The Benefits of Implementing Talking Circles in the Classroom Essay

I spent my volunteer experience with Dr. Geis’ special needs classroom at County Elementary School; and throughout my participation, the most defining observation was that of the teachers and staff members. Naturally, some employees are better than others at fulfilling tasks. However, as time passed, I noticed that certain employees had difficulty starting each day fresh, free of the pressure and tension that may have accumulated from the previous day. I only volunteered a couple of times a week so my ability to wipe the slate clean was easier. Nevertheless, I can understand how taxing and repetitive the process can be for the full length of a school year. According to the National Commission on Teaching about, â€Å"one-third of all new teachers leave after three years, and 46 percent are gone within five years† (Kopkowski). The relatively high attrition rate of teachers is known as teacher burnout. Teacher burnout can be attributed to both physical and emotional facto rs which may include, â€Å"classroom disruptions, inadequate salaries, oversized classes, overbearing parents, excessive paperwork, cutbacks in supplies or materials, threats, harassment, assaults, violence, or problems with co-workers or with administrators† (Campbell). The National Commission on Teaching estimates costs up to, â€Å"$7 billion a year, as districts and states recruit, hire, and try to retain new teachers† (Kopkowski). Teacher burnout is financially and socially affecting schools, communities, and society. The purpose of this paper is to identify factors that may lead to teacher burnout, acknowledge the effects of the issue, and provide solutions to better manage the stress of teaching. In The Relationship Between Student Behaviour Patterns and Teacher Burnout... ...y. 2014. Clear, Todd R. Imprisoning Communities. 1st ed. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2007. Print. Clifford, Amos. Teaching Restorative Practices With Classroom Circles. 1st ed. 2013. Print. Glassman, Bernard, and Rick Fields. Instructions To The Cook. 1st ed. New York: Bell Tower, 1996. Print. Hastings, Richard P, and Mohammed S Bham. 'The Relationship Between Student Behaviour Patterns And Teacher Burnout'. School Psychology International 24.1 (2003): 115--127. Print. Kopkowski, Cynthia. 'Why They Leave'. NEA. N. p., 2014. Web. 2 May. 2014. Mindgarden.com,. 'Maslach Burnout Inventory By Christina Maslach, Susan E. Jackson, Michael P. Leiter, Wilmar B. Schaufeli, Richard L. Schwab - Mind Garden, Inc.'. N. p., 2014. Web. 2 May. 2014. Pranis, Kay, Barry Stuart, and Mark Wedge. Peacemaking Circles. 1st ed. St. Paul, Minn.: Living Justice Press, 2003. Print.

The Doryphoros

Can you hear it, the mumbles of children everywhere at the just the mention of year around school, while the parents of these kids start to jump for joy. Would a year round school year help not only our nation but Oklahoma’s concerns about school performance? It is this simple question that starts the debate and battle of the school year. Should we or should we not have longer school days or just go for the gold to say and make school a year round institution. There are many who argue for year round school. They believe that more is always better. United States President Barack Obama is among them. The challenges of the new century demands more time in the classroom. † he stated. I for one think that more hours would not only help American but Oklahoma schools as well. We have all been there, coming in from a long summer break when out of the blue a teacher ask the dreaded question, do you remember how to work this problem? I can still see my blank stare at the chalk boa rd wondering who is going to save me. Shorter summer breaks means students are less likely to incur learning loss, and it may decrease the number of students being sent to remedial classes or to tutoring for help.Oklahoma’s kids are falling below average in science and math. We say that some kids just don’t test well, but it is not the case. The long summer breaks mean less time in the class room to keep their heads in the game. Without a long summer break that leaves less young minds in summer school and more time in the classroom and where the action is. School systems that are already year round have an advantage over the other states that are not. This would provide Oklahoma children with the ability to have a more global educational experience.Countries like Japan, China, and Korea already have this system in effect. Their children test higher, have a more developed level of learning, and they graduate College at a higher rate. The average test scores for U. S 4th grader in math was (539), whereas China’s average was well into the (800). They test better due to them retaining the knowledge learned during the year and years before. Students who test lower cost not only time but money to be spent on the longer educational process. We should not look at it as if it should happen but as in when to start.Before you think man is this person crazy, what about all the vacation plans we made during the summer. With the year round school program it will be easier to schedule family vacations and it will give students opportunity to rest their brain more frequently. It will also help cut down the need for these bright minds of our future to need the re-teaching of skills already learned. Allowing teachers to use classroom time more efficiently not only benefits the teachers but the kids as well. They will be learning more and keeping up with the rest of the world.We fail to realize our children are crying out for help. When we have seniors leavi ng high school with only the reading skill of a 5th grader can we say that as citizens of Oklahoma we did our best to help them achieve their best? I