Microsoft vs Foss

Microsoft’s Foss Patent Infringement Holly Stark ITT Technical IT 302 Abstract This paper takes an in depth look at the claims from Microsoft that FOSS (Free and Open Source Software) committed patent infringement in 2006. It also discusses how the events have impacted FOSS, whether negatively or positively and how the actions have changed both since 2006. Microsoft’s Foss Patent Infringement Free software is wonderful and corporate America seems to love it. It's often high-quality stuff that can be downloaded free off the Internet and then copied at will.It's versatile – it can be customized to perform almost any large-scale computing task – and best of all its crash-resistant. More than half the companies in the Fortune 500 are thought to be using the free operating system Linux in their data centers. In 2006, Microsoft cast a shadow over Free and Open Source Software by alleging that they had violated 235 patents such as the Linux kernel, Samba, OpenOff ice. org and others. Foss’s legal representative Eben Moglen contended that software is a mathematical algorithm and, as such, not patentable. Parloff, R. 2007) But what of Microsoft’s claims? Are they valid? But first to answer that you need to understand what a patent really is. A patent is essentially a limited monopoly whereby the patent holder is granted the exclusive right to make, use, and sell the patented innovation for a limited period of time. Granting exclusive rights to the inventor is intended to encourage the investment of time and resources into the development of new and useful discoveries. Once the term of protection has ended, the patented innovation enters the public domain.The problem of the patentability of software has become one of the most debated issues with regards to open source software. The Supreme Court stated in a unanimous opinion that patents have been issued too readily for the past two decades, and lots are probably invalid. For a va riety of technical reasons, many dispassionate observers suspect that software patents are especially vulnerable to court challenge. This ruling works in FOSS’s favor. Patents can be invalidated in court on numerous grounds; others can easily be â€Å"invented around. Still others might be valid, yet not infringed under the particular circumstances. FOSS has some well known patrons working in its corner as well. In 2005, six of them – IBM (Charts, Fortune 500), Sony, Philips, Novell, Red Hat (Charts) and NEC – set up the Open Invention Network (OIN) to acquire a portfolio of patents that might pose problems for companies like Microsoft, which are known to pose a patent threat to Linux. So if Microsoft ever sued Linux distributor Red Hat for patent infringement, for instance, OIN might sue Microsoft in retaliation, trying to enjoin distribution of Windows. Parloff, R. 2007) A preliminary legal analysis of FOSS licenses conducted seems to suggest that the novel l icensing model used by FOSS is legally valid, a fact that lends substantial credit to the movement. Other indications as to the soundness of the licenses are also encouraging; a ruling in Germany that has recognized the validity of the General Public License (GPL) ( J. Hoppner,2004), which further serves to stress that FOSS is a global phenomenon that is revolutionizing the entire field of software development.Microsoft realized that something had to change when it comes to patents. They basically had three choices. They could do nothing, it could start suing other companies to stop them from using its patents, or, they could begin licensing its patents to other companies in exchange for either royalties or access to their patents (a â€Å"cross-licensing† deal). They chose to do the latter. In December 2003, Microsoft's new licensing unit opened for business, and soon the company had signed cross-licensing pacts with such tech firms as Sun, Toshiba, SAP and Siemens.On Novemb er 2, 2006, Microsoft went public and announced a partnership with Novell to collaborate to help Microsoft's Windows, a proprietary operating system, work with Novell's Suse Linux, which is based on open-source code. In addition, the software makers struck a deal on patents designed to give customers peace of mind about using Novell's open-source products. This partnership made Novell the only company in the industry that was able to provide the customer not only with the code to run Linux, but also with a patent covenant from Microsoft. Evers, Joris 2006) Some thought that it showed that Microsoft was kind of being forced to see Linux as a significant competitor and the FOSS model as a viable business model. (Upfold, Peter 2006) My personal opinion is that this was an attack on the open source community. Microsoft hasn’t actually changed its tune; it’s still actively attacking free software and trying to abolish GNU/Linux while promoting Windows and other proprietary software as though they are complementary to free software, which they are not. It’s PR nonsense and Microsoft is good at PR.Since then, Novell was sold in 2010 to Attachmate Corp. and a concurrent sale of certain intellectual property assets was sold to CPTN Holdings LLC, a consortium of technology companies organized by Microsoft Corporation. It plays right into the hands of Microsoft’s PR campaign, which strives for a fusion where Microsoft controls both sides of the competition and then derails the side which is less favorable to Microsoft. Microsoft has done that over and over again for many years and victims include giants like IBM and Apple.While FOSS licenses generally protect end user freedom in the realm of copyright, they have no effective protection against threats from software patents, especially from entities outside the FOSS community. In responding to the threat from software patent holders, the FOSS community has created innovative licensing schemes. ( Davidson, S. J 2006) Permissive licenses, such as the Apache licenses, have different patent rights clauses from reciprocal licenses, such as the MPL and GPL. In dealing with potential patent claims, GPL 2. has a â€Å"Freedom or Death† termination clause – â€Å"any patent must be licensed for everyone's free use or not licensed at all. † GPL 2. 0 does not allow the development of software that requires any kind of license payments for third party patents. (Hacker. J. n. d. ) GPL 3. 0 was drafted to cope with global software patent threats and to provide compatibility with more non-GPL FOSS licenses. The current GPL draft 3. 0 keeps GPL 2. 0’s copyleft feature and includes new provisions addressing evolving computing issues, such as patent issues, free software license compatibility, and digital rights management (â€Å"DRM†). McMillan, R 2007) As of today, Microsoft is still attacking free software with two types of tactics. The tactics largely include litigation and the use of so-called Fear-Uncertainty-Doubt (FUD) tactics designed to undermine the popular perception of the open source philosophy. This year alone they have won several cases either outright, in appeal or countersuits against Motorola’s Android features. The rest of the FOSS community seems to be on edge and waiting to see what happens next.

To what extent do World Trade Organization rules act as a barrier to international environmental governance?

