Thursday, October 31, 2019

Domestic Violence and Human Trafficking in Latin America Research Paper

Domestic Violence and Human Trafficking in Latin America - Research Paper Example â€Å"Latin America and the Caribbean have the highest rates of gender violence of any region of the world excluding fundamentalist Muslim countries, where statistics are not kept and discrimination against women is institutionalized† (â€Å"Half†). This paper will focus primarily on Latin America (namely Colombia and Ecuador) and the human trafficking and domestic violence issues these two countries face, the reasons for the prevalence of these issues in these countries, and what can be and is being done about them. According to Berry, â€Å"domestic violence† refers to â€Å"abuse by one person of another in an intimate relationship† (1). Domestic abuse is not restricted to husband-wife or boyfriend-girlfriend, but can also include sibling abuse, elder abuse, and child abuse; however, for this paper, the focus on violence against women will be discussed. Berry goes on to discuss the lack of boundaries in the issue of domestic violence; she states that â€Å"statistics have proven that abuse knows no boundaries: racial, ethnic, religious, or socioeconomic. It occurs among the very rich and the very poor, the highly educated and the illiterate, in all parts of the world† (9). Domestic abuse not only indicates foundational disintegration within a family unit, but can also be an indicator of the same sort of internal rot at a societal level. â€Å"It emerges as a serious violation of human rights that abrogates the women’s right to dignity, equality, autonomy, and physical and mental well being,† state Mehrotra and Banerjee, observing the issue at the personal level. Nodding at the societal level, Mehrotra and Banerjee go on to say that â€Å"violence is not only a manifestation of unequal, disempowering and unjust power relations, but is also a costly economic phenomenon resulting in significant looses of productive potential† (38). A country cannot move forward and hold itself back at the same time. A land cannot be both full of success

Monday, October 28, 2019

Considering the Detailed Strategies for Goal Attainment Essay Example for Free

Considering the Detailed Strategies for Goal Attainment Essay In the previous step, you thought about the broader personal and social impact of your goals and the consequences of their attainment. Now you will be asked to think, in detail, about how you will achieve your goals. Goals are related to lesser, smaller sub-goals and behaviors, as well as connected to higher-order, more important abstract goals. These sub-goals are easier to achieve, but are still fundamental to reaching our greater aspirations. Sub-goals can thus be thought of as strategies for greater goal achievement. Thinking about what specific things need to be done in order to achieve your goals allows you to create practical strategies for realizing your dreams. Please take some time to write about the concrete daily or weekly things you might do to further your goals. Take as much time as you need, and really consider what particular behaviors each goal is built upon. Do you need to spend more time with your kids? Do you need to discuss household chores with your spouse? Should you spend more time planning at work? Specify when you are going to work on your goals. Specify how often. Specify where. Think hard about how you are going to implement your plans. Make your plans concrete. Step FIVE: Write down those concrete weekly or daily things you might do to further your goals. Please take as much space as you need. Goal 1: In order to graduate from University I will have to do well in my courses. It is not enough to just go to classes and comply with all the requirements in each class. I have to maximize my potentials and the learning that I will acquire from each class. I would only be able to achieve this if I give my whole heart and mind to my classes. This is easier to say than do, for example, I have to prepare and read materials in advance; I have to anticipate assignments and make sure I give all my best to each paper, essay or project. I also have to attain competitive scores in my exams and to reinforce my learning through practical applications both in my life and in how I deal with people. Specifically, this semester, I intend to set a certain amount of time everyday (at least two hours) that I’ll devote to studying. During the time, I cannot plan to do anything else. Instead, I will focus on my classes and study the lessons I take up each day. I know it would take will power and commitment on my part to make this goal a reality. I have read somewhere that reading lecture notes each day would go a long way in retaining information and facilitating learning. In a way it helps me think about my lessons constantly, thus, if I have to work on something that requires information from my lessons, I can readily access it. I also plan to join a discussion group that talks about the specific classes I am taking. For example, if I have introduction to psychology, I will join a group that discusses everything about psychology. I believe that listening to different perspective or opinions would further my learning. At the same time, it also serves as a way of reinforcing what I learn in class. Goal 2: I will start to learn a foreign language if I want to go abroad. It has always been my dream to travel to a foreign land and to experience a different culture and way of life. I am an adventurous person and if I intend to travel to different countries, I would want to do it in my way, which does not include package tours or travel agents. Thus, the necessity to learn the language of the country I want to visit. How else would I be able to converse or find my way in a remote town or place in Greece if I don’t know how to speak Greek, or even Italian. There are a number of courses available for me so I could start learning a foreign language. However, it would take up much of my time and resources at the present time. I think it would be more effective for me to start small, like buy a book or download an individual learning package which I can readily access when I have the time. Moreover, I resolve to devote four hours a week of learning a foreign language. Goal 3: I will speak and try to develop a closer relationship with my classmates because that can help make school work more enjoyable, therefore improving my grades. I must admit that I have not been very close with my classmates or that I have made the effort to befriend them. But now that I have realized that I need to build relationships with the people I see everyday, I resolve to make sure that I approach and initiate conversations so I would get to know them better and hopefully become closer to them. By establishing friendships with my classmates, my classes would become enjoyable, and would be a shared experience as I know that the people I am with everyday are my friends. This would also mean that I would look forward to my classes and being with my friends and classmates and learning together. Goal 4: I will borrow a few books from the library about counseling and read them over regularly. My long term goal is to become a counselor and to be skilled in this field. I know that this career is not easy or that I can be assured of success at the instant I graduate. Counselor work is inspiring and fulfilling, but it takes a certain kind of personality and life skills to become an effective counselor. I know in my heart that I can be a good counselor, that I have the personality and the determination to become a counselor. However, I also know that I still need to learn many things, to acquire skills and knowledge and be competent in this profession. I also know that my classes and major subjects only prepares me for the tasks that counselor have to face, and that I could prepare myself through learning everything I can about counseling through reading books. I hope to read counseling books at least one book per month. Step 6: Identifying Potential Obstacles and their Solutions Thinking about achieving a goal is obviously easier than going out and getting it done. Many things related to the natural environment, the social group and the self might stand in your way. It is useful to anticipate these difficulties, so that you can plan to overcome them. Consider your goals, once again. Write down all the potential obstacles you can think up. Write down ways to overcome these obstacles. How might you interfere with your own plans? How can you ensure this won’t happen? Sometimes change is threatening to people we know and love. Will the people you know help you, or stand in your way? How can you communicate with them, so that they will support you? Think of realistic and worst-case scenarios. What are your options? What are your alternative plans? Step SIX: Potential Obstacles to Goals, and Ways to Overcome Them: take as much space as you need. Goal 1: For graduating University, I could run into some obstacles. Hindrances or obstacles towards attaining my goals will always be a challenge for me, since I would really want to be able to finish university in the best and fastest way I can. My resolution to spend time studying everyday might not leave me with time for myself and my friends. Spending too much time might alienate me from my friends. It would also sadden me and affect my focus and attention if my friends feel that I cannot be with them because I am trying too hard to be a good student. I know that being a good student nowadays is the exception, not the norm and my friends might think I am not good company because I always study. I like being with my friends and I enjoy their company, but I know that I also have to prioritize my studies. Thus, I resolve to explain to my friends why at times I could not join them and to ask them to be more accommodating of my situation. I could also get too lazy and slack off too often. There is also the fear that I might not be able resist my friends’ influence and sacrifice my study time for bonding time. I know I am only human and no matter how good my plan is, I would still have to decide and evaluate my actions as to its consequences. If I become too lazy and focus more on my friends, then I would be a failure and I don’t have anyone to blame but myself. In order to prevent these things, I will try to organize myself in such a way that my friendships won’t suffer and my work is enjoyable and stress-free enough that I won’t find myself slacking. At the same time, my family might also feel that I don’t give enough attention or my time with them because of my studies. I know that I have to make them realize that what I am doing is for my own good and for my family’s future. If I graduate with great grades, it would open doors for me and I would be able to further my training and acquire more skills. I hope and pray that they would understand me and that they would support my goals. Goal 2: Counseling: I will try to reach people that are already working in the field of counseling. Maybe they can give me advice. The obstacle could be that I postpone such meetings or that I don’t give enough attention to what they are sharing with me. IN joining discussion groups, I might find it boring and ineffective and completely turn my back to the group. On the other hand, I could also become so engrossed and enjoyed in the discussion groups that I would give more time and focus to the group than to my classes. I know that the key to everything is balance, and I could maximize my learning both in and out of the classroom by attaining balance. Thus, I would give myself a strict schedule as to the time spent in discussion groups, and if I chance upon a boring or a nonfunctioning group, then I have to find another group to join. Goal 3: Providing for my family: I will try to finish my studies as quickly as possible, without rushing, of course. And I will try to save my money as much as I can upon graduating. I could run into unforeseen obstacles – like losing a job, especially during this recession. The best I can do is to do my job as well as possible and hope for the best, though. Aside from wanting to attain personal growth and achievement, I would also want to have a good job and profession in order to provide for my family. Since I would have to be gainfully employed to be able to provide for my family, I have to make sure that after graduation, I have to look for work. In reality, there is not much available jobs for counselors, but we can always open our own practice. But that would mean applying for accreditation and licensing which is another obstacle that I have to face. But since I really want to be a counselor, there is nothing I could do but comply with the needed requirements. Moreover, one cannot be an effective counselor without continuous education and learning. I might become too committed to my studies that my work suffers. If that is the case, then, I might not be able to provide for my family’s needs. In order to combat this obstacle, I would make it a point to compartmentalize, that is, to think about my studies when I am in school or when I am at home, and to think about my job when I am in my workplace. Goal 4: Given that I have the resources to travel abroad, the obstacles I might have in this area are not having the time for vacation, leaving work and getting sick during my travels or traveling and not being adequately prepared for it both emotionally and physically. For example, if I travel abroad, I have to leave my work for a period of time and I have to be able to arrange that my clients would not need me at that time, also, I have to make sure that I don’t have any prior commitments. Consequently, I might be too caught up with my job and my responsibilities that I would not be able to travel. Since, I want to travel unconventionally, and then it would make sense that I would maybe take a month or more abroad, an obstacle I foresee is do I have the resources to be without an income for a month. Another worst-case scenario is when I would be suddenly taken-ill during my travel. Without a guide or a traveling companion it would be very unfortunate if I get sick at that time. Thus, I have to make sure that I am well prepared both financially and physically before I schedule and plan for my travel. I should also acquaint myself with the culture, geography and customs of the places I am going to visit so I would know what to do when I am confronted with an emergency. Step 7: Monitoring Progress towards Desired Goals We need to know, concretely, whether or not we are progressing towards valued goals. Of course, this is not an easy process. When we want to complete very specific tasks, feedback on our performance is relatively easy to monitor. However, if our goals are less short-term, this becomes a little more difficult. On the next few pages you will be asked to identify personal benchmarks that will allow you to evaluate your own performance. †¢ What sorts of things will you accept as evidence that you are progressing towards your stated goal? †¢ How often are you going to monitor your own behavior? †¢ How will things in your life have to change, measurably, for you to feel satisfied in your progress? †¢ How can you ensure that you are neither pushing yourself too hard, and ensuring failure, or being too easy on yourself, and risking boredom and cynicism? Your benchmarks should be personal indicators of success. It doesn’t matter what others may think defines progress towards your goal. Write down those accomplishments would truly indicate positive movement on your part. Goal 1: My first goal is to do very well in all my courses this semester. That is a necessary condition for me to eventually go on and graduate. The evidences that would indicate that I am achieving this goal is that I would get above average final grades in majority of my courses. I know that I am quite adept at some courses, and in some, I have difficulty with. Thus, I would expect to be able to get excellent grades in the courses I am confident with and to get more than average grades for the difficult courses. Since grades are given for each prelim, midterm and finals in each course, I would monitor my grades after each exam and to track my scores and grades in the different projects and coursework. It would be alright for me to wait for my final grade in all my courses and as long as I give my best, I would be assured that I would have better grades. The most important thing is to enjoy what I am doing, I would know that I am pushing myself too hard if I can’t concentrate in my tasks, and I would know that I ma not doing enough if I make mediocre work. So I resolve to enjoy every assignment and project I have this term and I would make it fun and interesting for my own benefit. Goal 2: My second goal, in order to accomplish the first, is to study more often and organize my time better. Evidences that I am accomplishing this goal are when I would have time to study and do my coursework before the deadline, when I don’t feel rushed and when I don’t have to cram for quizzes. Effective time management would imply that I have time to do everything. I plan to have a â€Å"to do† list on a daily basis and try to schedule my activities for the whole day, as I accomplish each task, I indicate it on the list and in that way I can monitor whether I have reached my target goals for the day or not. Since I would have time to do everything, then consequently I would have time for family, friends and school work. Thus it would be a better improvement in my life than a sacrifice for me. I know the difference between too much and too little, so as I make my to do list, I will make sure that it is balanced in the sense that I have time to do the things I enjoy and that the list is flexible, what I may not finish today I can work on tomorrow and I don’t need to feel that I failed by not doing it today. Goal 3: My third goal is to meet with my TAs and professors more often in order to get a better grasp of the study material. This will help me accomplish the first two goals. In this respect, I think that the best evidence I have for reaching this goal is when I don’t fear or feel uncomfortable interacting with my instructors and Ta’s. I mostly see them regularly, and I guess if I make it a point to initiate conversations or to ask help in some lessons then I would in the long run become more familiar with them. I am not that outgoing or bubbly as a person, so I think it would be a big change in my part to accomplish this goal because it would mean going out of my comfort zone and befriending them. As I have noticed, people tend to be put off when someone is very brash or boisterous, so if I have that effect on people then I am trying too hard. If I am not trying hard enough, then I won’t experience any result and there would be no change in my behavior. Goal 4: In learning a foreign language, I would probably have to be able to understand the foreign language or to be able to speak phrases and words in the foreign language as evidences that I am really learning a new language. If I don’t have much time to learn the language, then I would probably monitor my improvement in a year since I would not be traveling to another country in the near future. Even if I can’t go abroad, I would still have the benefit of learning a new language and that is already an achievement in itself. Being able to speak another language would probably widen my perspective and how I view myself. Goal 5: One benchmark will be the completion of my current year of University studies. In this way I would know that I am achieving my goal once I graduate from the university and be awarded my degree. Since I still have a number of terms to complete before I graduate and a number of courses to complete, it would take me time to reach this goal. In a way, the number of terms I finish would be the means of monitoring my goals. If I graduate, then it would probably change my life forever for the better I hope. I really want to graduate, and no matter what obstacles I come across, I am willing to give my all to beat the odds.

