“Of Mice and Men” and “Into the Wild Essay”

of Mice and Men' and Sean Peen's ‘Into the Wild' explore the fundamental themes of freedom, companionship and following your ambitions. (QUESTION). ‘Of Mice and Men' is set during the Great Depression in which George and Leonie explore the realism of freedom and hardships by hoping to one day have their own farm. In contrast, Chris from ‘Into the Wild' achieves ultimate freedom by choosing to run away and live In the wild. Both texts explore different perceptions of freedom. Steinbeck novel demonstrates how everyone's perception of freedom is suppressed.George and Lien's idea of freedom is to have their own land and yield themselves from the peril of the world. However, they are denied this freedom because of their lack of money. The technique of multiple perceptions Is adopted by the omniscient narrator to access various view points of the characters that represent different types of freedom suppression. This is depicted in the sentimental quotes by Curlers wife wh o says â€Å"l tell yea I could of went with shows'. Ã'› She was breathless with indignation† or Crooks who states â€Å"Cause I'm black. They play cards In there, but I can't play because I'm Black. Similar to George and Leonie, Chris desires freedom however, he does this by moving away from a lavish lifestyle to one of struggle which he calls â€Å"ultimate freedom†. This change is contrary to that of George and Leonie who are looking to free themselves from the chains of poverty. Through the poetic phrase â€Å"The freedom and simple beauty Is too good to pass up† Chris expresses his new found freedom in the laws of nature. Therefore both texts explore a heightened sense of suppression for the protagonists when it comes to the idea of freedom.The necessity of companionship is integral in both texts. Companionship can have both positive and negative ramifications. In Steinbeck novel Leonie Is shown to exhibit child-like behavior which makes him completely d ependent on George. As a result of his disability, Leonie spends all of his time with George and the pair often find themselves running from authority. Despite the difficult situations that Leonie Imposes on George, George describes his gratitude towards Lien's companionship through a sentimental tone when he states â€Å"†¦ With us it anti like that†¦We got somebody to talk to†¦ † This highlights that through a time of great difficulty where people avoided each other as expressed through the quote, Maybe everybody in the whole damn world is scared of each other† George values Lien's companionship. In contrast. Peen's film explores Chris' distaste for human companionship in order to achieve his ultimate freedom. He expresses this through his aversive tone, â€Å"You don't need human relationships to be happy†¦ † Chris demonstrates that companionship isn't necessary to have happiness and that it can be found In nature.HIS viewpoint of companion ship Is a result of his parent's physical disputes. However he later realizes that he was happiest when in the company of other travelers. He expresses this through the technique of regretful tone as he says â€Å"Happiness only real when shared†. Therefore both texts signify the Importance of companionship. Both texts promote the Idea of following your ambitions to ultimately lead you to happiness. George and Leonie strive to have their own farm but their dreams remain unfulfilled.In the end George has to kill Leonie 1 OFF Burns', â€Å"To a Mouse†, which contains the couplet, â€Å"The best laid plans of mice and men / Often go awry'. Hence, it is a novel that Juxtaposes the nature â€Å"of mice† – and the social world – â€Å"men† and provides an insight into the fading nature of ambitions. The manifestation of handicapped characters such as Crooks having a crooked spine, or Leonie being mentally slow, metaphorically schemes the theme of men going ‘awry by trying to achieve a disillusioned dream.Peen's film contradicts Steinbeck novel and shows that Chris indeed found happiness by following his ambitions. His ambitions involved trying to understand the human condition which can be seen through his zealous poetry when Chris states † Two years he walks the earth†¦ The climactic battle to kill the false being within†¦ No longer to be poisoned by civilization†¦. Chris wanted to understand the raw power of human experiences which he says is â€Å"†¦ The core of man's spirit†¦ And his dedication to fulfill this ambition led him to find what he was looking for and ultimately find happiness. Therefore in conclusion, the protagonists in â€Å"Of Mice and Men† and â€Å"Into the Wild† uniquely express the fundamental ideas of freedom, companionship and following your ambitions. Their desire for freedom is shared but their perception of obtaining it is different. Steinbeck s hows that the ambitions of men will remain unfulfilled while Peen's film depicts that the ultimate freedom is to share happiness. (Question)

Assessing different approaches to customer service

For my Customer Service Unit I will be interviewing two leisure centres, College of St. Mark and St. John and the Mayflower leisure Centre. I have chosen these two centres because they are slightly different and I thought it would be interesting to see how different companies have different customer service. The College of St. Mark and St. John is in Derriford, Plymouth. It covers a very large area and its facilities include a 25 metre indoor heated swimming pool, a fitness suite, two squash courts, a fully equipped gymnasium, three sports halls, each with four badminton courts and a specialist built-in rock-climbing wall, computing facilities, and an outdoor pursuits centre. In addition to extensive playing fields, there is a full size all-weather floodlit pitch for top level hockey and football. A smaller all-weather surface accommodates tennis and provides a good training surface all year round. In addition to this there is a 36m. square sports hall for participation in a variety of sports which is also large enough to accommodate Trade Fairs and other large events; a gymnasium for martial arts, aerobics, ‘step' and tone & trim classes; a standard size sports hall available for volleyball, basketball, badminton; 2 squash courts and a Fitness Suite with up to date cardiovascular and weight training equipment. Although this sports centre is within the college, it is open to any member of the public, not just the students at the college. The Mayflower Leisure Centre is situated in Central Park, Plymouth. It is quite old and may need to be revamped within the next few years. It's facilities include a fitness suite which has treadmills, cross trainers, climbers, bikes, rowers and resistance machines and it also has squash courts, indoor bowls and sun beds. There are two sports halls, one is a 5-a-side football hall and the other is a multi purpose sports hall, which can house badminton, volleyball, basketball, short tennis and dry board diving. The College of St. Mark and St. John is a sports college therefore it has numerous amounts of sports facilities. The college is a Church of England voluntary college, with a history of over 150 years and it moved from London to Plymouth in 1973. The Mayflower Leisure Centre is quite old, as I mentioned previously but is the most well used public sector leisure facility in the area. It works in close partnership with the Central Park Swimming Pool which is it's neighbouring building. To find out the information I want, I am going to visit each venue for an interview. For letter, see Appendix 1. I am going to ask them several questions on different topics to find out as much as I can about the Customer Service in their establishment. For questions, see Appendix 2. I will then analyse the answers of the questions and compare the two companies to see who has the best customer service.

The Acquisition Between Merck and Schering-Plough

On March 9, 2009, Merck & Co., Inc. and Schering-Plough Corporation announced that their Boards of Directors have unanimously approved a definitive merger agreement under which Merck and Schering-Plough will combine, under the name Merck in a stock and cash transaction. As the two companies' combined 2008 revenues were $47 billion. The deal officially closed on November 3, 2009. Background of the two parties Merck & Co. (NYSE: MRK) was initially formed in 1891 as a United States subsidiary of the German chemicals and pharmaceutical company Merck KGaA. During World War I, it was established as an independent company from confiscated assets. Since then, it has grown to become one of the top seven largest pharmaceutical and biotech companies worldwide. Schering-Plough (NYSE: SGP) is one of the medium-sized players in the pharmaceutical industry, with sales of $18.5 billion in 2008. Its two largest products are autoimmune medication Remicade, sold internationally, and Zetia & Vytorin, a joint venture taken with Merck that fights cholesterol. While growth of Remicade has been strong, Vytorin has taken a hit after studies questioned its efficacy compared to the older drug it is based on and in treating blockage of the heart valve. The process of the acquisition The Merck and Schering-Plough took the typical reverse merger arrangement during the acquisition process. The Merck- Schering-Plough merger agreement contemplates a two-step transaction involving Merck, Schering-Plough, and Schering’s two special purpose, subsidiary holding companies, Blue, Inc. and Purple, Inc. In step one of the mergers, Blue will merge into Schering-Plough and each share of Schering-Plough will be converted into the right to receive (i) 0.5767 shares of the surviving Schering-Plough and (ii) $10.50 in cash. In step two of the merger, Purple will merge into Merck and each share of Merck will be converted into 1 share of the surviving Schering-Plough. After the completion of these two steps, the surviving Merck will be a wholly owned subsidiary of the surviving Schering-Plough. Yet, the shareholders of pre-merger Merck will own approximately 68% of the surviving Schering-Plough and shareholders of pre-merger Schering-Plough will own around 32% of the surviving Schering-Plough. Although Merck will become a subsidiary of Schering-Plough Merck’s pre-merger shareholders will together possess a majority of the voting and economic rights (or beneficial ownership) of Merck’s new parent company, Schering-Plough. One peculiarity of the Merck-Schering reverse merger transaction structure is that between steps one and two Merck finds itself in a slightly precarious situation. After the completion of step one, Schering’s pre-merger shareholders will have received shares of the surviving Schering-Plough and a cash payout, but Merck’s pre-merger shareholders will not yet have seized control over the management of the surviving Schering-Plough. The merger agreement has come up with a way to protect Merck’s shareholders during this governance gap. Simultaneously with the completion of step one of the merger, Schering has agreed that its board will cause all of its directors (other than 3 specified exceptions) to resign and to elect the members of pre-merger Merck’s board of directors as the directors of the surviving Schering corporation. Even before pre-merger Merck’s shareholders acquire their supermajority share of the beneficial ownership of the surviving Schering corporation after step two, they indirectly will have already taken the helm of the surviving Schering corporation through the election of their own directors to the new parent company’s board. The motivation of the acquisition Merck faces many of the challenges that face all pharmaceutical companies, including issues surrounding patent expiration and FDA approval. Patent expiration may affect 30% of sales through 2008. In addition, there is growing pressure in the US and abroad to lower the price of medication. Schering-Plough has a particularly small pipeline, with very few drugs currently in development. In the near term, it does however have one of the safest profiles in the industry, with very few major patents coming up for expiration in the coming years. The newest merger will result in a strengthened product pipeline in areas such as cardiovascular and respiratory disease and oncology, and should eventually yield $3.5 billion annually in cost savings. Merck is also set to be hit by patent expiries of some of its top sellers in the next decade, while Schering-Plough is not.

