5 Reasons Why Your Readers Will Love Your Infographics

Infographics are hugely popular with businesses looking to attract more attention online. But what exactly makes them effective? I’ve put together five key elements your infographics need to have to help make sure your readers love them and that they help you reach your strategic marketing goals. They’re Attention Grabbing This starts with having an irresistible headline combined with a captivating header image, either as a separate teaser or as a crop of the whole graphic. Then, you need to make sure your infographic is in the right places to get the attention of the right people. Place it prominently on your blog and social channels to get your existing audience on it and give it an enticing introductory descriptor. It should clearly explain the value you’re bringing to your readers, so be specific and unique. You could also pitch your infographic to other publishers to get a seen by a whole new audience or look into advertising options. They’re Unique Learning something not widely seen elsewhere can be a huge draw. So, avoid rehashing old topics. People are much more likely to share a piece of content that’s unique so that they can position themselves as thought-leaders in their social networks. Infographics receive three times as many likes and shares on Facebook than any other visual materials (if they’re good!). They’re Well-Researched When you do pick a unique topic, use the most up-to-date information you can find from credible and reliable sources. And use that data to support the narrative of your infographic, instead of just throwing stats on a page. Ensure your research is comprehensive so you don’t leave questions unanswered for your readers. Infographics are great for breaking down complex processes and concepts. Researchers studying learning aids found that when text instructions were accompanied with images, as opposed to plain text, people accomplished tasks three times more accurately. Another study measured that, on average, when illustrations provided relevant content, people retained one-third more information. In addition, people are more receptive to images than plain text, by about 30 times. But this doesn’t mean you can just throw a bunch of images together and expect results. Infographics need to be laid out well, skimmable and easy to follow. A good strategy is to tell a story with your infographic, especially if it solves a problem you think your target audience is experiencing. They’re Cool The key to creating an infographic that your readers are going to read and share is in the design from the colors to the typeface to the call-to-action. Finding a combination that is visually compelling and unique is a challenge but it is vital. Finding colors that work well together can be tricky but a great tool is Adobe’s free color tool. Playing around with color rules to find a unique set and exploring palates that others have created are both quick ways to make sure your infographic stands out. The typefaces you use should be representative of both the topic and your brand. Modern, sans-serif fonts like Futura are perfect for discussing the latest innovations in wearable technologies while a serifed font like Bodini might be a better fit for a discussion of 18th century painters. Further, having a clear call-to-action at the end of your infographic will make it memorable for the reader and give them a nugget of wisdom to tell their friends about. Infographics can be a great way to quickly create a connection between you, your existing audience and new readers. A lot of readers don’t have time to dive into a 1,000 word blog article but can be more receptive to the visual nature of infographics. Take advantage of these characteristics and create well-designed, engaging infographics that are going to entice readers and promote your brand.

Document Analysis of Wittes Economic Policy Reform Essay Example

Document Analysis of Wittes Economic Policy Reform Essay Example Document Analysis of Wittes Economic Policy Reform Essay Document Analysis of Wittes Economic Policy Reform Essay Sergei Witte, the author of this document of economic policy reform was appointed to the position of Minister of Finance in 1893. He was appointed Minister of Finance during the reign of Alexander III to help Russias struggling economy. Witte was a very influential Minister of Finance achieving the ultimate goal of putting Russia on the gold standard in 1897. 1 This was one of the main reasons as to why this document was written in 1899, because Russia could now implement radical economic policies due to the foreign investment it received because it had the gold standard. Witte was an admirer of Western European style economies, and did not approve of Russias policy of exporting raw materials and importing finished goods. By halting the policy of exporting raw materials and importing finished goods, Witte believed that this would be a fundamental factor in the industrialisation of Russia. Lionel Kochan believed that Sergei Witte was one of the most important men in Russia in pioneering its eventual success to industrialise. Although Kochan was an admirer of Witte, many western European historians believed that Wittes reforms hindered and not helped Russias economy, such as domestic industries which did not benefit from contracts and subsides. 3 The document of economic reform was addressed to the Tsar, Nicholas II. This document is meant for the Tsar to read and is extremely secret. Witte hoped Nicholas II would give his approval to his ideas of economic reform for Russia. The style in which Witte wrote the document is to inform the Tsar of the flaws in Russian economy and almost to scare the Tsar into immediate and radical change in economic policy. However, in various parts of the document, Witte seems to be somewhat sycophantic towards the Tsar, possibly in an attempt to win the approval of the Tsar to implement his economic policies for Russia. Nicholas II has been described as an ineffective ruler4 and this may have influenced the way in which Witte wrote the document. Witte knew that Nicholas relied on senior politicians to help him run the country and used this to his advantage in this document by highlighting some of Russias shortfalls when pitted against major European powers. This was a major factor in the construction of this document with only two years previous to it being written Russia received gold standard status which meant their currency could now be exchanged for all other gold standard currencies in the Europe. This made it easier for foreign capital to be invested into Russia. The idea of foreign capital being invested into Russia was a new innovation because before this document was written Russia had adopted an isolationist economy, and believed that, unlimited free trade did not permit the economy to develop calmly. The reason set out by Witte about the drastic need of foreign investment needed is to speedily furnish our country with abundant and cheap goods. Witte believed that this would therefore lead to businesses in Russia to seek out new technological advances which will ultimately bring down the price of goods for the consumer. When Witte wrote the document the current economic system in Russia was poor. The economy was geared towards exporting raw materials and importing finished goods, and because Russia were not supplying there own economy with finished goods, it meant that the average consumer in Russia had to pay a lot more for products than countries in western Europe. An example of this was an Englishman pays 26 kopecks for a pood of pig iron, an American will pay 32 kopecks, but a Russian pays up to 90 kopecks. This shows that Russians had to pay almost three times what western Europeans and Americans paid for their goods. When this document was written the policy of protectionism was adopted in Russia. This meant that high tariffs were imposed on imported goods, to protect Russian businesses. Although this is an understandable approach to protecting a certain economy it meant that Russian businesses did not have to compete for trade and therefore the standard of goods could be low, with no technological advancements. With the new economic policy Witte was trying to implement it meant that Russian entrepreneurs had to develop their ideas and ways in which they make their goods, in order for them to be cheaper for the Russian people. Witte also points out in the document that Russia needs to develop mass production industries, widely dispersed. and where competition play has the dominant role. This shows Wittes admiration of western European economies by wanting to create mass production industries, and shows his vision that Russia could be a major economic power. However, Witte understands the drawbacks of relying on foreign trade to boost the economy. He describes it as very dangerous to rely on foreign trade for the lowering of our prices. In his conclusion of the economic policy for the empire, Witte sets out six main points as to how his new economic policy for Russia is going to work. In it he says that the tariff of 1891 will not amended until the renewal of the trade treaties. Witte here shows his understanding that sudden changes to the current Russian economy will cause shocks that will have unprecedented damage to the businesses in Russia. Witte also shows understanding of the importance of domestic industry to Russia, he shows that without domestic industry, the influx of foreign capital will not be as much as before the new economic policy was implemented. This document is very reliable as a historical source. Although it was translated from Russian to English. Overall, Witte knew that although foreign capital was important to the new economic policy, he also understood that the protectionist system of old was important Russia. Witte therefore recognised that with the balance of domestic industry and foreign capital Russia could have a prosperous economy.