Introduction The gradual opening of the arteries of world trade through the World Trade Organisation (WTO), while resuscitating international economics and being a symbol of the â€Å"hyperliberalisation† of trade, has been strangling environmental protection (Conca: 2000, Lowenfeld: 2008: O’Neill & Burns: 2005). The need for an effective, robust and objective way to resolve international disputes is arguably, in the light of the relentless and â€Å"inexorable integration of markets, nation-states and technologies to a degree never witnessed before† (Friedman: 1999), stronger than ever and a retreat to the unilateralist ideologies which gave birth to the First World War is almost unthinkable now given our interdependence on each other. The question is can the environment be protected while the aggressive expansion of trade continuesThe birth, by accident, of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) in 1945, was part of an indefatigable drive to combat trade protecti onism, discriminatory trade policies and most significantly armed conflict as a means of resolving disputes in the wake of the second world war (Irwin, Mavroidis & Sykes: 2008, Lowenfeld: 2008, Wilcox: 1949). One of the pronounced goals of trade liberalization is the removal of trade barriers and with the accession of China to the WTO, which replaced the GATT in 1995, the â€Å"hyperliberalisation† of trade is gathering pace with 153 members and 97% of world trade (Conca: 2000, p.484). This unrestricted access, while avowedly positive for economic growth, has been perceived by many commentators as being â€Å"inimical to the quest for global ecological sustainability† as Conca, the most skeptical critic, puts it (Ibid). World Trade Organisation rules have, to a large extent, acted as a barrier to international environmental governance both substantively and procedurally. In terms of the national laws and the WTO, the destabilization of international environmental regi mes and procedural rules the WTO has hindered rather than helped environmental initiatives both nationally and internationally. There have been some signs of progress, however, with a joint report by the United Nations and the WTO in 2010 acknowledging for the first time that some restrictions on the liberalization of trade will be needed to fight climate change (WTO-UNEP Report: 2010) and other commentators discerning a move towards an â€Å"accommodation between the notions of free trade and environmental protection† (O’Neill & Burns: 2005, p.319). It is also vital to note that Conca’s strident objections, while relevant, were written in the year 2000 after just five years of the WTO and therefore omits one important WTO decisions. Nevertheless the author’s biting criticism must be answered and his view is not entirely without justification even in 2012: â€Å"The WTO has proven to be profoundly anti-environmental both procedurally and substantively, handing down environmentally damaging decisions whenever it has had the chance to do so. Fears of a race to a dirty bottom are proving prescient, and optimism that trade rules can be greened from within has waned appreciably† (Conca: 2000, p.484). Part 1:WTO rules and the environment WTO/GATT, national laws and decisionsOne of the central objections to the WTO rules in the sphere of environmental policy is that they, in Conca’s words, â€Å"undercut† national policies (2000, p.486). Erich Vranes adopts more mature terminology for this level of interaction which he labels as â€Å"vertical† as between domestic measures and WTO law (Vranes: 2009). Conca’s objections arise when a national environmental regulation is challenged under WTO rules and, without exception between 1995 and 2000, â€Å"handed down an anti-environmental decision† (Conca: 2000, p.486). There have been six decisions relating to environmental issues under the old GATT regime and just three under the new WTO rules (WTO website: 2012). The case which sparked the hostility to the GATT/WTO regimes is the Tuna/Dolphin case (case 1) where dolphins were being caught in tuna nets and dying unnecessarily in the hunt for tuna (Lowenfe ld: 2008, p.315). The US government sought to ban all tuna imports from Mexico which brought a dispute settlement proceeding under the old GATT rules under article XXIII. America’s defence under article XX (the general exceptions article) was based on the protection of animal life and the â€Å"conservation of exhaustible resources† and proved futile as the Panel found in favour of the Mexicans with the ban on tuna contrary to article XI(1) of the GATT and unjustified by Article XX(b) or (g) (Lowenfeld: 2008, p.317). The other cases under the old GATT regime concerned American taxation on gas guzzling cars brought by the EU in October 1994, the so-called â€Å"son of Tuna/Dolphin† where the EU successfully challenged the Marine Mammal Protection Act in June 1994, the father of the Tuna/Dolphin dispute successfully brought by Canada against the USA in February 1982 and finally two successful cases brought by the US against firstly Thailand for the restriction an d taxation of cigarettes in November 1990 and secondly against Canada regarding the exports of herring and salmon (WTO website: accessed 2012). Conca’s powerful criticism was written only after two WTO decisions on the environment had been handed down and the rules were interpreted narrowly: firstly United States – Standards for reformulated and conventional gasoline in 1996. In this case, brought by Venezuela and Brazil against the US, measures to ensure imported gasoline complied with air quality restrictions were found to be discriminatory although the WTO panel did emphasize that it was America’s discrimination against imports, which were subject to more stringent measures than exports, which crippled their case; not that they didn’t have a defence or indeed a noble cause. Secondly, in a â€Å"strikingly similar† complaint to the tuna/dolphin decision brought in 1998, India, Malaysia, Pakistan and Thailand all challenged US legislation which banned all imports of commercial seafood, pursuant to the Endangered Species Act, to save turtles instead of dolphins: United States Import Prohibi tion of Certain Shrimp and Shrimp Products. Although the US lost this case, again by virtue of discriminatory behavior, it is clear that the seeds were sown for a fresh start and as Lowenfeld points out, this appellate decision had â€Å"sought to dampen the conflict between the trade and environment communities† (2008, p.323). Furthermore, had the US not discriminated, then it is certain that they would have won both on imports of gasoline and shrimp and indeed the second decision in the shrimp case confirms this (O’Neill & Burns: 2005) . This analysis leaves just one WTO decision in the 21st century: European Communities — Measures affecting asbestos and asbestos-containing products. In this trailblazing decision, brought in 2001 by Canada against the EC ban on asbestos products, the WTO panel found, affirmed later on appeal, that France was entitled to ban such harmful products under the very provisions so controversial in the tuna/dolphins case: â€Å"†¦the Panel found that the French ban could be justified under Article XX(b). In other words, the measure could be regarded as one which was â€Å"necessary to protect animal, human, plant life or health.† It also met the conditions of the chapeau of Article XX. It therefore ruled in favour of the European Communities. (WTO website: accessed 2012)1.2 International environmental regimesAnother powerful criticism leveled at the WTO rules is the perceived parallel at an international level where Conca discerns a â€Å"WTO-based threat to a broad array of international environment regimes† (Conca: 2000, p.487). This threat, which Vrane labels as being on a â€Å"horizontal† level between WTO law and public international law including treaty agreements (Vrane: 2010), is, according to Conca, brought about because these international environmental regimes often depend on trade related measures for their implementation and observance (2000, p.488). The main p roblems are firstly that the WTO’s existence is having a chilling effect on â€Å"global political imagination† (Ibid). Conca justifiably points out that the 1994 Amendment to the Basel Convention, which sought to ban the trade in hazardous wastes, may well be one of the last to target the trafficking of environmental hazards. The continued political impasse concerning the Kyoto Treaty lends weight to Conca’s observations although perhaps, in light of the global recession, the international environmental arena is anyway sterile (Rajamani: 2008). Secondly Article XI of GATT, which prohibits quantitative import/export restrictions is often cited as being a stumbling block and could well be used as the basis of a WTO challenge against environmental regimes such as the one which exists with respect to logging (Conca: 2000, p.489). This problem is still a hypothetical one but nonetheless is relevant and demonstrates perhaps that the rules have had a â€Å"chilling e ffect† on numerous proposed environmental regimes (O’Neill & Burns: 2005, p.330). Conca cites the example of a new logging regime: which failed to materialize at the Seattle conference (ibid). Finally the Basel Convention on hazardous waste is cited by Conca as a battleground: â€Å"Ineffectiveness and a huge loophole for waste ‘recycling’ kept the waste trade†¦alive, leading a coalition of developing countries and environmental activists to push through the ‘Basel ban’ at a 1994 conference of the parties. The constant threat of a WTO challenge has inhibited the collection of the national ratifications needed for the amendment to enter into force, and undercuts efforts to use the regime†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Conca: 2000, p.489) Part 2: Procedural Rules of the WTO2.1 Burden of proof, precautionary principle and Amicus CuriaeFinally the rules of the WTO themselves have been justifiably seen as stacking the deck against those who are fighting for the environment (Lowenfeld: 2008, p.327). The burden of proof is, as Conca observes, â€Å"squarely on the shoulders of those arguing for environmental precaution† (Conca: 2000, p.485). The presumption of a violation means that â€Å"the Member against whom the complaint has been brought†, will â€Å"rebut the charge† and the party which is asserting the affirmative of a particular claim will bear the burden of proof: a rule which is universal to all disputes and not just the environmental issues (Sebastian: 2010). Lowenfeld also points to the â€Å"precautionary principle† which dictates that: â€Å"†¦uncertainty regarding the adverse environmental effects of an activity should not be a bar to adoption of measures to prohibit or otherwise regulate the activity, but that such uncertainty provides an affirmative justification for adopting such measures† (2008, p.333). The Beef Hormones case is often cited in connection with this embryonic principle. The Appellate Body held here that this principle was not yet part of customary law but that it was commonsense to weigh the â€Å"severity of the danger against the degree of likelihood that the danger would be enhanced by the challenged activity† (Ibid). Lowenfeld suggests that this line of reasoning could lead to the WTO adopting a â€Å"worst- case scenario† argument which would, quite understandably, undermine environmental protection (Ibid). The author concludes by observing: â€Å"†¦the precautionary principle as formulated by the European Community seems too harsh. On the one hand, it is susceptible to misuse for purposes of competition and protection; on the other, it seems both to overestimate and underestimate science† (Ibid at p.334). Further to the burden of proof and the precautionary principle are the Amicus Curiae briefs: the closed door proceedings used to make it difficult for the stakeholders usually so closely intimated with environmental action (charities etc) to participate and are still difficult to surmount. This procedural innovation, which is a creature of statute, has enabled certain organisations to provide opinions to supplement decisions which are often made by lawyers and economists who usually have little knowledge of environmental effects (Conca: 2000, p.485). Those submitting the Amicus Curiae briefs can be WTO members or non-state actors and it is important to note that the acceptance of such briefs is an exercise of discretion on the part of the Panel (Stern: 2006). The fact that such briefs have become more commonplace undoes Conca’s arguments a little but, as noted above, it is ultimately a question of discretion as to whether an organization is allowed to submit such a brief. Wha t is clear is that the complex ways in which ecosystems can be corrupted do not always fit easily into the burden of proof system.2.1 Interpretation of Article XX of GATTThe interpretation of this article is key to much of the criticism of the GATT/WTO. In both Tuna-Dolphin and Shrimp-Turtle cases it has been noticed that these general exceptions to GATT provisions has been interpreted narrowly by both GATT and WTO panels respectively (O’Neill & Burns: 2005, p.325). This narrow interpretation has fuelled a lot of criticism with the panel in Shrimp/Turtle expressly saying that the WTO supports countries who hold such noble goals and that it was because of the US’s discriminatory behavior that they held against the US. As noted above, however, the decision in European Communities — Measures affecting asbestos and asbestos-containing products could be the beginning of a new era of interpreting the exceptions as they relate to environmental protection. Certainly the WTO has been sensitive to the criticism it has received from many quarters about its handling of such cases. Whether Conca’s observation that â€Å"Playing by WTO rules, the first definitive ‘proof’ of harm will often be irreversible ecosystem collapse† is debatable in the current climate and, arguably, about a decade out of touch (2000, p.485). Conclusion In conclusion the rules of the WTO to a large extent are acting as a barrier to international environmental governance. In terms of the undermining of national and international laws, the procedural flaws in terms of the burden of proof, the precautionary principle and the amicus curiae briefs as well as the narrow interpretation of article XX, the WTO has a lot of damage to undo in the coming years. Much has been written on this volatile subject and it is clear that Conca (2000) is the most scathing critic. His polemic is out of date, however, and although many of his conclusions are valid his overriding point, that there is an anti-green agenda in the WTO is slowly being unraveled. Indeed as far back as the 1998 Shrimp-Turtle case it has been discerned by astute commentators like O’Neill and Burns that the decision is a pro-environmental one, albeit resulting in ultimate defeat for the USA. The recent joint UN-WTO report (2010) is an indicator of the direction which the WTO is going in and the most recent case involving environmental action, the EU-Canada Asbestos case, confirms that a broader interpretation of article XX can provide positive environmental results. Perhaps the greening of the WTO has begun and no doubt the scathing criticism of authors like Conca had something to do with their new-found green credentials. A proper reform of the WTO rules is required but perhaps the tide has already turned as Barkin observes: â€Å"†¦the incompatibility between the rules of the international trading regime and the need for responsible management of the global environment is substantially overstated, and that official interpretations of these rules are becoming consistently more environmentally-friendly over time† (Barkin: 2005, p.334). BibliographyJournalsConca, Ken (2000) ‘The WTO and the Undermining of Global Environmental Governance’ Review of International Political Economy 7:3 Autumn pp 484 – 494 Rajamani (2008) ‘From Berlin to Bali and Beyond: Killing Kyoto Softly?’ International & Comparative Law Quarterly 57(4) pp909-9392.0 BooksBarkin, Samuel.J (2005) ‘The Environment, Trade and International Organisations’ in Dauvergne, Peter (ed) Handbook of Global Environmental Politics Edward Elgar Cheltenham Friedman, Thomas (2000) The Lexus and the Olive Tree Anchor Books: UK Irwin, Mavroidis & Sykes (2008) The Genesis of the GATT Cambridge University Press: worldwide Lowenfeld, Andreas F. International Economic Law (2008) (2nd ed) Oxford Uni Press: Oxford, New York. O’Neill, Kate & Burns, C.G William (2005) ‘Trade Liberalization and Global Environmental Governance: the Potential for Conflict’ in Dauvergne, Peter (ed) Handbook of Global Environmental Politics Edward Elgar Cheltenham Sebastian, Thomas (2010) ‘The law of permissible WTO retaliation’ in Bown and Pauwelyn (eds) The Law, Economics and Politics of Retaliation in WTO Dispute settlement: Cambridge University Press: worldwide Stern, Brigitte (2006) ‘The emergence of non-state actors in international commercial disputes through WTO appellate Body case-law’ in Sacerdoti, Yanovich and Bohanes (eds) The WTO at ten: The Contribution of the Dispute Settlement System: Cambridge University Press: worldwide Van den Bossche, Peter (2008). The Law and Policy of the World Trade Organization, UK: Cambridge University Press Vranes, Erich (2009) Trade and the Environment: Fundamental Issues in International Law, WTO law and Legal Theory Oxford University Press: Oxford3.0 StatuteEndangered Species Act GATT 1947: Articles XXII and XXIII Marine Mammal Protection Act 1972 Understanding on Rules and Procedures Governing the Settlement of Disputes4.0 WebsitesWTO, ‘WTO and UNEP launch a report explaining for the first time the connections between trade and climate change’, 26 June 2009, Press/559. UNEP issued an identical press release on the same day, available at www.wto.org/english/news.e/pres09_e/pr559_e.htm. WTO website accessed on 2nd February and available from: http://www.wto.org/english/tratop_e/envir_e/envir_e.htm5.0 DecisionsGATT > United States — Taxes on Automobiles, ruling not adopted, circulated on 11 October 1994. Case brought by EU. > United States — Restrictions on Imports of Tuna, â€Å"son of tuna-dolphin†, ruling not adopted, circulated on 16 June 1994. Case brought by EU. > United States — Restrictions on Imports of Tuna, the â€Å"tuna-dolphin† case, ruling not adopted, circulated on 3 September 1991. Case brought by Mexico, etc. > Thailand — Restrictions on the Importation of and Internal Taxes on Cigarettes, ruling adopted on 7 November 1990. Case brought by US. > Canada — Measures Affecting Exports of Unprocessed Herring and Salmon, ruling adopted on 22 March 1988. Case brought by US. > United States — Prohibition of Imports of Tuna and Tuna Products from Canada, ruling adopted on 22 February 1982. Case brought by Canada. WTO > European Communities — Measures affecting asbestos and asbestos-containing products. WTO case No. 135. Ruling adopted on 5 April 2001. Case brought by Canada. > United States — Import Prohibition of Certain Shrimp and Shrimp Products, the â€Å"shrimp-turtle† case. WTO case Nos. 58 and 61. Ruling adopted on 6 November 1998. Case brought by India, Malaysia, Pakistan and Thailand. Recourse to Article 21.5 of the DSU. Ruling adopted on 21 November 2001. Case brought by Malaysia. > United States — Standards for Reformulated and Conventional Gasoline, WTO case Nos. 2 and 4. Ruling adopted on 20 May 1996. Case brought by Venezuela and Brazil.