Saturday, October 26, 2019

Effect of Age Stereotypes on Balance Performance

Effect of Age Stereotypes on Balance Performance Question 1: An important aspect of physical functioning is the ability to stay balanced. How may expectations generated by age stereotypes influence older adults’ balance performance? Critically review psychological theory and research relevant to this issue, and discuss broader implications for interventions that may support healthy physical functioning of older persons. Loh Qiu Yan Melissa Abstract Older adults face wide range of age stereotypes as they age into their golden years. Such life cycles made people question their cognitive ability and physical functions. The effect of age stereotypes led to one facing both positive and negative aspect of life. These constant stereotyping had negative impacts on health and physical function. But with the help of social interactions, it helped older folks have a choice in leading a more balanced life. The use of social networks helped maintain their physical and cognitive functioning, giving them the room to have independence as well as learning more about their bodily functions. Importance and interventions in maintaining balance performance in physical functioning of older adults. Aging is an inevitable process in living beings where the condition of the body deteriorates resulting in decline of functioning. This challenges the physical abilities and cognitive functioning of older people (Wulf, Chiviacowsky Lewthwaite, 2012) in instances of performing daily activities such as being mobile enough to bath and dress on their own (Clark, Hayes, Jones, Lievesley, 2009). In order to maintain the ability to be mobile and independent in bodily functions at an older age, this is usually accompanied with the decline in physical, mental and sensory abilities. These declines in functions can affect performance in areas that require cognition involving fluid intelligence for example memory and abilities to reason and explain, along with task that require executive control involving vocabulary and word knowledge. Moreover, with the decline in physical functioning, particularly muscle strength and joint flexibility mostly involves motor tasks and balance; such as walking a nd running results in more dependence on cognitive resources at an older age due to the decline in eyesight and auditory range (Schaefer, Schumacher, 2010). These physical and cognitive challenges faced by older individuals can become issues; potentially leading to age stereotypes caused by expectations and assumptions in limited abilities of older adults (Wulf, Chiviacowsky Lewthwaite, 2012). By understanding how aging and age stereotypes take place plays an important role for individuals in realising the anxiety and uncertainty that can further affect cognitive capacity, assuming of own abilities for example intellectual and reasoning abilities (Schaefer, Schumacher, 2010), and regulation of positive and negative feedback given (Wulf, Chiviacowsky Lewthwaite, 2012). The cognitive aspect of a person can be affected positively and negatively in one’s mind set for example towards a challenging motor task which tests an older person’s ability (Wulf, Chiviacowsky Lewthwaite, 2012). This further challenges the balance performance of an older person who might require more cognitive resources later in life (Schaefer, Schumacher, 2010). Hence, the importance of understanding aging, age stereotypes, cognitive and physical functions in influencing balance performance can help develop a more positive aspect in maintaining healthy physical functioning. To better perform the interventions required for physical functioning of older folks, it is necessary to understand the reason behind age stereotypes which can have a negative impact on older folks. One probable reason that can lead to a rise in age stereotypes is by labelling and categorising people into old age groups. As a result, it usually occurs where less favourable attitudes are placed on older adults, viewing them as less productive members of society (Phillips, 2014). This in turn makes individuals come to a conclusion that these deep rooted thoughts and beliefs, mind-set and perceptual behaviour actually support age stereotyping (Blaine, 2013). Furthermore reinforcing and heightening their levels of fear and dependency on others throughout their aging process (Clark, Hayes, Jones, Lievesley, 2009). These thoughts and fears are further embedded in their mind, altering their mind set thus creates a self-conscious state (Wulf, Chiviacowsky Lewthwaite, 2012), which results i n self-stereotyping (Levy, 2003), and affecting balance performance which reduces the ability to perform (Wulf, Chiviacowsky Lewthwaite, 2012). An example of old age stereotype expressed with the use of cartoons characters in portraying older individuals such as Abe Simpson who is the father of Homer Simpson in â€Å"The Simpsons† cartoon. He was portrayed as a senile and dependent person who appears to be quite difficult to handle at times, also seen as being a burden to his son. This portrayed older adults in a negative stereotypical manner with limited abilities to be independent which is not the case for everyone (Blaine, 2013). However, switching to a different perspective of age stereotyping happening in a workplace environment in the context of Singapore, it proved that there were certain generational differences in the negative stereotypes towards older employees. For example, employees at a younger age felt they had more efficiency towards the aspect of multitasking and creativity compared to older employees whom felt that they have stronger work ethics but think that younger employees have stronger demand to wards recognition (Blauth, McDaniel, Perrin, Perrin, 2011). These generational differences were similar in the aspect of comparing the cognitive functioning which is related to balance performance of both groups of people. With better understanding of the cause and reasons for age stereotypes guides older individuals foster a better relationship with their cognitive and body functioning. As much as ageism being a concern, with the constant stereotypical opinions and perception on older people, emotional reactions of these elderly folks are affected in both positive and negative ways (Blaine, 2013). Positive influences and implications can be through social means by interacting with family members, friends and various people from all walks of life. Not only does social interaction help regulate the emotional reactions of older folks; it also encourages individuals in integrating with society through social means (Charles Carstensen, 2010). Social networks and interactions also have an effect on cognitive functioning where it is a motivational factor behind a better quality of life and the ability in maintaining independence despite increase in age; Furthermore, resulting one to developing more self- efficacy in leading a better functional health. This is due to the body reacting in a positive manner where social interaction has a direct relationship with neuroendocri ne and cardiovascular reactivity. Thus, with positive and supportive interactive reactions in the body help to reduce the physiological reactivity that has been linked to endocrine and cardiovascular activity resulting in cognitive decline (Seeman, Lusignolo, Albert Berkman, 2001). In the event of cognitive functioning of an older adult decreasing, there are higher chances of cognitive disorders or impairments such as signs of vascular dementia or Alzheimer to appear (Price, Corwin, Friedman, Laditka, Colabianchi Montgomery, 2011). Hence in order to maintain or increase cognitive functioning, having strong social networks and support in maintaining connectedness can improve one’s mental and physical health, resulting in prevention of cognitive decline. Voluntary activities are one of the social network and integrating activities that encourages bonding sessions with different individuals, demands social and mental skills (Charles Carstensen, 2010) provides a sense of purpose and prevents isolation for those who face difficulties at any point in their life (Grimm, Spring Dietz, 2007). The effect of social interaction has a potential and positive influence on cognitive functioning where both fluid intelligence and executive control involve extensive int rinsic cognitive components required during social interaction for example striking conversations with people during bonding sessions and activities. Social integrating activities such as volunteering can help one have a better sense of control over life and physical health by providing support to other older adults and gaining a sense of accomplishment. With the use of these cognitive components can further promote older individuals having better cognitive engagement and functioning (Seeman, Lusignolo, Albert Berkman, 2001) which are linked to balance performance. Maintaining of balance may seem as a simple and indispensable part in many people, however it is a task that is physical and demands independence in the aspect of an elderly person (Onambele, 2006). Through the study done by Wulf, Chiviacowsky, Lewthwaite (2012) showed that balance is influenced by social cognitive, affect and assuming of own abilities etc. Thus older adult’s balance performance can be further strengthened by increasing their perceived abilities in performing and completing tasks. In addition, based on a study done by Levy Leifheit-Limson (2009) similar to Wulf, Chiviacowsky, Lewthwaite (2012) where instilling of positive age stereotypes on physical or balance performance help mould a certain level of expectation towards the stereotype led to one conforming to it. As a result this causes one to self- stereotype (Levy, 2003), which affect the performance of the individuals in performing better due to the positive influence. Likewise if it was a negative ster eotype, the outcomes are negative. Further implications on how stereotypes can affect balance and