Short paper Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Short paper - Assignment Example jugation of indigent and stigmatized women is connected to gender and class correlations, that of Third World women is connected in addition to race interrelations and frequently imperialism (Ramusack 30-35). During the 19th century, as millions of Britons left for the New Worlds, grate and home were actually shifted from the centre of the empire to its very periphery. In the film Out of Africa, it explores how such demographic changes affected the means in which the British citizens both promoted and destabilized the idea of the domestic woman (Antoinette 60-97). Though the ideal of the domestic woman was surely affected by these mass shifts, in the film the explanation of her becomes constricted and unfeasible, for she must not only be a goddess, but she must in addition be English hero is ordained for a happy ending, she either get married to an English angel-wife who must be brought with him to the New World. This patter appears to support the allegedly corresponding ideologies of domesticity and imperialism. London, according to imperialist doctrine, was the virtuous epicenter of a domineering empire whose mission was to civilize the rest of the world. In the film, Karen Blixen is the angel who offers the ethical foundation of a consecrated to such scheme than English soil. Nevertheless the films reveal much ambivalence towards this domestic idyllic. She is often seen as the colonial and indigenous woman; they are also seen as foils for the English angels since there were much more interesting and gorgeous. But the domestic and imperiali st principles themselves discarded. Coming to Kenya, Karen Blixen shows that female expatriates were dreadfully required in the colonies; consequently, a woman’s responsibility was to leave England. Better still her womanly responsibility told her to stay a pure goddess beside an English hearthside. The domestic dogma, then since of its firm alliance with nationalism, appears to have been more in dispute with

Research paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 2

Research paper - Essay Example Company insiders are in a unique position to make forecasts about the future risk and return of the shares and bonds of their company, hence they might often correctly perceive market prices to be "too low" or "too high". When they trade on the secondary market, they serve to feed their knowledge into prices, thus making markets more efficient. Insider trading is often equated with market manipulation, yet the two phenomena are completely different. Manipulation is intrinsically about making market prices move away from their fair values; manipulators reduce market efficiency. Insider trading brings prices closer to their fair values; insiders enhance market efficiency† (Shah, 1998). Shah points out, however, that even under this assumption about insider-trading which is largely favorable, that the efficiency gains only trickle out throughout the economy and prevent unjust inequality when there are reporting requirements so that non-insiders can benefit (in theory) from insider gains. However, as Insider Today (2011) points out, â€Å"[T]here are normally around 2000 filings each day and many of them are of no value to individual investors. It is very hard for an individual to digest the amount of information and still have the time to act on it†. Unfortunately, there is a direct tradeoff between enforcement and preserving a signal-to-noise ratio. Enforcement of insider trading laws has two intents: First, it requires reporting of legitimate insider trading so that the knowledge that insiders have is able to trickle into the general economy; second, it punishes illegitimate trading. Increasing enforcement to get the bad guys requires reporting that reduces the value of the information from the good guys. Nonetheless, insider trading's intent is highly justified. One can make an argument that insider trading leads to greater market efficiency in the short-term, but the problem is that it clearly leads to inequality in the medium term and therefore i nefficiency in the long-term. Seyhun (2000, 300-350) found that people trading insider stocks made on average 8.9% more than the market when stocks were good and lost 5.4% less when they were bad. People with insider information are generally, though not always (as we shall see with the example of the railroad workers), people with privileged access to the top of a hierarchy. They're already people like Martha Stewart, Madoff, CEOs or brokers: People who have superior access to information. Based on past societal inequalities, it is likely that those people will be of favored ethnic groups, of the favored gender, etc. These people see their stocks grow more, while investors outside their circle can't compete. These investors then become richer, which leads to increased inequality, which leads to decreased growth over time for a variety of reasons: The newly rich can engage in bona fide market distortion, amassed wealth allows people to ignore market discipline, inequality requires a larger state sector, inequality tends to lead to more capital shocks, etc. (Rodrik, 1999; Reich; Knowles, 2005; Klein, 2010). Worse, if someone within the company divests stock before shareholders can, that is fraud against shareholders who are being given

Theories of International Relations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Theories of International Relations - Essay Example The paper "Theories of International Relations" concerns the International Relations and other related social theories such as postmodernism. The International Relations theory is composed of concepts, policies and practices that serve as guidelines for the interactions between different organizations and nations. Basically, the IR is related to world politics, thus, it can be considered as one of the significant fields that explore the ways and means to prevent war, to have an economic interaction and to cooperate in the process of achieving goals for international welfare in different areas and aspects of the society. The study of IR then is important in the determination of the different paradigms that can help in the understanding of the issues and problems that can be encountered in connection to different forms of international relations. The different concepts that comprise the theory of International Relations can be considered to define different points of views. For that ma tter, one of the criticisms in relation to the manner by which the IR defines events, it can be critical and subjective on the basis of the fact that the views are segregated in the different theories that comprise the IR. One of the most significant theories related to the International Relations theory is the postmodernism view. The concept covers the wide variety of unconventional notions regarding the different social views and theories. The views identified as post-modern are classified as the concepts.

