles...

Mental Workload Nursing, Air Traffic Management and IT

Mental Workload Nursing, Air Traffic Management and IT Introduction It has been acknowledged that people are subjected to different levels of mental workload (MWL) at their work places. Different jobs are associated with different tasks, responsibilities and social interactions. This, in its turn, leads to different levels of MWL (Leka Houdmont, 2010). In the first place, it is important to define the concept of MWL. Wickens (2008) notes that the concept characterizes â€Å"the demand imposed by tasks on the human’s limited mental resources, whether considered as single or multiple† (p. 452).Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Mental Workload: Nursing, Air Traffic Management and IT specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Researchers try to evaluate the levels of MWL associated with different jobs, to increase effectiveness of employees and reduce anxiety, job dissatisfaction and address various negative effects (Sassaroli et al., 2008). To take a closer look at dif ferent factors influencing levels of MWL, it is possible to focus on particular jobs. The present paper dwells upon such areas as nursing, air traffic management and IT. Thus, it is possible to analyse such jobs as the nurse practitioner at geriatric nursing home, the en route air traffic controller and the IT professional. Different factors influencing MWL are examined for each job. The present paper also contains some recommendations concerning decreasing the level of MWL for one of the jobs. Factors Contributing to MWL Researchers single out various factors contributing to MWL. For instance, Rafnsdottir et al. (2004, p. 51) mention such factors as time pressure, dissatisfactory communication with colleagues, supervisors or clients, â€Å"dissatisfaction with the hierarchy at work† as well as violence and harassment at workplace. Rubio et al. (2004) focus on such factors as objective difficulty of tasks fulfilled and employees’ attitude towards their tasks. Metzger a nd Parasuraman (2005) also take into account such factor as employees’ self-confidence. As far as the jobs mentioned above are concerned, it is possible to define particular factors contributing to MWL. IT professionals may be exposed to several factors contributing to MWL. In the first place, tasks completed by IT professionals may be monotonous at times. Notably, monotonous work is regarded as one of the factors contributing to MWL as people get mentally tired (Leka Houdmont, 2010). IT professionals may also experience lack of communication and social interactions. Admittedly, social interactions provide employees with the necessary relaxation at workplace, distracting employees from their tasks and giving the necessary rest to their brains. As for the tasks themselves, the complexity of the task can also contribute to MWL. Thus, when an employee cannot cope with a task, he/she feels anxiety, stress and job dissatisfaction. As for the en route air traffic controllers, ther e are specific factors to examine. Loft et al. (2007) note that this job is associated with quite high level of MWL. The major factors contributing to MWL are time pressure, the necessity to make a lot of quick and correct decisions, interactions with others (pilots, controllers, etc.).Advertising Looking for report on psychology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More En route air traffic controllers experience considerable level of MWL due to the objective complexity of their tasks. Nonetheless, people who have the necessary skills, knowledge and have the necessary experience do not feel job dissatisfaction or fatigue as they have the necessary tools to handle tasks. Finally, nurse practitioners at geriatric nurse homes have to cope with high levels of MWL. The major factors contributing to MWL are psychological, to great extent. Rafnsdottir et al. (2004) report that these employees often feel dissatisfaction as they feel they do not fully meet patients’ as well as managers’ expectations. Besides, nurse practitioners are exposed to anxiety patients feel, and to their sufferings. Nurse practitioners have to comfort people who have really serious, painful and often terminal diseases. It can be psychologically difficult to work in such conditions. Different Levels of MWL The jobs mentioned above have quite different levels of MWL due to peculiarities of the jobs. The three jobs presuppose different tasks, different levels of responsibility and different levels of communication. Thus, IT professionals work with machines and communicate with their colleagues (the majority of their time they spend communicating with other IT professionals). En route air traffic controllers have to handle much higher degree of responsibility. They are responsible for lives of many people. They also have to communicate with different professionals. En route air traffic controllers have to be very precise, orga nized and attentive. However, it is necessary to note that they still communicate with other people through machines, which creates certain alienation. Nurse practitioners have to communicate with many people (patients, other practitioners, managers, patients’ relatives) in person. These employees are exposed to really hard feelings. They have to see suffering of people. At that, nurse practitioners cannot always alleviate patients’ sufferings. These factors make this job really difficult. Among the three jobs, this job has the highest level of MWL. Recommendations One of the major factors that contribute to MWL is dissatisfaction because of inability to â€Å"harmonize the demands and expectations of patients/employees/supervisors† (Rafnsdottir et al., 2004, p. 51). It is possible to address this problem. Thus, it is possible to launch special training. This training will presuppose gaining professional knowledge and sharing experience. Apart from gaining new s kills and knowledge, nurse practitioners will be able to obtain self-confidence. They can obtain hope that all difficulties can be handled.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Mental Workload: Nursing, Air Traffic Management and IT specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Apart from this, it can be also helpful to launch team building and recreation activities for nurse practitioners. Barbecues, sport competitions, concerts, etc. can help nurse practitioners relax. These activities can involve nurse practitioners only, or these could be combined teams (nurse practitioners, patients, supervisors, relatives, etc.). Positive emotions will help employees handle various negative factors they are exposed to at work place. It is also important to make sure nurse practitioners can obtain the necessary psychological assistance when necessary. Finally, it can be effective to monitor nurse practitioners’ job satisfaction several t imes a year. This will help researchers learn more about factors contributing to MWL. It will also help them come up with possible steps to decrease the level of MWL in this field. More so, it can also help work out general steps to decrease levels of MWL at different workplaces. Conclusion On balance, it is possible to note that different jobs have different levels of mental workload. These differences are due to different levels of responsibility and peculiarities of each job. Admittedly, there are various factors contributing to MWL, e.g. monotonous work, overcomplicated tasks, time pressure, etc. However, jobs involving a lot of communication and social interactions have high levels of MWL. For instance, the profession of the nurse practitioner presupposes high levels of MWL as these employees have to see other people’s suffering, which is associated with significant psychological pressure. However, it is possible to decrease the level of MWL by launching specific trainin g courses, team building and recreation activities. It can be effective to provide psychological assistance to nurse practitioners. Reference List Leka, S., Houdmont, J. (2010). Occupational health psychology. Chichester, UK: John Wiley Sons. Loft, S., Sanderson, P., Neal, A., Mooij. (2007). Modeling and predicting mental workload in en route air traffic control: Critical review and broader implications. Human Factors, 49(3), 376-399.Advertising Looking for report on psychology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Metzger, U., Parasuraman, R. (2005). Automation in future air traffic management: Effects of decision aid reliability on controller performance and mental workload. Human Factors, 47(1), 1-15. Rafnsdottir, G.L., Gunnarsdottir, H.K., Tomasson, K. (2004). Work organization, well-being and health in geriatric care. Work, 22, 49-55. Rubio, S., Diaz, E., Martin, J., Puente J.M. (2004). Evaluation of subjective mental workload: A comparison of SWAT, NASA-TLX, and workload profile methods. Applied Psychology: An International Review, 53(1), 61-86. Sassaroli, A., Zheng, F., Hirshfield, L.M., Girouard, A., Solovey, E.T., Jacob, R.J.K., Fantini, S. (2008). Discrimination of mental workload levels in human subjects with functional near-infrared spectroscopy. Journal of Innovative Optical Health Sciences, 1(2), 227-237. Wickens, C.D. (2008). Multiple resources and mental workload. Human Factors, 50(3), 449-455.