for one believe it is time for us to stand up and say no our children need and deserve more. A family with both mother and father working, that leaves who to care for the kids. Child care is expensive costing more during the summer break. Parents who are just making end meat to supply the house hold with enough to just get by would have more room to breathe.Families would be able to save as much as $750 per month. Families struggle pay the bills, put food on the table, and supply kids with clothing, why add another expense on the already tight budget. With all that being said there are some who believe that year round school would be more of a burdened than a source of help. The budget for food and other bills also raise a question with them. They even go to state that budgets and staffing issues simply may not allow for extended schoo l programs to happen. They say that school maintenance, day to day upkeep and the utilities do not justify the means.You may even hear that students who have difficulty with attention, due to disability are not ready to attend longer periods of time and that it will create some disorder in the classroom. Many budgets and staffing issues have been brought forward as well. How are we to pay qualified teachers the competitive way and it is hard to keep them as well. With all this information being said I for still believe that the pros out way the cons. We need to build a better foundation and it all starts in the classroom. Without the proper education our kids will not secede in the world.We as Oklahoma’s should care more about the education we are sending these children out with than the dollar amount. So as we sit down to listen to the children as they are against this we need to ask do they really know what is good for them. As adults and Oklahomans it is our job to ensure the children grow up with the knowledge need to advance in life. Without the proper education we are saying that we as parents, educators, and adults do not care about the education of our next president, teachers, doctors etc. It is time to take a stand and say yes our education system in Oklahoma needs a change and to place it into action. Before you decide look at the statics of all the other countries that go all year round. There are fewer drop outs, more college graduates and higher achievement in life. We all just want our children to be the best they can be and that starts in the classroom. Works Cited CNN. â€Å"Obama wants to overhaul education from ‘cradle to career' – CNN. com. † CNN. com – Breaking News, U. S. , World, Weather, Entertainment & Video News.Kristi Keck, 10 Mar. 2009. Web. 20 Nov. 2012. . â€Å"Fast Facts. † National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) Home Page, a part of the U. S. Department of Education. The National Center for Education Statistics, n. d. Web. 20 Nov. 2012. . Oklahoma. Oklahoma City: Oklahoma State Dept. of Education, 198. Print. Williams, Mary E.. Education: opposing viewpoints. San Diego, Calif. : Greenhaven Press, 2000. Print.

A Walk in the Woods

Bill Bryson’s 1998 literary work takes its readers’ imagination, as the title suggests, to â€Å"A Walk in the Woods.†The author returning back to the United States after living for 20 years outside the country decided to the reconnect with his home landscape and hikes the Appalachian Trail. In Bill Bryson’s account of the Appalachian Trail, both historical and environmental information is received by the readers. More specifically the environmental crisis and its causes are dealt in this Bryson’s book. For some, environmental issues are quite uninteresting and dull.However, readers of this book are still compelled to continuously read it because of its humor and thought-provoking exploration of the wild. Moreover, Bill Bryson’s style and themes informs and teaches several environmental issues and concerns to its readers while entertaining them. Though, by scanning the history and events in other areas, it can be said that Bill Bryson’ s accounted environmental problems in his book does not occur solely in the Appalachian Trail, rather it is a world-wide problem.Bill Bryson accounts that the Appalachian Trail is 2200 miles, and I think he is telling the truth. Based on what I have learned (or know) about, the Appalachian Trail is a 2,147-mile-long footpath from Georgia to Maine, which follows the ridgetops of the fourteen states through which it passes.Although other people had put forth similar ideas, Benton MacKaye’s article â€Å"An Appalachian Trail: A Project in Regional Planning,† is usually looked upon as having presented the impetus for the Appalachian Trail.A regional planner, MacKaye saw in the post-World War I era an America that was becoming hastily urbanized, machine-driven and far detached from the positive reinvigorating aspects of the natural world. In addition to endowing with obvious recreational opportunities, the trail he imagined or visualized would be a linking line between a se ries of everlasting self-sustaining camps in wherein cooperation would replace antagonism, trust replaces suspicion, and emulation replaces competition.Encouraged and supported by relatives, friends, and like-minded acquaintances, MacKaye set about disseminating the idea of an Appalachian Trail to anyone who would listen, as well as officials of the National Park and National Forest Services.Particularly interested to the trail concept were members and officers of previously existing trail organizations such as the Green Mountain Club of Vermont, the New England Trail Conference, and the Appalachian Mountain Club. Not overlooking the advertising power of the press, MacKaye also solicited the help of newspaper reporters and columnists throughout the Northeast.The idea struck a chord form in October 1923, just two years after publication of his