Human Hair Profiling with FTIR Spectroscopy and Chemometrics

Human Hair Profiling with FTIR Spectroscopy and Chemometrics Profiling of Human Hairs using FTIR Spectroscopy and Chemometrics Technique AUFA MADIHAH BT MOHAMAD ANWAR Research Proposal Topic Profiling of Human Hairs using FTIR Spectroscopy and Chemometrics Technique. This research is about classifying human hair (subjects) using FTIR and Chemometrics. The subjects should be Malay, Woman and included in one of the age group required. (20-30, 31-40, 41-50, >60) Introduction Background Study Human hair is ÃŽ ±- keratin proteins and contains DNA which are collected as physical evidence in a crime scene. It can provide important information in assisting an investigation. Usually, the evidence (fiber) is obtained by physical contact between perpetrator with victim or/and perpetrator with surrounding or/and victim with surrounding. This theory is based on ‘Locard’s Principle of Exchange’ which states that â€Å"every contact leaves a trace†. The current forensic procedures use comparisons of hair morphology by microscopic examination and mitochondrial DNA analyses. Microscopic examinations of the morphological characteristics of human hairs indicate the thickness, color, shape, body area (e.g. scalp or pubic, axilla (chest, armpit and limb regions)), race and method of removal whether forcibly removed or naturally fall off. In addition, there is not enough data on human hair. There had been a research in differentiating human hair according to the race. Thus, to create additional data about human hair this research will be conducted on different age group. The subjects for this research should be Malay, woman and is included in one of the age group required (20-30, 31-40, 41-50, >60). 200 subjects will be needed and 50 subjects per age group are required. Hair sample will be taken from these 200 subjects and will be examine using FTIR- Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy method. The data obtained will be analyze using Chemometrics. 3.0 Literature Reviews 3.1 Human Hair Hair starts from its root embedded in the follicle, through the dermis, epidermis, stratum corneum, skin, into a shaft and stops at the tip end. Human hair is usually 15-100 µ in diameter. There are three major of regions in human hair that are identifiable using FTIR-ATR (Figure 1). The core or medulla which is 5-10 µ in diameter is being wrapped by cortex which makes up the bulk of the hair. The outermost layer of hair is known as cuticle which it thickness is less than 5 µ. (Feughelman M.et al., 1997) Figure 1: Diagram of human hair cross section using ATR. 3.1.1 Cuticle The external layer of the fiber which consists of flattened overlapping scales is known as cuticle (Figure 2). Cuticle stabilizes the hair. Figure 2: Schematic diagram of illustrating the morphological of a human hair fiber Cuticle cell is separated by the cell membrane matrix (CMM) which is a strong adhesive layer. The CMM is made up of a central, polysaccharide ÃŽ ´-layer in between two ÃŽ ²-layers (lipid rich). Distinct layers, epicuticle, A-layer, exocuticle, and endocuticle can be found in a mature cuticle cell. The distinct layers have different levels of proteins, lipids and carbohydrates. Epicuticle is approximately 80% protein and 5% lipid and it is chemically resistant. The A-layer resists physical and chemical forces and is cystine rich (30%). An illustration of the cross section of developed cuticle cell is shown in figure 3. (Jolles P. et al., 1997) Figure 3: A schematic diagram of the developed cuticle cross section. 3.1.2 Cortex Cortex is covered and surrounded by cuticle. Cortex is responsible for the mechanical properties of the fiber. It is composed of elongated, spindle-shaped cortical cells packed closely that are parallel oriented to the axis of the fiber. Cortical cells are typically 100 µm in length and 5 µm in width aligned along the axis of the fiber. It is made up by fine micro fibrils that are comprised of ÃŽ ±-helical proteins. Macrofibrils (approximately 100-400nm in diameter) is made up of grouped microfibrils which are 7nm in diameter. 60 % of the cortex (by mass) was made up by macrofibrils which were embedded in an amorphous protein matrix. (Jolles P. et al., 1997) 3.1.3 Medulla Medulla is the inner part of the hair fiber. It is also known as core with a diameter of 5-10  µm. The medulla may be completely absent or a double medulla may be observed. It has high lipid content (citrulline). The structure of medulla has a porous structure formed by sponge-like keratin ad some vacuoles filled with air resulting from the differentiation process. The medulla was separated from cortex by CMM. (Jolles P. et al., 1997) 3.2 Chemical Structure 3.2.1 ÃŽ ±-Keratin Proteins Keratin is a part of fibrous structural proteins and is the important material making up the outer layer of human skin and it is also key structural component of hair and nails. In a single fiber, keratin constitutes about 85% of the mass. Condensation of L-amino acids formed polypeptide chains which were contained in high molecular weight polymer (keratin). Peptide bond (links the amino acid) was formed through the condensation. Multiple condensations will produce polypeptide chain which becomes the backbone of the ÃŽ ±-keratin fiber. The reaction was shown in Figure 4: Figure 4: Condensation reactions of amino acids. The side chains (R1 and R2 group) of the amino acid residues for ÃŽ ±-keratin are corresponded to different age group. (Feughelman M.et al., 1997) 3.3 Forensic – Hair as Physical Evidence 3.3.1 What is Forensic and Trace Evidence? Forensic was derived from Latin word forensic which is â€Å"of or used in courts of law†. It also denotes the application of scientific methods and techniques to the investigation of crime. Forensic involves trace evidence which can also be defined as physical evidence of minute in the form fiber (textile, human or animal), soil, glass, fingerprints and tons other that needed to be analyze under microscopic comparison. The presence and recovery of trace evidence is crucial to help in an investigation. DeForest states that â€Å"trace evidence has an important role to play in both the investigative and adjudicative phases of a case†. ‘Locards Principle of Exchange’ stated that â€Å"every contact leaves a trace† is a fundamental theory on how trace evidence could exist in the crime scene. (Fido M. et al., 2003) 3.3.2 The Importance of Hair (Fiber) as Evidence Hair and fibre is important in providing valuable information in identifying the assailant or attacker. The discovery of hair evidence can help in distinguish race and sex. Even though hair is benign dead matter it still contains DNA to be extrapolated. Human hair is usually found in the crime scene as shown in Table 1. It can be naturally shed (normal hair-growth cycle) or forcibly remove. (Robbins C.R., 1994) Table 1: Histogram of the relationship between the frequencies with different types of trace evidence occurs in criminal cases. (Broad J., 1988) 3.4 Current Forensic Methods in Analyzing Hair Evidence 3.4.1 Macroscopic Analysis The hair evidence will first undergo visual examination followed by macroscopic examination of the hair morphology. The physical appearances (length, shape, root, tip, color, etc.) are observed and measured. (Phillips J.H., 1989) 3.4.2 Microscopy 3.4.2.1 Optical Light Microscopy and Stereomicroscopy Stereomicroscope, compound light/polarizing microscope, transmitted light comparison microscope and the laser confocal microscope are four types of microscopes used to examine the hair fiber (evidence). Through light microscope and stereomicroscope, racial origin, species and the somatic (body location) origin can be determined. The scanning laser confocal microscope is used to analyze the transverse cross-section which is important in determining the somatic origin or ethnicity. Comparison microscope is used for next step by comparing the evidence with known fibers from suspect. Conclusions are drawn from all these observations and analysis. (Ogle Jr. R. R. et al., 1999) 3.4.2.2 Scanning Electron Microscopy Scanning Electron Microscopy can be used to analyze trace physical evidence (fibers, paints, glass and gunshot residues. SEM highlights the surface topography of the external cuticle layer in great detail with greater depth of field than a stereomicroscope. (Taylor et al., 1971) SEM is more preferable than Optical Light Microscopy. SEM can identify the species of the fiber evidence. It can differ human fiber from animals or wools or etc. But, â€Å"SEM is difficult for comparison of human hairs because the variability in the surface topography, distribution and appearance of the scales within one head are great, according to the natural and cosmetic history†. Thus, SEM also lack in aiding the investigation involving human hair as evidence. (Kupferschmid T.D. et al., 1994) 3.4.3 DNA Analysis DNA (Deoxyribonucleic acid) is human genetic code which no one will have the same. DNA is in the cell nucleus and in extra-nuclear organelles of the cell, known as mitochondria. It is responsible in determining our physical characteristics. (Davis C.L., 1998) In hair, there are two sources of DNA traces that can be analyze for forensic purpose which can be found at follicular tissue and the cells on the hair root. The hair that was forcibly removed from head has its root attached. However, most human fiber that found in the crime scene (ca. 90%) is in telogen phase (naturally shed) therefore the hair does not contain a growing root. There are three types of telogen hair: root without any soft tissues remnant root with a small amount of soft tissue attached root with a large amount of soft tissue attached Hair roots that have soft tissues attached contain some cell with nucDNA. A study was conducted to investigate the nucDNA content in anagen versus telogen hair fibers. No nucDNA copies were detected in the shed hairs while the plucked hair contains an average 25,800 nucDNA.(Andreasson et al.,2006) In 2001, a series of single Short Tandem Repeats (STR) typing steps and during consecutive polymerase chain reaction (PCR), DNA that had been extracted from the hair was fixed onto a membrane. (Hellman A. et al., 2001) In 2010, a proposal of a new screening test to visualize DNA with 4-6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI) which is a fluorescent molecule that binds on the double-stranded DNA, between A and T base pairs. The visible nuclear DNAs can be count with the use of a fluorescence microscope and it can quickly discard hair that is less suitable for STR-typing. Thus, the attention was given to hair with highest potential for results. (Bourguignon et al., 2010) 3.5 FTIR Spectroscopy Fourier-transform Spectrometer is used in infrared absorption spectroscopy. Fourier-transform is a mathematical process. The term Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy is originated from the fact that a Fourier transform is needed to convert the raw data into the actual spectrum. Dispersive spectrometer which measure intensity over a small range of wavelengths at a time is different with FTIR spectrometer which simultaneously collects spectral data in a large spectral range. Thus, FTIR is more preferable. Figure 5 show a diagram that represents Michelson interferometer. From a broadband source a radiation strikes the beam splitter. Some the light is transmitted to a stationary mirror and some of the light are reflected to a movable mirror and the moving mirror is not in phase. A pattern called an interferogram which contains all the frequencies that make up the IR spectrum was produce by interfering constructively and destructively. The interferogram can be decomposed into its comp onent wavelengths which will resulted in a plot of intensity versus frequency. (Griffiths P.R. et al., 1986) Figure 5: Schematic diagram of the Michelson Interferometer. 3.6 Chemometrics and Forensic Science Chemometrics is the chemical discipline that uses statistical or mathematical methods to chemical data while forensic science is a discipline that formulates conclusions on a purely objective basis. It is compulsory for forensic scientist to follow strict and rigid statistical protocols in reaching a conclusion regarding analytical data. Thus, chemometrics is vital as it is capable in generating multidimensional data. By using chemometrics conclusions of research and analysis data can be obtained. (Bereton R.G., 2003) Chemometrics research can cover various areas of different methods and can be used in chemistry. There are methods for: Collecting data Optimization parameters of the parameter Experiments Design Calibration and signal processing Getting knowledge from the data Statistics Structure-property-relationship estimations Chemometrics helps in building a connection between the techniques and their application in chemistry. (Beebe K.R. et al., 1998) 4.0 Problem Statement These days when a crime occur it is hard to find the perpetrator due to lack of evidence. Although there is evidence but, there is no data that is available to describe the perpetrator. For an example, human fiber or hair can be found in crime scene. However without the data, the hair which is also evidence can’t be identified. Furthermore, there is no research in finding whether there is difference in human hair of different age group. Moreover, can FTIR and chemometrics helps in profiling human hair research. Objectives There are several aims or objectives that this research holds: To further the investigation regarding human scalp hair (fibers) to create new database about human hair in different age group. To determined and classified the differences of human scalp hair according to their respective age group. To analyze the FTIR data using Chemometrics.