Organisational success is determined by effective leadership Essay

Organisational success is determined by effective leadership - Essay Example Rather, different criteria should be used each time that organisational success need to be evaluated. Of course, there are certain factors, such as leadership, that are always capable of affecting organisational success. The relationship between effective leadership and organisational success is explored in this paper. It is proved that the traditional thoughts on effective leadership its relationship with organisational success should be reviewed. Moreover, it has been made clear that the criteria for characterizing a leadership style as effective can be different across countries with different social ethics and culture. In any case, it is made clear that effective leadership can lead to organisational success, even in the long term. 2. Organisational success and leadership 2.1 Organisational success – characteristics The criteria used for evaluating the success of modern organisations can vary. Usually, organisational success is related to the performance of an organisation in terms of employee satisfaction (Sims 2002, p.144). More specifically, it is believed that a high level of employee satisfaction reflects the ability of the firm to communicate with its stakeholders, a condition that its critical for its success (Sims 2002, p.144). ... ccess using the above criteria can be inaccurate mostly because the potentials of each organisation to achieve high profits or to survive in the market are differentiated according to the years of the firm’s presence in the market (Kirby & Watson 2003, p.46). For example, the criteria of growth would be more valuable when referring to ‘the start-up of the organisation’ (Kirby & Watson 2003, p.46). Profitability also should not be used as a criterion for evaluating organisational success in the early years of the firm’s presence in the market (Kirby & Watson 2003, p.46). Rather, profitability would be a critical criterion for evaluating the success of an organisation that has been, already, well established in the local or the international market (Kirby & Watson 2003, p.46). The use of an integrate framework for evaluating organisational success helps to control the risks related to the particular task. The ‘Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Awardâ₠¬â„¢ (Dinsmore & Cabanis-Brewin 2010, p.130) can be considered as such framework. In fact, the above Award is awarded to organisations that meet a series of criteria in regard of quality (Dinsmore & Cabanis-Brewin 2010, p.130). Leadership is the first of these criteria Dinsmore & Cabanis-Brewin 2010, p.130), a fact that verifies the relationship between leadership and organisational success. Other criteria used in the context of the above framework are: ‘strategic planning, customer focus and workforce’ Dinsmore & Cabanis-Brewin 2010, p.130). From another point of view, Cameron & Spreitzer (2011) note that organisational success should not be related only to the financial performance of each organisation. Rather, the success of organisations in the modern market should be based on their ability to promote

Digital revolution in the music industry Research Paper

Digital revolution in the music industry - Research Paper Example Nevertheless, the digital revolution has posed several challenges especially on management in the music industry. This has been mainly due to piracy and illegal downloading of music. Ways to mitigate these challenges have been found, for example introduction of legitimate downloading services and lawsuits for illegal downloading of music. The music industry has also restructured its strategies and focused on developments such as involvement in advertisements, computer games, the television, films, as well as sale of ringtones, which are alternative revenue streams. Industries are basically concerned with the production of goods for mass consumption. Apart from production, industries today are also involved in marketing and distribution of most of their products, which include intangible goods and services. The term music industry has had numerous definitions, which make the meaning of the term unclear. Some definitions suggest that song writers, producers, musicians, music publishers, and record companies form the core of the definition of the music industry. At this point, live music is regarded to be part of the performing arts industry. According to Wikstrom, â€Å"the music industry consists of those companies concerned with developing musical content and personalities which can be communicated across multiple media† (2009, p. 49). The music industry however constitutes recording, publishing, and live performance. The music industry began with the commencement of mass distribution and commercial use of music. The industrialization of music began in the late nineteenth century, and was marked by â€Å"mass production and organized marketing of musical instruments and sheet music copies, plus the organization of professional musical entertainment in the theatre, vaudeville show, music hall or dance hall† (Horn, Laing, Oliver, & Wicke, 2003, p. 251). The second half of the nineteenth century was marked by great expansion in the

The Tylenol Murders, Ch. 2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The Tylenol Murders, Ch. 2 - Essay Example All through the period of Tylenol murder case trial, company maintained constant communication across its different public, displaying innate honesty, ethical considerations and concern for the welfare of the people at large. It disseminated critical information regarding the Tylenol capsules and projected a credible image of ethical and responsible behavior. The company had addressed the critical issue of Tylenol murder that would have affected the performance of the company and significantly impacted its credibility amongst the various stakeholders. In the case, two types of public were involved. The internal public consisted of management and workforce and the external public comprised of various stakeholders and shareholders, users of company’s products, distributors, media and all those who were directly or indirectly impacted by the product. The timely communication to the public by the chairman was vital factor that helped to inculcate confidence and trust amongst them. His assurance to the public regarding fair investigation and withdrawal of the lot from the market was highly effective way to boost company’s falling credibility amongst its various public. ... It had the desired affect and company triumphed over the crisis without any adverse impact on its market. Tools used in PR The company had used different tools of public relation. Public relation briefing was constantly used to announce important information regarding company’s position with regard to the product, extra-strength Tylenol capsules that was used in the murder case. Indeed, publicly acknowledging that cyanide was used in its premises was an important step that helped establish its credibility in tough times and highlighted its transparent way of functioning in the eyes of its various stakeholders. The company also removed its advertisement of the product and announced reward for killers through widespread advertisements. It also issued warning to doctors, hospitals and distributors about the Tylenol capsules. Media, in different formats, has a powerful influence on the public at large. Using media is therefore essential part of effective public relation exercise ( Wilcox & Cameron, 2009). The company had also exploited media’s potential when the Chairman, Burke appeared on the investigative new program and effectively communicated company’s stance on the issue and the steps taken by it. The PR tools helped to forge closer bonds with its investors and various stakeholders, including customers. The periodic press releases were essential part of PR exercises that maintained constant communication with the public and kept them updated with the Tylenol murder case and the company’s role in facilitating investigation. The risk of bad publicity can have huge long term ramifications on company’s future and adversely impact its credibility and market (Sietel, 2007). But Johnson & Johnson was able to change public