physical functioning are neatness of handwriting and speed of walking. This was seen in a study done by Levy (2003) where older adults exposed to negative stereotypes are likely to appear older and frail. The body conditions as observed through handwritings produced seemed to have a little towards illegible due to shaking and unstable movements of the hands which explains that balance performance is affected. In another experiment of exposure to positive stereotyping, the speed of an older adult showed connection between the former and the latter. By exposing them to positive views, makes them self- stereotype themselves towards a more positive and satisfying aspect. The idea of measuring the speed of walking is by how much time is needed for foot to be lifted off the ground and this is measured as swing time which indicated balance. Therefore, results show that older individuals who we re exposed to positive stereotypes had greater swing time in particular to having better balance in their physical movements and their cognitive functioning. In conclusion, age stereotypes, cognitive abilities and physical functions share significantly close relationships in maintaining balance performance for older adults. Positive and negative age stereotypes can give significant effects to an older adult which can be misled and neglected at times. This can cause further effects in time and worst if the stereotypes are negative. The use and help of social interaction and network can boost a person’s physiological reactivity making one have a sense of accomplishment which promotes social integration. Most importantly it leads older individuals to keep their mind and body in working conditions which allow them practice and maintain independence. References Blaine, B. (2013). Understanding Age Stereotypes and Ageism. InUnderstanding the psychology of diversity(2nd ed., pp. 175-186). SAGE Publications. Blauth, C., McDaniel, J., Perrin, C., Perrin, P. (2011). Age-Based Stereotypes: Silent Killer of Collaboration and Productivity.  AchieveGlobal,1(2), 1-15. Charles, S., Carstensen, L., (2010). Social and emotional aging. Annual Reviews of Psychology, 61, 383-409. Clark, A., Hayes, R., Jones, K. Lievesley, N., (2009). Ageism and age discrimination in social care in the United Kingdom. Centre for Policy on Aging. Grimm, R., Spring, K., Dietz, N. (2007). Volunteering, Life Satisfaction, and Mental Health. In  The health benefits of volunteering: A review of recent research.Corporation for National Community Service, Office of Research and Policy Development. Levy, B. (2003). Mind Matters: Cognitive and Physical Effects of Aging Self-Stereotypes.  The Journals of Gerontology Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences,58(4), P203-P211. Levy, B., Leifheit-Limson, E. (2009). The stereotype-matching effect: Greater influence on functioning when age stereotypes correspond to outcomes.  Psychology and Aging,24(1), 230-233. Onambele, G. (2006). Calf muscle-tendon properties and postural balance in old age.  Journal of Applied Physiology,100(6), 2048-2056. Phillips, L. (2014). Efforts to Promote Physical Activity Must Battle Ageist Stereotypes. Research in Gerontological Nursing,7(1), 4-5. Price, A., Corwin, S., Friedman, D., Laditka, S., Colabianchi, N., Montgomery, K. (2011). Older Adults Perceptions of Physical Activity and Cognitive Health: Implications for Health Communication. Health Education Behavior, 38 (1), 15-24. Schaefer, S., Schumacher, V. (2010). The Interplay between Cognitive and Motor Functioning in Healthy Older Adults: Findings from Dual-Task Studies and Suggestions for Intervention.  Gerontology,57, 239-246. Seeman, T., Lusignolo, T., Albert, M., Berkman, L. (2001). Social relationships, social support, and patterns of cognitive aging in healthy, high-functioning older adults: MacArthur Studies of Successful Aging.  Health Psychology,20 (4), 243-255. Wulf, G., Chiviacowsky, S., Lewthwaite, R. (2012). Altering mindset can enhance motor learning in older adults. Psychology and Aging, 27, 14-21. DOI: 10.1037/a0025718

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Media Stereotyping of Men and Women Essays -- Media Stereotyping of Ge

Throughout society, men and women have been expected to live by guidelines consisting of media generated ideas and ways of living out life. Both men and women’s thinking process are being altered the negative effects of society’s mass media. For both sexes, this repeating negative exposure causes a constant downfall in self-image and creates media influenced decisions that lead to unhealthy lifestyles. The media effects the thinking process of both men and women in negative ways therefore media needs to be heavily regulated.  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚   Today’s young men are increasingly being influenced by the harming mass media. Starting at a young age, these young boys are big active users of many types of media such as watching countless number of hours of television, movies, and sports programs, listening to radio programs and CDs, and playing violent video games. These boys are increasingly surfing the Internet at record numbers unsupervised. All of these forms of media are making huge influential decisions in their lives. Young males are least likely to read beneficial sources of media such as newspapers and magazines. We live in a society that often sends many confusing and contradicting messages to males. These young people that are taking in large amounts of media experience a contradiction between their own reality and media’s messages. These young men are bombarded with advertisements and media based ideas that can harm and alter the way young men operate. Our young men of o...

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Issues of Managerial Accounting Essay

Managerial accounting is concerned with providing information to managers – that is , people inside an organization who direct or control it’s operations. Via managerial accounting managers understood that good business results come from dynamic processes , procedures and practices that are well designed and properly implemented and managed. Certified management accountants are qualified to help their fellow managers achieve good business results because they have earned an advanced certification that addresses all important aspects of accounting inside organization. The role management accounts play within organizations supporting decision making , planning , and control. In short , the emphasis in business and the role of accounting should be more about doing business rather than tabulating and reporting historical financial results. Now a days , management accounting plays a very important role for the success of an organizations. The current and contemporary issues of management accounting in manufacturing and service sector is developing the skills of the manager. Besides , Management accounting information is a useful ‘language’ to enable better collaboration between engineers, designers, marketers and other parties involved in product development, including suppliers. Managing suppliers is an important element of controlling production costs, and there are significant benefits to involving them and sharing data and specifications at an early stage of product development. Contemporary issues of management accounting plays an impact over manufacturing sector. Current issues help advanced manufacturing techniques (both production technologies such as robotics and management tools such as just-in-time) led to a reducing proportion of costs being accounted for by direct materials and direct labour. Other parts of the value chain therefore become more important than the production line, for example, relationships with suppliers and customers. Globalisation has increased the importance of supply chain management, as risk and costs increase with complexity. Management accountants can help develop a strategy to manage suppliers so that they fit in with the company’s own lean production methods and pursuit of value added. Management accountants can help companies analyse their value chain in order to understand better where the most value is created; and where costs arise. Using techniques such as whole of life costing, this analysis can extend beyond point of sale to the customer. Management accounting started as a discipline to support better manufacturing decision making. Although the discipline has evolved to also support service industries and not-for-profit organisations, it has also evolved to keep pace with new developments in manufacturing technology and practices. So we can understand how current issues of management accounting plays an impact in manufacturing sector. We will discuss about few important contemporary and current issues of management accounting and how this issues are helping a organization to gain it’s goal and to develop day by day. Some contemporary issues of management accounting are – TQM (Total quality management) : TQM is a set of management practices throughout the organization, geared to ensure the organization consistently meets or exceeds customer requirements. TQM places strong focus on process measurement and controls as means of continuous improvement. TQM functions on the premise that the quality of products and processes is the responsibility of everyone who is invoved with the creation or consumption of the products or services offered by an organization. Cross Functional Product Design : Cross functional product development is a widely used method for involving different functional areas in new product/process development. This process refers direct labor employees are involved to a great extent before introducing new products or making product changes. And manufacturing engineers are involved to a great extent before the introduction of new products. And in cross functional product design there is a little involvement of manufacturing and quality people in the early design or products before they reach plant.