article, the first few miles of trail to be built particularly as a part of the Appalachian Trail were opened to the public in the area of Har riman and Bear Mountain State Parks in New York by the then recently formed New York-New Jersey Trail Conference.Acting upon a request by MacKaye and others, the Federal Societies on Planning and Parks met in Washington, D.C, in March 1925, for the intention of furthering action on the Appalachian Trail.There, an organization establishing the Appalachian Trail Conference (now known as Appalachian Trail Conservancy, committed to the protection and management of the trail) was adopted, and William A. Welch, of New York’s Palisades Interstate Park Commission, was named its chairman. Throughout the meeting, it was determined that the Appalachian Trail would run approximately 1,700 miles (which is 500 miles less than Bill Bryson’s measurement or the length of Appalachian Trail today) from Mount Washington in New Hampshire to Cohutta Mountain in northwestern Georgia.A northern extension was to stretch to Mount Katahdin in Maine while a southern addition would reach all of th e way to Birmingham Alabama. Among various branch routes that were also proposed, one was to follow the Long Trail in Vermont, another would extend into the Catskills, and another was to run along the Tennessee River to Kentucky.

The significance of context in information systems and organizational change Essay

Since their arrival on the mobile and web computing scene, information systems have had a profound effect on economies, organizations and societies. Individuals have also enjoyed a great deal of the extended effect of the activities that are conducted within the social aggregates provided by information systems. This report seeks to evaluate the impact and the role of information systems on the quality process on different industries in order to make the implementation and application of quality assurance easy, simple, fast accurate and time saving. The journal of strategic information systems seeks to explore the impact that information systems has had on the general process and profitability of a company. This journal has a scholarly audience for those who are in search of better understanding on how best information systems have improved their lives and the potential that they still hold for the future. Since it is documented as a scholarly article, it is expected that the article shall fulfill educational curiosities regarding how information systems have enabled simplicity and some level of perfection in the business world. It is also expected that the journal shall provide precise information with extensive research carried out to back the statements outlined in the article. According to the journal article, the gradual increase in dependence of information systems has shown a steady rise in the need for quality improvement within business enterprises. The article sites a survey carried out to show that IT improvement in t erms of quality is the top problem facing IT executives in the current job market. It is because of the multidimensional edge that IT presents that the position of Chief Information Officers (CIO) has become a recent development in the corporate sector. The journal models the relationship between information systems quality and the organizational impact it has. The article hypothesizes that there is a greater organizational impact in situations where the systems quality, service quality and information quality are high. According to the article, information system service quality is the most influential concept, followed by information quality and then system quality in the overall performance of the business. However, the article fails to mention other impacts that are attached to the success of the organization such as efficiency of the personnel and the updating of information system quality. On the other hand, the article’s mention of Ackoff (1967) is critical to the support of the information system theory. Ackoff pointed out five misconceptions regarding information systems by stating that the most critical information deficiency that managers suffer is from the high levels of irrelevant information. Furthermore the article points to Whitaker and Voas (2006) and Parnas (2003) who confirm that software is plagued with problems such as fragmented software modules that are hard to integrate and hard-to-use interfaces. However, at the time this information was presented this was a rampant p roblem that was facing the software industry and the IT world in general. However, recent researches have shown that in recent years, this has changed drastically and information systems are required to be top notch before they can be released into the market for use and even for testing. The article fails to mention that there have been increased measures and precaution taken to ensure that quality assurance is the core principle in the world of information systems. It also fails to mention that quality assurance is the only link to continued success in an organization when it comes to matters of information, technology and systems. It is only through the assurance of information systems that organizations can adapt systems that are guaranteed to produce tangible and beneficial results. The article also emphasizes on the use of information technology in the general performance of business and the overall perception of the outside world. It is lacking in the expertise to recognize t he fact that quality assurance goes hand in hand with quality control which is mostly effected by use of personnel employed to overlook the process. Therefore, although the article has been pinned as a scholarly article in the journal, it requires much revision in order to remain relevant in the world we live in today. Encyclopedia Britannica