Corporate Social Responsibility Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Corporate Social Responsibility - Essay Example In looking at the opposing views of the market in society, questions still remain: is CSR compatible with the demands of shareholders? Is CSR a genuine movement, or a company PR exercise? Can a company be profitable while also being socially aware? Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is a phrase used regularly by companies when they attempt to assure people of their ethical intentions. The EU’s report on ‘Implementing the partnership for growth and jobs’ defines CSR as: Consumer concerns about the ethical treatment of the poor and exploitation of the Third World have made the promotion of social and ethical statements in business procedures essential. However, many in the consumer movement now feel that CSR is a sham, and a corporate PR exercise designed to whitewash the continuing exploitation of the vulnerable and poor. The question this essay attempts to argue concerns how compatible CSR is with the traditional role of companies, which is to make money for their shareholders. The issue of Corporate Social responsibility seems to be between those who feel that companies are part of society, and others who are more inclined to concur with Milton Friedman’s belief that the only social responsibility that a business has is to its shareholders: â€Å"The Social Responsibility of Business is to Increase its Profits† (Friedman, 1970). By looking firstly at how government has supported the CSR movement, then at the positive elements of CSR, with reference to increasing profits and ‘Social profit’, and finally at the opposition to CSR from both businesses and consumer movements, this essay hopes to establish whether Corporate Social Responsibility interferes with the ability of companies to make a profit, or whether it is a recognition of a larger social movement to improve the va lues and ethics of society.

DIABETES - APA Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

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Financial Modeling Of Value At Risk Portfolio Essay

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Something interesting in Film Studies (Which University College Dissertation

Something interesting in Film Studies (Which University College London) will be interested - Dissertation Example The current research intends to fill the gap in research and aims to evaluate how the present day Cinematographers perceive the changes have impacted their work environment and also the quality of work that they perform. The current research is expected to explore the changing role of the cinematographers in major Hollywood studio, with the aim of understanding if the concept of director of photography has evolved or diminished over time. Research Question The main research questions that guide the research are: -Is the theoretical and practical knowledge of cinematography still more important than using latest technology? -What is the role of instinct, intuition and experience in the current arena of Cinematography? -How has the introduction of latest technology and technicians in Cinematography department altered the work environment, communications and cooperation    It is essential to ask this question as current day cinematography is largely about lights, animation, after-effe cts, audio-visual effects – activities that are undertaken post the shooting (Cunningham, 2005). The work involved in Cinematography today involves personnel other than the cinematographer (LoBrutto, 1999), and hence it becomes important to understand how the work of soft factors related to communications, work-interactions, attitudes and behaviors impact on the overall cinematic process.       Review of Literature The introduction of digital technology, the fast pace of technological advancement and the changing expectations of an audience that is increasingly tech savvy (Hoffmann, 2008), have posed wide challenges for film cinematography (Brown, 2011; Mascelli, 2009) and spawned a new generation of cinematographers. However, personal reports from cinematographers (Rogers, 2000; Rogers, 1998; Bergery, 2002; Ellis, 2011) and several prior researches (Schaefer and Salvato, 1986)   have provided insights about probable problems and issues that digital imagery and the invo lvement of multiple technicians the ‘Digital Imagery specialists’ brings to cinematographer’s job (Ballinger, 2004). While the technical quality of cinematography has improved tremendously (Greenhalgh, 2003), it appears that the intuitive and inherent talent of the cinematographers is perhaps not being utilized to the fullest (Malkiewicz and Gryboski, 2002). A preliminary review of the available literature has revealed that some work has been done, especially via interviews of cinematographer, to assess their experiences and perceptions about the profession. However, none of the previous research has aimed to specifically explore how the changes in the soft factors – the interpersonal interactions, communications, cooperation that the latest technology entails - impact on the work of the Cinematographers. The current research therefore aims to provide a more holistic insight about the changes that Cinematographers have to deal with, and the impact on their work. Research Methods In order to explore the current and changing role of cinematographers, both secondary and primary research is proposed. The secondary research is undertaken using an exhaustive

Gerontology Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Gerontology - Term Paper Example The sociological elements encompass issues such as individual relations with certain cultures, guidelines as well as aspects that bring or make the civilization appear in order. According to scholars in biological and related fields, aging process begins, immediately; an individual starts to live with the development of certain structures that do not appear before a person is born. During the aging progression, the bodies and mind commences developments until they reach a period that they are being considered mature (Hogstel, 2001). In the early years of growth and development of human beings, various factors affect the levels of development with regards to the bodily and mental developments. The factors that influence the way people develop both mentally and psychically include genetics, and other individual attributes, family backgrounds and other related factors. Correspondingly, the progression through the other levels of development such as adulthood gain much influences from in dividual health, mindsets and behaviors concerning various aspects of existence. Therefore, aging cannot be taken as a straightforward process restricted to bodily wellness and loss of healthiness. Aging can be considered an intricate procedure that is attributed to many factors including the individual and social elements. Over the years, the matter of aging has received much attention as evident with the augmenting edification of health and social workers concerning matters of aging. Similarly, research has been performed concerning the aging group thus presenting basis for understanding and dealing with matters associated with aging (Hogstel, 2001). The research conducted concerning aging assists health workers, and related professionals to manage or take care of individuals at the old age, and offering solutions to various problems that arise with old age. Recently, gerontological nursing has markedly acquired the needed thrust in the nursing discipline with the numerous cases o f aging groups coupled with extensive research. In doing this, numerous challenges exhibited within the gerontology field can be effectively managed through acquisition of necessary information concerning this population (Hogstel, 2001). Nevertheless, the nursing sector had experienced problems in handling this component of the populace since little information and facilities to offer the services and trainings are available. In relation to nursing coupled with gerontology, various terms are exploited interchangeably in order to bring out the relations between the two concepts. According to nursing geriatric nursing is considered, a concept that concerns treatment old persons experiencing health problems. Geriatric nursing can also be attributed to the investigation of illnesses and other health problems that affect the old age, as well as, their subsequent analysis and treatment. In geriatric nursing, considerable emphasis is applied in the significance of social and psychological factors during the treatment of people experiencing various problems in their old age. According to geriatrics, the lifestyles exhibited by individuals at their old ages profoundly affects their health status implying that enhanced and monitored lifestyles can serve, as tools, to alleviate certain health problems (Hogstel, 2001). In contrast, gerontological