An Aspects Of Discharge Planning Nursing Essay

An Aspects Of Discharge Planning Nursing Essay This assignment looks at the communication strategies to support and empower the patient living with COPD, a Long Term Condition and their Significant Others when planning their discharge from hospital. This is based on Mr Smiths scenario, a 78 years old man who suffers from advanced chronic obstructive airways disease. It will open with the definition of the keywords of the assignment. It will examine the characteristics of COPD at end of stage in the first section, because this is what Mr Smith suffers from and will therefore determine the discharge package of care to be used for him. The second section will look at the discharge plan and the team to be involved in the discharge process and their role. Finally it will look at the importance of communication when planning discharge and the communication strategies to be utilised for Mr Smith. As a matter of fact, Mr Smith suffers from COPD, which describes the obstruction of airflow caused by chronic bronchitis, emphysema, or both. It is called chronic because it is persistent, and pulmonary because it affects lungs. Bronchitisis about the inflammation of the airways of the lung, while emphysema is the damage which affects the smaller airways and air sacs of the lungs. He has suffered from serious exacerbations as his conditions has been worsening beyond normal day-to-day variations and is acute, with symptoms such as worsening breathlessness,  cough, increased sputum coloured production. He is now classed as having end of stage COPD. Even though there is no accepted definition for end of stage COPD (Siafakas, 2006), the term end of stage gives the idea of the last step in the course of a progressive disease. NICE (2010) classifies COPD into four stages, Mild (stage I), moderate (stage 2), severe (stage 3) and very severe (stage 4). According to Leader (2012), end stage COPD refers to last stages of the disease. According to Global Initiative for Chronic  Obstructive Lung Disease  (2010), very severe COPD would have the following chronic symptoms: cough with a lot of mucus, severe breathlessness, loss of weight, skin colour becoming blue, edema attacking the legs and feet, Life-threatening COPD flare-ups and Lung malfunction. At this point, it should be kept in mind that Mr Smith is the first person to be involved in this discharge planning as his preferences must be considered in the process. He has to be empowered to take responsibility of his own care. It is part of the NMC (2008) policy that nurses have to listen to people in their care and respond to their needs and preferences, and get informed consent if required. Mr Smiths family members should also be involved as they are the ones to be with him at home. They can inform the discharger of their availability, willingness, strength and limitations. Involving patients and carers in the discharge planning process is actually one of the requirements of the Department of Health (2010). The discharge planning will therefore start with an assessment through spirometry tests of Mr Smiths condition looking into his complete medical history. The care providers should find out how much air Mr Smiths lungs can blow in and out. It is known that Mr Smith was previously admitted to the hospital for exacerbations. This means that a serious assessment of his respiration system should be done; with a look at the level of dyspnea. The discharge is based on his request, which means that he should be involved in the process. The condition of Mr Smiths daily activity can be thought to be difficult, because his medical history shows that his condition worsened and his house had to be amended to accommodate his needs, and that he now lives in his front room downstairs and has access to the toilet down stairs as well his kitchen/dining area. This means that Mr Smiths coping skills are very limited. Mr Smith should also be assessed for cardio vascular and other chest diseases and psychological effects caused by COPD. Mr Smith therefore appears to have functional problems as his exertion is very limited which affects his activity of daily living. So his discharge planning should include assessment of functional abilities to determine his ability to be independent in the future and the possibility of exercising. This assessment will help to determine whether he needs treatment for pulmonary rehabilitation and how strong and flexible he can be. This helps to assign the right job to physiotherapists. Several interventions have to be done in order to reduce risk factors (NICE, 2010). Donna and Goodridge (2006) has described a number of symptom burden for end of stage COPD patients: dyspnea, breathlessness with discomfort; burden of fatigue and sleep disturbances, which has impact on functional limitations of daily activities such as self care, household chores, and leisure activities. (Elkington et al 2005); feeling of social isolation and loneliness, depression and anxiety, (Lacasse, 2001), panic, fear, and frustration. Tranmer et al (2004) goes a step further to add feelings of worry, sadness, nervousness, irritability, and concentration difficulty. Finally the needs of the patients family should be taken into consideration, because they are the people to stay with the patient at home, and are therefore the patients advocates, companions, personal caregivers, and surrogate decision-makers (Selecky, 2005) Given the services to be involved in Mr Smiths discharge planning, one can correctly identify the process as a complex discharge planning as it involves multidisciplinary care planning and ongoing care. Actually, this discharge plan calls for a multidisciplinary team of professionals as suggested in NICE (2007). Even though the patient remains under the care of the hospital consultants while making the GP aware of the home care, this team of professionals will work with referrals coming from secondary care in order to care for Mr Smith at home. A respiratory nurse specialist will set and implement the care in order to improve Mr Smiths respiration. This will help to reduce any anxiety and fear. The in-reach nurse will educate, support and advise the different parties mainly patients, his relatives and staff and assess the various devices to be used as well as organise the followup and other referrals to competent departments and services (spirometry, chest checkup à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦). Physiotherapists will help with exacerbation at home to clear secretions and provide chest physiotherapy at home as well as advise the patient on breathing pattern and exercises that might help Mr Smiths mobility problems. However a proper training is required for nurses, because there appears to be a limitation in their knowledge and the way to deal with end of stage COPD patients. (Disler and Jones, 2010) The palliative care for Mr Smith should be based on the above symptoms associated with advanced COPD. Oxygen therapy will be needed, because COPD patients usually become hypoxaemia with the progression of the diseases. This is not a curative treatment, but it helps relieve the symptoms of breathlessness. However it has been observed that caution should be taken for the respiratory drive not to be suppressed by a lack of control. Here one has to distinguish between long term oxygen therapy which takes around 15 hours a day and short term therapy for other patients.   Given that Mr Smith has suffered from serious exacerbation, there is a need for Oxygen therapy, and a respiratory specialist should be assigned to control the use of oxygen. Since Mr Smith will be going home, and his need of oxygen is great an oxygen concentrator with a back up supply of oxygen cylinder could be a better alternative. A proper training for its use must be given to his careers. There would also be a need to include steroid tablets such as prednisolone in his treatment in order to reduce the extra inflammation in the airways. This can be taken once a day for 5 to 14 days. Dyspnea can be treated with the use of opioids which improves breathlessness. (Jennings et al, 2002) A 20mg dose of oral morphine a day also would be helpful (Abernethy et al, 2003). Airway Clearance Devices can also be prescribed in case Mr Smith has problems to clear secretions and mucus. High-frequency chest wall oscillation, or a  ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å¡utter valve can be used with a positive expiratory pressure of about 6-20 cm H2 O (Ambrosino et al, 1995). Mr Smith should also be considered to receive treatment for psychological effects, as these have been observed in patients with advanced COPD because of the poor quality of life. Patients suffers from anxiety and depression due to dyspnoea (Bailey 2004), and this is said to be in the proportion of up to 90 %. (Kunik et al 2005; Norwood 2006). In this case, consideration would be given to antidepressants such as benzodiazepines, paroxetine and sertraline which have proven effective for anxiety and depression (Lacasse et al 2004). As NICE (2010) recommends, this treatment should be supplemented by spending time with the patient to explain why all this is happening and how it can be treated. This calls for the importance of good communication. A check up is also necessary to find out if Mr Smith is coughing, in which case Morphine and codeine could be prescribed. COPD patients also feel pain in the chest, which can have a musculoskeletal or pleuropulmonary origin (Leach 2005), in which case some analgesic drugs proposed by the WHO, can be used, mainly non opioids such as paracetamol and NSAIDs; weak opioids such as codeine and tramadol and strong opioids. But in case of infections, consideration should be given to antibiotics. At this point, Mr Smith and his family should be educated in the way medications should be taken to avoid nonadherence to the medical plan. By Adherence, one should understand an active, voluntary, and collaborative involvement of the patient in a mutually acceptable course of behavior to produce a therapeutic result. (Delamater, 2006). This calls for a clear understanding by Mr Smith of his condition (Johnson G, et al, 2005) and fitting the medication regime to his daily routine (Ryan and Wagner, 2003). This can be done if there is good communication. Communication should be understood as a process of conveying information and thoughts between different people, using written or spoken language and body language. Several scholars have found that communication is paramount to deliver good healthcare (Buckley, 2008), because both the patient and the healthcare provider enter into an emotional relationship. (Wittenberg-Lyles et al., 2008). It has also been observed that patients have a great need of information about their condition and that inadequacy of communication in healthcare would prevent good provision of care for people at the end of life. (Curtis et al, 2005). Actually while planning for communication, one can also include Advance Directives in the form of living will or proxy while Mr Smith is still stable in order for him to have a voice in his last wishes. Communication should be part of all those concerned with the discharge planning for a better understanding of who would be doing what, and this meets the NMC (2008) requirement to share information with colleagues so working as a team The nurse has therefore to avoid to create a communication gap with the patient, and other professionals, or say any misunderstanding in what they are talking about. It should be kept in mind that open communication is likely to empower the patient to have more hope and so dispel any fear they have (Davidson and Simpson, 2006). With such a view in mind, communication with the patient would help to share hope and prepare for death, or in Back et al (2003)s terms to hope for the best and prepare for the worst, and discussion of questions related to worries, concerns for the future, hope (Braun et al 2007) as well as information related to the outcomes of different treatments with survival chances given with honesty (Fried et al 2002) Empathy should be among the strategies while interacting with the patient, and the nurse has to devote more time to listen to the patient. (Edwards et al, 2006). Actually nurses need more training in the field of communication for patients at end of stage as correctly mentioned by Davidson et al, 2002. To conclude, it can be said that Mr Smiths discharge plan is a complex plan with a multidisciplinary professionals involved. The plan starts with an assessment of Mr Smith condition and moves to focus on providing education and reinforcement of the medical plan. The medical plan includes pharmacological details describing medications intended to alleviate Mr Smiths symptoms of severe COPD, as well as non- pharmacological ones related to the devices to use and control of adherence and coping skills of Mr Smith. The pharmacological part should include medication to do with COPD and the psychological effects produced. A nutritional assessment is also necessary. Among the treatment, aspects of pulmonary rehabilitation, exercising, community resources should be included. Communication should be a key issue not only between the professionals and mr Smith, but also between the professionals themselves for the good of the patient. All these aspects call for a better training for nurses, as a t present literature reveals that nurses express limited confidence in their knowledge and how to deal with aptients at end of stage COPD.