posted an article on information systems that proved to be worth reviewing. The article lays the importance of information systems in organizations. The article states that information systems enhance several capabilities of an organization which in turn provide support for business activities. For example, decision making, product development, customer and supplier relation and sometimes the general business model are the areas where information systems fit best. The article does not hold any opinion towards the importance of information system but it does point out the advantages and the potential that information systems hold in the organization. The article is right in pointing out that information systems advancements create new options in the way business is conducted which is generally true, but the article fails to mention that information systems require to be constantly updated. Besides updating, information systems require to be assured so that the results can be translated into the output of the company which shall be of the same quality. The language used in this article is informative and without any bias and it makes its credibility rise with each statement. For example, the article includes that information systems do not necessarily translate to increased profits. The success of a business depends in part the adoption of effective information systems, but it also in the skill to which the information systems are deployed and used alongside other factors such as customer relation and knowledge of the industry. The article is witty and well updated with the latest advancements in quality assurance processes. For example, the article is clear in the definition and the implication of virtual organizations whose quality assurance has to be constantly updated because of the evolving and fast paced information system world. The article does not fail to mention the importance of human personnel in the workings of the company and the incorporation of information systems. Although the article is mainly focused on the information technology literate the simplicity of definition of terms means that the audiences of the article are both the literate and the illiterate to the IT world. It is through the incorporation of information systems to the World Wide Web that quality assurance can be improved drastically. Through quality assurance, individuals can participate in global forums and national events such as elections, referendums, and opinion polls. It is therefore, through the incorporation of info rmation systems in such fronts that quality assurance becomes paramount. The article vividly describes and gives simple illustrations for the ways in which quality assurance in information systems can assist all members of the society. According to the journal of the association for information, science and technology (2014), quality assurance is an administrative and procedural activity that is implemented in the quality system to ensure that both the goals and objectives of the product are fulfilled as intended. The journal hosted an article on the significance of context in information systems and organizational change. The article mainly speaks about the implementation of information systems which is relevant to the above outlined thesis. The article indicates that there are three distinct principles that are to be followed in the implementation of information systems throughout the organization. The first principle should incorporate innovation of the information system with regard to the socio-organizational change, the second principle involves the analysis of the local organizational, the national and the global context of the information system, while the third system uses the analysis of the decisions mad e towards the innovation process of the information system. The article is based on an assumption that ICT does not face any deterministic implications on the organizational results which makes it miss its mark in terms of convincing about the implementation of information systems. The failure in assumption is largely misplaced because ICT has a large role in the performance of the business which ultimately makes it a valuable variable to consider. The article on the significance of context in information systems and organizational change also points out that the information systems research is mainly contextual because it is mostly based on an organizational setting instead of a laboratory setting. It is for this reason that information systems studies are subject to the environment in which they are applied, according to the article. The position of context of information environment used in the article is fairly placed given that different environments, markets or industries pose different challenges for the organization and the information system in use. Different fields of engagement require certain assurances in terms of the incorporation of information systems. For instance, quality assurance in information systems for the military is more precise that that which would be used in a local bookstore. One in a bookstore would be used to track borrowed books while one for the military would be used to track missiles and comm unicate code during wartime. On both counts, quality assurance would have to be stepped because it involves the use of human personnel to operate the information system. On the other hand, quality assurance should be strict so that human use of the information system can be smooth and accommodating and at the same time it should be time saving. The article is well organized starting from the introduction, all through the body and into the conclusion. The points raised in the article such as the concept that information systems are mainly concerned with IT innovations is well founded. The article sites many references