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

Being There essays

Being There essays An innocent and childlike man Chance has lived his whole life inside the house of a millionaire. His only knowledge of the real world is through watching TV. All those year he have learn to talk and walk like that old millionaire, and even wear his old suits. Also all this year he worked in old mens garden. When an old man dies, he wonders into the streets of Washington, DC without knowing where he was going. While watching TV outside on street from TV shop he was struck by a car owned by Eve Rand an old millionaire wife. She took him to family doctor at her home for his treatment, who was same time treating is husband Benjamin Rand. Where Chance introduce himself as Chance the Gardener misunderstoodly they through they heard Chancy Gardener. Soon he was call by name of Chancy Gardener by everybody. Soon old man start to take interest in him and though of him as very intelligent person. Later in a film when president came to take some advice from Ben, he introduces him to Chance. While give an advice to the President, Ben asks Chance for suggestion. Without knowing subject of decision he start to talk the season and the plant grow in the different season. But they view his suggestion in different way and President took his advice and left. The most turning point of the movie is when President mansion his name in his Speech. Soon his treated as a famous celebrity in the media, and other politicians seek for his advice. After that reporters of the magazine start to change on his background but could found anything, including Bens Family doctor. Soon doctor found out about his life as a garden. He tired to tall Ben about Chance, but silence himself when Ben toll him that Chancey has made the thought of dying much easier. While on the other hand Bens wife Eve start to fall in love with Chance, and start seducing him. Chance on other hand without having any inte ...

Monday, October 21, 2019

Moral Values Essays

Moral Values Essays Moral Values Essay Moral Values Essay The cloth of any society is held together by the criterions of morality that we maintain and pattern. Valuess are our personal set of beliefs about what is of import. unimportant. right. incorrect. good and bad. When we are confronted by picks. options. or moral quandary. the determinations we make will bespeak what values we hold. Human values give worthiness and regard to life. The foundation of human values are based on  · Dignity of human life  · Respect and consideration for the other  · The importance of unity and service  · An attitude of non-violence  · The person and corporate pursuit for peace and felicity. In other words. values are a sort of a map in our heads of how things are or should be. Valuess are merely our perceptual experience of the rules of nature that govern our lives or the existence. and non these rules themselves. Peoples think that there should be a specific set of rules protecting and regulating all human existences. However. others believe that values can be accepted in one civilization and rejected in another civilization. This thought is based on the belief that moral rules differ across civilizations. Our moral values are our beliefs about what is of import in life. Some values refer to how one should move ( be honest. selfless. self-restraining ) while other values refer to what one wants to carry through or obtain in life ( a batch of money. celebrity. a household. friendly relationships. universe peace ) . Because a individual can non have it all or be all things. precedences must be set and picks made. Puting your precedences frequently leads to value struggles. We may desire to be successful in your calling. but we may besides desire a more restful life style and more clip to pass with friends and household. Here. the value of success may come into struggle with the value of household. Some illustrations of moral values are: unity. regard. lovingness. justness. civic virtuousness. and openness. Anyhow I am disquieted about the fact that our society is in moral diminution. Morality is a really wide and complicated subject due to the fact that it is based chiefly on single sentiments. Moral values invariably change with the coevalss. However. most people would hold that today’s moral values are more tolerant of behavior that. a coevals ago. would hold been considered obscene and immoral. For illustration. sex on telecasting is accepted by today’s public as normal. but until the 1980s 1 could barely state the word sex on telecasting without being condemned. Yes. our society is presently in a rapid diminution of moral values. Judging by current statistics. all that one time was immoral is now considered moral. It seems as though people have lost their scruples and are now controlled by their milieus. The bulk of young person all over the universe know really small about Moral Valuess. Very frequently the behavior of kids in society proves that moral values are barely even a topic of importance. Today. the force and offenses frequently occur when a troubled adolescent or a delicate kid can non manage the force per unit area and emphasis of world. The influential factor of force spreads so easy ; a kid finds this influence merely by turning the telecasting set on. In fact. any intelligence channel unluckily shows the actions of adolescents perpetrating the violent act of slaying without any compunction. All of this animus and pandemonium within kids begin with non cognizing the difference between the right and the incorrect. But something should be done. The positive influence of faith. instruction. and equals greatly consequence a child’s mode and behavior. Traditional values and of import lessons from these beginnings surely help a kid to understand the differentiation between right and incorrect picks in life. An of import value for kids to be cognizant of is the benefit of faith. The church teaches kids to accept the being of a being higher than adult male and gives a kid the possibility to larn the moral values the manner the Bible nowadayss them. By understanding the duty of pick devising. immature people learn to believe about the effects or wake of their determination. Religion serves as a foundation for cognizing the difference between the right and the incorrect. The engagement of faith better prepares kids for certain troubles in life. The value of instruction is an of import tool that induces the growing of immature people to a more sophisticated degree. Education builds cognition and unity into the heads of kids. School besides guides kids off from problem ; with essays and math jobs. a kid has no clip for problem. Parents must stress the importance of instruction to their kids. Education strengthens the capablenesss of the young person. A kid becomes a better person when he experiences the goodness of church. instruction. and friendly relationship ; that is the relevance of values and lessons. In order for the state to minimise offense. the kids of this coevals must reassess their picks and duties in life. They besides need the aid of parents and instructors for counsel through the tough world of today’s determination devising. The purpose should be to bring forth morally feasible. responsible persons and non bookmans. Sadly today the virtuousnesss like honestness. unity and regard are considered old fashioned. There has been gradual eroding in these values. The turning offense rate among the kids in the developed states is a good case of deficiency of moral values. Whenever and wherever penchant is given to materialism over moral values. it leads to entire pandemonium. No 1 can be at peace. be it an person. a community. a state. or the whole universe. Moral instruction is non something that can be imposed on person from outside ; instead it is a manner of life. Fast altering society has its particular job – old societal constructions travel off and replaced by new 1s. Hence the old moral values get into the clang with the new 1s. and this is non a clang of different societal groups. this is a clash inside one individual. Market based society. which by its nature interruptions boundaries between persons. making more chances. creates moral jobs. As a consequence – there are two sets of beliing moral values in the person’s head and there is no balance. These are the illustrations – altering relationship between sexes. between employer and employee taking to the internal struggle of moral values. It is affair of great concern and sorrow that today upbringing means supplying good nutrient. apparels and luxuries of life merely. Moral values are no longer an built-in portion of a child’s rise uping up. Some old ages back. expansive parents provided moral instruction to expansive kids in the signifier of bedtime narratives. But with the coming of atomic households. moral instruction has become the duty of the educational establishments. But it should be the duty of the parents to convey out the best and divine in their kid. There is no more powerful animal for a kid than parents. The system of larning and version to the life and society in peculiar is based on hungry soaking up by childs of behavioral forms and thoughts from parents. Parents portion subconsciously and freely with their childs all they know up to the point. when childs get jobs. Actually it is really difficult to restrict voluntarily parental control. even harder to happen the right balance. At least subconsciously. grownups perceive their childs as a continuance of themselves. This perceptual experience produces protective and commanding behavior. which childs need to last and larn. However there is an of import kid’s need which grownups do non comprehend – the demand to larn how to do determinations and the demand to do them. I mean existent determinations. which carry serious effects. determinations which grownups make all the clip. which no grownup can avoid. and which grownups do non desire to avoid. because they are t he kernel of the life. Drugs and offense endanger the survival potency of young person and parents every bit good as pedagogues. They endanger children’s hereafter and endanger the really fabric of society. Drugs necessarily lead to ruined lives. Harmful actions and condemnable behavior bring sadness. and non merely for the victim but the culprit as good. In today’s universe. learning youth the difference between right and incorrect is non merely a good thought. it is a critical action that straight relates to the survival potency and felicity of kids and society. As an pedagogue and one who genuinely cares about the wellbeing and hereafter of our kids parents truly have an chance to assist immature people maneuver off and remain off from lives of drugs and offense. A small contemplation will demo that most of great work forces were great because they were more humane than the remainder of us. With entire pandemonium and dwindling moral values. and a huffy haste for stuff amenitiess. it has become clear that it is merely moral instruction that can convey consolation to the otherwise anguished psyche.