Nature vs Nurture Essay -- Biology Science Essays

Nature vs Nurture The issues pitting nature against nurture are exceptionally significant for the gamut of discoveries that attribute an increasing proportion of traits and behaviours to one's genetic makeup. The resulting variety of physical shortcomings and limitations in each person has, for centuries, been countered by endeavours to improve or interfere where necessary, and every individual is consequently the product of a delicate middle path of balance between the two. The importance of nurturing is nearly boundless, and there is no better evidence than the oft-cited case of identical twins who, despite identical nuclear genomes and mitochondrial DNA, will duly differ in physique and behaviour if raised (i.e., nurtured) in dissimilar environments. On the other hand, the role of nurturing in the development of abilities and aptitudes as basic as walking and reading is no less estimable. Hence nature, as represented by the genome, "codes for potential", as concluded by the National Centre for Genome Resources (NCGR) in its on-line publication Genetic Odyssey. While ... Nature vs Nurture Essay -- Biology Science Essays Nature vs Nurture The issues pitting nature against nurture are exceptionally significant for the gamut of discoveries that attribute an increasing proportion of traits and behaviours to one's genetic makeup. The resulting variety of physical shortcomings and limitations in each person has, for centuries, been countered by endeavours to improve or interfere where necessary, and every individual is consequently the product of a delicate middle path of balance between the two. The importance of nurturing is nearly boundless, and there is no better evidence than the oft-cited case of identical twins who, despite identical nuclear genomes and mitochondrial DNA, will duly differ in physique and behaviour if raised (i.e., nurtured) in dissimilar environments. On the other hand, the role of nurturing in the development of abilities and aptitudes as basic as walking and reading is no less estimable. Hence nature, as represented by the genome, "codes for potential", as concluded by the National Centre for Genome Resources (NCGR) in its on-line publication Genetic Odyssey. While ...

Scholarly Article Search

This is an article that is concerned with intervention approaches for the younger population that have problems with alcohol abuse. It describes the gravity of the situation by reporting the huge number of adolescents who have a problem with alcohol and substance abuse. Thus, it reports that â€Å"[i]n 2002, an estimated 10. 7 million American youths, 28. 8% of total youths 12–20 years old, were current drinkers. † The article determined current drinkers by using the criterion that the person â€Å"consumed at least one drink in the past 30 days† (Society for the Study of Addiction, 2004). The gravity of the problem is underscored by the huge part of the statistics to belong to binge and heavy drinkers. The â€Å"US National Survey on Drug Use and Health in 2002† estimated that 7. 2 million adolescents are binge drinkers, while 2. 3 million adolescents are heavy drinkers. Heavy drinkers are those who consumed more than four drinks in five different days in the past 30 days. The staggering figures lead to the conclusion that there is serious public health problem among the youth with respect to their alcohol consumption. This problem extends to serious behavioral disorders resulting from alcohol consumption, such as alcoholism. The problem is even more serious because disorders that are related to alcohol abuse are likely to become â€Å"chronic and to persist into adulthood† (Society for the Study of Addiction, 2004). The problem with adolescent alcohol abuse has led to the development of various treatments, both in the private and public healthcare systems. These treatments often range from adolescent to adult care. However, treatment cares often result in relapse in 50-70 percent of affected adolescents. Therefore, there is a need for systematic approaches that are tailored to meet the specific needs and limitations of the target population, which is the youth (Society for the Study of Addiction, 2004). Treatments require appropriate diagnostic criteria in assessing alcohol use patterns of adolescents. Moreover, there is a need to develop a framework within which â€Å"alcohol-related pathology† could be accounted for in the adolescent stage of a person's life (Society for the Study of Addiction, 2004). The article likewise cites Liddle (2004), who reviewed therapies involving the family of the adolescent who has problems in alcohol and drug abuse. There are suggestions to develop â€Å"adolescent focused, family-based therapies for substance abuse† (Society for the Study of Addiction, 2004). Family-based therapies are believed to be effective for the helpful recovery of alcohol-dependent adolescent. Family-based therapies often analyze â€Å"videotaped in-therapy sessions. Such records help in the identification of problems and issues, and serve as bases for change and treatment (Society for the Study of Addiction, 2004). This article is useful because it points out how important it is to first determine the extent of the problem before attempting to solve it. In the case of alcoholic adolescents, there is a need to first know the needs and limitations of each person and proceed from there. Intervention strategies, such as family-based therapies, should factor in such details in order to be effective. Videotaped therapy sessions are also helpful because they allow all stakeholders, such as the alcohol-dependent person, his family, and the therapist, to have a clear perspective of the situation, through observation from a different angle. Finally, family members could be effective in helping adolescent alcohol dependents by providing moral support.