The use of progress monitoring can help provide educators with a Essay

The use of progress monitoring can help provide educators with a valuable tool to improve their own teaching - Essay Example According to Thomas (2010), the several types of assessments used in progress monitoring can provide a substantial amount of information regarding the status of the students’ knowledge, skills and abilities. In the TRI model, progress monitoring serves different functions at each tier as described in the following section. Tier 1 of progress Monitoring: In this tier, progress monitoring procedures serve critical functions. According to Thompson and Morse (2004), proactive assessment is, usually, done at least three times annually and is used as a general screening procedure for all students. In this tier, screening helps to identify vulnerable students by making a comparison of their performance relative to a measure criterion. According to Shane and Mathew (2007), progress monitoring helps to show a student’s performance trend over time and to determine whether the student’s performance is appropriate in the effective curriculum. Tier 2 of Progress Monitoring: Thompson and Morse (2004) posited that the objective of progress monitoring is to gauge the extent to which intervention is effective in assisting learners at an optimum rate. In this tier, timely decisions about student progress are essential for long-term achievement (BEESS, 2008). Progress Monitoring in Special Education: According to Fuchs and Hintze (2006), progress monitoring is also crucial in special education. In the first place, it provides systematic and reliable information which can be used to meet the student’s individual needs (Fuchs and Hintze, 2006). In addition, progress monitoring is a requirement of the individualized education program and provides information about student progress toward short-term objectives and annual goals. There are diverse procedures to progress monitoring employed by teachers for student evaluation. According to BEESS (2008), the two main methods of progress monitoring used are mastery monitoring and general outcome

Practical Project Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Practical Project - Essay Example Set the preheat control in a stalemate position to avoid damage and fire in the event that a backfire happens. Start the propeller and energize the engine starter after the propeller has rotated at least twice. Turn the primer switch on sporadically to start the engine. Once the engine start running, hold the primer for some time and at the same instant opening the throttle gradually to obtain a smooth running. After the engine starts to operate smoothly, open the mixture control to the full rich level. Observe the engine’s rpm indicator to identify any drop of rpm. A drop in rpm shows that the engine has started receiving additional fuel from the carburetor and therefore one can release the primer. To shut down the engine, turn off all the fuel pumps and set the gas mixture to cut off position. This is necessary for draining the engines to shut them down automatically. Essentially, following the above-discussed process will lead to a safer start and shutdown of the reciprocat ing

Team Effectiveness Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Team Effectiveness - Essay Example Companies that utilize teamwork have a greater chance of achieving work synergy. The purpose of this paper is to discuss the topic of team effectiveness and team performance. The video Bridge’s Story – A Teamwork Aniboom Animation tells the story of a rabbit that thought he could survive on his own without the help of the other animals in the forest (Hoang, 2011). Instead of applying teamwork this rabbit was a destructive force to the other members of his habitat. He played with the food of the ants, harassed the birds, and destroyed the bridge the turtle was building for the animals to cross. The rabbit found out when he was drowning in the river that he needed a helping hand. This rabbit realized by working as a team with the other animals he could accomplish more than he ever would as a loner. The second video, The Power of Teamwork, discusses the importance of teamwork by focusing on the work performed by the Blue Angels pilots (Beare, McMillan, 2013). Share values are the foundation of good teamwork. It is imperative for a team to align its mission, vision, and its actions. The team has to be the priority of all members who must sacrifice their self-interest in order to achieve team goals. The use of teamwork must be present at all times within an organization. A good effective leader is able to lead others by example. A good leader identifies each team member’s strength to take advantage of them and improve performance and productivity in the workplace. Trust is an important element of teamwork. Trust can be defined as the belief that someone is good, reliable, honest, and effective (Merriam-webster, 2013). Achieving peak performance should be the objective of all teams. Synergy occurs when common people align their objectives (Beare, et al., 2013). Good communication is also an important factor that leads to team success. Communication in the workplace is of utter importance towards achieving the goals of a company. Managers that wan t for employees to work together as a cohesive team unit must build a bond of trust with the workers by effectively communicating with them. Teamwork without communication does not work. To effectively guide the actions of a team its leader has to maintain the lines of communication open at all times. Improper communication within a team can cause the employees to feel tensions and anxiety (Gluck, 2013). There are different strategies that the person in charge of a team can use to improve communication. For instance programming weekly meetings between the team members to openly discuss any issues anyone is facing is a good way to foster communication. A second strategy that can be used to improve communication within a team is to implement a feedback system. A third way to improve communication in a team is by practicing active listening. Active listening skills can help a person improve their productivity, their ability to listen, persuade, and negotiate with others (Mindtools, 201 3). There are common characteristics that effective teams share. Some of the characteristics of effective teams include common purpose and goals, interested in own processes, continually listen to each other, differences shared freely, identify and resolve conflicts, roles are balanced, trust, and commitment towards performance (Drexel, 2013). Effective teams must work together towards accomplishing common goals. A team member that is not focused on the goals of the team becomes a liability. Team members must

Bauhaus Architectural Style Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Bauhaus Architectural Style - Research Paper Example Besides functionality aspects, Bauhaus style favored the geometric elements of regularity and symmetry over asymmetry. As aforementioned, creation of optimal space in Bauhaus objects was achieved through cubic shapes, and occasionally pyramidal shapes. In addition, rounded corners were avoided as much as possible, as seen in Bauhaus cradle. Primarily, facades met at right angles, and auxiliary features like curvy handles were scarcely added. Technically, cradles developed in other periods like the Baroque not only occupied more space, but their facades were also irregular and asymmetrically aligned. However, facades possessed by Bauhaus items like the cradle were relatively regular. In the cradle’s image below, the front regular triangular facades corresponds to the hind triangular. Essentially, Bauhaus architectural style employed social aspect of optimal functionality, and economic principle of cost minimization in design and construction of artworks. Below is an image of th e famous Bauhaus cradle. Historically, Bauhaus was introduced and gained immense popularity during the early 20th century, specifically before the rise of Nazi Germany. However, primary features of Bauhaus architectural style are still observable in modern styles. For example, the Seagram Building in New York City is characterized by two features; a flat roof symmetrical to the building’s floors, and right-angled edges. Historically, Bauhaus was introduced and gained immense popularity during the early 20th century.

Beckham's plan to build a new stadium for soccer in Miami Assignment

Beckham's plan to build a new stadium for soccer in Miami - Assignment Example To finance this, he intends to use his MSL contract of $25 million, in addition to collaborating with Simon Fuller and billionaire Marcelo Claure. The investors will fund the project privately, but are not close to the offer of state funding (â€Å"Beckham Unveils His Miami Stadium Plans†). Soccer in the USA has grown increasingly popular as a participant and as a spectator sport and with the construction of such a site, the sport could gain even more popularity. However, having such a huge venue does not guarantee that that is what the city needs. The project is already experiencing setbacks with the proposed site being considered inappropriate to erect a soccer stadium. It has also received mixed perceptions from the residents with some opting for more green space than a huge stadium. These setbacks could leave the investors with no choice other than looking for alternative

Confronting Stereotypes Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Confronting Stereotypes - Assignment Example By assigning characteristics to large groups, it aids humans in simplifying, organizing, and predicting the society they function. As a result, there is decreased the need to process new information that would distinguish people by individual traits. Sociologist Charles Hurst believes that â€Å"†¦stereotypes (are) the lack of personal, a concrete familiarity that individuals have with persons in other racial or ethnic groups. Lack of familiarity encourages the lumping together of unknown individuals (Hurst 6).† Whatever the theory, it’s clear that stereotypes present a problem for society as they inhibit integration and function in large part to maintain a social caste system where upward mobility faces resistance. One can just view the cases of the maquilas workers on the Mexico – Florida border and the gender stereotypes they endured when attempting to receive fair and equitable wages and positions. Stereotypes are in direct opposition to our right as human beings to the pursuit of happiness and personal betterment. Begin by writing in black marker on the poster board one of the stereotypes you identified the day before as particularly relevant. For example, ‘Women Should Be Mothers and Men Should Work.’ Ask the students what it means to be a woman and if they believe they should be allowed to hold careers. Write their responses down. Then ask the students what it means to be a man and then record the responses under a different column. At this point, you should circle the responses under the woman category and circle the responses under the man category. There should be some overlapping responses and you should draw a line or circle chart that illustrates these. The journal activity can be used to prompt the upcoming classroom discussion, but should also tacitly leads students to internalize the negative effects of stereotypes and the way they have been unconsciously influenced to accept them as facts.

Grand Canyon Crash of 1956 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Grand Canyon Crash of 1956 - Essay Example The agency was established to run a broad Air Traffic Control (ATC) system and to certify aircraft designs, airline training programs and maintenance. The Air Traffic Control (ATC) system is responsible for managing air traffic. It is run by the FAA with a twofold purpose: to maintain a safe separation of aircrafts flying over the US and to make aircraft traffic to move as efficiently as possible. The ATC is actually a good place in the airline industry to appreciate its systems-like structure. The ATC organizes all the flights in the country (therefore, implementing a centralized architecture for the industry) and was created based on the idea of a broad and nation-wide system of scheduled flights, which did not existed before. The ATC comprises four types of facilities: airport towers, terminal radars, en route centers and flight service stations. Airport towers look after planes while they taxi to and from runways and during take-off and landing. Terminal radars monitor flights during the climb and the descent phases of the flight. There are 236 of them in the US. The en route centers keep track of aircrafts while they are en route during the high-altitude cruise phase of the flights. Finally, flight service stations are information centers for pilots flying in and out of small cities and rural areas. A keyA key facility in overseeing the entire ATC system is the FAA's Air Traffic Control System Command Center (ATCSCC), located in Herndon, VA. It looks for situations that might create bottlenecks and setups up management plans to control the traffic into and out the troubled sectors. The goal of such a plan is to keep traffic at the trouble spots manageable for the controllers. The importance of the ATCSCC becomes clear when one acknowledges that, on average, there are 900 daily flight delays of 15 minutes or more, which cost to the airlines and customers around $5 Billion USD a year. However, the ATC model is a centralized system architecture that many argue will not be able to cope with the saturation of the airspace and the increase in traffic delays that are expected to take place in the near future. The big challenge for the industry is the design and implementation of a distributed air-flight management system that could increase the throughput of the aviation system keeping the safety levels unchanged. This approach is called Free Flight and is currently being researched by the FAA and the aviation community. Free Flight is expected to improve significantly the efficiency of the National Airspace System. With Free Flight, pilots operating under Instrument Flight rules (IFR) will be able to select the aircraft's course, speed, and altitude in real time. Today, pilots define a flight plan with the ATC, prior to take-off and have to follow the route specified in that plan. Any deviation from that route must be pre-approved by ATC. With Free Flight, pilots will be able to change route, speed and altitude to achieve the desired results, notifying the ATC. Pilot's flexibility will mainly be restricted only to ensure separation and to prevent unauthorized entry into special use airspace. The Free Flight concept is based on two airspace zones, protected and alert, the sizes of which are based on the aircraft's speed, performance characteristics, and communications, navigation, and surveillance equipment. The protected zone, the one closest to the