Sunday, October 20, 2019

Dialysis Essays - Renal Dialysis, Kidney Diseases, Organ Failure

Dialysis Essays - Renal Dialysis, Kidney Diseases, Organ Failure Dialysis Biology 202A Anatomy & Physiology II Professor Debra Dutton September 27, 2012 Throughout the United States and other countries, there are many people that suffer from renal failure every day. Dialysis is a way of helping with the kidneys. The kidneys are responsible for filtering all of the wastes products from the blood. It restores the proper balance of electrolytes in the body and eliminates extra fluid from the body also. Even though many individuals kidneys dont work as properly as they used to, the dialysis procedure allows them to live a productively safe life without having complications with their kidneys. There are over 200,000 people that use this technique on an ongoing basis throughout their life. Dialysis is only needed when about 80% to 90% of youre kidney function is lost and when your kidneys can no longer take care of your own bodys needs. Its an imperfect treatment to replace the kidneys function also because it does not fix the endocrine function of the kidney. Although some patients may be worse than others, there are a few stages of lost kidney function that can be very displeasing and should be treated immediately. Dialysis is basically a special medical process, which a persons blood is purified of the toxins, that the kidneys would normally flush out. As the body functions throughout life, they are needed to be removed from the body. When most of the fluids arent removed, they are slowly but surely building up and become worse. As the waste products build up, they cause a sickening feeling in the body called uremia and get short of breath. The many toxins such as parathyroid hormone, polyamines, beta2, microglobulin, and other middle molecules, are thought to be contributed to the clinical syndrome of uremia. The dialysis procedure is usually temporary or can be permanent depending on the individual. For people that are patiently waiting for a kidney transplant, dialysis is most likely temporary for the moment. Sometimes in patients, even after receiving a new kidney, the transplant is rejected after a year or so. While other patients have trouble becoming a candidate for a kidney transplant, dialysis may not ease the illness. The patients having trouble being a candidate for kidney transplant are usually overweight or are very elderly. Some patients are most likely to be a on a life long dialysis routine because of the rejected transplant. Dialysis is not always permanent, although some acute kidney failure can get better as the treatment continues. So there is hope, even though dialysis is a hassle sometimes. There are many ways that can cause kidney failure. The leading cause of kidney failure is diabetic mellitus, the second most common cause is hypertension and third most common is glomerulonephritis. When the two diseases called diabetic mellitus and hypertension are controlled by treatment, the linked kidney disease can often be prevented or slowed down. Medicines, as well as traumatic injury can be another cause of your kidney failing and not functioning right. It can also be hereditary for some individuals. Even though dialysis can be a life saving procedure for many individuals with kidney failure, its not always perfect. Other than the actual dialysis treatment, there are other ways to help with it as well. For example, some patients have to follow a specific diet in order to improve and prevent the kidney from getting worse than it already is. Special diet for dialysis patients is an important factor because being on the treatment alone does not effectively remove all waste products built up. The dialysis diet, controls the intake of fluid, sodium, protein, phosphorus, and potassium. These levels are usually measured immediately before and after the dialysis treatment. There are certain dairy products that are to be avoided because most of them are high in phosphorus. A dairy product that might need to be avoided in the diet are certain cheese, chocolate milk, pudding, yogurt, and milkshakes. These are some of the dairy products that are high in potassium as well but there are many other types of food that are also high. Pineapples, strawberries and blueberries as well as other fruits are low in potassium and are also a good helping hand to the body. Overall, the levels of

Saturday, October 19, 2019

Preamble to the Constitution Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Preamble to the Constitution - Term Paper Example The term â€Å"We the people† (Morris) was a revolutionary move for the time-frame; it went against all former precedents of naming each state that ratified a document, it cut out the possibility of developing ruling factions from within. (Cullop) Patrick Henry asserted that the wording meant an intention to â€Å"create a consolidated national government-not a system as planned by James Madison which was neither nationalist nor federalist-but a combination of both.†3 If the term â€Å"we are a collection†, had been used, it would have taken longer for the people of America to have a defined sense of identity-one that brought them together as a new nation. Collections of people are always in the process of self-definition, whereas immediately aligning American citizens as one people, the writers of the preamble gave Americans a sense of identity. ... (Hamilton) In writing the Preamble, the authors tried to address the major concerns of the nationalists. One of those concerns was justice: â€Å"In the 18th century, - law enforcement depended on active community support and participation, popular resistance was informal and extralegal—consisting of everything from polite petitions for repeal to outright obstruction of the law in the form of jury nullification and violent mob action. The creation of a national republic led to efforts to domesticate these sorts of activities.†5 By including â€Å"establish justice† in the Preamble as one of the main reasons for writing the Constitution, they were declaring that all men would receive fair treatment under the law if accused of a crime, and ensure all men had equality within the law. The Constitution did not always establish justice; after all, with each of the amendments to the Constitution established laws have been struck down, amended or adopted in favor of citi zens’ rights. The symbol of the Supreme Court is-â€Å"Equal Justice Under Law†6, yet, for many years now the Supreme Court has seemed to ‘make constitutional law’ instead of using it as a guideline. As far back as 1976, this was seen to be a major issue in this country, when this question was asked by Professor Lusky; â€Å"the question whether the United States Supreme Court is still the law's servant or has become its master.†7 The final topic relates to â€Å"provide for the general welfare†, which appears twice in the Constitution; once in the Preamble and again in Article 1, Section 8. It was placed in the Preamble as a result of ongoing concern for economic stability. The framers of the constitution therefore authorized Congress to be able to

Friday, October 18, 2019

Elastic Clause of the US Constitution Assignment

Elastic Clause of the US Constitution - Assignment Example â€Å"Implied† powers are â€Å"those powers given to Congress by Article 1, Section 8, clause 18, of the Constitution that is not specifically named but is provided for by the necessary and proper clause† (p. 45). Accordingly, the necessary and proper clause exists to afford these implied powers to Congress in order to make sure the federal government has the power to carry out the laws â€Å"which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into Execution the foregoing Powers, and all other Powers vested by this Constitution in the Government of the United States† (p. 44). This clause is problematic for many because it falls along the Federalist/Anti-Federalist divide and the contemporary Conservative/Liberal divide. However, the problem with the necessary and proper clause is not with its controversial and contentious nature, but with the fact that it is vague, ambiguous, and is designed for subjective interpretations and applications of Constitutional law.The phrase â€Å"necessary and proper† in clause 18 of Article 1, Section 8 entitles Congress to make laws that extend beyond what the Constitution enumerates in the previous 17 clauses of that Section. This is taken to be a relationship between an end-goal and the means of achieving that goal (Engdahl, 2011). The end-goal must be a necessity for the achievement of the purpose of a government, which include the formation of â€Å"a more perfect Union† and the establishment of â€Å"Justice† (US Constitution, 1787). These ends are the explicit goals of the enumerated powers; in a similar vein, the implied powers are given only as they are necessary and proper to exercise the enumerated powers. This interpretation of the â€Å"necessary and proper† clause is based on the context in which it appears. Coming after 17 enumerated powers, the final clause specifies that the Congress is able to make laws that ensure the foregoing powers (namely, the enumerated powers ) can be exercised sufficiently. In other words, the eighteenth clause of Section 8 does not give a blank check to Congress to make any rules or regulations it feels like passing. Rather, the expansion of implied powers must always be taken in necessary and proper reference to one of the enumerated powers.

Oral presentation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Oral presentation - Essay Example and expenses over necessary employees training programs, health benefits, food etc. In addition, it can lead to ‘decreased absenteeism, work/family balance, higher morale, save of the transport time, reduced employee work stress related issues and finally better employee performance’. On the flip side, it can lead to lesser managerial control over employees and subordinates, lack of team-based environment, reduced ‘face-to-face contacts’ and friendliness among employees, lack of communication (and coordination) among managers and employees, and most importantly to lack of discussions about industry advancements and innovations because telecommuters do not often attend organizational developmental programs unless they are compelled to do so. Moreover, technical problems may take additional time to get resolved in such scenarios. (Internet: dhhs.state.nc.us) This paper starts with a formal definition of Telecommuting and its explanation to fully comprehend the idea behind this tool. I would then describe the working of Telecommuting followed by all the potential advantages and disadvantages of Telecommuting that would be the body of this assignment and the main focus of my paper. Finally, I will conclude my paper by comparing the benefits of Telecommuting with the costs that could be incurred during adoption and implementation stages. I would finally end up this paper by proving my recommendation towards this whole exercise. Today, the world has become a global village after the emergence of international markets (worldwide trading centers) and global media such as BBC, CNN, MTV, ESPN sports and other channels that together have led to a universal culture (example Valentine’s Day) with mostly similar tastes, preferences and consumption of products offered by various organizations (examples include KFC, PNG, Burger King, Levis and Strauss, Gucci, Rolex, Toyota etc). Moreover, global trade agreements such as WTO, NAFTA etc.

Leadership assignment II Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Leadership II - Assignment Example Steve jobs is also a leader that in which all leadership roles are shared among the employees, without the cooperation of each and everyone of the employees it is very hard for him to succeed. An example of a democratic leader is the current US president Barrack Obama. Along with the countries representatives around the world, Obama is categorized under the democratic leader type. He encourages decision making from all directions to meet the expectations of his citizens with different perspectives and personalities. He is a very motivational and Inspirational leader who relies on his party to help him succeed and meet the expectations that his citizens have. Mark Zuckerberg is a good example of autocratic leader. As the inventor and co founder of facebook, he is an autocratic leader because he makes his own decisions and is able to figure out what is best for the company without the help, guidance and persuasions of others. He is also required to make important decisions quickly as they may greatly affect or influence the success of the company. His employees and users depend on him to make the best choices for the company and

Thursday, October 17, 2019

What are the effects of using ICT and Media in the 'English Classroom' Essay

What are the effects of using ICT and Media in the 'English Classroom' - Essay Example In general, the learning and teaching behaviour between the students and the school teachers, is an important factor that contributes to the success of using computer-based technology in education (Karasavvidis et al., 2003). For this reason, the design of a virtual classroom for English language has to be easily accessible, reliable, user-friendly, and interactive. For this study, the types of ICT and other related media technology used in the English Classroom settings has to be identified first. Eventually, the researcher will conduct a literature review about the positive and negative effects of using the ICT and other forms of media in the English classroom. In the process of going through the main discussion, several issues and problems associated with the use of ICT and other media technology will be identified followed by discussion of the impact of using these technologies on the teaching and learning process of the English language. Based on the gathered peer-reviewed journals, improvements on the students’ academic performance concerning the use of each type of media technology will be tackled in detail. With regards to the school improvements, some of the existing teaching and learning theories will be applied to the practice of using ICT and other forms of media technology. Under the supervision of the British Educational Communications and Technology Agency (BECTa), UK government is strongly committed in supporting the use of ICT within the classroom settings (Becta, 2009). Similar to the personal opinions of the secondary school teachers (Clarke, 2003: p. 3), the UK government also finds the promotion of using ICT as one of the best way to improve and strengthen the learning experience of the students. As a result of the rapid development in the use of ICT and media technology, educational settings like the English classroom has been using digital technology in order to support the learning