Theories of Human Values essays

Theories of Human Values essays 1. Erik Erikson is responsible for developing the epigenetic principle. This principle is a stage theory that describes human development and growth from birth to death. Unlike Freud's stage theory, Erikson's epigenetic principle extends into adulthood and describes the theories through which one must pass in order to develop psychosocially. Each of Erikson's stages has an optimal time frame during which it occurs. The stage consists of a challenge, or "crisis" that the individual must resolve in order to develop as a healthy person. The stages are progressed through in sequence, with the initial stage dealing with the development of trust as an infant, and the final stage (in old age) posing the challenge of integrity versus despair. The first stage of the epigenetic principle is the trust/mistrust dichotomy that appears shortly after birth and typically lasts until age one. In this period, the infant is faced with the crisis of developing trust (appropriately), usually trust in the mother. In the second stage, from about two to three-years-old, the toddler goes through a stage of autonomy versus shame. If resolved in a healthy manner, the child will learn autonomy and move into the stage of initiative versus guilt. This stage typically lasts from age three to six. The stage of industry versus inferiority is typical of children from six to twelve years old and is resolved in a healthy manner by learned industriousness. The final stage before adulthood is one of identity versus role diffusion in the teenage years. The "identity crisis" that can develop in youth is symptomatic of an unresolved challenge in this stage. According to Erikson, adults also progress through stages of development that take them from an intimacy/isolation crisis in their 20s, through a generativity/stagnation challenge in middle age to a final crisis The epigen...