Requirements for Success in an Industry and the Attributes of Successfu

Requirements for Success in an Industry and the Attributes of Successful Leaders In terms of hospitality, leadership is defined as: leading is the process by which a person with vision is able to influence the activities and outcomes of others in a desired way (Walker 543). David P. Norton from Decision Point, Inc says, â€Å"Leadership-the availability of qualified leaders at all levels to mobilize the organization toward its strategy.† Both of these definitions are correct depending on your perception of the word. Leadership has many complexities which result in different types of leadership, individual perceptions of it and many definitions. The hospitality industry finds that leadership is not only a wonderful quality to have, but also a very important tool in managing and running an organization. Leaders are very important and carry with them certain traits that contribute to their success. To leave an impact that many people care about and remember you by is achieved through being a good leader as well as a manger because leadership is pa rt of managing. As a result of the complexities of leadership, there are three types: transactional, situational and transformational leadership. Transactional leadership is viewed as a process by which a leader is able to bring about desired actions from others by using certain behaviors, rewards, or incentives (Walker 543). Basically saying do this for that. The leader promises to exchange something an employee might desire for a task they do for the leader, the coming together of a leader, follower, and situation. For example, the leader might ask that you as a follower achieve certain goals for a bonus. A second type of leadership is situational which ... ... 2004. Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) Guidelines During one of my food service classes we were to come up with HACCP guidelines for a food. This allowed me to analyze and critique the entire procedure from the point food is received till it is prepared. I learned how important it is to pay attention to the little things involved with food preparation to the obvious. Meal Planning Project This project was done my sophomore year in college. It was a very time consuming project that was challenging and well worth it. The meal planning project gave me a chance to plan a menu for a full day that meets the recommendations in the Dietary Guidelines, the Food Guide Pyramid and the Recommended Dietary Allowances for an individual of your age and sex. The project limited me again with a budget of $4.00 total for the day.

Heart Disease

Heart Disease Kayla Tusa Adelphi University Abstract This paper is aimed to view heart disease and show the effects that it can have on the person who has it. The points made in this paper will show what heart disease does to the body. It shows symptoms and treatments that are used with this disease. It mainly shows the facts about heart disease. The illness in my family that I feel poses the greatest threat to me is heart disease. Heart disease has been in my father’s family for a few generations. My father has heart disease and has had two heart attacks during his life.My father had to have quintuple bypass surgery after his second heart attack. My grandfather and great grandfather on my father’s side also both had heart disease and passed away from heart attacks. Since I have all of the knowledge I am aware of this disease and the effects it can have. I also realize the risk I have and take precautions as often as I can. The full name for heart disease is coronary he art disease. This is when there are blockages in the coronary arteries. These blockages are usually cause by atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis is the buildup of cholesterol and fatty deposits, also called plaques, on the inner walls of the coronary arteries† (A, 2). When these blockages start to form issues come about. Since the arteries are being blocked, it can result in less blood traveling to the heart. If the blood traveling to the heart is restricted then this can cause problems to arise. If the heart does not get enough blood that means it is also not getting enough oxygen and nutrients. One signal that shows this is occurring is chest pains. The name of these chest pains is angina.Another problem that can occur from this blood restriction is a heart attack. A heart attack happens when the heart needs more energy than can be supplied to it from the blood supply it is receiving. There are many factors and causes that heart disease can have. â€Å"The most common risk fac tors include smoking, family history, hypertension, obesity, diabetes, high alcohol consumption, lack of exercise, stress, and hyperlipidemia† (A, 8). Studies have shown that about 54% of cases are linked to smoking, 20% of cases are linked to obesity, and 7-12% of cases are linked to lack of exercise (A, 9).I have asked my father what the causes have been for his heart disease. The causes of my father’s heart disease were smoking, family history, and stress. My father is not able to control family history. He also cannot control when he has stress but he has made efforts to manage his stress better. One thing he has done is that he quit smoking after his second heart attack. He knew that he needed to do this in order to not make his disease worse. A person can also have a higher risk of having heart disease if they have a history of high blood pressure in their family (A, 13-14).There are symptoms of having heart disease. Unfortunately these symptoms are not always not iceable. Sometimes the symptoms are obvious and sometimes there are no symptoms at all. In the early stages of heart disease it is likely for there to be no symptoms. Angina is the most common symptom of heart disease. This is why chest pains are seen as being very serious. The chest pains are felt when the heart is not getting what it needs to function properly. The pain that one experiences differs depending on the person (B, 14-15).This is very dangerous because when the heart is not getting what it needs there may be pains in other parts of the body. The pains do not always occur in the person’s chest. Pain may be felt in the neck, arms, stomach, upper back, or under the sternum (B, 16-17). This is dangerous because one may not realize what the cause of the pain is and may not get the proper treatment for it. When my dad had his second heart attack he did not have chest pains. He had pains in his upper back and was not planning on going to the hospital. He ended up changi ng his mind and was lucky he did because he needed immediate care. Women, elderly people, and people with diabetes are more likely to have symptoms other than chest pain, such as: fatigue, shortness of breath, and general weakness† (B, 20-23). Heart disease cannot be cured, but it has been proved that people can reduce it by making some changes in their lifestyle. One thing listed is a plant-based diet which was shown by Caldwell Esselstyn and Colin Campbell. It states that this diet is â€Å"effective as a treatment of coronary disease, and generalized atherosclerosis† (A, 16-17). Some other changes that can help are weight control, not smoking, avoiding trans fats, consuming fish il, decreasing psychosocial stress, and exercising. When exercising, it is most helpful to do aerobic exercises like walking, jogging, or swimming because it can help decrease blood pressure. When having heart disease, people may take medications as well. One type of medication that is used i s a daily intake of aspirin. Other medications used are usually ones that lower cholesterol. If someone with heart disease has enough blockages in their arteries, they may need to have coronary artery bypass surgery. This surgery is also known more commonly as open heart surgery.This surgery helps clear the blockages that are in the arteries. Another option for treating blockages is coronary angioplasty. This is more commonly known as stents and it is non-surgical (A, 27-29). Multiple tests must be done before heart disease can be diagnosed. Some of the tests that are done are: coronary angiography, echocardiogram, electrocardiogram, electron-beam computed tomography, exercise stress test, heart CT scan, and a nuclear stress test. Coronary angiography is â€Å"an invasive test that evaluates the heart arteries under x-ray† (C, 29). An echocardiogram allows doctors to see the heart beating, and to see the heart valves and other structures of the heart† (D, 14-15). Electr on-beam computed tomography is used to look for calcium. Sometimes there is calcium in the lining of the arteries which increases the chance of getting heart disease. â€Å"An exercise stress test is a screening tool used to test the effect of exercise on your heart† (E, 1). A Heart CT scan is â€Å"an imaging method that uses x-rays to create detailed pictures of the heart and its blood vessels† (F, 1-2).A nuclear stress test is performed to see the blood flow is to the heart both when the body is resting and when it is active. Heart attacks are likely to occur when someone has heart disease. â€Å"Most heart attacks are caused by a blood clot that blocks one of the coronary arteries. The coronary arteries bring blood and oxygen to the heart. If the blood flow is blocked, the heart is starved of oxygen and the heart cells die† (G, 3-4). The substance that could block these arteries is plaque. This is the most common cause for a heart attack. When someone has a heart attack the cause of the heart attack cannot always be determined.Heart attacks can happen at many different times. Some of these times are, â€Å"when you are resting or asleep, after a sudden increase in physical activity, when you are active outside in cold weather, or after sudden or severe emotional or physical stress, including an illness† (G, 10-15). Heart attacks can come suddenly and can cause a lot of damage, so it is very important that they are dealt with right away. As soon as someone thinks they may be having issues they should get help and not wait. This is because with heart attacks, the patient is more likely to die within the first few hours of having the heart attack.Some other symptoms of a heart attack that have not been stated are anxiety, cough, fainting, light-headedness, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, heart palpitations, shortness of breath, and sweating (G, 30-37). Heart attacks with no symptoms are known as â€Å"silent heart attacks† and are dangerous because the person has no signs. When someone goes to the hospital for a heart attack they will be cared for in many different ways. The patient is first hooked up to a monitor so that the doctor is able to see how their heart is beating.The patient also receives oxygen because it helps relieve the heart and takes stress off of the heart because it doesn’t have to work as hard. The patient is also giving an IV because this gives medications and nutrients to the patient. Some people may receive a drug such as morphine in order to reduce chest pains. Another medication that can be given is aspirin. The medication that is administered to the patient depends on what is safe for the patient. If the patient has abnormal heartbeats then they may need electric shocks in an attempt to fix these (G, 57-62).Heart disease is the number one killer of men and women. Heart disease is deadly and can take someone’s life before they know they are in any danger. My great gr andfather had heart disease and passed away after having a heart attack. My grandfather passed away after having a heart attack as well. He was having a normal day and doing his day to day routine when he had his heart attack. He did not speak of any symptoms and had a sudden deadly heart attack. My father has had two heart attacks in his lifetime. He went to the hospital for his first heart attack because he was having chest ains. He had his second heart attack he went to the hospital because he had pains in his back. Soon after being there he found out he had five arteries blocked and needed to have immediate surgery. The recovery took a very long time for him, but he has made some changes in his lifestyle for the better. Heart disease is a serious illness. It is a disease that has been in my family for generations. I am scared because I feel I am at risk of getting this disease. Although I am nervous I am also very informed on the topic and what steps I can take to try to prevent this disease.I am very cautious and try to shape my life around preventing heart disease from entering it. Works Cited a- http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Coronary_disease#cite_note-Prevent_and_Reverse_Heart_Disease-11 b- http://www. ncbi. nlm. nih. gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0004449/ c- http://www. nlm. nih. gov/medlineplus/ency/article/007115. htm d- http://www. nlm. nih. gov/medlineplus/ency/article/003869. htm e- http://www. nlm. nih. gov/medlineplus/ency/article/003878. htm f- http://www. nlm. nih. gov/medlineplus/ency/article/007344. htm g- http://www. nlm. nih. gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000195. htm