Quantitative method for finance Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Quantitative method for finance - Essay Example 2. Probability models are models that become relevant when the outcome of interest is not continuous (such as wages per week or stock prices) but rather binary in nature such as, work/not work, survive/not survive etc. In such cases, the simplest possible methodology adoptable is that of the linear probability model or LPM. The response variable of interest, say Y takes the values 0 and 1 only and the approach is to model the expected value of this variable as a linear function of the independent predictor variables X: (ii) The variance of y will be dependent on x. That is, the model will suffer from conditional heteroscedasticity. This violates the homoscedasticity assumption of OLS. Thus, even though estimates will still be unbiased, the OLS estimator will not be efficient and the estimated standard error will be biased. (iii) The error terms are also binary. They can only take the values of or and thus cannot be normally distributed. Therefore, the assumption of normality of errors is also violated and this in turn would imply problems for typical inferential procedures. (iv) Finally, due to the binary nature of the dependent variable, diminishing returns cannot hold. Therefore, the functional form restricts the possibility of obtaining diminishing marginal impacts of the independent variable on the dependent variable. 3. (i) If the condition does not hold, then applying OLS is no longer optimum. The assumption implies the error covariances are zero. This is necessary for OLS estimates to have the â€Å"Best, Linear, Unbiased† properties. If the error covariances are not zero, then the assumption of the Gauss-Markov theorem are not satisfied and thus, the OLS estimates are no longer best, although they are still unbiased and consistent. The main problem arises in the context of inferences. 4. (i) If then the series is said to have a unit root. This implies that the series is non-stationary. This essentially translates to the mean and

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

Leadership assignment II Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Leadership II - Assignment Example Steve jobs is also a leader that in which all leadership roles are shared among the employees, without the cooperation of each and everyone of the employees it is very hard for him to succeed. An example of a democratic leader is the current US president Barrack Obama. Along with the countries representatives around the world, Obama is categorized under the democratic leader type. He encourages decision making from all directions to meet the expectations of his citizens with different perspectives and personalities. He is a very motivational and Inspirational leader who relies on his party to help him succeed and meet the expectations that his citizens have. Mark Zuckerberg is a good example of autocratic leader. As the inventor and co founder of facebook, he is an autocratic leader because he makes his own decisions and is able to figure out what is best for the company without the help, guidance and persuasions of others. He is also required to make important decisions quickly as they may greatly affect or influence the success of the company. His employees and users depend on him to make the best choices for the company and

Tuesday, October 15, 2019

Quantitative method for finance Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Quantitative method for finance - Essay Example 2. Probability models are models that become relevant when the outcome of interest is not continuous (such as wages per week or stock prices) but rather binary in nature such as, work/not work, survive/not survive etc. In such cases, the simplest possible methodology adoptable is that of the linear probability model or LPM. The response variable of interest, say Y takes the values 0 and 1 only and the approach is to model the expected value of this variable as a linear function of the independent predictor variables X: (ii) The variance of y will be dependent on x. That is, the model will suffer from conditional heteroscedasticity. This violates the homoscedasticity assumption of OLS. Thus, even though estimates will still be unbiased, the OLS estimator will not be efficient and the estimated standard error will be biased. (iii) The error terms are also binary. They can only take the values of or and thus cannot be normally distributed. Therefore, the assumption of normality of errors is also violated and this in turn would imply problems for typical inferential procedures. (iv) Finally, due to the binary nature of the dependent variable, diminishing returns cannot hold. Therefore, the functional form restricts the possibility of obtaining diminishing marginal impacts of the independent variable on the dependent variable. 3. (i) If the condition does not hold, then applying OLS is no longer optimum. The assumption implies the error covariances are zero. This is necessary for OLS estimates to have the â€Å"Best, Linear, Unbiased† properties. If the error covariances are not zero, then the assumption of the Gauss-Markov theorem are not satisfied and thus, the OLS estimates are no longer best, although they are still unbiased and consistent. The main problem arises in the context of inferences. 4. (i) If then the series is said to have a unit root. This implies that the series is non-stationary. This essentially translates to the mean and

Critical Thinking and Ethics Essay Example for Free

Critical Thinking and Ethics Essay What is the relationship between ethics and critical thinking? Critical thinking and ethics are used in everyday life. I think it best that we define the two terms before we get deep into the discussion. The Merriam-Webster dictionary says ethics is â€Å"the discipline dealing with what are good and bad with moral duty and obligation† and Dictionary Reference say critical thinking is â€Å"disciplined thinking that is clear, rational, open-minded, and informed by evidence†. These could both be further defined by saying they are the ability to make good or bad choices and the act of thoroughly thinking through a decision. Critical thinking and ethics decisions are life skills. Critical Thinking There are six levels in the critical thinking process. They are remembering, understanding, applying, analyzing, evaluating, and creating. The majority of people use the first four levels in day to day life. The final two levels are probably used in more complex problems and more time will be required in devotion to applying these steps. Critical thinking is used in our day to day lives. We make multiple decisions in a day’s time. Some of these decisions are routine and some require more effort and time. We learn to evaluate things at a young age and most likely pick up most of our problem solving skills from our parents. When you hear the term â€Å"critical thinking† your first thought may be negative but critical thinking should not be thought of as â€Å"being critical† but rather â€Å"think critically†. During our life there will be times when we need to make decisions that can be life altering. A few examples might be buying a new car, choosing courses at your university, or deciding between a two jobs. Everyone can relate to the stress of buying a new car. This is a decision that could  affect you for the next five years and it’s a decision that should not be taken lightly. My decision to buy the car may have a different outcome if I start the process with questions as opposed to making a emotional purchase. Those questions might look something like this, â€Å"What type of car do I want?†, â€Å"What amount of payment can I afford?†, and â€Å"What is the best car make?†. All of these questions will determine the outcome. Answering all these questions will allow me to make an informed decision. Ethics We stated earlier that ethics deals with knowing what is right or wrong. We do the right thing because it is the law, because it is what we were taught, or because we listen to our inner voice. I used a personal evaluation tool earlier this week called the ethical inventory list. This was an activity to help me better understand the values that influence my decisions. This tool produced some shocking results which I was surprised to see. My preferred ethical lens was Reputation. I do care what people think and this has motivated me to excel in all things I do. My blind spot was revealed during this exercise and was identified as â€Å"unrealistic role expectation†. I had to read the definition twice to fully understand it and I still need to do more research. In short, I put too much value in the role (position) a person holds and that can cause you to forget that people make mistakes. My father was a law enforcement officer. I was taught what was right and wrong at a young ag e. My father took this to the extreme at times because he saw more bad than good while assuming his daily duties. I have always been known as the guy that will make the right choice even if that choice is the hard choice. Ethics apply to the professional world and well as the social sector. I work for a large heavy equipment manufacture. Ethics is one of our core values. The company makes ethical choices that affect the entire world. A few examples are promoting safety, recycling, emissions, and renewable resources. Do these topics cross your mind when you think of the largest heavy equipment manufacturers in the world? They may not but it is the professional right, the ethically right thing to do. When I first started working for the company I was surprised at how much emphasis was placed on safety. They require wearing PPE (personal protection equipment) and have mandatory monthly safety training. The company recycles everything. They recycle all metal products, cardboard, plastics, wood, and  even personal trash has to be sorted. Professional companies maintain high ethical standards because it is the right thing to do for their employees and customers. Social ethics is doing what is right for the people around you. When I think of social ethics a couple things come to mind. First is the â€Å"adopt a highway† sign that you see along the roadway when you drive home. Groups of people come together for no apparent reason besides keep the world a cleaner place. Is this the right thing to do? Sure it is. Another example is the groups of people that come together at public parks to do maintenance and clean-up work. Chances are they do not live in the neighborhood, nor do they have children that play there. Why do people strangers come together sacrificing their free time to volunteer for activities like these? There is one answer. They are the ethically right thing to do. Conclusion Ethics are a vital part of survival but we need to be reminded ourselves that ethics change as the world changes. Things that used to be considered in a negative manner is now accepted by society. However, we still need ethical decisions in order for us to thrive as a community, a society, and a civilization. References Ethics [Def. 1]. (n.d.). Merriam-Webster Online. In Merriam-Webster. Retrieved October 16, 2014, from http://merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ethics Critical Thinking [Def. 2]. (n.d.). Dictionary Reference Online. In Dictionary Reference Online. Retrieved October 16, 2014, from dictionary.reference.com/browse/critical+thinking