Nursing Leadership Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Nursing Leadership - Essay Example 3. Yes, there are a lot of differences between central and decentralized organization structures n terms of authority, responsibility and accountability. First of all, in a centralized system, the people responsible for decision making are the top organization. If anything goes wrong then they have to be held accountable unlike in a decentralized structure where many people are held accountable and the responsibility is divided (Dale, 2007). Unit 2.2., Part A My selected rationale for the quality indicator is the pain reassessment documentation which is always forgotten by most nurses after delivering their pain medication. This assessment is very important to the patient but sometimes nurses tend to ignore it due to assumptions made that the patient is okay. To spread the information on the methods that can be used to improve quality, I will use a memo to all the nurses concerned and ensure that they know that it is their duty to perform the pain reassessment and document it. To eva luate the success of the plan, I will monitor the reassessment process of every nurse who is on duty to ensure that they follow the right reassessment procedure without skipping it. I will also print a confirmation report signed by both the patient and the nurse that the whole process has been completed up to the reassessment documentation. Yes, I have built in a form that the nurses would use to evaluate themselves based on the performance that they provide to the patients. Every nurse who does not abide to the new regulations and does not reassess the pain medication will be subject to a punishment that the hospital shall give. Unit 2.2., Part B In our organization, change is one of the major problems that people find hard to adapt to. The organization therefore should look at ways to see that people effectively adapt to change without any complications. This assessment was very critical to understanding the organization well. As an organization, there are roles that the managemen t, the employees, and the customers have to know. This assessment was able to identify specific weaknesses that my organization has. I got to know that there is a fair relationship and understanding between the employees and the customers. The needs of the customer are fairly understood by the employee in a fair manner. However this was not good as the relationship needed to be perfect to ensure that the customers get exactly what they deserve. Communication with the customer is however good and so most of the customer complains reach the staff and recommendations are made. However there is need in the organization to educate the employees on some of the customer needs and some of the ways of treating the customer. Teamwork is also fair in the organization. Most of the tasks that are given are either solved individually or by a small group of employees, since teamwork is very important, there is need to educate the employees on effective teamwork and how to improve quality by workin g together as a team. However, most of

Traffic Flow and Public Transport in North Cyprus Essay Example for Free

Traffic Flow and Public Transport in North Cyprus Essay ABSTRACT Nowadays one of the most issue affect our daily life, load on Economic, and the negative effects on Environment is Traffic flow and their way of been plan, they way of our public transport planning, services lines, bus station and the regulation are also effect the life quality in the city. In the last, few decades’ streets in the city have built without any attention to grow population and the increasing number of vehicles. What the main important changes have to be for increasing the traffic flow. Why have to be done. this paper will talk about the ideas can solve problem by change the line of public transporting for more covering area and less traffic, by experimentally study and a interview with the users of the road ( drivers and public users). The new alternative system show how the traffic flow change. Further study has to done for more developing solution. Keyword: traffic flow, public transport. Quality of services, Lefkosa city (North Cyprus) | | INTRODUCTION Researches done by marketing show that the quality of the service reflects the public satisfaction (F. Fonseca , S. Pinto , C. Brito, 2010), and its show how it is important to make high quality services to gave the public relax and comfortable ride when they are using the public transporting. Which will increase the number of the users of the public transports and will achieve less traffic since its will encourage people to use public transport. Since the main Factors that Community go away from using public transport are the long length, and the time they lose and the expansive prices for ticket (Pavel STOYANOV, Plamena GAGOVA, 2012). Even that the traffic management become a big problem and a big concern in last few years in developed country such as north Cyprus. Living in the information world with high computer network show that a simulation can be important for analyzing data and developing solution, and it can solve the problem related to traffic control. In addition, it can provide a new intelligent transportation system. (Georgios Papageorgiou, Pantelis Damianou, Andreas Pitsilides, Aphames Thrasos, Petros Ioannou, 2006). From other studies and researches, the environmental affect that it coming from road construction and road using. In order to decrease the impact we have to understand the reason of why it have this impact, and it start with waste of road construction process, manufacturing of the materials, unprepared or broken road which will increase the fuel use for engine to moving the vehicle more than asphalts road. And all this have negative impact to our environment, which it can be reduce by re-usage and re-construction of materials, also another possible to reduce the impact can be by remanufacturing of excavation materials. (Damijan Koletnik, Rebeka Lukman, Damjan Krajnc, 2012) On the other hand, there is a type of people such as blind people have very difficult for using public transportation. There is few systems can offer the assistance and information for blind persons such as the RAMPE project. This project aim to help blind people by smart hand-held personal digital assistant (PDA), that have the ability to speech and able to connect to wireless Wi-Fi connection on the bus stations. Where this device has functions such as vocal message and information about the system provide from the stations, in the same time it can gave information about the real time. When this device equipped will offer information such as route number and destination, so it can increase their mobility and autonomy in public transport and make them independent, on the other hand, it will warned the driver that a blind person would ride the bus. (G.Baudoina, O.Venarda, G.Uzanb, A.Rousseaub, Y.Benaboua, A.Paumierc, J.Cesbronc, n.d). Since the operation and planning have costs, and because of their immediate impact for public transportation quality. Public transport companies trying to find a research tool in the way can reduce operating cost. New opportunities and information can collect from AVL (automatic vehicle location) and APC (automatic passenger counters). Both of these systems help for research and planning or scheduling in public transport. The efficiency of these system come from their complexity and the way of solving this problem, in way can combined them, crew and vehicle and users of the public transportation. (C. Fleurent  · S. Vob, 2011) What make public transportation issue special that its international problem and it is a community problem. And such as International Conferences of Advanced System for Public Transport (CASPT), â€Å"this conference serves as a forum for international community of researches and practitioners† (Hong K. Lo, William H.K. Lam, S.C. Wong, Janny M.Y. Leung, 2010), such this conferences and other works show us how the necessary of finding a new methodology and techniques. To provides a solution for public transportation system, considering planning, operation, scheduling and controlling issue, these issue have to be focus on, because their effect on the public transport section and their impact on the quality of this industry. In this article the case study on North Cyprus, explain some of the main public transportation available. there is a wide network of daily buses and mini-buses connect the main towns, in addition there Dolmush (shard taxi) operating on the same lines and some time have other routes, there is also taxi and its widely available but it can be expansive if its work on meter, where there are kind of standard journey fare. (Anonymous, 2009) The alternatives provides by public transportation and its benefits, that it help city for easier living condition, and less energy use since the bus will move with one passenger and more it will use almost same amount of energy. In addition, that effect on health by less motor working lower pollution, and not only air pollution but also noise pollution, which will save our environment. Moreover, it gave an affordable price and solution for who cannot afford car price and its expenses. At other level, it is create jobs, which will decrease the number of unemployed. In addition, its provide employees a faster way to go their jobs. Other benefits come as a result that fewer cars need fewer park space. As results less property for parking space, that leads for higher accessibility roads. One of the greatest impacts of public transport comes for whom unable to drive such as the elderly, disabled and young. From other point public transportation, help supports the economic and cultural ev en social activates. Moreover, the safety factor where will be lower crime, additional to lower accident. (Gershon, 2005) METHODOLOGY In this research indentifies the relationship between quality and satisfaction. This will increase the customer satisfaction, which will improve the public transportation. From the other hand a new consideration include in this study, environment factor and it effects on public transportation. With all this, factors in our case have to apply to improve the quality and provide solution that is more suitable. (Hong K. Lo, William H.K. Lam, S.C. Wong, Janny M.Y. Leung, 2010) Also the understanding of the public and the users of the road important to provide a higher quality services. Even a study for understand which elements make them prefer using a personal car. From other hand, (F. Fonseca , S. Pinto , C. Brito, 2010) in there paper they explain about how a bus breakdown on a scheduled trip can make a big delay problem. Moreover, how a consideration of a bus rescheduling and bus signal priority can effectively reduce the delay problem. This will lead to decrease the costs of delay and increase the company profit. Moreover, the case study we will use interview method that is it will not provide a meaning but it will describe the experiences of the selected group. The other side of collecting data will be documents from departments such as Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus Public Information Office. The interviews have different kind or level of people. Choose will be depend on their perception and functional areas or field. This selected group will be operators, technical, lawyer, students and so on. Main object and targets of this interview, to identify the most important needs for higher quality services and more satisfaction. Another methodology can be as a simulation tool (LIN TIM), this simulation tool can use to analyze data such as line planning, timetabling, vehicle scheduling and delay management. However, it can use to provide answers for line planning question. (Schà ¶bel, 2012). By combination of interviews, document and computer programs such as simulation program. This kind of data will be first step for evaluating, and providing solution. Which will be a suitable answer for the traffic problem and it is improve the quality of public transportation. STUDY By choosing LEFKOSA city, a general review about country where our cases study. North Cyprus covers almost 37% of the third largest island in Eastern Mediterranean. The main cities are (Lefkosa, Kyrenia, Famagusta, Karpas, Iskele, Labta, Lefka, and Guzelyurt). Located west of Syria and Lebanon and south of Turkey. (Hasan Cantas, Adrian Muwonge, Baris Sareyyupoglu, Hakan Yardimci, Eystein Skjerve, 2011) We have to understand the main bus station and bus route in Lefkosa city. This data has collected from the website of northcyprusonline, first type of data in general form about buses and minibuses in Northern Cyprus, its include the cover routes between Lefkosa city and other major towns or larger villages. Both of the bus and mini buses routs are almost the same, where the different is sizes and color. Commonly destination shown in the front windscreen either stands at bus stop or on the road and rise hand anywhere with the main road to stop the bus. Other type of information about F requency of the bus. Buses in North Cyprus have no schedule but its departures every (20-50min), depend on the bus destination or when it is full. Also running time and period change between summer and winter. Mostly bus services finish around 6 pm in winter, while in winter the last one leave at 8pm.but mine bus work more late mostly until 10pm. Moreover, the ticket prices generally between two$ up to five$ depend on the distance. The fare paid usually to bus driver or worker sell ticket. Lefkosa city have bus station (terminal), where its location† Corner of Ataturk Caddesi and Kemal Asik Caddesi†. There other main bus station along the city like old city gate. The location of the terminal is good and bad in the same time. Since it is almost in the middle city easy to reach but also cause traffic. (anonymous, 2001-2013) One of the people has been interview with is Mohammad HARAB (HARB, 2013), HARAB own a car and he live in north Cyprus for a 6 years and he study in the university. His comment about public transportation that. It is expansive, comparing with the money that I will pay for a fuel. In addition, it is not every time working and there is no good bus station most of the time there is one place to set its open, so in winter I will freeze until bus will come and in summer, it is too much hot to wait outside or to walk to bus station. Another person is ESRA ISIKDEMIR, from her point that public transport in Lefkosa are really bad, since it don’t cover all the areas and its only operate on the main road, and there is no night services, while taxi are too much expansive. ESRA also talk about the quality of transportation need to be improving and have to be more cover area. Moreover, as ESRA compare between road in turkey and North Cyprus that roads need to be fix and more planning for higher quality of life. (ISIKDEMIR, 2013) Other student is GIZEM YAMAN owned a car and its Turkish number not a Cyprus number, and the reason behind bringing car that there is no public transportation between home and university, in other words 3 different buses. Moreover, other solution is university bus, while university bus usually crowded. In addition, schedule of bus are often every hour and weekend every 2hours and its work until 10 pm evening. All this was the reason to bring a car for daily use, however YAMAN do not like to drive car, due to high traffic in the city. (YAMAN, 2013) ALL of ISIKDEMIR, YAMAN and HARB are students, looking to other type of people. USAMA RIGEB a worker and father lived more than 11 years in North Cyprus. RIGEB say that it is hard to count on public transportation since the most near bus road to his home more than 10min walking, and if he will ride with his family will cost him more if he use a personal car. Other issues RIGEB talk about that they do not offer evening service, which mean that taxi will be the only choose for who do not have car. In addition, its costly choose even worker cannot afford it for longer term. From other hand the traffic in Lefkosa city are too much crowded and using public transportation will make him lose time he need. RIGEB talk about important issue in his view, that there is no fix time for public transportation that trying to use bus can be longer and hard and unhealthy choose, since waiting in cold or under sun will affect bus users. (RIGEB, 2013) Other person is BELAL RAGEAB, RAGEB worker and his family live with him; his points that wish he could afford to buy car so his life quality will be higher and using minibus will be finish, a reason of that the money lose for using public transportation. However, Hand since it is the only way for him to go work, the government should improve public transportation for higher quality of services and more costumers’ satisfaction. (Rageab, 2013) Under scope North Cyprus, Lefkosa city need a new studies such as â€Å"technical phases land –use planning, trip-generation, trip-distribution, modal-split, traffic assignment and evaluation†. (BLACK, 1974) However, this studies need to be improve and organize, but one of the solution of the problem can be by alternative Planning, in other words finding alternative route for public transportation in the way it can cover more areas and reduce the traffic. However, the energy conservation of the public transportation studies can improve the efficiency of transport sector. (JEFFRY J ERICKSON, DAVIDL GREENE,ALBERTO J SABADELL, 1988) While the quality of service is the main standard and consequent satisfaction of the customers, it has expected that the managers of the transport industry have to talk to customers, were they can understand what their needs and for more developing solution, regards that the customers are important to public transportation. In addition, quality dimensions can increase customers’ satisfaction. (F. Fonseca , S. Pinto , C. Brito, 2010) CONCLUSION Lefkosa city not a high population, but it’s have a problem with traffic and public transportation, and the reason of that the city plan old and have no development, and the improvement of the roads are slow almost dead. While the road need maintenance, and bus route need a study for higher efficacy and satisfaction to consumer of the public transportation. This study deal with the general issue that Lefkosa public transportation problems, and its gave some steps for alternative solution for improving the traffic flow in the city and reducing the environment effect for heavy uses on the personal cars, also for more safety and healthier life-style. The following steps can be a start to solve the traffic problem, study for schedule the bus working hours and ticket prices, and add capacity for roads, critical area such as four area need planning. Planning methods such as land uses, transportation distention, also a Long-term researches for strategic management. Other studies for data with a good analysis tools can improve the public transportation impacts on environment, social and economic. Include technical assistance such as simulation programs, local program coordination. Other research has to be about the financial resources for higher quality of life and better planning city. In other words, Lefkosa city need more advance environment friendly management system, advance of the new technology using in order to decrease costs with higher efficiency. Hiring skilled managers and technical people to improve the quality of service and insure more customer satisfaction. Develop a private section for improve the alternatives of the buss users. Create ideas for attractive solution to increase the number of people for improving public transportation economic. Other Further study has to done for more developing solution. Bibliography anonymous. (2001-2013). North Cyprus Bus Services. Slovakia. Anonymous. (2009). TRANSPORTATION. Retrieved january 7, 2013, from Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus Public Information Office: http://www.kktcenf.org/en/index.asp?sayfa=cmsdmid=0cmsid=183ssid=532284118 BLACK, J. A. (1974). TECHNIQUES OF LAND USE/TRANSPORTATION PLANNING IN AUSTRALIAN CITIES . Transportation 3 (1974) 255-288 , 255-288. C. Fleurent  · S. Vob. (2011, December 13). Public transport: case studies and applications. Public Transp , pp. 105-107. Damijan Koletnik, Rebeka Lukman, Damjan Krajnc. (2012). Environmental Management of Waste Based on Road Construction Materials. Environmental Research, Engineering and Management , 42-46. F. Fonseca , S. Pinto , C. Brito. (2010, may 19). Service Quality and Customer Satisfaction in Public Transports. 4th International Quality Conference , pp. 249-257. G.Baudoina, O.Venarda, G.Uzanb, A.Rousseaub, Y.Benaboua, A.Paumierc, J.Cesbronc. (n.d). The RAMPE Project: Interactive, Auditive Information System for the Mobility of Blind People in Public T ransports. 1-4. FRANCE. Georgios Papageorgiou, Pantelis Damianou, Andreas Pitsilides, Aphames Thrasos, Petros Ioannou. (2006, july 6-7). A Microscopic Traffic Simulation Model for Transportation Planning in cyprus. International Conference on Intelligent Systems And Computing: Theory And Applications , pp. 157-166. Gershon, R. R. (2005). Public Transportation: Advantages and Challenges. Journal of Urban Health: Bulletin of the New York Academy of Medicine , 7-9. HARB, M. (2013, January 8). Public transportation in lefkosa city . (M. ALASEER, Interviewer) Hasan Cantas, Adrian Muwonge, Baris Sareyyupoglu, Hakan Yardimci, Eystein Skjerve. (2011). Q fever abortions in ruminants and associated on-farm risk factors in northern Cyprus. Cantas et al. BMC Veterinary Research 7:13 , 1-7. Hong K. Lo, William H.K. Lam, S.C. Wong, Janny M.Y. Leung. (2010). Advanced public transport system scheduling and control. Public Transp , 157-158. ISIKDEMIR, E. (2013, January 3). Public transportation in l efkosa city. (M. ALASEER, Interviewer) JEFFRY J ERICKSON, DAVIDL GREENE,ALBERTO J SABADELL. (1988). An analysis of transportation energy conservation projects in developing countries . Transportation , 163-189. Pavel STOYANOV, Plamena GAGOVA. (2012). SOME IMPLEMENTATION OF QUALITY OF PUBLIC TRANSPORT. TRANSPORT PROBLEMS , 37-41. Rageab, B. (2013, january 3). Public transportation in lefkosa city. (M. ALASEER, Interviewer) RIGEB, U. (2013, January 2). public transportation in lefkosa city. (M. ALASEER, Interviewer)