Section I of the Capital Project Research Paper

Section I of the Capital Project - Research Paper Example With every capital purchase, an organization aims to meet a set of organizational needs. A capital purchase would not benefit an organization unless it contributes to the organization’s productivity or overall performance efficacy. This paper will discuss a software purchase a healthcare organization made for filing patient records properly. The paper will give particular focus on managerial, organizational, and economic benefits of this capital purchase. Capital purchase To define, â€Å"a capital purchase is defined as any purchase of $1000 and over† (Novak, 1996, p.335). Capital purchases are considered as long term assets of an organization. Generally, capital purchases are viewed as capital investments, capital assets, or capital acquisitions. The process of capital acquisition can benefit a healthcare organization in a number of ways. In the view of Gitman and McDaniel (2008, p.434), capital acquisitions add to an organization’s asset strength, which in tur n contributes to the firm’s value chain efficiency and service efficiency. In the case of healthcare organizations like hospitals, a capital purchase is mainly intended to improve the quality of care delivery and thereby promoting patient safety. ... The planned software purchase for filing patient records costs more than $5,000, and therefore, it is a capital purchase. This capital acquisition may assist the healthcare environment to deliver improved patient care services at affordable costs. Management goals of the purchase This capital acquisition would support many management goals including revenue growth, operational efficiency improvement, improved productivity, quality assurance, performance evaluation, reduced employee hiring and training costs. Loretz (2005) says that filing patient records manually is a difficult task because a large number of patients visit a healthcare institution every day. Hence, a healthcare institution needs to employ a large workforce to manage patient records appropriately. Evidently, an organization is forced to spend huge amounts on employee hiring and training in order to file patient records manually (p.2). This situation would probably reduce the firm’s profitability. However, compu terized patient records handling system would assist a healthcare environment to manage patient data effectively and inexpensively. A software-based patient information filing system is beneficial for the organization to minimize the level of employee hiring because such a program may be capable of handling patient data more accurately and quickly. Even though this purchase may cost huge money initially, this acquisition would benefit the organization to trim down employee hiring and training expenses in the long term. Consequently, this may aid the firm to reduce its operating expenses and thereby improve profitability. As we discussed earlier, a software-based program can more quickly and accurately manage patient information;

Social Media Essay Example for Free

Social Media Essay Humans were always known for their cultural trend of migrating to what is cool and new. The Internet became a sensation when it first came out in the 60s. However, now sites such as Facebook and YouTube have absorbed that popularity. There are about 250 million active Facebook users, 346 million blog readers, 184 million bloggers, 14 million â€Å"tweeters† (Zarrella, 1). These websites are now known as the world of social media. The term social media broken up consists of two words, social media. Social meaning one’s uncontrollable need for companionship and media is a communication instrument (Dictionary.   com). Therefore it basically means the search for companionship through a communication instruments. The recent rise in the usage and the popularity of the Social media has amended the higher education system, altered the psychological state of its users and redefined marketing and advertisement. Facebook, YouTube and BlogSpot are the more prominent sites in which Americans socially relate. â€Å"With over 500 million active users, Facebook provides a virtual reality in cyberspace where users can enact identities for their friends, acquaintances, and a larger passing public† (Noor Al-Deen, 5). Users create profiles and provide explicit information such birth date, location, and relationship status, forcing one to become deeply attached to one’s accounts. Of the many reasons why members of the society use social media are to accumulate friends and strengthen previous friendships. â€Å"According to Facebook, the average user has 130 friends† (Noor Al-Deen, 5). Facebook focuses on making friends and updating statuses and being aware of your virtual friend’s status. Another reason why members of the society use social media is it to engage in self-presentation, make one self-known to the larger world (Noor Al-Deen, 5). Many have become socially elevated just by posting a video of themselves on Facebook or YouTube. College students are of the top users of social media. â€Å"In a recent study college students ‘reported using Facebook 30 minutes throughout the day as apart of their daily routine’†( Noor Al-Deen, 3). College is an environment where one explores his options and decides his future. Therefore many college students refer to sites such as Facebook and Twitter to become truly apart their collegiate community and become socially integrated. â€Å"A study submitted by Heiberger and Harper in 2008 found that 78.  1% of students who spent more than an hour on Facebook participated in at least 1 student organization or more† (Wankel, 4). Therefore there is an evident relativity between social integration and participation in school organization. Social media sites have also enabled freshmen student to enact with their professors and classmates much efficiently instead of having to set appointments and wait for a long time for one to meet one’s professor (Noor al-Deen, 6). Therefore incoming freshmen students should be encouraged to get involve socially both online and offline to increase their chances of growth within the institution they attend. However, according to Charles Wankel, a professor at St John’s University, extensive usage of sites as such Facebook can cause deficits such as information overload and bypass academic responsibilities. It takes up to much time of the day that it distracts one from his tasks. Social media sites have also altered the psychology of our society. â€Å"‘†¦Television and other popular forms of social media shape our perception of reality’ Sheldon says. † (Newswise) we base our decisions and thinking on what we encounter during our experiences with those forms of social media. Children are the most vulnerable to this psychological shift due to the stage of life they are in. Childhood was always known as a stage where children absorb all information presented and merge it into their behavior. So when children are presented with social media sites they are forced to adopt. An article written by Chelsea Clinton and James Steyer says â€Å"By the time theyre 2 years old, more than 90% of all American children have an online history. At 5, more than 50% regularly interact with a computer or tablet device, and by 7 or 8, many kids regularly play video games.† Children are being familiarized with social media by parents and older siblings and cousins and that’s how to they ride this wave early on. As they grow up they are faced with calamities and adversities such as bullying or parental divorce. They then turn to social media sites to express their feelings and search for comfort and empathy. â€Å"Rosen says. His research shows people who engage in more Facebook activities more status updates, more photo uploads, more likes also display more virtual empathy† (The Huffington pos ). This virtual empathy then reflects on one’s face to face interactions. Children who are not socially active face to face become more socially confident after using social media. This is due to them sharing and communicating online behind doors, which builds their confidence. â€Å"If someone posts he had a difficult day, and you post a comment saying, Call me if you need anything, youve just displayed virtual empathy† (The Huffington post). However an article claims that† The immediacy of social media platforms, coupled with vulnerable youngsters who are socially inexperienced and not fully developed emotionally, can create a combustible mix. Kids often self-reveal before they reflect, and millions of kids say and do things they later regret† (Clinton Steyer, 1). Social media sites have transformed the minds of these children and made them think that these sites are always helpful. â€Å"Consumer Reports reported last year that more than 7. 5 million American kids under the age of 13 have joined Facebook, which technically requires users to be 13 years old to open an account† (Clinton Steyer, 1). This shows the addiction that one’s children could have if one doesn’t set restrictions and provisions. Lastly, the final aspect in which social media sites had an enormous impact on was marketing and advertising. Businesses recently began to market their products on social media because of the large online social population. So as they receive supporters, these supporters also began to influence others that they virtual met or will meet. It is like a chain reaction of supporters. In recent years many name brand companies have become a part of the social media community. â€Å"Brands such as IBM, Burger King, and have come to own a 100 blogs and claim over 100000 views on YouTube† (Zarrela, 2). Through these blogs and YouTube they communicate with consumers and make sure that the consumer full is convinced with the product. Advertisement is a great part of a business because it is what attracts consumers. â€Å"Advertisers don’t have to pay publishers or distributors huge sums of money to embed their messages; now they can make their own interesting content that viewers will flock to (Zarrela, 5). Therefore their spending decrease and profit increase. The social media is cheap means of marketing for businesses. It costs almost nothing, it’s easy to get started, and it can have an enormous financial impact on your business (Zarrela, 3). In conclusion, social media has become a source of advancement and growth in which one can attain effortlessly. However one must become knowledgeable of what one share and reads. Social media opens doors to who chooses to excel academically by offering different angles on a single topic and aiding him/her on researching about that topic. It also opens opportunities to become more socially rounded by building confidence behind closed doors and automatically reflecting that in your day to day interactions and relationships. And open doors for businesses to grow and become more popular and productive. Social media cost all most nothing therefore there is no reason why one should take advantage of the golden opportunity that lies ahead of one. However one must not be controlled by the social but one should be in control of it.