Sociological Theories and How They Contribute to Our Understanding of Education

Sociological Theories and How They Contribute to Our Understanding of Education Introduction Different scholars look at education functions from different perspectives depending on the theory they deploy in interpretation of their perceived features of education. The theories that tend to explain the sociological functions of education are collectively termed as sociological theories of education.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Sociological Theories and How They Contribute to Our Understanding of Education specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Young posits that sociology of education entails the study of the manner in which public institutions coupled with individuals experience the various impacts of education alongside its outcomes (1995, p.21). On the other hand Floud, Halsey and Martin (1956) claims that it â€Å"is mostly concerned with the public schooling systems of modern industrial societies, including the expansion of higher, further, adult continuing and education† (p.12). People h ave, over the years recognized education as the most fundamental way of overcoming various handicaps in the society with the capacity to make the society achieve higher equality coupled with acquiring wealth. They have also claimed to have the ability to improve the social status of individuals. Educational scholars strongly believe that through education children are able to develop to their full potential. Additionally, people view education as having the ability to make people from challenged background to rise to higher social classes. In this context, Sargen argues that education is â€Å"perceived as one of the best means of achieving greater social equality† (1994, p.30). Some sociology scholars argue that any properly formulated educational system has the ability to achieve this purpose precisely. However, as Bourdieu reckon that other sociologists have â€Å"a particularly negative view, arguing that the education system is designed with the intention of causing rep roduction of social inequality† (1990, p.47). Putting into perspectives the various scholarly approaches in the interpretation of the purposes of education, especially bearing in mind the social changes impacts of education, the modern perceptions of education attracts mixed reactions. It is in this regard that various sociological theories of education become significant as one of the subtle ways of determining the direction of modern and future educational policies.Advertising Looking for essay on social sciences? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The work on moral education by Emile Durkheim pioneered systematic studies on educational sociology. His work looked at the education as a platform that constitutes organic solidarity within the society. Max Weber, on the other hand, perceived education as a tool for political manipulations. After the Second World War came to a halt, the subject of sociology of educat ion acquired renewed interest. This renewed interest shifted from â€Å"technological functionalism in the US, egalitarian reform of opportunity in Europe, and human-capital theory in economics† (Sullivan 2001, p.893). The concepts of human capital were widely necessary particularly by putting into consideration the fact that increased industrialization created divisions of labor and hence the necessity for a given way of hierarchically dividing labor inputs into the industries. Education level emerged as one of the subtle ways of accomplishing this endeavor: people with low education predominantly serving as manual workers. Education results into stratification of social classes and forms an impeccable tool for ensuring social mobility. Nevertheless, some scholars argue that education produces only limited social mobility. According to Heath and Cheung, â€Å"statistical and field research across numerous societies showed a persistent link between an individuals social clas s and achievement suggesting that education can only achieve limited social mobility† (2007, p.89). The 1960s saw the collapse of functionalism approaches in education. The concept of education as a good that people cannot mitigate suffered a fair deal of challenges. One of such challenges was the one placed by neo Marxists, who proclaimed that â€Å"school education simply produced a docile labor-force essential to late-capitalist class relations† (Ogg, Zimdars Heath 2009, p.783). The various ways of looking at the societal impacts of education predominantly lie squarely on a number of theories. Among these theories are conflict theory and structural functionalism. Social functionalism theory claims that the society inclines towards an equilibrium that tends to inculcate social order.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Sociological Theories and How They Contribute to Our Understanding of Education specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More People look at education analogously to the human body, which comprises of various organs that must function harmoniously for maintenance of a healthy body. In this regard, social functionalism sees institutions such as education within the society as mainly intended to socialize kids. Opposed to social functionalism, conflict theory claims, â€Å"society is full of vying social groups with different aspirations, different access to life chances and gain different social rewards† (Furze Healy 1997, p.23). According to this theory, people characterize the society based on relationships that are predominantly sub-ordinative, oppressive, dominative, and exploitive in nature. The two theories have different opinions with regard to the functions of education in the society as portrayed by activities carried out in the schools. This paper compares these two theories coupled with the unveiling of the contrasts in the claims that exist between them with re gard to the way educational or school activities are perceived in the two schools of thought. Nevertheless, it begins by presenting an overview of each of the two theories. Overview of Conflict theory With regard to conflict theory, the relationships that guide the society are exploitative, subordinate, oppressive, and dominative. This theory thus anticipates teachers to expect students to have some background experience of middle-class life right at home. The conflict theory posits that reproduction of these predetermined functions end up exacerbating or rather reproducing existing inequalities from one generation to the other. Unfortunately, this is widely a misconception since people come from different backgrounds and hence making such an assumption is largely fallacious. As Young reckons, â€Å"Some children are expected to help their parents after school and carry considerable domestic responsibilities in their often single-parent home† (1995, p.47). Anticipating studen ts to be involved in helping in the domestic chores compounds the responsibilities of the students hence making them suffer from deterred academic success in schools.Advertising Looking for essay on social sciences? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More According to the conflict theorists, the way educational activities have been structured clearly point to the fact that education serves as a way of further widening the social class gap. For instance, in most countries schools are funded by property tax, which means that in localities where the residents are rich the schools are heavily funded than poor and marginalized places (Jacob 2001, p.10). Heavily funded schools in return seek the services of the best teachers and the students eventually perform far much better than their counterparts in other marginalized regions. By doing this, the conflict theorists argue that the system of governance in schools prepare the students for the unfair life ahead of them. This is because the students from the best schools have the highest probability of securing positions in the best colleges in the country while those from the poor backgrounds hardly make it to colleges therefore only seeking positions in technical institutes and vocational t rainings. Students who gain access to the best training in the best colleges end up getting jobs in the corporate world while those who train in vocational and training institutes become manual laborers (Sullivan 2007, p.893). This is enough proof according to conflict theorists that education serves to widen the social class gap further and propagate further discrimination based on class. Education functions as a way of instilling an ideology to the poor people in the society to accept their situations and rather than blaming the authorities to blame it on themselves. This is what the conflict theories term as the ‘hidden curriculum’ in education (Giddens 1991, p.116). School activities, such as sorting students based on their academic abilities, serve to prepare them to accept their social place. This, in return, maintains the status quo in the society. The oppressed people, in this case, do not find the need to struggle to and be free from the poverty that engulfs th em since they consider it as their fate. According to Anderson and Taylor (2009), they even start counting themselves lucky for the little that they have (p.19). Conflict theorists argue that the composition of the tests intended at sorting the students is in most cases, discriminatory as far as the questions involved are concerned (Bassile 2011, p.263). This can be termed as discrimination based on class or even ethnicity. For instance, a class test may include a question such as the following: Which of the following instruments form part of an orchestra? A) Guitar, B) Violin, C) Trumpet. D) None, E) All. This question can be classified by the conflict theorists as among those that propagate or portray racial discrimination. The fact that the question requires the students to get a definite difference between an orchestra and a band is one of the claims. The second thing is that the question is trying to portray the orchestra as superior, considering that it is in most cases prefer red by the elites and the rich people (Bassile 2011, p.262). A conflict theorist would in this manner consider this school activity as revealing to the students the discriminative nature of the outside world and perhaps indirectly propose that the students struggle to align themselves with the favored class by working hard in school. Competitions in schools, whether inside or outside the classroom, introduce the student to capitalism according to the conflict theory. When a student is recognized and