The Dynamics Of Managing Diversity Essays

The Dynamics Of Managing Diversity Essays The Dynamics Of Managing Diversity Essay The Dynamics Of Managing Diversity Essay Work is a major determiner of mental wellness and societal integrating and that unfortunately favoritism can take to societal exclusion, unemployment and under-employment. This paper foremost identifies the beginnings of the Glass Ceiling and so defines it in relation to handicapped people. It goes on to place grounds for the being of the Glass Ceiling and the Glass Cliff for people with mental wellness troubles. It concludes with steps that could be put into topographic point to guarantee a flat playing field within the workplace and evaluates those steps. Taneja et Al ( 2009 ) supply inside informations in their paper, Empowerment from the Gender Perspective, as to who foremost coined the term glass ceiling and keep it was Katherine Lawrence and Marianne Schreiber of Hewlett Packard in 1979 who described how at that place appeared to be an obvious class of publicity within administrations, but in world adult females seemed to make a point where they were no longer able to progress. Harmonizing to Falk A ; Grizard ( 2005 ) the first mention to the glass ceiling in the printed imperativeness may hold been in a 1984 article in Adweek. The article written by Frenkiel ( 1984 ) profiled Gay Bryant, the so editor of Working Woman, as an of import, advanced businesswoman and quoted her as stating: Womans have reached a certain point. I call it the glass ceiling. They re in the top of in-between direction and they re halting and acquiring stuck. There is nt adequate room for all those adult females at the top. Some are traveling into concern for themselves. Others are traveling out and raising households. Taken from Frenkiel ( 1984 ) It was Hymowitz A ; Schellhardt ( 1986 ) nevertheless ; who ensured the term glass ceiling became a lasting component of the American linguistic communication with an article in the Wall Street Journal that described corporate traditions, patterns and biass that hindered or even prevented the patterned advance of adult females in administrations. As a consequence the U.S. Department of Labor set up a Glass Ceiling Commission in order to level the playing. In 1991 they issued a definition of it, saying that: The glass ceiling is a construct that betrays America s most precious rules. It is the unobserved, yet unbreachable barrier that keeps minorities and adult females from lifting to the upper rounds of the corporate ladder, irrespective of their makings or accomplishments. Glass Ceiling Commission ( 1995 ) Although the term ab initio referred to adult females in administrations who were unable to progress through publicity, in an article taken from Docstock.com, it extends the intension of the term and provinces that in economic sciences, it refers to situations where the promotion of a qualified individual within an organisation is halted at the lower places because of some signifier of favoritism, most normally sexism or racism, but besides describes the limited promotion of the handicapped, and aged. In an interview for Personnel Today, Millar ( 2004 ) discussed Civil Service statistics with Tim Loughton, Shadow Health and Children s Minister that identified an norm of merely 3.6 per cent of junior civil retainers were disabled with the figure dropping to 1.7 per cent for more senior places. Loughton ( 2004 ) stated that there was a glass ceiling in topographic point in the Civil Service for people with disablements and accused the Government of tokenism when it came to implementi ng handicapped enlisting policies. Tal et Al ( 2009 ) suggest that many persons with psychiatric disablements are unemployed or under-employed, with damaging effects for their lives and mental wellness. Although anterior research that stigmatization and favoritism contribute to this result, the exact extent of such employer behavior has remained mostly undetermined. Thorneycroft ( 2006 ) suggests the job can be broken down into three parts, ignorance, pigeonholing and favoritism. Ignorance Cultural beliefs about mental unwellness plus derogative images and contemptuous linguistic communication in the media, ensures society perceives mental unwellness as being an untreatable lunacy ( Allen 2010 ) . There is, hence, the demand to supply work co-workers with the cognition and apprehension of, the troubles and barriers people face in their workplace in relation to non merely mental illhealth, but for all disablements to guarantee ignorance is removed. Employers have antecedently been shown to keep negative attitudes toward mental unwellness ( Nicholas 1998 and Stuart 2006 ) maintain that holding a psychiatric diagnosing can besides earnestly limit calling promotion as employers are less likely to engage people with mental upsets into executive places. Research undertaken by Rosenheck et Al ( 2006 ) shows that people with psychiatric diagnosing are likely to be underemployed, in lower paying humble occupations or in occupations that are incommensurate with their accomplishm ents and involvements: Before I had bipolar upset, I was an electrical applied scientist. Manic depression did non take that off from me, I still have that cognition, those accomplishments and experience . Anon ( 1996 ) Mental unwellnesss can take many signifiers, merely as physical unwellnesss do. Mental unwellnesss are still feared and misunderstood by many people, but the fright will vanish as people learn more about them. Lai et Al ( 2001 ) states that one fundamental job is that disablement so frequently overshadows personal individuality. The individual who has an damage is lost to awareness and merely the damage itself is seen. There are many myths about mental unwellness and some of the common myths and truths are identified in Table No. 1 below: Table No. 1: Myths and Truths of Mental Illness Myth Truth Peoples with mental unwellness are violent and unsafe. The truth is that, as a group, mentally sick people are no more violent than any other group. In fact, they are far more likely to be the victims of force than to be violent themselves. Peoples with mental unwellness are hapless and/or less intelligent. Many surveies show that most mentally sick people have mean or above-average intelligence. Mental unwellness, like physical unwellness, can impact anyone regardless of intelligence, societal category or income degree. Mental unwellness is caused by a personal failing. A mental unwellness is non a character defect. It is an unwellness, and it has nil to make with being weak or missing will-power. Although people with mental unwellness can play a large portion in their ain recovery, they did non take to go sick, and they are non lazy because they can non merely snap out of it. Mental unwellness is a individual, rare upset. Mental unwellness is non a individual disease but a wide categorization for many upsets. Anxiety, depression, schizophrenic disorder, personality upsets, eating upsets and organic encephalon upsets. Taken From: hypertext transfer protocol: //www.cmha.ca When a individual is promoted into a place that is hazardous, hard with high degrees of duty where the likeliness of success is slender this is said to be the Glass Cliff . Ryan et Al ( 2007 ) from the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, suggests that although there have been legion literature undertaken in relation to publicity ( Greenwood, Schriner and Johnson, 1991 ) it has non paid much attending to what happens to professionals once they are beyond the glass ceiling. When set abouting interviews with high ranking professionals Ryan et Al ( 2007 ) found that those with a disablement found their occupations to be hazardous and unstable through a deficiency of support, and an overall deficiency of co-worker cognition in covering with people with disablements. Lai et Al ( 2001 ) undertook research into the stigma of mental wellness and identified that a demand for an addition in public consciousness and the demand for a alteration of focal point within the media industry was required. Consequences from Lai et Al ( 2001 ) shown below at Table No. 2, illustrates the negative position the media has on those with a mental wellness unwellness. Table No. 2: Perceived Contribution by Mass Media to Mental Illness Stigma Lai et Al ( 2001 ) Pigeonholing Rimmer ( 2010 ) explains that pigeonholing reduces people to belonging to a group which is identified by peculiar features. These features are seen to be fixed by nature for illustration, dyslexic people are stupid and those with a mental wellness unwellness are huffy, unsafe, scaring. Rimmer ( 2010 ) besides imparts that people are classified harmonizing to the norm and established system, those who do non suit go other Foucault ( op. cit. Oskala, 2005 ) characterized his work as a history of the different manners by which, in our civilization, human existences are made topics and identified 3 manners of objectification, spliting patterns, scientific categorization and Subjectification Research by Goffman ( 1963 ) into the societal brushs between normal and handicapped people shows that normal people frequently feel uncomfortable and unsure when interacting with individual who are disabled. Goffman ( 1963 ) contends that normals experience ambivalent feelings towards stigmatized persons and seek to avoid holding stigma spread to them by avoiding close association with a handicapped individual confirming Foulcault s Dividing Practices manner of objectification. Scheff ( 1966 ) applied the term mentally badly, to Labeling Theory and challenged common sentiment of mental unwellness by declaring that it is manifested entirely as a consequence of social influence. He argued that society positions certain actions as pervert and, in order to come to footings with and understand these actions, frequently places the label of mental unwellness on those who exhibit them. As mentioned earlier, due to a deficiency of cognition and the impact of stereotypes in the media, people are persuaded to judge those with a mental wellness trouble, peculiarly those with schizophrenic disorder, as unsafe and powerless to believe rationally ( Rethink 2010 ) . Peoples who suffer from a mental wellness trouble do non hold a positive ego image and endure from low ego regard. If a individual is told frequently plenty that they are non good, non lending or eldritch so it is possible they will get down to believe it, which implies that they are so active in the procedure of exteriorizing themselves. Directors need to get the better of a tabu over mental wellness issues. When asked what per centum of employees they thought might hold a mental wellness trouble in their on the job life, 71 per cent idea it would be less than 1 in 20 and 45 per cent said none at all. The existent figure is one in four in general and one in six in the workplace ( Rethink 2010 ) Discrimination The authorities s study of mental wellness and societal exclusion published by the societal exclusion unit in 2004, identified stigma and favoritism experienced by people with mental wellness jobs as the biggest barrier to societal inclusion doing it hard for people to work, entree wellness services, take part in their communities and bask household life: 83 % identified stigma as a cardinal issue, 55 % identified stigma as a barrier to employment and 52 % mentioned negative attitudes towards mental wellness in the community ( Rethink, 2010 ) Given the high degree of societal stigma attached to mental unwellness, it is non surprising so that people with disenabling mental upsets experience favoritism within the workplace. Much research ( Manning, 1996, Diksa, 1995, Nicholas 1998, Stuart 2006 ) has been undertaken that identifies employers have more negative attitudes about engaging workers with psychiatric disablements than approximately about any other group. Baldwin and Johnson ( 1998 ) studied disability-related employment favoritism by analyzing net incomes disparities. After they accounted for productiveness derived functions related to functional restrictions and other productivity-related single features, such as instruction, business, and parttime employment, big unexplained discrepancy in pay derived functions between people with and without disablements remained. Despite the increased Numberss of adult females both take parting in the workplace and accomplishing direction places the grounds is that, for the bulk, promotion to the really highest degrees is rare and that the glass ceiling still exists ( Meyerson A ; Fletcher 2000 ) . In relation to mental wellness troubles, many surveies have suggested that adult females are diagnosed with depression at twice the rate of work forces ( MIND 2005 ) and it is suggested this could be because adult females are more able to inquire for aid. Disclosure is debatable for workers with psychiatric disablements because of the hazard of favoritism. In a national study undertaken by Wahl ( 1999 ) of more than 1,300 persons with disenabling mental upsets, about a 3rd reported that after unwraping a mental unwellness they were turned down for a occupation for which they felt qualified. It is likely that many workers with psychiatric disablements fear that revelation will cut down their occupation chances and as mentioned earlier, holding a psychiatric diagnosing can earnestly restrict calling promotion. Although revelation is an issue, if more adult females are able to inquire for aid and therefore are unwraping their mental wellness troubles more so than work forces, this may be one of the many ground less adult females are in senior places, after all 11.2 % of the female population are sing mental wellness troubles at any one clip ( Cochrane 2010 ) . Non-disclosure could make an unanticipated Glass Cliff in that a individual with a mental wellness trouble is placed into a function that increases emphasis and hence the opportunities of failure are high. One piece of statute law that aims to forestall occupation favoritism is the Disability Discrimination Act ( DDA ) . Taken from www.direct.gov.uk, the ( DDA ) defines a individual as handicapped if they have a physical or mental damage that has a significant and long-run inauspicious consequence on a individual s ability to transport out normal daily activities. Normal daily agencies things that people do on a regular or day-to-day footing, such as reading, composing, utilizing the telephone, holding a conversation and traveling by public conveyance. Long-term normally means the damage should hold lasted or be expected to last at least a twelvemonth. Significant means non minor or fiddling. Direct favoritism happens when a handicapped individual is treated less favorably than a non-disabled individual whose relevant fortunes are the same or non materially different. For case, an employer turns down an applier for a occupation who has a mental wellness trouble. This is because of negative stereotyped, premises about the effects of the status without mention to the person concerned. Another illustration could be an employer holding a cover prohibition on using person with a peculiar disablement. Section 141 of the Mental Health Act forces MP s to give up their seats if they are sectioned for six months or more and the jurisprudence still prevents those with mental wellness troubles from functioning on a jury ( Allen 2010 ) . Employers are required to do sensible accommodations to workplaces and occupations for people with disablements to guarantee they have equal chances ; failure to set about sensible accommodations is prejudiced. Some of those sensible accommodations could be altering working hours, for illustration presenting flexi-time or leting clip off for intervention. Research undertaken by Greenwood et Al ( 1991 ) identified the per centum of employers who rated certain groups either inferior to or slightly below norm and they are shown below at Table No. 3. The consequences epitomises the social attitudes in relation to ignorance, pigeonholing and favoritism: Table No. 3: Research Consequences Percentage Group 96 % Serious emotional upset 87 % Blindness 84 % Cerebral paralysis 81 % Mental Health 81 % Quadriplegia 69 % Deafness 68 % Learning troubles 64 % Back complaint 62 % Epilepsy 59 % Paraplegia 56 % Mild emotional upset 36 % Amputation of one leg 15 % Diabetess 7 % Peptic ulcer Taken signifier: Greenwood et Al ( 1991 ) The roots of modern antidiscrimination statute law are in a societal theoretical account of disablement that views disablement as the consequence of society s attitudinal and inhospitable structural barriers, instead than the consequence of that individual s physical or mental damage. Employment policies that have implemented a societal theoretical account of disablement in the chief should place the demand to take the favoritism of handicapped workers in enlisting, keeping and publicity and guarantee employers make sensible accommodations to help handicapped employees. Measures to Make a Level Playing Field Diversity preparation for all staff is aimed at supplying consciousness of single differences. For a company to hold competitory advantage it is indispensable all members of staff be allowed to accomplish their full potency. Awareness based diverseness preparation is aimed at supplying directors and employees with the cognition of diverseness issues and allows them to analyze premises that could take to pigeonholing. The theoretical account is shown below at Figure No. 1. Figure No. 1: Awareness-based diversity-training theoretical account More effectual Improved morale Improved organizational Multicultural interaction Greater productiveness competitory place Increase cognition, Foster appropriate attitudes Eliminate stereotyping Awareness and sensitiveness and premises Information diversity- Training programmes Taken from: Carnevale, A. P. A ; Stone, S. C. ( 1994 ) Not merely must direction systems and calling development systems be adapted suitably, organizational civilization must besides be adapted. Awareness based diverseness preparation should be the starting point for the development of an administrations diverseness programme and should make effectual intercultural interaction. This in bend Fosters improved morale which in bend creates the result of an enhanced competitory place for the company. The theoretical account is non without unfavorable judgments ; Geber ( 1990 ) suggests the theoretical account does non supply the accomplishments to enable participants to move on the freshly acquired cognition. The accomplishments based diverseness developing theoretical account is chiefly used in concurrence with the cognition based theoretical account and ensures transverse cultural apprehension and identifies why co-workers from different civilizations act the manner they do and is shown at Figure No. 2 below: Figure No. 2: Skill-based Diversity-Training Model More effectual Improved morale Improved organizational Multicultural interaction Greater productiveness competitory place Increased creativeness Increase cognition, Build new diverseness Reinforce bing Inventory Awareness and sensitiveness related accomplishments diverseness related accomplishments skill edifice Foster appropriate attitudes methodological analysiss Skill orientated diverseness Training programmes Taken from: Carnevale, A. P. A ; Stone, S. C. ( 1994 ) Equal chances and diverseness direction attacks demonstrate different ways of accomplishing alteration. The equal chances approach focuses more on positive action, supervising the Numberss employed or so promoted in under-represented groups but topographic points less accent on cultural alteration and the demand to run into organizational aims. Legislation often influences administrations to develop equal chances policies which are disseminated by human resource sections. Diversity direction, nevertheless, emphasises an organizational civilization where everyone, and particularly directors, are responsible in gaining the potency of all employees. The issue with an Equal chances attack is that it presumes attitudes will alter one time a individual with a disablement, for illustration, has demonstrated that they are able to execute. Equal Opportunities does non take into consideration the aims and ends of the company. Diversity direction has its jobs besides, in that it is complicated. Lorbiecki and Jack ( 2000 ) remark on whether diverseness can be managed at all. Is one attack better than the other? Ford ( 1996 ) Argues that equal chances policy and diverseness options have to be mutualist if they are to recognize their possible as organisational development tools. Further differences in the two attacks can be seen at Table No. 4 below: Table 4: Diversity Management and Equal Opportunities: Different Approachs Diversity Management Equal Opportunities Ensures all employees maximize their possible and their part to the organisation Dressed ores on issues of favoritism Embraces a wide scope of people: no 1 is excluded Focuss chiefly on adult females, cultural minorities and people with disablements Dressed ores on issues of motion within an organisation, the civilization of the administration, and run intoing concern aims Topographic points less accent on cultural alteration and meeting concern aims Is the concern of all employees, particularly directors Concerns chiefly forces and human resource practicians Does non answer on positive / affirmatory action Relies on positive action Taken from: Carnevale, A. P. A ; Stone, S. C. ( 1994 ) The Two Ticks Disability Symbol is a authorities enterprise that employers can utilize to demo their committedness to using handicapped people. Those companies that use the symbol commit themselves to the following five confidences identified at Table No. 5 below: Table No. 5: Two Tick Guarantees A guaranteed occupation interview for handicapped appliers Regular audience with handicapped employees Retaining employees if they become handicapped during their employment Bettering cognition about disablement for cardinal employees Reviewing these committednesss and be aftering in front Taken from: Torrington et Al ( 2005 ) These warrants provide a big measure frontward for a flat playing field for those with a disablement but need to be monitored to guarantee work is come oning. Unfortunately at present as Dibben et Al ( 2001 ) note, the symbol appears to hold merely a limited consequence on support for handicapped employees or possible employees. Bettering cognition in relation to disablement is cardinal in taking stigma, pigeonholing and favoritism ; it has been the most highlighted cause of workplace favoritism throughout the research undertaken for this piece of work. The authorities has late introduce an amendment to the Equality Bill which should set a halt to prejudiced employment patterns which deter many people with mental wellness jobs from using for occupations. The measure stops employers from inquiring occupation campaigners about their wellness until after a occupation offer has been made ( Rethink 2010 ) Evans ( 2001 ) argues that it is possible to enroll the best individual for the occupation, provided that determinations are based, as they ever should be, on solid grounds of aptitude and ability. He goes on to province that sensible accommodations to workplaces and conditions of work to make a flat playing field rarely turn out hard or expensive to implement. Reasonable accommodations could include acquiring new or accommodating bing equipment such as desks and chairs, modifying instructions to larger print or holding hearable every bit good as ocular dismay systems. These are proactive attacks that would profit all non merely handicapped workers. To guarantee sensible accommodations can be provided it is indispensable that employers create a scene and civilization whereby workers feel able to uncover a disablement and guarantee that this confidential information is non divulged to unneeded individuals. Decision Diversity preparation is indispensable and in order to change organizational civilization and attitudes in relation to, non merely people with mental wellness troubles, but all employees the support from senior direction should be enlisted. Training should be compulsory and should non be avoided and hence should be introduced within the company s initiation procedure. Mentoring could besides be introduced but with cautiousness as without equal consciousness and preparation for staff, negative sentiments could originate. Most of all, whatever attack is adopted, effectual monitoring should be undertaken to guarantee advancement is being made. The one individual who is able to place whether their workplace has a flat playing field in relation to disablement is the handicapped individual and therefore communicating with handicapped people is required when policies are being drafted to seek to extinguish prejudiced actions.