Effect of Domestic Violence on Children and Young People

Effect of Domestic Violence on Children and Young People The Nature of Domestic Violence Domestic violence has been defined as: a continuum of behaviour ranging from verbal abuse, physical, and sexual assault, to rape and even homicide. The vast majority of such violence, and the most severe and chronic incidents, are perpetrated by men against women and their children. (Department of Health [DoH] 2000) In most cases the violence is against women by their partners or spouse and affects children belonging to one or both of them. Children can become victims of domestic violence either through being directly targeted or witnessing scenes of domestic violence between parents and their partners. At least 750,000 children a year witness violence within the home, and nearly three quarters of children on child protection registers live in households where domestic violence occurs. (Dept. of Health, 2003). Abuse and violence may be physical, emotional, psychological, financial or sexual, and may be constant or spasmodic. Yet domestic violence is experienced by individuals from every class, race, religion and culture the world over (British Medical Association [BMA] 1999). While severe cases of domestic violence can often lead to women being hospitalised, others remain undetectable to the public eye, leaving women who live in constant fear of their partner or spouse, trying to avoid degradation. A study by Mayhew found that psychological and emotional abuse might be constant whilst the physical violence is intermittent (Mayhew et al 1996). For the child or young person this becomes a way of life one without stability or security and this can lead to behavioural problems and even crime. The focus of this dissertation is on the impact of domestic violence on the lives of children and young people. Research took place in the Hammersmith and Fulham area of London. The main body of research is secondary, from journals, books, and internet sources. The primary research is in the form of 2 sets of questionnaires handed out to 40people. The first questionnaire uses a design based on a survey done by Doctors from the University of Arizona, which has already proven tube successful and reliable. The questionnaire consists of four questions: Have you ever been in a relationship with someone who has hit you, kicked you, slapped you, punched you, or threatened to hurt you? CURRENTLY? When you were pregnant did anyone ever physically hurt you? Are you in a relationship with someone who yells at you, calls you names, or puts you down? (Wahl et al 2004: 25). The questionnaire was carried out on a random sample of the public. 20were handed to people outside Fulham Broadway tube station during rush-hour. People were only given the form if they said they had children, and were asked to fill it in on their way home from work or when they got back, and were given an sae. This method was chosen for reasons of personal safety as opposed to going round door to door. If the respondent answered yes to all questions then they were said to have suffered a prolonged period of domestic violence. In order to investigate the effects of domestic violence on adolescents questionnaire was devised for teenagers (see Appendix 1) and 20 were handed out at a youth centre in Hammersmith to be filled out anonymously. The forms were then collected at the end of the day. The second section of primary research was designed to be more specific. It was decided to approach an association specifically setup for women who have suffered domestic violence, which is actively involved in policy work in the UK. The chairwoman was approached and asked whether she could arrange for a sample preferably those with family in a black community who would consider completing questionnaire for a research study on domestic violence and its effects on young people and children. The chairwoman gave the researcher four names and email addresses of people who were willing to be contacted. However, the respondents and the association were to remain anonymous for reasons of confidentiality and security. The respondents used pseudonyms for their responses. As the sample was small, yet relevant, it was decided to use a more lengthy questionnaire, and interview the four subjects in more depth about their experience. Aside from the emotional effects, questions were designed to explore how domestic violence can be detrimental to learning and health. (see Appendix 2). Organisations and Government Policy There are many voluntary organisations such as Shelter, which provide counselling and places of refuge for women and children suffering domestic violence. Beneath are listed other services in the Hammersmith and Fulham area: Refuge provides a Freephone 24-hour National Domestic Violence Helpline Community efforts, such as the ‘Peace Week.’ The protection from Harassment Act 1997 Prosecutions from the Criminal Justice Act 1998 where the victim need not appear in court, but her statement used instead. Developing police strategy for collecting evidence at the scene (Home Office 2000). What happens to children in cases of Domestic Violence? The aftermath of domestic problems can be as damaging as the incidents or episodes themselves. Children can be present during an arrest of apparent, witness a parent breaking restraining orders and their reactions to court decisions. In these situations children can be used as pawns or in worst cases even be taken as hostages. (Devote and Smith, 2002 ). In a qualitative study on the effects of domestic violence on children, McGees (2000) study, along with other research, revealed that: Children do not have to experience physical abuse to experience long-term negative effects of living where extreme controlling behaviour and abuse are the norm. In order to protect themselves, children may take the father’s side in an argument, and may themselves be abusive to their mother (Kelly 1996). Children regularly experience a sense of total powerlessness, wishing they could assist their mother, which may produce harm to their long-term emotional wellbeing. This may later cause revenge fantasies, but at the time often leads them to have an overpowering need to stay in the room. (Shipway 2004: 116). It is not unusual for the child or young person to blame themselves for what is happening to their mother, particularly as the partner may have used their behaviour as a reason for losing his temper. (Ibid). Young people sometimes fear social services will remove them from the home if it is known violence and abuse exists. Gaudi (2001:27) provided evidence confirming that two-thirds of the residents in refuges are children. However, this does not account for the hundreds who are afraid to report violence. The threat of leaving their family home, however unstable, is often not well received by children, and many would rather put up with domestic violence than remove themselves from it. Domestic Violence in the Black community Domestic violence in the black community has been recognised as being less likely to be reported mainly because women and young people do not wish to threaten the stability of their position within their community. Women from African Caribbean communities are less likely to report their experiences and therefore they experience prolonged abuse over a long, or sometimes indeterminate, time frame. One of the critical debates concerning domestic violence is the idea of ‘getting used’ to a way of being treated and thus for it to become the norm within family life. An article written by a survivor of domestic violence said of her early years in Jamaica: ‘in my experience it was commonplace to hear of or even witness women/men being beaten by their spouses or partners in public view.’ (Unknown author.http://www.2as1.net/articles/article.asp?id=49.). She comments of violence in the UK, saying that ‘particularly within the Black community, the fighting may not overspill onto the streets but it does occur, behind closed doors.’ Black communities in London are well established and people living within them rely on the social structure of their area. The idea of leaving the area to live in a refuge where they might not understand English speaking people so well is an intimidating prospect for many. Thus, some women who do not speak English might delay seeking help, finding the language a barrier between them and British speaking organisations. Interpreters can be used, but involving a third partying a woman’s private life can be an off-putting idea. Furthermore, religious or cultural beliefs might forbid divorce, and religious community leaders mostly being men, only some speak out about domestic violence. In the case of migrant women and children who suffer domestic abuse there often is the threat of not being able to stay in the UK if they separate from their partner. An even greater threat is that the partner might abduct the children and take them abroad. (GreenwichMulti-Agency Domestic Violence Forum. 2003). One of the most powerful psychological effects of domestic violence, physical or verbal, is the victim’s distorted perspective of their abuser. Often women will make excuses for the person who attacks them blaming it on themselves or on drink or drugs or other stresses within their relationship. This comes with an inability to prioritise their personal safety and wellbeing, and that of their children, believing that the emotional attachment between the family members might be enough to overcome the presence of violence. Consequently, the effects of the mother’s decision to remain within the abusive relationship means that the child remains continually at risk from psychological and physical hurt. The effects of exposure to violence in the home are extensive and not always immediately evident. For the individual exposure to domestic violence can precipitate personality disorders, addictive disorders, substance abuse, and even physical disorders. And as studies have shown, many violent individuals have themselves been victims of domestic violence and abuse, unable to break out of the cycle. Children and adolescents with violent parent(s) are without the presence of a mentor on which to model their behaviour. This can lead to further social problems such as an inability to integrate with peers. A young person who has experienced the insecurity of a violent home life might seek security in other forms such as substance abuse, and gangs and gang violence. Statistics The Home Office survey 2004 reported on a questionnaire used by the2001 British Crime Survey. It asked a nationally representative sample of 22,463 women and men aged between 16 and 59 whether they had been subject to domestic violence during their lifetime and during the preceding year. For relevance to this dissertation the following graphs were selected from the survey: Source: Home Office Survey 2004: 12. The survey surmised that since the age of 16 45% of women and 26%of men were subject to domestic violence at least once in their lifetime. (Home Office 2004: 8). Of these 18.6% were subject to force, meaning pushing, shoving, or physical harm. The British Crime Survey estimated that 13% of women and 9% of men had been subject to domestic violence in the 12 months prior to interview. (p.8). Furthermore, 12.9 million incidents of domestic violence acts had occurred against women in that year. Violence against children In 90% of cases of domestic violence children are in the same room or the next room.(Hughes 1998) In 40% 60% of cases of domestic violence child abuse is also occurring ( Stark Flit craft 1998) The NCH study found 75% of mothers said their children had witnessed domestic violence, 33% had seen their mothers beaten up, 10%had witnessed sexual violence (NCH, 1994). (http://www.womens-aid.org.uk/statistics.php). Immediate effects of Domestic Violence on Children and Young People A report by the Department of Health concluded that: For many women and their families the effects of domestic violence will be catastrophic, the damage to their physical and psychological wellbeing may be deeply damaging, and on occasions fatal. (Department of Health [DoH] 2000: 12) Victimisation by a parent of a child or young person can lead to the individual becoming so controlled and inhibited that they are unable to make even the simplest decision or act without permission, responding with complete obedience to every order given and every rule imposed. Abuse can encumber every part of their life, leading in cases to suicide seeming like the only escape. Some people express their self-disgust and powerlessness through alcohol or drug abuse, or self-mutilation, exhibiting signs of severe depression and complete dependency on the abuser.(Shipway 2004: 1). Because of the variety of forms which domestic violence can take its difficult for research to cover all areas. For example, there can be negative effects from being an observer. Research by Fantuzzo and Mohr noted this and thus instead of using the term ‘victim’ used ‘exposure.’ This was used in the context of the experience of watching or hearing domestic violence; being directly involved; calling police; and the experience of the aftermath of scenes which might include seeing injuries or bruising on a parent and observing maternal depression. (Fantuzzo and Mohr 1999: 22). Work by Hester et al found that childrens responses differ among members of the same family who are witnessing or experiencing the same abuse. They also said that it is hard to discern the impacts of living with domestic violence on children, because some of the consequent behaviours also occur in children experiencing other forms of abuse and neglect. (Hester et al. 2000:44) The following is a list of negative effects taken from Shipway 2004: 117): Secrecy Confusion Fear Mistrustful Blaming themselves Nightmares In addition Hester et al. (2000:44) found that whilst some children have poor social skills others attain a high level of social skills development with an ability to negotiate difficult situations. Child’s ability to cope with abuse should never be underestimated; neither should the childs attachment to the abusive parent which, for some, may continue to be strong. (Ibid). Children’s responses to witnessing domestic violence will depend on age, race, class, sex, stage of development, and the support of others.(Women’s Aid). Children may feel angry at their mother or father for not protecting them, as well as blaming them for causing the violence. Others may be so concerned about their mothers distress that they keep private their own grief (Saunders, 1995. From Women’s Aid). Long Term effects Research by Fantuzzo and Mohr concluded that children who live in violent households are at greater risk of being maladjusted. (Fantuzzoand Mohr 1999: 22.) Some of these problems include: Behaviour Modelling In very young children through to adolescent age, behaviour is often modelled on people who the individual spends significant time with. Piaget in his 1972 publication noted that children’s play behaviour involves modelling on those around them, and eventually to reproducing that behaviour at any given time or place . As children grow up the parent figure becomes a role-model and if an abusive relationship exists then this trust is taken away. In study conducted by American researchers on aggression and violence in adolescent boys, 15 interviewees were asked questions which sought to identify areas for improvement concerning intervention and prevention. Participants disclosed that their aggressive responses to provocation were frequently modelled on responses that they had seen exhibited bothers, particularly those observed among immediate and extended family members. For example, a respondent called Dan said the following about his father: He gets mad too quickly. Hell get aggravated and hell just explode and thats when the fights start. Well argue and then Ill get mad and tell him some stuff and then hell get mad and just start yelling and then like one of us will go after the other, and then were fighting so my mother will try to break it up or call the police. (Ballot et al 2002: 221). Not all interviewees connected their behaviour with their families, however, there were many family interactions which involved aggression and domestic violence. It is perhaps the impact of what children witness that remains with them and encourages them to learn negative behavioural responses more quickly. As Brian explained, When I was younger, I didnt have a very organized family at all, so I looked towards the people on the streets. Thats when it gets you in trouble. Social Integration The abused childs unstable, often dangerous, home environment is likely to limit the childs development of social skills, self-confidence, and experience of positive interactions (Herrenkohl etal., 1995). Taken from Cooper 1999: 10). Children who grow up in a violent, unpredictable family have a `world view in which potential threat is constantly present. The child’s ability to play and integrate with others is severely impaired as they are, if you like, watching their back in case of attack. Play is an important medium of self-expression for the young child, especially during the preschool years when language is still developing. It is the way in which children explore the world around them and learn to recognise and understand objects and people. Because play is sensitive to environmental conditions, the childs physical and social environment will either support or limit his or her play opportunities. Unfortunately, when a child is exposed to a chronically violent, abusive, or neglectful home environment, his or her opportunities for play development and play experiences are severely disrupted. (Cooper 1999:10). The physically abused or neglected child is more likely to show delayed language, cognitive, and motor development, and as a consequence, delayed play skills (Ibid). Cooper suggests that the preschool child will internalise the experience of domestic violence, and may view himself or herself as the cause. As a result, the preschool child may act in destructive ways, such as deliberately destroying other childrens games or toys, in order to attract negative attention. (Ibid). A 1989 study by Fagot et al found physically abused preschool children’s free play with peers to be more disruptive, aggressive, and antisocial than the play of other, non-abused children. (Ibid). Fantuzzo found that aggressive play behaviour, and a lack of empathy with fellow children, is likely to further isolate and prevent the abused child from learning appropriate social skills (Davis Fantuzzo, 1989: 227-248). Structure Children living in a dysfunctional family unit where violence occurs will often experience a lack of structure and organisation to their daily lives. The study by Ballot et al found that the boys ‘felt safe ‘in the institution as they had a chance to lead ‘orderly, less chaotic lives than the ones they experienced in their homes and on the streets.’ (Ballot et al 2002: 17). Every child will cope with exposure to domestic violence in their own unique way. Indeed, many children might at first not appear to have been adversely affected. It is only later, or in certain situations that their inner emotional state might be revealed. Indeed, although there is a varying number of possible negative health and social outcomes for children who have lived in an abusive home, not all children manifest these characteristics in their later life. The young mind can be resilient and adaptable: It is important to remember that some children remain perfectly well-adjusted despite living with abuse and that a majority survive within on clinical or normal levels of functioning. (Millender and Morley1994:4) Results from Primary Research Of the 20 questionnaires handed out to a random sample of respondents, who were asked only to fill out and return the form if they had children. 8 were returned. The results are set out below: 1. Have you ever been in a relationship with someone who has hit you, kicked you, slapped you, punched you, or threatened to hurt you? 2. CURRENTLY? 3. When you were pregnant did anyone ever physically hurt you? 4. Are you in a relationship with someone who yells at you, calls you names, or puts you down? 7 out of 8 women said they had been in a relationship where they were threatened or hurt 3 out of 8 women said they were currently in a violent relationship 6 women who said they had been abused while pregnant, which implies that their children could have been born into a domestically violent household. 6 out of 8 women said they were in an emotionally abusive relationship These statistics for the Fulham area are quite high. Nearly half of respondents said they had experienced prolonged domestic abuse. It would be useful to conduct a further study on another random sample to see if the two sets of results would correlate. Because under half the sample returned the questionnaires it cannot be said to be representative sample of the Fulham area. Nonetheless the findings do give a surprising insight into the lives of black women in London, showing that abuse, in any form, is a regular occurrence in some people’s lives. Furthermore, because these respondents had children it’s likely that their children have witnessed domestic violence. Future research might look into establishing a comparison study on 20 women who do not have children in an attempt to see whether more cases of abuse occur within relationships where children are present. Questionnaire on teenagers Of the 20 forms which were filled in 9 respondents said they had been involved in or witnessed cases of domestic violence in their lifetime. 1. Have you ever been involved in or witnessed scenes of domestic violence in your family? Was this age 1-5/6-14/15-present? Or all of the above? 2. Were these scenes between your parents/partners? Did they ever directly involve you? Yes: 4 No: 5 3. Were you ever physically hurt during these episodes? Yes: 3 No: 6 4. Were you verbally abused during these episodes? Yes: 9 No: 0 5. How did your experience affect your daily life: 1. Made you shy†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..2 2. Made you sad†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.9 3. Made you angry†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦5 4. Made you aggressive towards others†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦3 6. Do you believe your experience to have been detrimental to your ability to enjoy and participate in school? 1. Yes†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..3 2. No†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦6 2 out of 9 respondents said they had witnessed or experienced domestic abuse throughout their lives. Just under half of respondents said that they were directly involved in scenes of domestic violence and all respondents said they were verbally abused. The highest percentage(100%) said they had felt sad, while just under half felt aggressive towards other people. Interviews The four cases of domestic violence all revealed the problem of domestic violence to be one associated with isolation and taking place within the privacy of the home. All respondents admitted that they believed domestic violence to have negatively affected their children. Particularly poignant were the accounts of children becoming withdrawn, another aggressive, and another blaming her mother. All these findings are consistent with the secondary research presented in the first section of this dissertation. The interviews provided a surprisingly good response. Some people might be reluctant to admit to the presence of violence in their domestic life, especially if it involves their children, in fear of admitting that they are (directly, or indirectly) causing their child to be unhappy. However, all four respondents answered openly and honestly about their experiences. Conclusion This dissertation has looked into a cross section of the population in the Hammersmith and Fulham area of London. Teenagers and women who were known to have experienced abuse were asked questions about their experiences and both reported feelings of sadness and aggression. Random sample of women with children also revealed that nearly half of the population had experienced a domestic violence act of some kind in their lives. The findings were consistent with the secondary research, such as the study by Piaget 1972, and Cooper 1999, both of which found that young children had difficulty in play activities and social integration, both at pre-school and primary level. The study by Ballonet al on aggressive teenagers also correlated with the responses from the questionnaires handed out at the youth centre. It is not possible to say that there are more domestic violence cases in black communities or that they are caused by demographic and stress factors. A study by Richardson et al on the prevalence of domestic violence against women looked for a correlation between demographic factors and domestic violence. They concluded that black women were least likely to have ever experienced domestic violence compared to their white female counterparts.(Richardson et al 2002:274). The interview with the British mother found that the violence she had experienced was mostly verbal and did not involve physical force directed at her. Out of the four women she was the only one still tube with her husband with whom she had fought with. This is not consistent with the secondary research presented at the beginning which suggested that more black women stayed with their spouses in fear of what might happen if they left. Future research might explore the marital status of black women in the Hammersmith and Fulham area and the stability of the family unit. Interviews with more than one member of a family might also be useful in order to gain a different perspective on the same incidents. To conclude, domestic violence appears to have a negative impact on children and young people. Initial responses might be guilt, fear, sleeplessness and a desire to protect their mother. In pre-schoolchildren the learning ability and playfulness is often damaged by the experience of domestic violence. In children of all ages research has shown that behaviour is modelled on what they see around them, and this can lead to anti-social behaviour to peers and strangers. Longer-term effects include an inability to trust other people, withdrawing from social situations, depression, and in worse cases aggression on the streets, and drug and alcohol abuse. Effect of Domestic Violence on Children and Young People Effect of Domestic Violence on Children and Young People The Nature of Domestic Violence Domestic violence has been defined as: a continuum of behaviour ranging from verbal abuse, physical, and sexual assault, to rape and even homicide. The vast majority of such violence, and the most severe and chronic incidents, are perpetrated by men against women and their children. (Department of Health [DoH] 2000) In most cases the violence is against women by their partners or spouse and affects children belonging to one or both of them. Children can become victims of domestic violence either through being directly targeted or witnessing scenes of domestic violence between parents and their partners. At least 750,000 children a year witness violence within the home, and nearly three quarters of children on child protection registers live in households where domestic violence occurs. (Dept. of Health, 2003). Abuse and violence may be physical, emotional, psychological, financial or sexual, and may be constant or spasmodic. Yet domestic violence is experienced by individuals from every class, race, religion and culture the world over (British Medical Association [BMA] 1999). While severe cases of domestic violence can often lead to women being hospitalised, others remain undetectable to the public eye, leaving women who live in constant fear of their partner or spouse, trying to avoid degradation. A study by Mayhew found that psychological and emotional abuse might be constant whilst the physical violence is intermittent (Mayhew et al 1996). For the child or young person this becomes a way of life one without stability or security and this can lead to behavioural problems and even crime. The focus of this dissertation is on the impact of domestic violence on the lives of children and young people. Research took place in the Hammersmith and Fulham area of London. The main body of research is secondary, from journals, books, and internet sources. The primary research is in the form of 2 sets of questionnaires handed out to 40people. The first questionnaire uses a design based on a survey done by Doctors from the University of Arizona, which has already proven tube successful and reliable. The questionnaire consists of four questions: Have you ever been in a relationship with someone who has hit you, kicked you, slapped you, punched you, or threatened to hurt you? CURRENTLY? When you were pregnant did anyone ever physically hurt you? Are you in a relationship with someone who yells at you, calls you names, or puts you down? (Wahl et al 2004: 25). The questionnaire was carried out on a random sample of the public. 20were handed to people outside Fulham Broadway tube station during rush-hour. People were only given the form if they said they had children, and were asked to fill it in on their way home from work or when they got back, and were given an sae. This method was chosen for reasons of personal safety as opposed to going round door to door. If the respondent answered yes to all questions then they were said to have suffered a prolonged period of domestic violence. In order to investigate the effects of domestic violence on adolescents questionnaire was devised for teenagers (see Appendix 1) and 20 were handed out at a youth centre in Hammersmith to be filled out anonymously. The forms were then collected at the end of the day. The second section of primary research was designed to be more specific. It was decided to approach an association specifically setup for women who have suffered domestic violence, which is actively involved in policy work in the UK. The chairwoman was approached and asked whether she could arrange for a sample preferably those with family in a black community who would consider completing questionnaire for a research study on domestic violence and its effects on young people and children. The chairwoman gave the researcher four names and email addresses of people who were willing to be contacted. However, the respondents and the association were to remain anonymous for reasons of confidentiality and security. The respondents used pseudonyms for their responses. As the sample was small, yet relevant, it was decided to use a more lengthy questionnaire, and interview the four subjects in more depth about their experience. Aside from the emotional effects, questions were designed to explore how domestic violence can be detrimental to learning and health. (see Appendix 2). Organisations and Government Policy There are many voluntary organisations such as Shelter, which provide counselling and places of refuge for women and children suffering domestic violence. Beneath are listed other services in the Hammersmith and Fulham area: Refuge provides a Freephone 24-hour National Domestic Violence Helpline Community efforts, such as the ‘Peace Week.’ The protection from Harassment Act 1997 Prosecutions from the Criminal Justice Act 1998 where the victim need not appear in court, but her statement used instead. Developing police strategy for collecting evidence at the scene (Home Office 2000). What happens to children in cases of Domestic Violence? The aftermath of domestic problems can be as damaging as the incidents or episodes themselves. Children can be present during an arrest of apparent, witness a parent breaking restraining orders and their reactions to court decisions. In these situations children can be used as pawns or in worst cases even be taken as hostages. (Devote and Smith, 2002 ). In a qualitative study on the effects of domestic violence on children, McGees (2000) study, along with other research, revealed that: Children do not have to experience physical abuse to experience long-term negative effects of living where extreme controlling behaviour and abuse are the norm. In order to protect themselves, children may take the father’s side in an argument, and may themselves be abusive to their mother (Kelly 1996). Children regularly experience a sense of total powerlessness, wishing they could assist their mother, which may produce harm to their long-term emotional wellbeing. This may later cause revenge fantasies, but at the time often leads them to have an overpowering need to stay in the room. (Shipway 2004: 116). It is not unusual for the child or young person to blame themselves for what is happening to their mother, particularly as the partner may have used their behaviour as a reason for losing his temper. (Ibid). Young people sometimes fear social services will remove them from the home if it is known violence and abuse exists. Gaudi (2001:27) provided evidence confirming that two-thirds of the residents in refuges are children. However, this does not account for the hundreds who are afraid to report violence. The threat of leaving their family home, however unstable, is often not well received by children, and many would rather put up with domestic violence than remove themselves from it. Domestic Violence in the Black community Domestic violence in the black community has been recognised as being less likely to be reported mainly because women and young people do not wish to threaten the stability of their position within their community. Women from African Caribbean communities are less likely to report their experiences and therefore they experience prolonged abuse over a long, or sometimes indeterminate, time frame. One of the critical debates concerning domestic violence is the idea of ‘getting used’ to a way of being treated and thus for it to become the norm within family life. An article written by a survivor of domestic violence said of her early years in Jamaica: ‘in my experience it was commonplace to hear of or even witness women/men being beaten by their spouses or partners in public view.’ (Unknown author.http://www.2as1.net/articles/article.asp?id=49.). She comments of violence in the UK, saying that ‘particularly within the Black community, the fighting may not overspill onto the streets but it does occur, behind closed doors.’ Black communities in London are well established and people living within them rely on the social structure of their area. The idea of leaving the area to live in a refuge where they might not understand English speaking people so well is an intimidating prospect for many. Thus, some women who do not speak English might delay seeking help, finding the language a barrier between them and British speaking organisations. Interpreters can be used, but involving a third partying a woman’s private life can be an off-putting idea. Furthermore, religious or cultural beliefs might forbid divorce, and religious community leaders mostly being men, only some speak out about domestic violence. In the case of migrant women and children who suffer domestic abuse there often is the threat of not being able to stay in the UK if they separate from their partner. An even greater threat is that the partner might abduct the children and take them abroad. (GreenwichMulti-Agency Domestic Violence Forum. 