rewarded for performing exceptionally either in extra-curriculum school activities or in classwork. This makes the student feel that he/she is better than the others (Sadovnik 2007, p.12). Competitions in the schools are therefore regarded as unfair by the conflict theorists considering that they make the less privileged feel so. The researchers and proponents of this sociological theory of education found out that â€Å"Where teachers have softened the formality of regular study and in tegrated student’s preferred working methods into the curriculum, they noted that particular students displayed strengths they had not been aware of before† (Wilson Wyn 1987, p.137). Softening of the formalities in education infers that teachers deviate from the traditional curriculum as determined by the state. The reason for departure is principally rested on the belief that what the state perceives as to entangle â€Å"knowledge† does not necessarily have to make subtle impacts in the students future career life and hence not vital to teach in school settings. The state determined knowledge is thus more often than not non-useful to students and hence majority of them find it pointless to learn such knowledge. Wilson and Wyn, proponents of the conflict theory, laments, â€Å"students realize there is little or no direct link between the subjects they are doing and their perceived future in the labor market† (1987, p.120). In this context and congruent w ith the conflict theory, the bottom line lies in teaching exactly what the students anticipate to be widely involved in the future. Unfortunately, such desires emanate from segregated interests, which one cannot harmonize for teaching groups of students who might be interested in similar interests. No two personalized interests can coincide. From a different context Henry, Knight, Lingard and Taylor assert that â€Å"irrespective of their academic ability or desire to learn, students from poor families have relatively little chance of securing success† (1988, p.12). It is perhaps with this argument that the oppression, subordination, dominations and exploitation concerns in the conflict theory become eminently significant. Bearing in mind Henry, Knight, Lingard and Taylor priory mentioned argument, it perhaps sounds plausible also to argue that, as the students who come from poor backgrounds struggles to succeed academically with little success, those from middle class backgr ounds would employ less effort to achieve their academic dreams. Sargent concurs with this argument. He, further, adds that â€Å"The federal government subsidizes ‘independent’ private schools enabling the rich to obtain ‘good education’ by paying for it† (1994, p.111). With the cute educational backgrounds, children coming from rich backgrounds financially, have more ample opportunity to excel in education and hence in future careers. Rich children also have higher probabilities of acquiring gigantic rewards in the future as opposed to the poor children. Conflict theorists view this as a way of continual and acerbating of existing inequalities in the society, which people claim to alleviate, in contrast education systems. Conflict theory furthermore, perceives education systems as mechanisms of aggravating social privileges among the elites only. The continued dominance by a single class of people is what conflict theorists’ term as social r eproduction. Social reproduction takes place due to educational ideologies held by the groups that dominate the society. The position held by conflict theorists is perhaps crucial by considering the question of the quality of education available to the two divides: the poor and the rich. Consequently, from the perspectives of the conflict theory, the idea of equal availability of quality education for all serves nothing more than just a myth. To this end, Wright is concerned that â€Å"the effect of the myth is to†¦stop them from seeing that their personal troubles are part of major social issues† (Sargent 1994, p.92). It is thus unsubstantial to argue that only what impairs people from achieving their dreams lies squarely on their inability to work towards their goals. However, many other inequalities exist that perpetuates the ability of less advantaged members of the society from achieving their dreams in education. Many parents sacrifice to ensure that their children achieve their best in their academics. Even though this sacrifice is essential, conflict theory insists that it is not the sacrifice that matters but rather the elimination of existing social discrepancies in terms of equal accessibility to quality education. Conflicts theorists look at the poor and hence less advantaged members of the society as the victims of what they term as victims of confidence trick. These victims of confidence trick â€Å"have been encouraged to believe that a major goal of schooling is to strengthen equality while, in reality, schools reflect society’s intention to maintain the previous unequal distribution of status and power† (Breen Goldthorpe 1997, p.299). As a result, conflict theorists are opposed to the idea that education is available to all without prejudices pegged on some way of discrimination of some members of the society. They also fail to strike to a consensus to the argument that education acts as a mechanism for ensuring fare distribution of wealth and achievement of equal societal status. Social functionalism theory Social functionalism theory looks at the educational system as analogous to a human body, which has many organs that must function in harmony for cute bodily health. Social health infers that the society lives in a socially ordered environment. Social order is normally assured where the society generally appreciates the moral values that are usually applicable and binding all members of that society. The concerns of the structural functionalism theory tend to foster continual of certain predetermined functions that particular members of the society must accomplish for sustained realization of the roles of society from generation to generation. In this context, structural-functionalist theorist proactively believes that the existence of social institutions such as educational institutions seeks to socialize teenagers and children in general (Heath et al. 2001, p.39). In structural functional ism theory, the educational system is analogous to a human body, which has many organs that must function in harmony for good bodily health. Social health infers that the society lives in a socially ordered environment. According to Heath, â€Å"socialization is the process by which the new generation learns the knowledge, attitudes, and values that they will need as productive citizens† (2003, p.301). Despite the fact that the curriculum explicitly proclaims this objective of education, more often than not, people achieve it through a curriculum that they may regard as â€Å"hidden curriculum†. The hidden curriculum encompasses â€Å"a subtler, but powerful, indoctrination of the norms and values of the wider society† (Harker 1984, p.164). The school environment, according to the functionalism theory, seems more often regulated in such a way that students unconsciously learn these behaviors prompting the students to accept and internalize them. The labor market is dynamic. People enter and leave, giving rise to vacancies that people must fill, so long as they possess certain attributes and qualifications. Education systems serve to produce such persons. As Bourdieu (1977) puts it, school serves yet another function entailing â€Å"sorting and ranking individuals for placement in the labor market† (p.89). The sorting and ranking process results in the placement of individuals with high performance in training for the most crucial jobs: mainly the ones entangling decision-making. On the other hand, those with low performances find themselves ranked to train in chores that demand less intellectually with repercussions of being rewarded less. Ranking of people following the functionalism theory attracts a myriad of criticisms. For instance, Henry, Knight, Lingard and Taylor argue, â€Å"to believe that ability alone decides who is rewarded is to be deceived† (1988). This argument is perhaps significant since the disparities exis t between various educational settings. Using performance indicators such as the scores arguably do not necessarily reflect on the capacity of students. It is thus unfair to set performance indicators in schools as true reflections of the performance of the students. Meighan and Siraj-Blatchford (1997) accepts this argument and adds that â€Å"large numbers of capable students from working-class backgrounds fail to achieve satisfactory standards in school and therefore fail to obtain the status they deserve† (p.103). One of the factors that may impeccably deter some students from portraying their abilities through performance indicators includes deferring experiences at home. As a way of example, some functionalism theory proponents believe that children from working-class families are insufficiently equipped with strategies to cope with school challenges. Jacob happens to be one of such scholars and posits that performance indicators are not true reflectors of childrenâ€⠄¢s abilities since â€Å"the middle-class cultural experiences that are provided at school may be contrary to the experiences working-class children receive at home† (2001, p.34). The performance indicators more often sieve individuals from working-class by making them remain at the working class just like their parents. This way, there is the mobilization of social reproduction of inequalities. Now, the concerns of functionalism theory take us back to the concerns of social reproduction. In this context, Sargent (1994) confirms this trend. He proposes, â€Å"†¦that schooling supports continuity, which in turn supports social order† (p.99). The repercussions of using performance indicators in grading students abilities is to taint some students as educational failures which social functionalism theorists argues that it prejudices people within a society. Since functionalism theorists insists that the social order must be sustained, it intrigues to think of why wo rking class people would fill satisfied in remaining at this level from one generation to the other. According to Bessant and Watts, the existing discrepancies in education between various classes of people â€Å"maintains social order and continuity which is what most people desire† (2002, p.13). However, arguably, social functionalism theory is inconsistent and challengeable since the question of why one class of people would prefer and fill satisfied in a while at that