Careers in Accounting Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Careers in Accounting - Essay Example Income Tax Act and the Companies Act have laid down certain requirements on business organizations to put forward annual financial statements. These financial statements have to be prepared as per GAAP standards. The recording of accounts of a business using the double entry system of book keeping is done in a general ledger, which is also known as the nominal ledger. This is the principal book of entry and it includes accounts for items like current assets, fixed assets, liabilities, revenue and expense items, gains and losses. Collected group of accounts supporting the items displayed in the main financial statement is shown in the general ledger. The transactions are recorded in the general ledger directly from the sales daybook, purchases daybook, cash book and general journals daybook. This ledger is generally supported by one or more subsidiary ledgers which give the details of the accounts posted. For instance an accounts receivable subsidiary ledger would give the information for every credit customer so that the balance in the customer's accounts can be easily tracked. The subsidiary ledger is then totaled and compared with the controlling account which is the accounts receivable in this case. This ensures accuracy and it is a part of the process of preparing a trial balance. (Professor Cram, 2008). The general ledger helps in deriving the balance sheet and ... Each and every account in the general ledger may consist of one or more than one pages. Posting in general terms is the process of recording the credits and the debits in the general ledger. Also a column will display the running activity total (Professor Cram, 2008). Example of a general ledger entry: The above is the 'T' form of a general ledger. What is a Sales Ledger A salesledger incorporates the personal accounts of clients who have some sort of sales made on credit by the business. They are known as debtors. A sales ledger records information with regard to invoices issued, credit notes issued and payments received. As customers is the life-blood of any business it becomes a necessity for a business to main a sales ledger efficiently and accurately. What is a Purchase ledger A purchase ledger of any business contains the personal accounts of suppliers from whom the business has purchased on credit. Information with regard to invoices received, credit notes received and payments sent are recorded in this book. A purchase ledger invariably records all purchases made by a business. It supervises: The outgoings of a business. The amount owed to others by a business at any one time Theoretical need for these skills: Financial statements offer a synopsis of the financial condition of any business at any given time both in short and long term. All the related financial information of a business which is presented in a prepared manner and in a form easy to comprehend is known as the financial statements. The four basic financial statements are: 1. Balance sheet: shows the financial position or condition and reports on a company's assets, liabilities, and net equity at any given point of time. 2. Income statement: is the Profit and