2003). One of the most powerful psychological effects of domestic violence, physical or verbal, is the victim’s distorted perspective of their abuser. Often women will make excuses for the person who attacks them blaming it on themselves or on drink or drugs or other stresses within their relationship. This comes with an inability to prioritise their personal safety and wellbeing, and that of their children, believing that the emotional attachment between the family members might be enough to overcome the presence of violence. Consequently, the effects of the mother’s decision to remain within the abusive relationship means that the child remains continually at risk from psychological and physical hurt. The effects of exposure to violence in the home are extensive and not always immediately evident. For the individual exposure to domestic violence can precipitate personality disorders, addictive disorders, substance abuse, and even physical disorders. And as studies have shown, many violent individuals have themselves been victims of domestic violence and abuse, unable to break out of the cycle. Children and adolescents with violent parent(s) are without the presence of a mentor on which to model their behaviour. This can lead to further social problems such as an inability to integrate with peers. A young person who has experienced the insecurity of a violent home life might seek security in other forms such as substance abuse, and gangs and gang violence. Statistics The Home Office survey 2004 reported on a questionnaire used by the2001 British Crime Survey. It asked a nationally representative sample of 22,463 women and men aged between 16 and 59 whether they had been subject to domestic violence during their lifetime and during the preceding year. For relevance to this dissertation the following graphs were selected from the survey: Source: Home Office Survey 2004: 12. The survey surmised that since the age of 16 45% of women and 26%of men were subject to domestic violence at least once in their lifetime. (Home Office 2004: 8). Of these 18.6% were subject to force, meaning pushing, shoving, or physical harm. The British Crime Survey estimated that 13% of women and 9% of men had been subject to domestic violence in the 12 months prior to interview. (p.8). Furthermore, 12.9 million incidents of domestic violence acts had occurred against women in that year. Violence against children In 90% of cases of domestic violence children are in the same room or the next room.(Hughes 1998) In 40% 60% of cases of domestic violence child abuse is also occurring ( Stark Flit craft 1998) The NCH study found 75% of mothers said their children had witnessed domestic violence, 33% had seen their mothers beaten up, 10%had witnessed sexual violence (NCH, 1994). (http://www.womens-aid.org.uk/statistics.php). Immediate effects of Domestic Violence on Children and Young People A report by the Department of Health concluded that: For many women and their families the effects of domestic violence will be catastrophic, the damage to their physical and psychological wellbeing may be deeply damaging, and on occasions fatal. (Department of Health [DoH] 2000: 12) Victimisation by a parent of a child or young person can lead to the individual becoming so controlled and inhibited that they are unable to make even the simplest decision or act without permission, responding with complete obedience to every order given and every rule imposed. Abuse can encumber every part of their life, leading in cases to suicide seeming like the only escape. Some people express their self-disgust and powerlessness through alcohol or drug abuse, or self-mutilation, exhibiting signs of severe depression and complete dependency on the abuser.(Shipway 2004: 1). Because of the variety of forms which domestic violence can take its difficult for research to cover all areas. For example, there can be negative effects from being an observer. Research by Fantuzzo and Mohr noted this and thus instead of using the term ‘victim’ used ‘exposure.’ This was used in the context of the experience of watching or hearing domestic violence; being directly involved; calling police; and the experience of the aftermath of scenes which might include seeing injuries or bruising on a parent and observing maternal depression. (Fantuzzo and Mohr 1999: 22). Work by Hester et al found that childrens responses differ among members of the same family who are witnessing or experiencing the same abuse. They also said that it is hard to discern the impacts of living with domestic violence on children, because some of the consequent behaviours also occur in children experiencing other forms of abuse and neglect. (Hester et al. 2000:44) The following is a list of negative effects taken from Shipway 2004: 117): Secrecy Confusion Fear Mistrustful Blaming themselves Nightmares In addition Hester et al. (2000:44) found that whilst some children have poor social skills others attain a high level of social skills development with an ability to negotiate difficult situations. Child’s ability to cope with abuse should never be underestimated; neither should the childs attachment to the abusive parent which, for some, may continue to be strong. (Ibid). Children’s responses to witnessing domestic violence will depend on age, race, class, sex, stage of development, and the support of others.(Women’s Aid). Children may feel angry at their mother or father for not protecting them, as well as blaming them for causing the violence. Others may be so concerned about their mothers distress that they keep private their own grief (Saunders, 1995. From Women’s Aid). Long Term effects Research by Fantuzzo and Mohr concluded that children who live in violent households are at greater risk of being maladjusted. (Fantuzzoand Mohr 1999: 22.) Some of these problems include: Behaviour Modelling In very young children through to adolescent age, behaviour is often modelled on people who the individual spends significant time with. Piaget in his 1972 publication noted that children’s play behaviour involves modelling on those around them, and eventually to reproducing that behaviour at any given time or place . As children grow up the parent figure becomes a role-model and if an abusive relationship exists then this trust is taken away. In study conducted by American researchers on aggression and violence in adolescent boys, 15 interviewees were asked questions which sought to identify areas for improvement concerning intervention and prevention. Participants disclosed that their aggressive responses to provocation were frequently modelled on responses that they had seen exhibited bothers, particularly those observed among immediate and extended family members. For example, a respondent called Dan said the following about his father: He gets mad too quickly. Hell get aggravated and hell just explode and thats when the fights start. Well argue and then Ill get mad and tell him some stuff and then hell get mad and just start yelling and then like one of us will go after the other, and then were fighting so my mother will try to break it up or call the police. (Ballot et al 2002: 221). Not all interviewees connected their behaviour with their families, however, there were many family interactions which involved aggression and domestic violence. It is perhaps the impact of what children witness that remains with them and encourages them to learn negative behavioural responses more quickly. As Brian explained, When I was younger, I didnt have a very organized family at all, so I looked towards the people on the streets. Thats when it gets you in trouble. Social Integration The abused childs unstable, often dangerous, home environment is likely to limit the childs development of social skills, self-confidence, and experience of positive interactions (Herrenkohl etal., 1995). Taken from Cooper 1999: 10). Children who grow up in a violent, unpredictable family have a `world view in which potential threat is constantly present. The child’s ability to play and integrate with others is severely impaired as they are, if you like, watching their back in case of attack. Play is an important medium of self-expression for the young child, especially during the preschool years when language is still developing. It is the way in which children explore the world around them and learn to recognise and understand objects and people. Because play is sensitive to environmental conditions, the childs physical and social environment will either support or limit his or her play opportunities. Unfortunately, when a child is exposed to a chronically violent, abusive, or neglectful home environment, his or her opportunities for play development and play experiences are severely disrupted. (Cooper 1999:10). The physically abused or neglected child is more likely to show delayed language, cognitive, and motor development, and as a consequence, delayed play skills (Ibid). Cooper suggests that the preschool child will internalise the experience of domestic violence, and may view himself or herself as the cause. As a result, the preschool child may act in destructive ways, such as deliberately destroying other childrens games or toys, in order to attract negative attention. (Ibid). A 1989 study by Fagot et al found physically abused preschool children’s free play with peers to be more disruptive, aggressive, and antisocial than the play of other, non-abused children. (Ibid). Fantuzzo found that aggressive play behaviour, and a lack of empathy with fellow children, is likely to further isolate and prevent the abused child from learning appropriate social skills (Davis Fantuzzo, 1989: 227-248). Structure Children living in a dysfunctional family unit where violence occurs will often experience a lack of structure and organisation to their daily lives. The study by Ballot et al found that the boys ‘felt safe ‘in the institution as they had a chance to lead ‘orderly, less chaotic lives than the ones they experienced in their homes and on the streets.’ (Ballot et al 2002: 17). Every child will cope with exposure to domestic violence in their own unique way. Indeed, many children might at first not appear to have been adversely affected. It is only later, or in certain situations that their inner emotional state might be revealed. Indeed, although there is a varying number of possible negative health and social outcomes for children who have lived in an abusive home, not all children manifest these characteristics in their later life. The young mind can be resilient and adaptable: It is important to remember that some children remain perfectly well-adjusted despite living with abuse and that a majority survive within on clinical or normal levels of functioning. (Millender and Morley1994:4) Results from Primary Research Of the 20 questionnaires handed out to a random sample of respondents, who were asked only to fill out and return the form if they had children. 8 were returned. The results are set out below: 1. Have you ever been in a relationship with someone who has hit you, kicked you, slapped you, punched you, or threatened to hurt you? 2. CURRENTLY? 3. When you were pregnant did anyone ever physically hurt you? 4. Are you in a relationship with someone who yells at you, calls you names, or puts you down? 7 out of 8 women said they had been in a relationship where they were threatened or hurt 3 out of 8 women said they were currently in a violent relationship 6 women who said they had been abused while pregnant, which implies that their children could have been born into a domestically violent household. 6 out of 8 women said they were in an emotionally abusive relationship These statistics for the Fulham area are quite high. Nearly half of respondents said they had experienced prolonged domestic abuse. It would be useful to conduct a further study on another random sample to see if the two sets of results would correlate. Because under half the sample returned the questionnaires it cannot be said to be representative sample of the Fulham area. Nonetheless the findings do give a surprising insight into the lives of black women in London, showing that abuse, in any form, is a regular occurrence in some people’s lives. Furthermore, because these respondents had children it’s likely that their children have witnessed domestic violence. Future research might look into establishing a comparison study on 20 women who do not have children in an attempt to see whether more cases of abuse occur within relationships where children are present. Questionnaire on teenagers Of the 20 forms which were filled in 9 respondents said they had been involved in or witnessed cases of domestic violence in their lifetime. 1. Have you ever been involved in or witnessed scenes of domestic violence in your family? Was this age 1-5/6-14/15-present? Or all of the above? 2. Were these scenes between your parents/partners? Did they ever directly involve you? Yes: 4 No: 5 3. Were you ever physically hurt during these episodes? Yes: 3 No: 6 4. Were you verbally abused during these episodes? Yes: 9 No: 0 5. How did your experience affect your daily life: 1. Made you shy†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..2 2. Made you sad†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.9 3. Made you angry†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦5 4. Made you aggressive towards others†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦3 6. Do you believe your experience to have been detrimental to your ability to enjoy and participate in school? 1. Yes†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..3 2. No†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦6 2 out of 9 respondents said they had witnessed or experienced domestic abuse throughout their lives. Just under half of respondents said that they were directly involved in scenes of domestic violence and all respondents said they were verbally abused. The highest percentage(100%) said they had felt sad, while just under half felt aggressive towards other people. Interviews The four cases of domestic violence all revealed the problem of domestic violence to be one associated with isolation and taking place within the privacy of the home. All respondents admitted that they believed domestic violence to have negatively affected their children. Particularly poignant were the accounts of children becoming withdrawn, another aggressive, and another blaming her mother. All these findings are consistent with the secondary research presented in the first section of this dissertation. The interviews provided a surprisingly good response. Some people might be reluctant to admit to the presence of violence in their domestic life, especially if it involves their children, in fear of admitting that they are (directly, or indirectly) causing their child to be unhappy. However, all four respondents answered openly and honestly about their experiences. Conclusion This dissertation has looked into a cross section of the population in the Hammersmith and Fulham area of London. Teenagers and women who were known to have experienced abuse were asked questions about their experiences and both reported feelings of sadness and aggression. Random sample of women with children also revealed that nearly half of the population had experienced a domestic violence act of some kind in their lives. The findings were consistent with the secondary research, such as the study by Piaget 1972, and Cooper 1999, both of which found that young children had difficulty in play activities and social integration, both at pre-school and primary level. The study by Ballonet al on aggressive teenagers also correlated with the responses from the questionnaires handed out at the youth centre. It is not possible to say that there are more domestic violence cases in black communities or that they are caused by demographic and stress factors. A study by Richardson et al on the prevalence of domestic violence against women looked for a correlation between demographic factors and domestic violence. They concluded that black women were least likely to have ever experienced domestic violence compared to their white female counterparts.(Richardson et al 2002:274). The interview with the British mother found that the violence she had experienced was mostly verbal and did not involve physical force directed at her. Out of the four women she was the only one still tube with her husband with whom she had fought with. This is not consistent with the secondary research presented at the beginning which suggested that more black women stayed with their spouses in fear of what might happen if they left. Future research might explore the marital status of black women in the Hammersmith and Fulham area and the stability of the family unit. Interviews with more than one member of a family might also be useful in order to gain a different perspective on the same incidents. To conclude, domestic violence appears to have a negative impact on children and young people. Initial responses might be guilt, fear, sleeplessness and a desire to protect their mother. In pre-schoolchildren the learning ability and playfulness is often damaged by the experience of domestic violence. In children of all ages research has shown that behaviour is modelled on what they see around them, and this can lead to anti-social behaviour to peers and strangers. Longer-term effects include an inability to trust other people, withdrawing from social situations, depression, and in worse cases aggression on the streets, and drug and alcohol abuse.