class is a recurring one. School activities such as examinations, group work, sports, debates and other activities aimed at preparing the student to attain the necessary skill to serve as the social being that a human being is. The spirit that is achieved in these activities is aimed at enabling the students to get the necessary skills also to rise in the social ladder (Apple 2000, p.24). To this extend, structural functionalists posit that education is aimed at facilitating social mobility and consequently helping in the closing of the social class gap. The spirit of competition which is introduced to students in school is supposed to enable them to work hard as the rewards of hard work go up with personal efforts. In this sense, education assists the students and arms them with the necessary capabilities to face the world as it is. Structural functionalists contest the claim held by conflict theorists that activities aimed at sorting students and rating them according to their capabilities are flawed and instead encourage further discrimination (Jacob 2011, p.36). According to the structural functionalists, these competitions are fair since they place the students at level ground and give them the chance to work their way up. The nature of interactions that students experience in educational facilities is important in the effort to eradication discrimination of any sort. Students from varying backgrounds and ethnicities meet in educational facilities and interact freely with each oth er. This teaches them the need to be tolerant to people from other walks of life or even those that one perceives to be different (Apple 2000, p.43). In reaction to the question of there being schools that include only students from a given background or ethnicity and how the nature of this interaction helps in creating tolerance, structural theorists argue that there are hardly such schools where only one social class or ethnic group is represented and add that there is the inclusion of exchange programs in school curriculums which aim at handling that exception. The school curriculum according to the structural functionalists is specially designed to ensure that the lessons offered in schools help in the transmission of the core values that are required for the student to succeed in the society. Other activities such as games and club activities facilitate in this by creating platforms where the level of achievement of these core values is tested (Sargent 2004, p.34). For instance , education aims at ensuring that the students embrace courageousness and a game competition such as football gives the student the avenue to test such courageousness. Another key value that school activities aim at giving to the students is what structural theorists term as personal liberty, this is the ability to function independently and be in a position to choose what is right at the right time. Comparing and contrasting structural functionalism and conflict theories As discussed in previous sections, social functionalism theory entangles looking at the purpose of educational systems as mechanisms of socialization of people. On the other hand, conflict theory looks at the institutions from the angle of serving as to adapt and respond congruently with the behaviors of students as dictated by certain moral norms (Basile 2011, p.266). According to conflict theory, these institutions do not necessary follow the traditional curriculum, but rather they follow a hidden curriculum char acterized by some societal dictated forces, which warrants the departure of curriculums from the state established curriculum. Social functionalism theory predominantly restricts its concerns to the manner in which universal education is adapted to satisfy the myriad of needs of the society. Manifestation objectives of educations form the solid foundations onto which functionalist theory pegs itself. These objectives principally focus on the need to pass on basic skills and knowledge from one generation to another. The founder of the theory: Durkheim sighted out latent roles that any educational system deserves to accomplish. According to him, education has the noble aim to ensure socialization of people into one single mainstream. He referred to this form of education as â€Å"moral education.† According to Bowles and Gintis (1976), moral education aids in forming â€Å"more-cohesive social structure by bringing together people from diverse backgrounds, which echoes the his torical concern of â€Å"Americanizing† immigrants† (p.103). From functional theory perspectives, education also has vital roles in ensuring transmission of social control coupled with core values of the society. Some of this educational values which various educational systems, for instance, the American system follows includes the various characteristics, which foster economic systems and political systems, which in the first place served to fuel American education. Consequently, students get rewards for sticking to deadlines, schedules authority demands and while not negating following given guidelines keenly. Perhaps one of the dominant characteristics of functionalism theory is the concept of individualism. With regard to Wright, â€Å"individualism embraces an ideology that advocates for liberty rights or dependent action of the individual† (1959, p.105). Compared to some others parts of education, American education seeks to reward the best individual amon gst groups of competitors. This approach doe not only apply to curricular activities but also to extracurricular activities. As a repercussion, even the educational activities that call for collaborators effort such as football must have a singling out of the player of the season or even year. Arguably, functionalism theory of educations seeks to inculcate the spirit of self-esteem as opposed to social esteem. Learning about the necessity of competition is yet another vital characteristic that functionalist theorist sees as important. The spirit of competition is perhaps one of the essential traits of capitalistic economic constructions. Students learn at early stage to compete for the best score, winning for an athletic challenge among other games. Consequently, there is the reproduction of competition altitude down from generation to generation. The fruits of engaging in some competitive task have always had some reward attached to it acting as a motivator. In schools, it takes so me form of presents. Arguably, the functionalism theory tends to advocate for capitalist systems in which the main driver of the economy is some anticipated gain either in terms of profitability or in kind. Additionally, as Sadovnik laments, â€Å"schools overtly teach patriotism, a preserver of political structure† (2007, p.91). In fact, this is extremely crucial from functionalist point of view since it fosters continued existence of established societal norms then truncated down to subsequent generations. Social functionalism theory advocates for rankings of students based on their abilities. This way the students can then undergo training on different area to which they are well suited for the economy to leap most from their contributions. In this end, the ranking of student takes place based on some merits. Bernstein (1977) claims that â€Å"Societys needs demand that the most capable people get channeled into the most important occupations† (p.27). With regard to social functionalism perspective point of view, schools have the noble role to ensure that they select the most able people from the massive population early enough. To achieve, they give out these tests. Hence, at an early age, students learn to appreciate their abilities in comparison to their colleagues. Unfortunately, tests more often than not end ups instilling some negative spirit of ‘I cannot’ amongst some students. However, as Bourdieu and Passeron (1990) reckon that â€Å"those who score highest on classroom and standardized tests enter accelerated programs and college-preparation courses† (p.37). Many functional theorists’ advocates for this approach referred as social placement. Among such theorists includes: Wilbert Moore and Talcott Parsons, among others (Ball 2004, p.7). Majority of these sociologists scholars are inclined to a perception that social placement is vehemently crucial in society. Upon realization of the sorting process, accordi ng to social functionalism theory, the nest purpose of education entails networking. Networking, according to social functionalism theorists, is a vital tool with the capacity to foster interpersonal connections. In fact, social functionalism sociologists claim that this networking is an inevitable constituent of any well-formulated educational system. Right from colleges and or in high school, students have a network with colleagues in similar grades, majors or classes. These networked programs more often have got the chances often ending up being professional or at some times remaining as personalized. In this end, education serves to match various groups of people within the society. One drawback of these networks stands out because the various networked groups have certain attributes and ways of conduction of their academic affairs that characterize them. Hence, they may hinder free flow of information and knowledge to other networks. Nevertheless as Apple (2000) reckons â€Å" Sociologists primarily interest themselves in how sorting and networking lead couples together of similar backgrounds, interests, education, and income potential† (p.45). Arguably, people place immense concerns to the networking function of education to the extent that parents and guardians object and regulate the choices of colleges available to students. The main aim of limiting these options being predominantly inclined on the perception that kids should only attend colleges where they would find their perfect matches. Proponents of the functionalism theory tend to advocate for the sarcastic two-fold roles served by education, which entangles changing of cultures coupled with preservations of cultures. â€Å"As students move through colleges, as well as beyond, their liberty increases, as they encounter a variety of perspectives† (Fine Weiss 1998, p.39). Borrowing from this line of view, it is perhaps subtle to argue that less educated persons are largely conservati sm while their educated counterparts are incredibly liberal in nature. A heavy emphasis lies on the higher education to inculcate the spirit of research. This has the capacity to make students subjects of changing values and initiators of knowledge evolution. From the functionalism dimension, education then serves to preserve coupled with skills and