International business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

International business - Essay Example Combustible energy sources like coal, oil and wood emit environmental pollutants and contaminants. Only those sources that offer minimal contamination to the environment are deemed acceptable if they are to be sustainable. The sun is the cleanest source of energy with its free-of-charge irradiation and easy access all over the world. The sun’s irradiation can be converted to usable energy via hybrid conversion, simultaneously, into electrical and thermal energy (Afgan, 2008: p240). This involves the use of hybrid collectors that differ from thermal collectors due to the construction of their absorber, with solar cells, water flow tubes, and a metal system. The collectors can be used in hospitals, private companies and small industries. Compared to ordinary solar panels, the hybrid collector ensures better usage of space, savings during construction and the simultaneous conversion of solar energy into electric and thermal, current using one device. They are contemporary and eco logically clean. Sustainable development can be defined as the as the integral cultural, social, technological, and economic development that is adjusted to the requirements of environmental protection, thus enabling present and future generations to satisfy their needs and improve their quality of life (Afgan, 2008: p242). The underlying principle of sustainable development is the creation of an effectual system of distribution and application of resources over the long-term. Sustainable development focuses on the rational use of the earth’s natural treasures, with the concept oriented towards life upgrading and improvement of environmental quality. In order to accomplish sustainable development, there is a need to provide sustainable energy. This means that future development needs to be based on the lowering and strict control of environmental emissions and the use of renewable and clean energy (Afgan, 2008: p243). The cleanest source of energy that can aid in the achievem ent of this goal is solar energy. For five billion years, the sun has been sustaining and enabling life on earth. The sun’s rays have provided energy for growth, as well as development, of plants via the process of photosynthesis. Now, it is time for the sun to power our industries and drive development around the world as a sustainable energy source. Key Words; Solar energy, solar collectors, sustainable development 1. SUSTAINABILITY Solar energy is one of the main sources of clean and sustainable fuels. The main source of power or the fuel is suns rays that falls on the earth. Solar collector that is used to generate power using suns rays is essentially a sustainable system. The main reason as to why this is called sustainable is that the energy source continues to provide limitless energy. Unlike finite sources of power such as oil or coal, there is no depletion of power. While creating energy, carbon is mot emitted in significant quantity. It is true that some amount of c arbon is released and conventional power consumed while making the solar panels and solar cells and while manufacturing components such as solar collectors, inverters, batteries, electrical lines and cables and other such components. However, these are one-time costs only. The process of power generation and consumption remains sustainable and perennial. It meets the definition of sustainability where the needs of the present are met and the needs of the future generations are not compromised. There is almost zero impact on the environment due