Rate of Interest in Mauritius Analysis

Rate of Interest in Mauritius Analysis Chapter 1.0: Introduction 1. Introduction: The study aims to assess the various methods to determine the Mauritian rate of interest. Moreover, we shall also try to implement a method which is suitable for the economy of Mauritius. The rate of interest is merely remuneration for the lender with a point of view of rewarding him for the interval of lending money (Edward, P.). As per Edward, a bigger meal can be attributed to those who wait. From the perspective of the borrower, the rate of interest is defined as the price of durability. The latter is expensive when the rate of interest is high. In an article, Ross and Szeliski(1942,p.501) further defined the rate of interest as being a preference of sacrificing the cash in hand in order to obtain deferred cash at a later date. A few examples of the rate of interests cited from the book of Amarcher and Ulbrich are as follows: Interest on loans (general loans), Interest rates on home mortgages and car loans (specific loans), Interest rates on bonds, Interest rates that commercial banks pay to the Bank of Mauritius. The rate of interest depends on the nature of a loan. Since the rate of interest is equally the price of taking up a loan, the interest rate is expensive when the risk is high in addition if it is a long term one and vice versa. According to Amarcher and Ulbrich, the interest rate is made up of the real interest rate, the risk premium and the inflation adjustment. The real interest rate reflects the purchasing power of an individual while the risk premium is simply a probability that the loan may default and the inflation adjustment refers to the expected inflation over the lifetime of the loan. 1.2: Importance of the Subject Matter: Despite being only a figure, the rate of interest carries much importance. It determines the decisions of disparate stakeholders ranging from investors to consumers. Furthermore, the rate of interest is also relevant for the implementation of policies in an economy. The right rate of interest will lead to appropriate decisions and policies, thus experiencing a stable economic condition whereas an unsuitable rate of interest will only cause turmoil in an economy. Moreover, the determination of interest rate has an effect on inflation and unemployment which in turn impact on the economy of Mauritius. 1.3: Statement of Problem: The primary aim behind this study is to solve the ongoing dispute between the Ministry of Finance [MOF] and the governor of the Bank of Mauritius [BOM]. The MOF and the BOM are administered with their respective instruments to regulate the economy. While the MOF is in charge of fiscal policy, the BOM is responsible of modulating the monetary policy. For instance, controlling the interest rates and credit ratios are their main tools. Despite the fact that the MOF and BOM should act independently, the behavior of the MOF completely overruled this fact. For example; the MOF was supposed to buy 100 million dollars and this will affect the money supply. In other words, the MOF is pooping his nose into someone else business. The situation worsens even more when the governor of BOM and MOF does not agree on the same grounds regarding the rate of interest. A repo rate of 4.65% does not fit the actual economy according to Rundheersing Bheenick (governor of the BOM). The latter confirms that if the rate of interest does not increase we will be facing a troublesome situation in controlling inflation as Money Supply is high. However, the MOF does not seem to be worried about inflation as it met a lowest record in 2013. Thus, maintaining the same level of interest from his standpoint is valuable. Furthermore, MOF asserts that increasing the level of interest will only decrease demand for new loans, consequently, deteriorating the problem of excess liquidity. The MOF referred the situation to a scenario where we are increasing the prices of tomatoes to clear the surplus on the market. Rundheersing Bheenick justifies that maintaining the same level of interest rate will make the economy vulnerable to shocks as it reduces savings. As a result, the economy becomes dependent on external funding. The MOF defends himself by stating that there is no relationship between savings and the rate of interest and this statement of his is based on the saying of Martin Petri being the head of the International Monetary Fund (IMF). The faceoff between two strong financial leaders can proves to be disastrous for the economy as a whole leaving consumers among others to be a victim of their wrath. Without any hesitation, their debate is also being termed as â€Å"The Financial War of Ego† where decisions are no longer implemented for the benefit of the economy but to hurt the ego of their opponent. Moreover, Mauritius is not the sole one to be experiencing this crucial situation. Among others, Maldives is also a victim of disputes between the governor of Maldives Monetary Authority (MMA) and the Minister of Finance. On one hand the MMA aimed at increasing the rate of interest to reduce government deficits, the MOF on the other hand maintained the same level of interest rates (Miadhu, 2013). However, this conflict did not arise for Seychelles. The MOF and the governor of Central Bank of Seychelles (CBS) worked cooperatively with one another. While the governor of CBS increased the rate of interests in order to reduce demand of foreign exchange rates, the MOF was thinking to freeze imports of certain products for a limited period (Seychelles News Agency, 2014). Thus, in this study we will aim at setting a neutral rate of interest to solve the ongoing dispute as well as to protect the various stakeholders involved in this scenario. In addition, by setting up a neutral rate of interest, we expect everything to be back to normal where no dispute will spoil the image of Mauritius and encouraging Foreign Direct Investment (FDI). 1.4: Research Question: Has the interest rate been appropriately determined? 1.5: Research objectives: A study of the above mentioned title would focus on the following aims and objectives: An assessment of different theories determining the rate of interests. Under this objective, we will be assessing the different theories under which the rate of interest is determined and we will be determining which theories best suit the Mauritian economy. Determination of the neutral rate of interest. In this context, a neutral rate of interest will be set to solve the dispute of the two financial leaders and which is appropriate for the present economics condition of Mauritius. Assessing the independence of BOM and MOF. Here, we will be studying whether the BOM and MOF act independently while making decisions as per the rule. A study of the economic factors affecting the rate of interest. This objective will go through the different economic factors that influence the rate of interest in Mauritius. A forecast of the interest rates for Mauritius. Forecasting the interest rates involves predicting the interest rates in the coming future. 1.6: Hypothesis Testing: 1.7: Research Methodology: 1.8: Format of Study: Chapter 1: Introduction Chapter 1 includes a definition of the rate of interest and its importance to the economy of Mauritius. It gives a further explanation of the problem and a brief description of what will be covered in the following chapters. Chapter 2: Literature review In the context of Literature Review, we will go through theoretical and empirical evidence of determining the rate of interest. The different theories about determining the rate of interest will be analyzed and discussed. Chapter 3: Research Methodology Research Methodology puts forward the model that will be used in determining the rate of interest for Mauritius. The variables will be defined in this context and the test that will be used is described and analyzed. Chapter 4: Data Presentation and Analysis. Chapter 4 will convert raw data into meaningful data which will be in turn analyzed and conclusions can be drawn. Chapter 5: Recommendations and Conclusions This chapter aims at suggesting suitable policies for the economy to recover from the given problem and giving a conclusion about what has been studied. 1.9: Summary: In this chapter we gave an introduction about the topic that will be studied, the importance of the subject, the problem behind it and a brief explanation of what will be covered in the following respective chapters.

The Tragedy Of Julius Caesar Reflects The Reality Of Politcs In The Ph :: essays research papers

The Philippines is known to have been through a lot of corruption especially during the Marcos era. Tyranny was prevalent. Absolute power, whether is a king, president or a protector is not only alien to our idea of â€Å"democratic decision† but without fail, gets to be arbitrary despotic and corrupt. Tyranny was at its height during martial law, which began September 1972. William Shakespeare reveals his perception of a corrupt society in his play â€Å"Julius Caesar† . This play is about the assassination of Julius Caesar, dictator of Rome. His assassination by the conspirators , Brutus and Cassius was brought about by a lot of motives. Cassius’ purpose is merely his envy and his greed for power. Brutus is concerned for the good of Rome. He did not want Rome to suffer in the hands of a tyrant. Caesar’s character is not only judged by what he says or does but mostly what others think of him. To the common people he is a hero, but to the sonspirators he is a traitor to Rome. It is evident that Caesar can easily be moved by flattery which led to his death. Shortly before his death, he didn’t want to go to the capital because he gave in to Calpurnia’s fears that he might get killed. However, Decius , one of the conspirators played with his vanity by interpreting Calpurnia’s dream in a way that would flatter him. T his proves that he masks his fears because he wants to cast himself in the role of a god. The play â€Å"Julius Caesar† has its similarity in the person of Ferdinand Marcos. The rise of Ferdinand Marcos began when he pursued law at the University of the Philippines College of Law. During his senior year, he was accused of the murder of Julio Nalundasan, his father’s opponent in the election who won. Marcos defended himself in court but was eventually pronounced guilty. While in prison, he reviewed for the Bar examination. In addition to graduating with honors in his law class, Marcos topped the bar. During the war, he served as a guerilla where he was awarded medals of recognition. He became one of the most decorated hero of the Philippines, eclipsing even the most recognized leaders of the resistance against the Japanese. Marcos gained the support of his and Imelda’s family when they were wedded. In the election of 1965, Marcos then a senator changed affiliation and became the candidate for president of the Nacionalista Party.

Consumerism and Marketing Essay -- Marketing Retail

Simply Food use their brand image to capitalize on holiday celebrations such as Christmas and New Years. Authoritative performance plays a key role in their increased sales during these periods; people across the United Kingdom await a traditional Christmas meal in their homes (Data Monitor, 2010). These consumers are lured by the Simply Food elegant image and therefore psychologically they link the Simply Food meal to the festivity of the season. Tesco have discounted many products and extended their finest range in the run up to the 2010 Christmas period. As a consumer this gives a reason to sacrifice the ideal worthy product for a less superior one. From a personal perspective, it makes me more in inclined to consider shopping for my meal at Tesco’s for Christmas. However, there are conditions in my case, the meals must be cheaper, and should be comparable to Simply Food for quality. As an individual who frequently shops at Tesco, I would further be rewarded for my loyalty, in the form of attaining more ‘club card points’ on my loyalty card. I have been a Tesco loyalty ‘club card’ holder for nearly a year now building up my points with every purchase at the retailer. My research required that I visit Simply Food to see what benefits I would receive by shopping with them. To my disappointment a staff members informed me that Simply Food did not have a similar scheme to Tesco unless a credit card was taken out through them. I was left feeling utterly mad and disappointed. Tesco have managed to apply and implement a co-creation of value through their use of a loyalty program. The supermarket chain has directed their aim at business-to-customer initiatives which is an example of relationship marketing – in essence, profit and the ... ...ent. Works Cited Aslam M., 2006. Are you selling the right colour? A cross-cultural review of colour as a marketing cue. Journal of Marketing Communications. Vol. 12, pp15-30. Billings, S., 2008. Design Week Magazine. Vol. 23, Issue 20. Borgerson, J and Schroeder, J., 2005. Identity in marketing communications: an ethics of visual representation. Marketing communications: new approaches, technologies, and styles. Data Monitor, 2008. Marks & Spencer Simply Food case study, pp1-11. Data Monitor, 2010. Market Watch: Food. Company Watch: Tesco, pp 88-93. Hilton, M. 2003. Consumerism in Twentieth-Century Britain. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. ‘Marketable entity’ – Lecture Slide Presentation 11.10.2010 P17. Venkatesh, A. 1992. Postmodernism, consumer culture and the society of the spectacle. Advances in Consumer Research. Vol. 19, pp199-202.

Computers Have Impacted Me in Many Ways :: Personal Narrative Writing

Computers Have Impacted Me in Many Ways First of all, I want to begin by saying that in order for me to make this paper interesting at all, I am willing to pretend that computers are somewhat fun and exciting but the truth is, I honestly can not stand anything that goes beyond the basics of a computer because if I try to go any deeper I am reminded that it has a bigger brain than I. Due to the fact that I have an undying frustration with these boxes of microchips, this may not be the most professional sounding paper in the world, but I will do my best in trying to make it fun and entertaining. Out of all of the topics that I saw on the list of what we could do this paper on, I found zero that actually interested me, but I chose one anyway. Well, actually, I more or less turned one of the topics into something that I could handle writing five pages on. I am going to talk about how computers impact me in my daily life and I will talk about my past experience with computers and the things that I have learned from them. Computers have impacted me in many ways. Although I do not like to be instructed in how to do certain assignments (web sites and so forth) I do enjoy being able to have the luxury to type a paper on the â€Å"easy to use,† Microsoft word. Being an English major, it is very important that editing be taken very seriously and it makes my life a lot easier knowing that if I get sick of making corrections on a 20 page paper, the computer will pick out the obvious ones so that it saves me time. This may sound like a lame reason, but it saves me a lot of time. Another thing that I love is that it’s so easy to make change to a document font in any way that I want. If I want the words to be size twenty-two then all I have to do is highlight and hit the button. If I want to make a cool cover page with different font styles I can choose from a variety of different designs. Two of my favorites are comic sans and futura xblkit bt.