for backing the information presented going as far back as 1989 when the initial concepts for the internet were taking place. The audiences intended for the article are scholars who require in-depth information about information systems, their innovations and implementations. The article is highly resourceful and rich in detail for any scholarly work. The article states that in order to maintain a competitive edge in the respective field, companies have to invest in information systems like ERPs (Enterprise Resource Planning) software that serve different functions in the organization. These systems also provide real time data that is used to aid in fast decision making. Information systems such as ERPs help co mpanies to manage their operations seamlessly across the globe. This information is particularly helpful especially in aiding the thesis statement that seeks to give credit to quality assurance for the easy integration, simplicity and quickness in the performance of business duties. Quality in any field is determined by the users, clients or customers who use the product and not by the society in general. The quality, as is often confused is not related to the actual price of the product or the service. The two are separate variables though relating to the same product. Therefore, adjectives like ‘poor’ and ‘high’ should not be used in relation to quality. Even in IT and information systems there are standards by which products must conform and they are monitored by such standards as ISO, 9000 or an alternative as the CMMI model. This is the idea projected in the journal of information systems (2009) that was designed in the interest of quality intervention in the quality assessment arena. The article on the benefits of information systems to organizations indicate that companies benefit by cutting down on human labor that previously cost them billions in wages. Since the invention and the spread of information systems companies have op ted to cut down on human labor down to the most important employees within the company. Although the article is fundamentally clear on the importance of cutting down human labor services, it fails to mention that quality assurance in the information systems that replace them are in constant need of updating for as long as the systems are in place. The article is geared to the well informed in the field of information systems and information technology as it mentions some of the most recent advancements such as cloud computing. The article merely seeks to hit the final nail on the information system concept coffin by including these latest features. Although other articles speak about virtual organizations and virtual communication systems, the journal of information systems seeks to give the latest advancements as well as options and possibilities in the industry. The drastic, yet advanced calculations in the growth of the information technology world have led to the overreliance of computerization that might eventually become the downfall of human beings. Without human intervention to the computerized world, there is an ever conscious possibility of failing to meet set objectives in terms of assurance of quality. The article seeks to inform of the impending danger of the failure to adhere to quality assurance precautions which is commendable and very informative. The article is neither biased but rather it leaves the reader with an option to think outside the box, consider gathering more information or take the information provided at face value. The tile of the article suggests that there shall be many sides to the information system story which is clearly shown and well detailed. The main purpose of the article from a scholar’s point of view is to broaden the thinking of the reader and to create a set of questions as to what lies ahe ad with information systems. Both the application and implementation of information systems has been revolutionary and has defined the 21st century in a huge way. Therefore, quality assurance on information systems has become tougher and more brutal as days go by primarily because of the competition and the innovativeness associated with information technology. The article seeks to highlight the consequences of ignorance and also the failures that companies undergo as a result of ignoring quality assurance requirements for the betterment of their stature in the industry. It is only with quality assurance that new ideas and concepts can be fostered within the organization. Quality assurance ensures that there is always room for improvement on the information system so that companies can grow according to their mission statement. The article is witty and largely educative and at the same time cautious as was the intention. The article is one to look out for in the world of information systems. The international journal of computers, communications and control had an article on management of information systems titled ‘managing the digital firm’ which was an eye opener for those interested. The article was written by rather two professionals in the information systems arena who have extensive background knowledge in information systems. From the title of the article, it is expected that the information provided shall be highly educative and without any blunder. It is also expected that because of the doctoral status of the authors, the information provided can hardly be refuted. The article kicks off by stating that knowledge of information systems is essential in the creation of successful and competitive corporations that add value to their products and services. The article further cements this statement by stating that it is inconceivable for a company to operate without the extensive incorporation of IT. This statement is rightly so because from a global p oint of view, all