Differences Between Micro And Macro Economics Economics Essay

Differences Between Micro And Macro Economics Economics Essay Each NCC Education assessed assignment submitted by you must have this statement attached to the assignment as the cover page or it will not be accepted for marking. Please ensure that this statement is either firmly attached to the cover of the assignment or electronically inserted into the front of the assignment. Student declaration I have read and understood NCC Educations Policy on Academic Dishonesty and Plagiarism. I can confirm the following details: Student ID/Registration number: 4-16-03-09-010 Name: Mahabuba Rahman Centre Name: Daffodil Institute of IT Module Name: Economics Module Leader: Mr. Abdullah-Hil-Muntakim Number of words: I confirm that this is my own work and that I have not plagiarized any part of it. I have also noted the assessment criteria and pass mark for assignments. Due Date: 18th February, 2010 Students Signature: Mahabuba Rahman Date of Submission: 17th February, 2010 Acknowledgement At last, an arduous journey has come to an end. It was a great experience to make an assignment on economics. For the successful completion of the different areas in the process of writing the assignment, many people extended their helping hands and their practical thoughts as well. Without all those helps from different fields, it would not be possible to ease the entire process and make smooth works. In the first place, I want to express my heartiest gratitude to our respected teacher and mentor, Mr. Abdullah-Hil-Muntakim, for guiding us with necessary advices, whenever needed. This assignment is assigned by NCC Education UK. I would also like to thank NCC Education UK for providing me such an enjoyable assignment like this. Mahabuba Rahman Table of Content Task1à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦. 01 to 05 Task2à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦. 06 to 14 Task3à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦. 15 to 17 Task4à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦. 18 to 21 Task5à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦. 22 to 24 References Bibliographyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ 25 Task-1 What is Economics? The Economists Dictionary of Economics defines economics as The study of the production, distribution and consumption of wealth in human society. Another definition of the subject comes from the economist Lionel Robbins, who said in 1935 that  [1]   Economics is a social science that studies human behavior as a relationship between ends and scarce means which have alternative uses. That is, economics is the study of the trade-offs involved when choosing between alternate sets of decisions. According to Adam Smith, Economics is a study of an enquiry into the nature and causes of wealth of nations. J. S. Mills says, Economics is a study of the practical science of the production and distribution of wealth Generally, Economics is a study of how people allocate their limited resources such as land, labor and capital to provide for their unlimited wants.  [2]   The basic economic problem is about scarcity and choice since there are only a limited amount of resources available to produce the unlimited amount of goods and services we desire. In an economy, people have unlimited desire for goods and services i.e. unlimited wants, but the resources in the world are limited and so we cannot satisfy all our wants and are forced to choose as to which goods to produce. Therefore, scarcity and choice or limited resources and unlimited wants sum up the basic economic problem. We can summarize this idea into the following figure:  [3]   Limited Resources Can be used to produce Limited amount of goods services. Which then satisfy Unlimited amount of people wants FIG: Limited Resources and Unlimited wants As we are faced with the problem of scarcity, there are 3 important economic decisions to be considered. What goods and services to be produced and what quantity i.e. how much to be produced? How or by what method goods and services should be produced? For who are goods and services to be produced i.e. who are to enjoy the goods and services produced? Opportunity Cost: Opportunity cost is the cost we pay when we give up something to get something else. There can be many alternatives that we give up to get something else, but the opportunity cost of a decision is the most desirable alternative we give up to get what we want  [4]  . Opportunity cost of satisfying a want is the next best alternative that has to be forgone (i.e. the cost of giving up something in order to obtain something else). As for example, a person has $5 and he can spend on chocolate or chewing gum or a combination of both. Price of a bar of chocolate = $0.50 Price of a bar of chewing gum =$0.20 Figure 1 Opportunity Cost There are 6 attainable combinations available to him using all his money. Assuming that he is consuming 6 bars of chocolate and 10 bars of chewing gum, the opportunity cost of the 8th bar of chocolate is what he must give up in order to get that 8th bar, which in this case is 5 bars of chewing gum. The line on the above diagram shows a constant opportunity cost of consuming 2 additional bars of chocolate is 5 bars of chewing gum. Opportunity Cost is represented by the slope of that line.  [5]   In simple terms, opportunity cost of an action A is the next best alternative action B that you give up. For example, if you spend one hour in reading then you are actually giving up one hour of fishing which is say, your next best alternative use of that one hour.  [6]   Reading for an hour means giving up So opportunity cost of reading is fishing. Differences between Micro and Macro Economics Macro- and microeconomics, and their wide array of underlying concepts,  have been the subject of a great deal of writings. The field of study is vast; here is a brief summary of what each covers: a) .Microeconomics is the study of decisions that people and businesses make regarding the allocation of resources and prices of goods and services. This means also taking into account taxes and regulations created by governments. Microeconomics  focuses on  supply and demand and other forces that determine the price levels seen in the economy. For example, microeconomics would look at how a specific company could maximize its production and capacity so  it could lower  prices and better compete in its industry.  [7]   On the other hand,  Macroeconomics is the field of economics that studies the behavior of the economy as a whole and not just on specific companies, but entire industries and economies. This looks at economy-wide phenomena, such as  Gross National Product (GDP) and how it is affected by changes in unemployment, national income, rate of growth, and price levels. For example, macroeconomics would look at how an increase/decrease in net exports would affect a nations  capital account or how GDP would be affected by unemployment rate. b) Microeconomics deals with the economics of the firm, examples are Consumers Behavior and Production Theory.  [8]   Macroeconomics deals with the aggregates, examples are National Income Accounts and Inflation. c) Microeconomics (small economics), which examines the economic behavior of agents (including individuals and firms) Microeconomics looks at interactions through individual markets, given scarcity and government regulation. A given market might be for a product, say fresh corn, or the services of a factor of production. The theory considers aggregates of quantity demanded by buyers and quantity supplied by sellers at each possible price per unit. It weaves these together to describe how the market may reach equilibrium as to price and quantity or respond to market changes over time.  [9]   Macroeconomics (big economics), addressing issues of unemployment, inflation, monetary and fiscal policy for an entire economy. Macroeconomics examines the economy as a whole to explain broad aggregates and their interactions top down, that is, using a simplified form of general-equilibrium theory. Such aggregates include national income and output, the unemployment rate, and price inflation and sub aggregates like total consumption and investment spending and their components. It also studies effects of monetary policy and fiscal policy. TASK-02 Demand Curve In economics, the demand curve is the graph depicting the relationship between the price of a certain commodity, and the amount of it that consumers are willing and able to purchase at that given price. It is a graphic representation of a demand schedule.  [10]   The demand curve is a graphical representation of the data in the demand schedule. It slopes downwards from left to right indicating that the quantity demanded increases as the price falls.  [11]   The table below is the demand schedule that lists the quantity of a commodity that would be demanded at various price levels with a given income. It shows the relationship between quantity, demanded and price. Price Quantity Demanded 50 0 40 1 30 2 20 3 10 4 Quantity Price 50 40 30 20 10 Fig: Individual demand curve 1 2 3 4 5 Demand curves are used to estimate behaviors in competitive markets, and are often combined with supply curves to estimate the equilibrium price (the price at which sellers together are willing to sell the same amount as buyers together are willing to buy, also known as market clearing price) and the equilibrium quantity (the amount of that good or service that will be produced and bought without surplus/excess supply or shortage/excess demand) of that market An example of a demand curve In the diagram, the line labeled D shows a plot of that demand curve, say for blue jean prices and number of pairs demanded. Prices are P (in $) and quantity is Q (in number of product units) on this diagram. At a price of $75 (vertical axis), two pairs are demanded (Q on horizontal axis). As the price P on vertical axis is lowered from $75 to $50, the quantity demanded Q is increased from two pairs to three pairs of blue jeans.  [12]   Market Demand Curve:  [13]   The market demand curve is the curve related to the demand of the commodity demanded by the group of people to that different price. How a market demand curve is derived: The market demand curve is the horizontal summation of individual demand curves. Individual demand is the key initiator of the production process. It is independent of all factors other than the preference curve, prices and income constraint. The law of demand: lower the price, greater amount demanded, i.e. demand curve is negatively sloped Fig: Market Demand Curve Market Demand Schedule and Curve:  [14]   Market demand is the total demand of all the consumers for particular goods. It can also be derived by the lateral summation of the consumers demand curves. Price($) Market Demanded Buyer A Buyer B 80 0 2 2 70 0 3 3 60 0 4 4 50 1 5 6 40 2 6 8 30 3 7 10 20 4 8 12 10 5 9 14 The following demand curve is drawn on the basis of the data for buyer A, given in the above table. P 80 0 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 5 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 Q Fig: As Demand Curve The following demand curve is drawn on the basis of the data for buyer B, given in the above table. In this graph the price values are set up in the X-axis and the quantity values are set up along Y-axis. P 2 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Q Fig: Bs Demand Curve Following is the Fig. of a market Demand Curve:  [15]   P 80 (0+2) =2 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 (5+9) =14 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 12 14 Q Fig: Market Demand Curve The market demand curve is a graph drawn by the combination of the above demand curves. The market demand value is calculated from the demand of buyer A and buyer B. The market demand values are aggregated values for the values of buyer A and buyer B. We have calculated the values in the above table. In this graph the price values are set up along X-axis and the quantity values are set up along Y-axis. A Firms Output Decision in the short-run: The short run is a period of time for which two conditions hold: The firm is operating under a fixed scale (fixed factor) of production, and Firms can neither enter nor exit an industry. In the short run, all firms have costs that they must bear regardless of their output. These kinds of costs are called fixed costs. Costs in the Short Run:  [16]   Fixed cost is any cost that does not depend on the firms level of output. These costs are incurred even if the firm is producing nothing. Variable cost is a cost that depends on the level of production chosen. TC= TFC+ TVC Total Cost = Total Fixed Cost + Total Variable Cost. 250 1,000 4 200 1,000 5 333 1,000 3 (2) TFC (3) AFC (TFC/q) 500 1,000 2 1,000 1,000 1 $ â‚ ¬Ã‚ ­Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ­ â‚ ¬Ã‚ ¤Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ±Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¬Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ °Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ °Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ° 0 (1) q AFC falls as output rises; a phenomenon sometimes called spreading overhead  [17]   In the above figure, when the firms production is 0 it has to occur $1000 as a fixed cost. And at the production level of 3 or 5 units, the firm has to occur the same amount of fixed cost. So with increase in the number of production units the average fixed cost is reduced. Output Decisions: In the short run, a competitive firm faces a demand curve that is simply a horizontal line at the market equilibrium price.  [18]   A Firms Output Decision in the long-run: Firms expand in the long-run when increasing returns to scale are available.  [19]   Output Decisions: In a decreasing cost industry, costs decline as a result of industry expansion, and the LRIS is downward-sloping.  [20]   In an increasing cost industry, costs rise as a result of industry expansion, and the LRIS is upward-sloping.  [21]   TASK-3 How an equilibrium price and equilibrium  quantity is achieved? We often show the market equilibrium through a supply and demand diagram shown below. This figure is a combination of the supply curve and the demand curve. Combining two graphs is possible because they are drawn with exactly the same units on each axis. We find the market equilibrium by looking for the price at which quantity demanded equals quantity supplied. The market equilibrium price comes at the intersection of the supply and demand curve, at the intersecting point. At a particular price, at the intersecting point, firms willingly supply what consumers willingly demanded. When the price is too low, less the price of the intersecting point, quantity demanded exceeds quantity supplied.  [22]   Figure 1: Market Equilibrium Comes at the Intersection of Supply and Demand Curves A competitive market is in equilibrium if, at the current market price, the number of units that consumers wish to buy equals the number of units producers wished to sell. In other words, market equilibrium occurs where quantity demanded equals quantity supplied. At the equilibrium price, P*, the equilibrium quantity is Qd=Qs=Q*, where Qd is the quantity demanded and Qs is the quantity supplied. The asterisk indicates equilibrium. In a competitive market, this equilibrium is found at the intersection of the supply and demand curves. There are no storage or surpluses at the equilibrium price. The effects of excess supply on market equilibrium: Market equilibrium is the situation, where at a certain price level, the quantity supplied and the quantity demanded of a particular commodity are equal. Thus, the market can clear, with no excess supply or demand, and there is no tendency to change in either price or quantity. The equilibrium price and quantity will be changed if there is a shift in either or both of the supply or demand curve. Shifts in the supply and demand curves are caused by changes in conditions behind supply and demand not price changes. An increase or decrease in supply will also affect the equilibrium position. An increase in supply shifts the supply curve to the right, thus lowering equilibrium price while raising equilibrium quantity. A decrease in supply, which shifts the supply curve to the left, however, raises equilibrium price and lowers equilibrium quantity. In Figure 2, the quantity supplied at price 0P1 (0Q2) exceeds the quantity demanded. Thus, we have a situation of excess supply or a glut in the market. In order to remove excess supply, sellers will offer to sell at a lower price. The fall in the price results in an expansion of demand, and a contraction in supply (movement along the curves towards the equilibrium point). This will continue to occur as long as there is excess supply, until we reach the intersection of supply and demand, where at price 0Pe, the market clears, that is, the quantity supplied and demanded is equal.  [23]   Figure 1: Excess supply situation The effects of  Ã‚   excess  demand on market equilibrium: Diagrammatically, market equilibrium occurs where the demand and supply curves intersect, at the point where the quantity demanded is exactly equal to the quantity demanded. Let us first consider the case where there is excess demand, where the current price is below that of equilibrium, as shown in Figure 2:  [24]   Figure 2: Excess demand situation Figure 2 reveals that at price 0P1, the quantity demanded (0Q2) exceeds the quantity supplied (0Q1). Competition among buyers for the limited quantity of goods available means that consumers will start bidding up the price. The rise in the price results in an expansion in supply and a contraction in demand (movement along the curves towards the equilibrium point). This will continue to occur as long as there is excess demand. Eventually, we will reach the intersection of the supply and demand curves, where at price 0Pe, the quantity supplied 0Qe exactly equals the quantity demanded by consumers. In conclusion, the market forces of supply and demand interact to bring about the equilibrium price, clearing the market of excess demand or supply. In this way, it is said that the market mechanism achieves consistency between the plans and outcomes for consumers and producers without explicit coordination. Task-4 Perfect Competition: In neoclassical economics and microeconomics, perfect competition describes a market in which there are many small firms, all producing homogeneous goods. In the short term, such markets are productively inefficient as output will not occur where marginal cost is equal to average cost, but allocatively efficient, as output under perfect competition will always occur where marginal cost is equal to marginal revenue, and therefore where marginal cost equals average revenue. However, in the long term, such markets are both allocatively and productively efficient. In general a perfectly competitive market is characterized by the fact that no single firm has influence over the price of the product it sells. Because the conditions for perfect competition are very strict, there are few perfectly competitive markets.  [25]   A perfectly competitive market may have several distinguishing characteristics, including: Infinite Buyers/Infinite Sellers Infinite consumers with the willingness and ability to buy the product at a certain price, Infinite producers with the willingness and ability to supply the product at a certain price. Zero Entry/Exit Barriers It is relatively easy to enter or exit as a business in a perfectly competitive market. Perfect Information Prices and quality of products are assumed to be known to all consumers and producers Transactions are Costless Buyers and sellers incur no costs in making an exchange. Firms Aim to Maximize Profits Firms aim to sell where marginal costs meet marginal revenue, where they generate the most profit. Homogeneous Products The characteristics of any given market good or service do not vary across suppliers Characteristics of Perfect Competition:  [26]   Large number of sellers. Only homogeneous products are for sale. Firms are allowed to enter and exit freely. Perfect mobility of factors. Perfect knowledge of all market situations. Absents of transport cost. The Fig of Perfect Competition is given below:  [27]   Oligopoly: In economics, an oligopoly is a market form in which a market or industry is dominated by a small number of sellers (oligopolists). The word is derived, by analogy with monopoly, from the Greek oligoi few and poleein to sell. Because there are few sellers, each oligopolistic is likely to be aware of the actions of the others. The decisions of one firm influence, and are influenced by, the decisions of other firms. Strategic planning by oligopolistic needs to be taken into account as a likely response of the other market participants.  [28]   This causes oligopolistic markets and industries to be a high risk for collusion.  [29]   Oligopoly is a common market form. As a quantitative description of oligopoly, the four-firm concentration ratio is often utilized. This measure expresses the market share of the four largest firms in an industry as a percentage.  [30]   In short, Oligopoly is a situation in which a particular market is controlled by a small group of firms.  [31]   In other words, Oligopoly is the state of limited competition between few producers or sellers. Characteristics of Oligopoly:  [32]   Only few companies in the market. Sell either homogenous products or differentiated products. Barriers of entry exist. Mutual interdependence in decision-making Non-price competition exists. An oligopoly is much like a  monopoly, in which  only one company exerts control over most of a market. In an oligopoly, there are at least two firms controlling the market. Kinked demand curve is a demand curve made up of two parts; its suggested oligopolistic follow each reductions, but not price rises. Kinked demand curve can be used to explain why prices in oligopolistic markets are often rigid or stable for relatively long periods of time. Price Rigidity is a condition where one follows a decrease in price but not an increase in price. This is due to the ability of other firms to match prices with it and it often leads to a kinked demand curve.  [33]   Task-5 Keynesian economics: Keynesian economics (also called Keynesianism Theory) is a macroeconomic theory based on the ideas of 20th-century British economist John Maynard Keynes. Keynesian economics argues that private sector decisions sometimes lead to inefficient macroeconomic outcomes and therefore advocates active policy responses by the public sector, including monetary policy actions by the central bank and fiscal policy actions by the government to stabilize output over the business cycle. The theories forming the basis of Keynesian economics were first presented in The General Theory of Employment, Interest and Money, published in 1936; the interpretations of Keynes are contentious, and several schools of thought claim his legacy.  [34]   Keynesian economics advocates a mixed economy-predominantly private sector, but with a large role of government and public sector-and served as the economic model during the latter part of the Great Depression, World War II, and the post-war Golden Age of Capitalism, 1945-1973, though it lost some influence following the stagflation of the 1970s. As a middle way between laissez-faire capitalism and socialism, it has been and continues to be attacked from both the right and the left. The advent of the global financial crisis in 2007 has caused resurgence in Keynesian thought. Keynesian economics has provided the theoretical underpinning for the plans of President Barack Obama, Prime Minister Gordon Brown and other global leaders to rescue the world economy. Keynesian economics An approach to economic theory and policy derived from the influential writings of the English economist John Maynard Keynes (1883-1946). Prior to Keynes, governments tended to be guided by the argument of laissez-faire economics that an unregulated economy would tend to move towards full employment, and thence equilibrium. Keynes argued (in The General Theory of Employment, Interest and Money, 1936) that equilibrium could be established before that point was reached, and therefore that governments wishing to achieve full employment had actively to intervene in the economy by stimulating aggregate demand; and, conversely, that if full employment resulted in inflation they should act to reduce aggregate demand, in both cases by using the devices of tax (fiscal) policy, government expenditure, and monetary policy (changes in interest rates and the supply of credit). Keynesianism, though forming the basis of economic policy in most Western societies for three decades after the Second World War, was itself challenged by the appearance of stagflation (simultaneous recession and inflation) in the 1970s, and consequently by the economic theories of monetarism. The dispute between these two approaches currently forms the major axis of disagreement within modern economics.  [35]   Monetarist Economics: The Monetarists theory is a development of earlier Classical theoretical work. Their main contribution is in updating many of these ideas to fit them into a more modern context.