Reading the poem Essay

In his poem ‘Slough’ Betjeman uses a number of ways to put across his views. The title itself suggests he feels that ‘Slough’ is an appropriate title, that a poem on the place deserves no better or imaginative title than just its name because the place is dull and unimaginative also, or that ‘Slough’ says it all already. The first line of the first stanza means you immediately know what he thinks, his opinion being straight to the point, asking ‘Come, friendly bombs, and fall on Slough’ which is a good use of juxtaposition as bombs are never seen as friendly, but in this case they would be if they bombed Slough as they would be doing him a favour. Asking for bombs to fall on Slough is an outrageous, extreme demand which he repeats in the second stanza and in the final stanza to reinforce his plea, and he also uses other extreme terms such as the people have Slough having ‘tasted Hell’ which shows clear dislike. He is very flippant about asking the bombs to blow Slough ‘to smithereens’ as if he wants no part of it left and it’s a reasonable demand. Betjeman’s phrases such as ‘It’s not their fault that they are mad’, ‘they do not know’ and ‘they often go’ makes it sound like he feels the people of Slough are alienated and are very different to himself, as if they were another species altogether, calling them ‘they’, disassociating them from himself, and being patronising about their lives. He also conveys his attitude of Slough by describing what he thinks of the people that live there such as the ‘man with the double chin’ who will ‘always cheat and always win’ and who he also refers to as a ‘stinking cad’. He is not complimentary about the people of Slough, like the wives with ‘peroxide hair’ and the men who sit in ‘bogus Tudor bars’ with nothing better to do. His descriptions of the people help explain why he dislikes Slough, and he is saying that it may be the people who live there that help to make it a bad place, so this is a view he has of Slough. But he also pities the people , saying ‘it’s not their fault’ so I think he is unsure himself whether it is the people making Slough a terrible place, or Slough making the people terrible. Either way, he subtly ridicules the people of Slough and their ways of life as he feels the wives sit and paint their nails’ and the men talk of cars and’belch’. Betjeman makes use of repetition such as the first line ‘Come, friendly bombs’ and, in the second stanza’ ‘Tinned fruit, tinned meat†¦ As repetition is a way of reinforcing and strengthening a statement or opinion. Making everything from the food to the minds and breath tinned makes it sound like the people of Slough are all the same and are dull and lifeless. He also uses alliteration in the form of ‘cabbages are coming’ and ‘grass to graze’ which help the lines to flow easily. He uses negative words clusters such as ‘Hell’, ‘repulsive’, ‘stinking’ and ‘dirty’ which show his view of Slough with strong words that appeal to the senses and the imagination of the reader. The tone of the poem is one of dislike, where Betjeman cares so little for Slough that he would cheerfully see it bombed and destroyed. This is a strong image because it must take extreme dislike for someone to want something bombed. The rhyme scheme of the poem also reveals his views because the pattern is AAAB so the first three lines of each stanza flow easily and quickly, and rhyme so the poem seems almost cheerful and happy. But the last line of each stanza is used to put across his point in a harsh phrase such as ‘They’ve tasted Hell’ and ‘Swarm over, Death! ‘ which brings the flowing stanza to an abrupt, harsher sounder end like ‘death’, ‘tears’, ‘Hell’ and ‘yell’. The majority of the stanzas finish at the end of a sentence and this is used to make strong end statements, then the next stanza will begin again in the slightly humorous tone, ridiculing Slough. The rhythm of the first three lines of each stanza is fast and light, but the rhythm is broken by the abrupt end of each stanza which breaks up the flow to remind the reader of what Slough is like. The rhythm of the poem is also Iambic Pentameter which means that Betjeman has used this to make the stresses of each line land on important words such as ‘bombs’, ‘blow’ and ‘mess’ so these words are emphasised when reading the poem, and stand out so they are noticed more. Betjeman uses certain phrases to imply that Slough is a fake, manufactured place because of the ‘air-conditioned, bright canteens’, the ‘bogus Tudor bars’ and the ‘synthetic air’. He seems to hate the fact that Slough is a place that has been built up with ‘labour-saving homes’ and has ruined the land so much that ‘There isn’t grass to graze a cow’ meaning they have built over all the land and ruined the landscape. In the final stanza, he wants to bomb Slough again so that it can be turned back into a nice place again where they can grow food and make use of the land, rather than wasting it like it is being misused now. He claims the people are false and materialistic as they do not know the ‘birdsong from the radio’ and ‘daren’t look up and see the stars’ because birdsong and stars are two of the beauties of nature that the people of Slough couldn’t possibly appreciate, in Betjeman’s opinion. Betjeman uses irony in his poem as he describes the ‘polished oak’ desk belonging to the ‘man with double chin’ and I think Betjeman has mentioned this because he feels that the land that was there before, has now been destroyed, with the trees all being cut down to make room for the buildings, and as if this wasn’t bad enough, the trees have been used to make the desks for the people who are responsible for ruining Slough which he sees as sadly ironic. One of Betjeman’s key phrases is ‘It isn’t fit for humans now’ which is a strong statement about the state of the place but also the use of the word ‘now’ at the end suggests how he feels Slough was not always like this and it has slowly been ruined over the years. In this way, I think the poem is tinged with sadness as he feels it has been ruined to the point where there is no way to solve it but to destroy it which is a very emotive, strong view. I think you can sum up Betjeman’s view of Slough by the line repeated at the beginning and end of the poem ‘Come, friendly bombs, and fall on Slough’.

Life of the Female Pioneer on the Oregon Trail

Life of the Female Pioneer on the Oregon Trail University Of Phoenix HIS/110 August 25, 2012 Kim Murphy Life of the Female Pioneer on the Oregon Trail My life as a female pioneer taking the journey down the Oregon Trail was one of hardship and adventure. During the early 1800s settlers began to explore new territory in the New World looking for new opportunities. Through the pioneer journeys of Lewis and Clark a route through America was discovered that would take settlers to new land in the Pacific Northwest portion of the country. To reach the new land pioneers, such as I, had to travel down what became known as the Oregon Trail.Through the Oregon Trail the expansion of the West began but to get to this new part of the country I would have to travel two thousand miles along with other pioneers from my part of the country. We started in Missouri that required us to travel through five states to reach our new destination. To reach the new land offered to myself and the other pioneers in the New World, we would travel in large groups with people in wagons and on horseback. This was to help ensure our safety as we traveled the Oregon Trail to the new land in the West.Our travels included men, women, and children of all ages. Although I made the choice to go myself, there were many women on the trail that had to face the hardships of the long trail because their husbands had chosen to take this adventure. This was difficult for many of them because they were forced to leave their already established homes in exchange for the hardships of the trail and an uncertain future in the Pacific Northwest. To travel down the Oregon Trail, we travelled in horse drawn wagons and had oxen’s pulling carts of supplies.I like other pioneer families left my home with my worldly possessions that I could afford to carry. We faced being robbed at gunpoint by highway men on the trail. Another danger faced by the female pioneers and the wagon train were attacks by Native America ns. The Wagon Trains were attacked and burned and the men were killed leaving the women, children, and wagon supplies to be stolen by the Indians. Women were forced to become the slave of an Indian family or the wife of an Indian brave while the children were adopted by Indian families or made to be slaves.I and the other women were responsible for ensuring the food supply lasted on the long journey as well as packing the wagon. We were also responsible for cooking the meals on the Oregon Trail. We were required to wear long dresses with long sleeves in oppressive heat and care for all of the needs of the men and children as well as tend to the sick. There was a major risk to the female pioneer of losing our husbands or even our children to illness or accidents along the Oregon Trail. If the food supply ran short the men would hunt for food, use supplies meant for our new homes, or die of starvation.Illnesses, such as Typhoid and cholera, were common and would spread through the wag on trains creating more work for us women (Bledsoe, 1984). The overworked women would in turn become more vulnerable to becoming sick and perishing. Women who gave birth while on the Oregon Trail faced vast difficulty and in many cases the female pioneer or the new born would die. Women pioneers were usually fairly young because women during this time married as young as 14 but quickly toughened up because of the major responsibilities we faced on the trail.Despite the many hardships faced by myself and the other female pioneers, we helped to pave the way for future generations of Americans and bravely traveled to an unknown land to build a new life. The Oregon territory was originally jointly owned by American and the British but was acquired by America in 1846 and expanded the territory of the United States (Eddin, 2009). Before Oregon was acquired by America the area was sparsely populated and the single woman, such as I, had little opportunity to find a husband. In most cases we would marry a farm hand or the closest neighbor.Marriages were rarely based on love but instead of convenience and the benefit to the family. A large majority of pioneers became farmers making the pioneer women a farming wife but also required her to deal with the harsh winters that were associated with the area and adjust to a life of constant isolation. Once American acquired the Oregon territory the population began to expand and the pioneer families were offered more opportunity as well as single women, such as I, had more opportunity to meet potential husbands.New towns and cities began to emerge and we women were no longer forced to sew our own clothes. It also provided a more convenient and affordable way for us to buy food than in the past. Once the population began to grow in Oregon the society became more modernized and life for I and the other pioneer women became less harsh. References Bledsoe, L. (1984). Adventuresome Women on the Oregon Trail: 1840-186. http://www. js tor. org/discover/10. 2307/3346237? uid=3739256&uid=2129&uid Eddin, O. (2009). The Oregon Country and Westward Expansion. http://www. thefurtrapper. com/oregon_country. htm

Key Benefits And Challenges Of An Integrated Approach To Working With Children With Additional Needs And Their Families In An Early Years Setting.