Monday, October 14, 2019

Economic Problems of Northeast India

Economic Problems of Northeast India ABSTRACT This paper attempts to examine the reasons for the failure of the North East to catch up with the rest of India in terms of economic growth even though it has done fairly well with respect to human development indicators. The paper shows that the government has proposed policies for development of this region but various factors such as insurgency, geographical factors and infrastructural constraints have hindered the expected outcome of the policies. After analyzing these reasons we conclude our paper by suggesting various measures that can be adopted to overcome these problems and accelerate the development process. INTRODUCTION North-East India consisting of seven states: Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland and Tripura; occupies a distinctive place primarily due to its social, cultural, political, geographical and historical features resulting in lack of uniformity, integration and assimilation. As unified it is in conflict ridden issues like ethnic unrest, insurgency, and illegal immigration; there exist wide intra-regional disparities in socio-economic issues. Since the colonial period it has been a witness to highly inequitable rates of economic growth. For the British, the North-East was a storehouse of raw materials such as coal, natural oil, forests and tea. There was a mass extraction of these resources which were then exported to other parts of the country for processing. This region however did not benefit from this process as the British did not set up processing and manufacturing units, neither did they pay any attention on the development of transport and communication facilities in the region. With the partition of India, for a long period of time trade with Bangladesh (East Pakistan) came to a stop which seriously damaged the economic and growth potential of the region. Government of India brought about several developmental packages for the region but these policies and programmes were not evaluated at appropriate times. This widened the gap between the region and rest of India. Thus all the socio-economic and political proble ms of these states were put under one unit, i.e., north-east region and a North Eastern council was created to address these as a whole  [1]  , thereby ignoring the inter-state disparities. In recent times the picture has got somewhat better. The north-eastern region has performed reasonably well in comparison to all India average situations in respect of human development indicators for both the sexes but it has failed in bringing commensurate economic growth. In spite of being a tribal belt and, in some cases having matrilineal society women still need to come at par with men. If these problems are not properly addressed the region may fall into the trap of vicious cycle instead of moving to a virtuous one. (Nayak, 2007)  [2]   The objective of the paper is to review the general claim that the North-Eastern states have done relatively well as compared to the all India average situations in terms of human development indicators; but the region has still not been able to achieve corresponding levels of economic growth. To this end, we have undertaken a comprehensive literature review comprising of various government reports and research articles. The data sources are RBI, NEDFi Databank. The paper is structured as follows: We begin by analysing the human development indicators and economic growth scenario in the region and also discuss the presence of intra-regional disparities at the disaggregated level. Next we look into the past and present policies introduced by the government for the economic and social upliftment of the region. We then state the recurrent problems prevailing in the North-Eastern states and we conclude with a discussion of potential policies and measures that can be undertaken so that th e region is able to tap its true potential. Human Development and Economic Growth in the region Disparities in Human Development Indicators and Economic Growth Human development indicators have been consistently high for the North-Eastern states on an average. A look at the Human Development Report (2002) reaffirms this fact. However as apparent there are huge inter-state disparities. The HDI value during 1981 in the region varied from the lowest figure of 0.242 in Arunachal Pradesh to the highest of 0.461 in Manipur as against the national average of 0.302. Similarly in 1991 the lowest and highest figures were 0.328 (Arunachal Pradesh) and 0.548 (Mizoram) as against 0.389 at the national level (Nayak, 2009). Thus on an aggregate the region seems to have done well but there exist wide rural-urban and gender disparities. We now separately present an overview of the various human development indicators. Literacy UNDPs national human development report (2003) studied the region and concluded that the region has done well in the social sector and more so in the spread of literacy. The overall literacy rate of the region in 2001 (65.83%) was marginally higher than the national average (64.8%). States such as Mizoram, Tripura, Nagaland and Manipur had literacy rates higher than the national average, whereas other states like Assam kept pace with the national average. Starting from relative backwardness in 1971, by 2001 Meghalaya and Arunachal Pradesh closed gaps with the country average. Considering that Arunachal Pradesh had a literacy rate of only 11.30 per cent in 1971, the attainment to 54.34 per cent by 2001 constitutes a huge progress in just three decades. There were considerable improvements in the field of female literacy too. Female literacy for all the states is higher as compared to the all India average except for Arunachal Pradesh. In spite of these positive trends there are questi ons about the quality of undergraduate, postgraduate and vocational education available here.  [3]   Infant Mortality Rate and Nutritional Status Some states have continuously lagged behind in terms of several important economic indicators. For instance, states such as Assam and Arunachal Pradesh have higher infant mortality rates (66 and 61respectively) whereas other states in the region have done well for example Mizoram (34). The poor state of infant mortality rates in Arunachal Pradesh and Assam can be attributed to poor utilisation of antenatal healthcare units, lack of proper healthcare infrastructure, limited access to healthcare facilities due to geographical constraints. The region is marked by the prevalence of diseases such as diarrhoea, parasitic infestation, hepatitis and entric fever. Mizorams high levels of literacy and urbanisation are reflected in the better than average utilisation of reproductive and child healthcare services (RCH); 20% of its mothers make use of antenatal check-up (ANC) services. Moreover more than 35% of its children are immunised.  [4]   The National Family Health Survey 3 (NFHS) 2005-06, which defines nutritional status of children as percentage of children under age 3 born to ever married women classified as under-weight, shows Mizoram with the lowest percentage of under-weight children at 14.3 which is way below the national average of 40.4. Most of the states lie way below this national average the only exception being Meghalaya with a percentage of 42.9. The reason for the dismal performance of Meghalaya can be attributed to inadequate food intake, chronic illness and low levels of immunisation. Only 33% of the children aged 12-23 months are fully vaccinated as against the national average of 44%. Gross-State Domestic Product (GSDP) The standard of living of the people in the region, as measured by the per capita gross state domestic product (GSDP), has lagged significantly behind the rest of the country. In 2004-05, the GSDP of the region at Rs. 18027 was less than the overall state average of Rs. 25968. In the post-independence era the growth rate of per capita GSDP started lagging behind the rest of the country and by the late 1960s, the per capita income in the region had declined substantially. With the introduction of market based economic reforms this difference in the growth rates increased further. During the period 1990-91 to 2004-05, while the aggregate GSDP of all states increased at the rate of 6% per year, the corresponding figure for the region was 4.4%. Also, the regions growth rate of per capita income at 2.5% was significantly low as compared to the national growth rate of 4% during the same period. The reasons for low GSDP such as geographical inaccessibility, insurgency, and infrastructural b ottlenecks and will be discussed later in the paper. An Overview of Government Policies Industrial Policies: NORTH EAST INDUSTRIAL AND INVESTMENT PROMOTION POLICY (NEIIPP), 2007: It was an extension of the NEIIPP introduced in 1997. The earlier NEIIPP did not cover Sikkim, but under the new NEIPP Sikkim was also included. Under this scheme all new units as well as existing units which go in for a substantial expansion (an increase by not less than 25% in the value of fixed capital investment in plant and machinery for the purpose of expansion of capacity/modernization and diversification) will be eligible for incentives for a period of 10 years from the date of commencement of commercial production. In addition to this firms will also be given other incentives such as interest subsidy, capital investment subsidy, income tax exemption, excise duty exemption and comprehensive insurance.  [5]   NEDFi (North-Eastern Development Finance Corporation Ltd.): North Eastern Development Finance Corporation Ltd. (NEDFi) was incorporated under the Companies Act, 1956, on August 9, 1995 with its registered office at Guwahati, Assam, for the development of industries, infrastructure, animal husbandry, agri-horticulture plantation, medicinal plantation, sericulture plantation, aquaculture, poultry and dairy in the North Eastern states of India. NEDFi has been promoted by All India Financial Institutions Industrial Development Bank of India, ICICI Ltd., Industrial Finance Corporation of India, Small Industries Development Bank of India, Insurance Companies Life Insurance Corporation of India, General Insurance Corporation and its subsidiaries, Investment company Unit Trust of India and Bank State Bank of India. Agricultural Policies: Watershed Development Project in Shifting Agriculture Area(WDPSCA): The Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperation, GoI launched a programme WDPSCA which is a Special Central Assistance to State Plan Programme for the benefit of jhumia communities. The programme was launched in 1994-95 in the Seven North Eastern States during the 8th Five Year Plan and continues to be implemented during the 9th Plan Period. The Soil and Water Conservation Department of the Government of Meghalaya initiated the Jhum Control Programme in 1974- 75 to control topsoil degradation due to jhum cultivation. The prominent feature of the programme was to support rehabilitation of the communities dependent on Jhum cultivation by improving their socio-economic conditions, enabling alternative livelihood options and food production. The major impact of this policy as evaluated by different agencies has been a decrease of about 30% in the shifting cultivation area due to adoption of settled cultivation. Sustainable i ncrease in productivity of agricultural crops and increased practise of horticulture was also noticed. Moreover, about 25% increase in income of an average Jhumia family was also reported.  [6]   National Horticulture Mission (NHM): For the North-Eastern states and hilly areas, the government had launched a centrally sponsored scheme on integrated development of horticulture in the North-Eastern states in 2001-02 which was extended to Jammu Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttrakhand in 2003-04. The scheme has been renamed Horticulture Mission for North-East and Himalayan States with effect from 2010-11, which provides higher subsidy than what is available under National Horticulture Mission (NHM) in plane areas.  [7]   Infrastructural Policies: Development of infrastructure has been neglected in north-east India. According to Nayak, the North-East region which constitutes 7.8 percent of the total geographical area of the country has a meagre of 1, 16,551 kms. of road length. Similarly development of railways has been poor. However, the Government through DoNER (Department Of North Eastern Region) has undertaken infrastructural projects in the last few years. The Government has invested substantially in road, air, rail, energy, and telecommunications. 