knowledge transmissions. In this end consequently, education is merely a transforming tool for the society. Somewhat controversial and yet debatable function of education pegged on functionalism theory entails the argument that education fosters family placement of people. Despites the imminent controversies surrounding this function of education, perhaps its advocating is critical since the modern curriculums incorporate various aspects that would foster family placement of people going through such curriculums. Such aspects include sexuality, development of careers and discipline. However, a good number of parents opposed to this funct ionalism function of education opts for home-based–schooling for their children or alternatively place them in privately established schools that are run consistently with values they advocate. Opposed to the above concerns of social functionalism theory of education conflict theory â€Å"†¦sees the purpose of education as maintaining social inequality and preserving the power of those who dominate society† (Henry, Knight Lingard 1988, p.15). The conflict theory consequently indebts itself to concerns of social order. Conflict theorists claim that education has a principle and noble role in fostering social order. In this context, and in the most general sense, conflict theorists widely concur that education emerges as one of the tools that erode the concepts of status quo rather enhances the spread of social inequality. With regard to Sargent, these inequalities are acerbated by the fact that to some extent educational systems serves to create ways of segregatio n of the broader society population into social classes (1994, p.89). Members belonging to the lower social classes are more often accustomed to remaining obedient workers. As a way of comparison, both theorists strike to a consensus that education produces some kind of sorting. However, they immensely fail to agree on the manner in which education enacts such a sorting process. Sociologists who subscribe to functional theory of education argue that education sorts based on merit. On the other hand, conflict theorists posit that education systems seek to sort people based on ethnicity coupled with distinct classes. As Ball, Maguire, and Macrae (2000) notes â€Å"conflict theorists, proclaim that schools train those in the working classes to accept their position as a lower-class member of society† (p.57). This province of thought, on the other hand, as referred by subscribers of conflict theory, is a â€Å"hidden curriculum† that education serves to uphold as part of i ts roles. In the two theories, formal education guided by curriculum preset by the state forces produces some kind of social imbalance. For conflict theorists, a clear difference exists between schools located in two contrasting regions. For the regions occupied by the rich, schools receive excellent funds and hence stand better chances of attracting the best staff to administer the curriculum. On the other extreme, those schools situated in the poor regions have lesser funds available to them and hence attract moderate staff. With these differences in mind, conflict theorists argue that such differences end up reflecting themselves in the performance of students in schools. More sad is the fact that poor performance at the elementary level somewhat determines the destiny of the individual concerned. Maguire, Wooldridge, and Pratt-Adams agree with the line of thought and lament that â€Å"students who attend high-class schools gain substantial advantages in getting into the best co lleges and being tracked into higher-paying professions† (2006, p.109). These advantages of attending high-class schools are largely unavailable to students who attend less affluent schools. Conflict theorists claim that more often than not such students end up in technical and or in vocational training centers. Worse, still, once this kind of imbalances is established within a society, it normally is truncated from one generation to another. In this context, therefore education serves to maintain the dominance of wealthy and affluent members of the society in leadership of almost every sector of economy. Additionally, the functional theory also appreciates the likelihood of formal education to foster existence of social imbalances. In the course of ranking people based on their abilities, some imbalances are produced which in one way or another ends being truncated down to subsequent generations once they are established. From the preceding discussion in previous sections, pe ople have argued that the net effect of measuring student’s abilities through performance indicators such as tests is to produce some sort of prejudiced indication of the abilities of the students. Background characteristics of students play pivotal roles in determining the performance of the students in schools. Since these backgrounds are eminently valid for deferring number of students, this variation reflects itself in their performance. Arguably, the standardization of performance indicators without relative or correlation factors to accommodate the variation in the backgrounds of student produces some imbalance. In this regard, educational system tends to favor the advantaged people in the society. People who subscribe to conflict theory in unison agree on the capacity of the economics status of the affluent members of the society to favor them in economic terms and hence can afford best education. As this is not enough favor, testing procedures deployed in schools also tends to favor the affluent members of the society. The poor consequently suffer twin challenges. In fact, intelligence quotient tests are among the testing procedures that proactively favors the affluent class of people. Intelligence test happens to be one of the tests employed to segregate students in terms of their abilities based on the scores recorded from these tests. Other than inability to produce standardized results tests since they do not appreciate the differences among those they test for intelligence, Bourdieu see more trouble being acerbated by such tests, Bourdieu (1977) claim that â€Å"tests, which claim to test intelligence, actually test cultural knowledge and therefore exhibit a cultural bias† (p.69). This perhaps presents a paradox, since people believe education to serve as the tool for a breakdown of cultural biases and in the modern age: promote global cultural diversity. Again, even though modern educationists claim that education is predominantly c ulturally neutral, this is perhaps not the case based on both conflict and social functional theory of education. It is evident from the theories that education bases itself on some background knowledge. This background knowledge often is culturally sensitive. Arguably, this thinking posses substance since the very initial knowledge that helps an individual to attach meaning to the environment he or she lives is based on the characteristics of this environment that one is put in immediately after being born. People who have differing artifacts dominate this environment. The construction of these artifacts differs based on people’s culture. Considering the differences and similarities in the concerns of the two theories of education, perhaps one can establish a compromise between the two that mitigates the imbalances and foster the positive aspects of each of the theories. This way we can challenge our understating on the role of education and settle on mechanisms that would p erhaps call for adopting a mechanism for ensuring that the education and its testing procedures end up being more reflective of the abilities of the students both academically and in extracurricular activities. There may be many ways of mitigating the imbalances. However, some of them would entail the provision of correlation factors in the scores recorded by students upon conduction of various tests on them such as intelligence tests while attempting to sort them out. These correlation factors need have factors that help to accommodate the various differences existing among students among them cultural differences, and economic differences among others. This way perhaps the dominance of one group of people in the best jobs would cease and hence produce a better equal society. There would be the mediation of the traditional role of education to maintain some discriminatory social order. Consequently, introspecting the roles of education from varying dimensions: from functional theor y or conflict theory would lead to striking to neutral point at which the role of education in the society would end up to foster equality other than propagating inequality. Conclusion The paper has dedicated itself to scrutinizing social functionalism and conflict theories of education. It has clarified how social functionalism theory entangles looking at educational system as analogous to a human body, which has many organs that must function in harmony for good bodily health. Any institution within the society that indebts itself to social harmony infers some sort of social order (Jones 2003, p.47). As revealed, there is the assurance of social order where the society generally appreciates the moral values that are generally applicable and binding all members of that society. The theory brings education into the picture as to whether it may profile such a role. The conflict theory, on the other hand, encompasses looking at education purpose from the dimensions of being a contribu tor of relationships that guide the society. Based on perception, the relationships are exploitative, subordinate, oppressive, and dominative in nature. A comparison of the two theories reveals that functional and conflict theories of education reveal existence of some social imbalances in their concerns. Education makes people climb up their social ladder by breaking down the barriers that may impair people from accomplishing this noble ability. With this regard sociologists, such Sargen argues that education is â€Å"perceived as one of the best means of achieving greater social equality† (1994, p.30). While some sociology scholars argue that any properly formulated educational system has the ability to achieve this purpose precisely, as the paper discussed others believe that education in one way or another introduce inequalities. These inequalities are reflected in the dominance by some affluent social class members in the control of major jobs that be regarded as the bes t in terms of rewards. The paper has also proposed how careful scrutiny of the concerns of the two theories may help in understanding education better. 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