Introduction Many families who have children with additional needs often fear sending their children to mainstream schools (Wang 2009). Such parents often fear that their children will not be treated equally in mainstream school, and also worry about how well their specific needs can be met (NCSE 2011). As such they often place them in special settings with low student-pupil ratios and with specialized teaching. However, the effectiveness of special settings has recently been questioned. Placing children with special needs in special settings has been a subject of considerable debate over the past few years (Wall 2011). While the general public view is that special needs students can benefit from individual and small group instruction, there is no compelling evidence to support this claim. In fact, the opposite seems true. According to a study conducted by Casey et al (1998), it was found that special schools with curricula designed specifically for special needs students did not necessarily result in better improvements in children’s cognitive ability or developmental outcomes. A similar study by Bunch & Valeo (1997) came to similar conclusions It was claimed that special placement of children with additional needs has not demonstrated substantive advantages over mainstream classes, despite specialized teaching and lower teacher to pupil ratio. More recent researches by Brown et al (2005) and Allen & Cowdery (2005) have made similar conclusions. In this regard, this paper examines the key benefits and challenges of an integrated approach to working with children with additional needs and their families in an early years setting. Defining the term ‘Additional needs’ Before exploring further, it is worthwhile to first define the term ‘additional needs’. This term is used in reference to certain conditions or circumstances that might lead to children requiring special support (Owens 2009). Children with additional needs are mainly those that have health conditions and needs related to learning and physical development (Roffey 2001). That is, children with additional needs include: those who are physically handicapped, those with developmental delay or intellectual disability, communication disorders and those diagnosed with conditions such as Down syndrome, Autism or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (Owens 2009). ‘Inclusion’ Having defined the term ‘additional needs’, it is important to understand the context in which the term ‘inclusion’ is used. As Connor (2006) points out, the concept of inclusion is used to describe placement of children with additional needs in regular settings rather than special facilities. It should be noted that inclusion goes beyond just teaching the child in inclusive classroom settings and includes the quality of the child’s experience of school life and association with other peers. Legislative framework. Key legislations governing provision of services to special needs children include the ‘Education (NI) Order 1996’ and the ‘Special Education Needs and Disability (NI) Order 2005’ (DoE 2009). The former outlines the rights and duties of the following in relation to special needs students: schools, parents, Health and Social Services Boards, Education and Library Boards Department of Education It also sets out a Code of Practice and establishes an arrangement for issuing a statement and assessment of these children’s education needs (Porter 2003). The ‘Special Education Needs and Disability (NI) Order 2005’ resulted from amendments made to the first one to include the right of special needs children to mainstream education and introduction of new disability discrimination responsibilities (DoE 2009). Integrated approach In the UK, these children with special needs are integrated into the mainstream schools provided that there is adequate equipment, enough staff and the right resources to ensure that they achieve their full potential ( Heinemann & Vickerman 2009). However, it is not mandatory for mainstream schools to enroll children with special needs. Rather, it depends on the ability of the school itself to meet their needs. If the mainstream school setting cannot provide for their needs, the child is placed under the local authority which then seeks to provide solutions (Silberfeld 2009). There is a growing recognition of the benefits of including special needs students in mainstream schools as opposed to remedial settings. Now more than ever, there is an increased emphasis on collaborative model and joint working to ensure that children with special needs are included in mainstream education (Duke & Smith 2007). Perhaps this has been driven by the recognition of its benefits and increasing trend in children in need of special attention. The number of children with educational needs in the UK has been on the rise over the past few years. For example, their proportion as a percentage of the total school population increased from 14.6% in 2003 to 17.7% in 2007 (DoE 2009). Benefits There are several benefits for such an integrated approach to working with children with special needs. First, such inclusive programs will help other children to understand them, accept them, appreciate and value their similarities and differences (Sammons et al. 2003). This will enable them to see each person as an individual as opposed to seeing them in terms of their needs. Another benefit to such an integrated approach is the reduction in stigma. There is compelling evidence that shows that placing children with special needs in mainstream schools in the early stages can significantly reduce stigma (Griffin 2008). Inclusion programmes have the potential to facilitate a relationship that can be mutually beneficial for both groups of students. It allows children from both groups to develop awareness and to value their differences, thereby reducing stigmatization and labeling. An integrated approach to learning enhances social integration and reduces stigmatization and prejudice ag ainst children with special needs (Griffin 2008). Inclusion also reflects the acceptance of special needs children in the society. The integrated approach makes children with special needs to feel accepted to the society and by their peers and gives them a sense of belonging (Robinson & Jones-Diaz 2005). Such inclusive programmes can as well be of benefit to the parents. All that parents want is for their children to live typical lives like other students including being accepted by their friends and peers (Owens 2009). Families’ visions of having their children experience typical life like other regular students can come true (Weston 2010)Furthermore, maintaining an inclusive setting can be more economical than running a special setting (Weston 2010). Additionally, the economic outputs can be greater when special needs students are educated in mainstream schools because of the self-sufficiency skills stressed in such settings (Mitchell 2009). Other benefits to such an integr ated approach include: improved academic performance, opportunity to participate in typical experiences of childhood, and gaining confidence to pursue inclusion in other settings such as recreational groups (Jones 2004). Research seems to suggest that special need children perform better when placed together with other peers in the natural setting (Brown et al., 2005). As Allen & Cowdery (2005) points out, special need children who receive services such as occupational therapy, language therapy and special education perform even better when provided with these services in the natural settings with their typically developing peers. Challenges While the arguments in favour of integration are valid, it should also be remembered that integration in itself is a two-way process. In most cases, the benefits of integration have been argued from the side of special needs student. What about the other group of students. Aren’t they going to be affected by the way services are devoted t o special needs students? Such an integrated approach raises several key challenges. One particular challenge relates to the issue of fairness. Given their inclusion in mainstream classrooms, how can fairness be determinedWhat is fair for a typical average studentAnd what is fair for a special needs student (Swartz 2005)It is questionable whether the educational needs of these students can be met in mainstream classes especially given that they requires some sort of specialized services and special attention as well. There is a danger that the attention given to the special needs students will affect the quality of services that the regular students receive (Hoccut 1996). Given the developmental delays that most special needs students experience, the other regular students may rate themselves with these students in terms of academic performance which eventually might lead to the decline in their creativity and critical thinking capabilities (Wang 2009). Can this be termed as fair to either groupThis remains a major challenge to such inclusion programmes. Another challenge relates to the aggressive nature of some of these children. Coping with emotionally and behaviourally disturbed children can be particularly challenging for both the students and teachers (Cohen et al 2004). This can be seen with the recent push by some schools for ‘responsible inclusion’. Some of these children mental health needs are beyond what the mainstream education can deliver and as such can be disruptive to other students. Schools have become de facto mental health providers for children with special needs yet they were not set up for such purposes (Heinneman & Vickerman 2009). Despite these challenges, the focus should be on promoting integration of special needs students into the mainstream education. While there are many arguments in favour of and against integrations, the benefits for such integration are significant. Those in favour of special facilities argue that these facilities are best for children with special needs in that it helps them maintain self-esteem and experience greater success (Cohen et al. 2004). They argue that segregation helps them with self-esteem and protects them from stigmatization. To some extent, they raise a valid argument especially given that the mainstream schools do not have enough human resources and adequate material for catering for the needs of such children (Hocutt 1996). However, such an approach will only further enhance stigmatization and negative labelling. Also, it might lead to social isolation from their peers and a lack of academic press, and higher order thinking among children with special needs. Moreover, placing such students in special facilities conjures up images which render them as failures and this may further reinforce their low-self esteem (Cohen et al 2004). Perhaps this might be the reason why some of these students become physically aggressive or verbally abusive. They end up viewing aggression as the only way to be recognized (Cohen et al 2004). There are several benefits to such an intergrated approach to learning including better social adjustment and stigma reduction. Children with special needs may also benefit from inclusion programs through participating in typical experiences of childhood, gaining an understanding about diversity of people in the community, and gaining the confidence to pursue inclusion in other settings such as recreational groups (Nutbrown & Clough 2010). Other regular students may benefit from the opportunity to meet and share experiences with special needs students, and developing positive attitudes towards students with varied abilities (Weston 2003). There is a need to ensure that these students receive as broad and balanced an entitlement curriculum as possible, similar to that received by the regular students (Cohens et al. 2004). Regardless of their condition or of the developmental delays that children with special needs may e xperience, they should all be allowed to learn and participate in everyday routines just like other children (Weston 2003).It should be remembered that children of all ages have the same intrinsic value and are entitled to the same opportunities for participation in child care. Conclusion Research has shown that special needs students who are mixed with their peers in mainstream classrooms are more likely to achieve better outcomes academically and socially while those in segregated classes fall further behind. There are, however, challenges to such an integrated approach to working with special needs children. Challenges related to coping with emotionally and behaviourally disturbed children and the challenge of ensuring fairness have been highlighted in this paper. Despite these challenges, the paper calls for an integrated approach to working with children with special needs. Unless there is a compelling reason to put special needs children in special settings, they should be placed in the mainstream educational setting. To ensure the success of this integrated approach, it is important that all the professionals involved value and appreciate their individual roles and those of others in order to ensure that these children receive best education, care and support. Families must also show their commitment to the multi-disciplinary partnership approaches. References Allen, K. E., and Cowdery, G. E., 2004. The exceptional child: Inclusion in early childhood. Albany, NY: Delmar. Brown, J.G., Hemmeter, M.L. and Pretti-Frontczak, K., 2005. Blended practices for teaching young children in inclusive settings. Baltimore: Paul H. Brookes Cohen, L., Manion, L. and Morrison, K., 2004. A guide to teaching practice. Psychology press Connor, J. (2006) Redefining inclusion. Every Child. 12(3) Watson ACT: ECA Department of Education (DoE), 2009. The way forward for special educational needs and inclusion. Department of Education Dukes, C. and Smith, M., 2007. Working with parents of children with special educational needs. London: SAGE publications. Griffin, S., 2008. Inclusion, equality and diversity in working with children, Professional Development. Oxford Heinemann, A. and Vickerman, P., 2009. Key issues in special educational needs and inclusion. London: Sage Hocutt, A.M., 1996.’Effectiveness of special education: is placement the critical factor?à ¢â‚¬â„¢ The Future of Children Special Education For Students With Disabilities, Vol.6 (1) Jones, C.A., 2004. Supporting inclusion in the early years. Supporting early learning. McGraw-Hill Mitchell, D. (ed) 2009, Contextualizing inclusive education. London: Routledge National Council for Special Education (NCSE), 2011. Children with special educational needs, National Council for Special Education Nutbrown, C. and Clough, P., 2010. Inclusion in the early years. London: Sage Owens, A., 2009. Including children with additional needs in child care. National Childcare Accreditation Council Inc. Porter, L., 2003. Young children’s behaviour. Practical approaches for caregivers and teachers. 2nd edition. London: Paul Chapman Publishing Robinson, K.H. and Jones-Diaz, C., 2005. Diversity and difference in early childhood education. Issues for Theory and Practice. Maidenhead: Open University Press Roffey, S., 2001. Special needs in the early years London. David Fulton Sammons, P., Tag gart, B., Smees, R., Sylva, K., Melhuish, E., Siraj-Blatchford and Elliot, K., 2003.The early years transition and special educational needs (EyTSEN) project. 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