8The Eleventh Plan devotes nearly Rs. 50000 crores on road development in this region. Some road development programs include SARDP-NEP (Special Accelerated Road Development Project ), East-West Corridor, NHDP-II and programs initiated by DoNER and NEC ( North East Council) . Railway network in this region is only 4% of the countrys rail system. Fourteen major railway projects for which Rs.10000 crores has been allocated include 8 new lines, 5 gauge conversions and 1 doubling of line, is expected to connect the state capitals of Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur and Nagaland to already connected states of Assam and Tripura. As this region is blessed with rivers, inland water transportation is important for its development. Notable projects include NW-II on the river Brahmaputra from Dhubri to Sadiya and National Waterway -IV on the river Barak from Lakhipur to Bhanga. In case of energy there has been an imbalance between the generation and availability of thermal and hydroelectric power. To attain a sustainable growth of this sector emphasis needs to be laid on hydroelectric power where ever possible. The gas based power projects include Palatana project and Monarchak, while Dibang Multi-purpose Hydroelectric Project focuses on hydro electric energy source. One of the programs introduced by the government is Rajiv Gandhi Grameen Vidyutikaran Yojana (RGGVY) which was introduced in 1995 to provide electricity to all villages and rural households. Ministry of Power has been giving assistance to the states in this region to improve power distribution of power under the Accelerated Power Development Program (APDRP). The Annual Report 2008-09 suggests continuation of these measures till the desired results are achieved.  [9]   In terms of social infrastructure though the levels of literacy are generally well off, there is a need for improving the infrastructure and facilities of educational institutions as well as improving the quality of education. The North East states have been provided with grants under Non Lapsable Central Pool of Resources (NLCPR) to improve infrastructural facilities. The Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan has also been implemented in these states with positive improvements. The important Central Sector Institutions in the North East Region are IIT, Guwahati; NERIST, Itanagar; NIT, Silchar; Regional Centers of IGNOU; Central Universities of Assam, Tezpur, Mizoram, Nagaland and NEHU.  [10]   Policies to Combat Insurgency: Until the 1970s the Indian government used collective punishment, forcible relocation and military occupation in an attempt to end insurgency in the North-East. In addition to creating a severe sense of grievance among some groups, this strategy rendered civil and political institutions virtually meaningless by concentrating power over local affairs with the security forces. Even today, the military remains the only Indian institution with any significant presence in parts of this region, which has given rise to anti central government sentiments. Major Socio-Economic Problems of the Region We now examine the problems which have not only existed in spite of the above policies, but also hamper the effective implementation of the same. Geographical Factors: The entire region of the North-East can be broadly divided into two characteristic zones mountain and plains. While Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Mizoram and Nagaland are almost entirely hilly, about four fifths of Assam is plain. Manipur and Tripura have both plain areas and hilly tracts. The hills account for about 70 per cent area and accommodate about 30 per cent of population of the region and the plains constituting the remaining 30 percent of area hold about 70 per cent of its population.  [11]  The regions accessibility has always remained weak due to geographical reasons and underdeveloped transport links with the rest of India. Also, as the region witnesses floods and landslides in the Brahmaputra and Barak Valleys of Assam, considerable strain is exerted on the economy of not only Assam but other North-Eastern states too. Infrastructural Factors: One of the reasons for the economic backwardness of the North-Eastern states is the poor state of basic infrastructural facilities. Infrastructure i.e. physical (like roadways, waterways, energy and so on) as well as social infrastructure (for instance educational institutions, health facilities) plays an important role in human development and economic growth of any region. The region has about 6% of the national roads and about 13% of the national highways (Sachdeva). However, the quality of these roads is not good due to poor maintenance. The Indian planners neglected the development of infrastructure in this region for a long period of time. Only in recent years, serious efforts have been made for the provision of these facilities. However, as infrastructural development entails long gestation periods the recent efforts made by North-Eastern Council (NEC) and Ministry of Development of North-Eastern Region (DoNER) did not have much of an economic impact. The prominent indicators of shortfalls in infrastructure in this region are: increasingly congested roads, power failures, shortage of drinking water etc. Constraints on Industrial Growth: North-East India has remained historically underdeveloped in terms of industrial growth. At the time of Independence, there was a small but significant industrial sector in Assam which was mostly dominated by the colonial capitalists. This sector consisted of plantation and manufacturing of tea, mining of coal and oil, oil refinery, manufacturing of plywood and other forest resource based products. Post Independence, due to the partition of India, the industrial sector in Assam received a serious setback as its trade routes were cut-off with the rest of the country. This in turn hindered economic integration with other parts of India and also reduced the attractiveness of the region as a destination of investment. The main strength of the region for industrial development comes from its huge natural resource base. For instance, the setting up of National Hydro-Electric Power Corporation to harness the huge hydro-electric potential of the region and Gas Authority of India Limited (GAIL) and Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) for exploration and extraction of oil and gas reserves. The forest based industrial units have been on decline following the ban on felling of trees, by the Supreme Court of India in 1995. Besides dearth of local capital, marketing and transport bottlenecks hinder the industrial development of this region. Tea industry is one of the oldest industries in India. Tea industry started well in the beginning of 20th century. Tea established itself as a major manufacturing industry in Assam that heralded a huge potential. One of the major problems facing the tea industry, especially in Assam has been increased conflict between the mainstream Assamese and the labourers regarding the health issues and welfare benefits of the labourers. Agriculture: Agriculture is the major subsistence occupation of the tribal population of the region. The pattern of agricultural growth has however been uneven across states and between crops. Rice is the major crop of the region (kharif). Other crops (rabi) grown in the region are wheat, potato, sugarcane, pulses and oilseeds. The North-Eastern region produces only 1.5% of the countrys total food grain production and provides livelihood support to 70% of the population (Mishra and Misra).The pace of agricultural growth in the eastern and North-Eastern regions has been slower than the rest of the country. The Green Revolution was largely limited to the North-Western parts of the country and has not benefited the North-Eastern region. By and large, the production conditions in agriculture in the North-East are traditional. The agricultural productivity is the lowest, irrigation facilities are almost non-existent in some areas and consumption of fertilisers is extremely low in the regi on. One of the most common agricultural practise in the North-East is shifting or Jhum cultivation. Approximately 1.7 million hectares of land is under shifting agriculture. This leads to large scale deforestation resulting in soil erosion and loss of soil fertility. Insurgency and Political Issues: Insurgency or terrorism is a political weapon and is often the result of accumulated anger due to political, economic and social causes. The North-Eastern states have witnessed a rise of insurgent activities and regional movements. These movements derive their roots from differences in language and ethnicity, human rights, tribal rivalry and ethnic resentment, migration, underdevelopment, control over local resources, access to markets and a widespread feeling of exploitation and alienation from the Indian state. Nagaland has been the epicentre of insurgency in the North-East; however, the problem has now spilled over to the rest of the region. Some of the insurgent groups are United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA), Peoples Liberation Army, National Socialist Council of Nagaland, All Tripura Tiger Force (ATTF), and National Democratic Front of Bodoland. Often these insurgent groups indulge in subversive activities like damaging rail tracks, smuggling, extortion, kidnapping, strikes and curfews and illegal cross-country migration. One of the important targets of the insurgents is the resource-based industries like petroleum and tea which form the core industries in the region. Assam also faces illegal infiltration from Bangladesh while Arunachal Pradesh faces constant threat from Chinese incursions. Natural Resource Base: North-East is endowed with rich natural resource base- soil, water, vegetation and hydrocarbons. In spite of having huge natural resources, the North-Eastern part of the country is underdeveloped. The resources are being exploited and mismanaged, thereby leading to depletion of the very assets that are usually highlighted as triggering the greatest potential for growth and development of the North-Eastern region. Resources have been extracted primarily for survival and for further capital formation and also the biodiversity of the region is under severe threat. The bulk of natural resource degradation is being caused by coal mining, fertiliser industry, paper industry, cement industry and militant activities. Conclusion In recent years, the government has been trying to put in place policies regarding the economic development and social integration of North-East, however, as we can conclude from our literature review there have been various social, economic, political and geographical problems which have hindered development of these states. It is generally believed that agriculture in the North-Eastern states has a lot of potential. Given the resource endowment of the region, this hypothesis seems quiet plausible. This can be attributed to socio-economic features as well as institutional, organizational and technological constraints. The agricultural policies for the region should thus focus not only on increasing agricultural productivity but also pay attention on eliminating the constraints on agricultural productivity and providing incentives for promoting sustainable agricultural practises and setting up of related activities such as fisheries, animal husbandry etc. The need for stepping up of investment in the agricultural sector has been felt very strongly given the fact that this region has been historically capital-starved. From the point of view of medium and large industry the most promising resources are the forest wealth of the region and the substantial deposits of oil, coal and limestone. The development of horticulture and plantations can assist in the growth of small and medium agro-based industries. The growth of sericulture and the demand for yarn in the handloom sector provide a base for the development of textile industries. These along with a variety of small units for serving local consumption demands can provide the basis for a more rapid industrialisation of the area. To protect the environment and resources it is necessary to implement pollution standards and put in place environmental laws regarding emissions, waste and effluent discharges from industries. There is a need to preserve the biodiversity of the region as livelihoods can be improved by developing forest produce, cultivation and export of exotic fruits and plants and harnessing of medicinal plants. National programmes and sc hemes are needed to support indigenous community forestry institutions and practises. Also it can be used to develop the tourism sector which will generate employment opportunities. The area has tremendous potential for Hydro-Power generation which needs to be appropriately harnessed as it is not only environment friendly but will also provide immense financial benefits, reduced flood damage if storage facilities are a part of Hydro-Power projects, employment generation which in turn would have an impact on sectors such as services, transport and tourism. The government should strive to resolve inter-state water conflicts and maintenance of dams. Private investment can play a critical role in fuelling economic growth and is essential to generate productive employment, raise productivity and improve technology and the work culture in areas like infrastructure, industry and agriculture. Incentives can also be given for attracting foreign investment in this region. This can however be done once the basic infrastructure facilities are put in place. These policies to encourage employment would reduce discontentment among the youth of these states thereby curbing the spread of insurgency. Thus we conclude that the North East has done reasonably well in terms of human development indicators .Also the government has put into place policies for development and integration of the region but in the end it is upto the local people to work hand in hand with the Central and State Governments to ensure prosperity of the region.