relationships between customers, suppliers and employees are mainly maintained digitally. The tone used in the article is educational which suggests that it is meant for scholars, educators and to a large extent, managers who are often faced with major information systems challenges. In order to do so, the authors of the article have incorporated a sociotechnical style of presentation through the combination of computer science, management science as well as operations research and blended them with behavioral elements that are drawn from sociology, psychology and sociology. The article contains in large part presentation of facts from a management of information systems (MIS) point of view. The article explains in detail the concepts of digital firms and how quality assurance should be incorporated in the information systems adopted by organizations. The article also advices on keeping information systems updated in order to ensure that the quality assurance process remains easy, simple, fast, and accurate and not time consuming. The article is a masterpiece if not the b lueprint of the future of information systems and businesses in all industries. The article explains in great detail that information systems are relevant in all industries and all markets however miniscule they might seem. The article is very resourceful and without any identifiable flaws. However, its lack of emphasis on quality assurance is a minor setback, but the essence of the article is captured in the rest of the details discussed. References Avgerou, Chrisanthi. â€Å"The significance of context in information systems and organizational change.† Information Systems Journal 11.1 (2001): 43-63. Print. Benbasat, Izak, and Ron Weber. â€Å"Research Commentary: Rethinking à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Diversityà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  in Information Systems Research.† information systems research 7.4 (1996): 389-399. Print. Haigh, Thomas. â€Å"The history of information technology.† Annual Review of Information Science and Technology 45.1 (2011): 431-487. Print. Hayman, J. L.. â€Å"Educational Management Information Systems For The Seventies.† Educational Administration Quarterly 10.1 (1974): 60-71. Print. â€Å"Information Systems Failures.† European Journal of Information Systems 2.3 (1993): 157-158. Print. â€Å"Information Systems Research: Policy on Special Issues.† information systems research 16.1 (2005): 6-8. Print. â€Å"Information systems and interorganizational networks.† European Journal of Information Systems 5.2 (1996): 73-74. Print. â€Å"Journal of Strategic Information Systems.† The Journal of Strategic Information Systems 17.4 (2008): 287. Print. â€Å"Journal of Strategic Information Systems.† The Journal of Strategic Information Systems 17.4 (2008): 287. Print. â€Å"Journal of Strategic Information Systems Best Paper 2008.† The Journal of Strategic Information Systems 18.4 (2009): I. Print. Karim, Akram Jalal. â€Å"The Significance Of Management Information Systems For Enhancing Strategic And Tactical Planning.† JISTEM Journal of Information Systems and Technology Management 8.2 (2011): 459-470. Print. Kini, Ranjan B.. â€Å"Strategic Information Systems.† Information Systems Management 10.4 (1993): 42-45. Print. â€Å"Management Information Systems (MIS).† Inc.com. N.p., 23 Apr. 2010. Web. 15 May 2014. . O’, Tiomothy J.. â€Å"Executive Information Systems.† Journal of Information Systems Management 6.2 (1989): 34-41. Print. Osinulu, L. F. Amusa. â€Å"Information Technology, Quality Assurance, and Academic Library Management.† Library Philosophy and Practice 1 Feb. 2010: 13-29. Print. Parker, Donn B.. â€Å"Ethics for Information Systems Personnel.† Journal of Information Systems Management 5.3 (1988): 44-48. Print. Ritch, Stephen, and Robert J. Munro. â€Å"Management Information Systems, Planning, And Public Community Colleges.† Community Junior College Research Quarterly of Research and Practice 6.2 (1982): 179-186. Print. Sprowls, Clay. â€Å"Strategic information systems: A European perspective.† The Journal of Strategic Information Systems 3.4 (1994): 345-346. Print. Stowell, Frank. â€Å"Do We Mean Information Systems or Systems of Information?.† International Journal of Information Technologies and Systems Approach 1.1 (2008): 25-36. Print. Teittinen, Henri, Jukka Pellinen, and Marko JÃÆ' ¤rvenpÃÆ' ¤ÃƒÆ' ¤. â€Å"ERP in action à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬  Challenges and benefits for management control in SME context.† International Journal of Accounting Information Systems 14.4 (2013): 278-296. Print. Warren, Matthew. â€Å"Ethics in Information Systems.† Australasian Journal of Information Systems 13.2 (2006): 23-29. Print. Winter, M.c., D.h. Brown, and P.b. Checkland. â€Å"A role for soft systems methodology in information systems development.† European Journal of Information Systems 4.3 (1995): 130-142. Print. Xu, Li D.. â€Å"Systems characteristics in information systems design.† Systems Research 9.1 (1992): 67-78. Print. Zwass, Vladimir. â€Å"Information systems in the economy and society.† Encyclopedia Britannica Online. Encyclopedia Britannica, 9 Apr. 2012. Web. 23 May 2014. . Source document

Efforts to Revive Membership in the British Trade Unions Essay

Efforts to Revive Membership in the British Trade Unions - Essay Example Any laxity on the side of the unions in the push to champion employee rights may lead to the uncalled fall and liquidation of initially successful trade union. It is worth acknowledging that British trade unions enjoyed the advantage of high membership registration immediately before 1979. However, this high historic clamour did not last long as the trade unions faced a tragic resignation and defection of their member. The main causes of the fall of the British trade unions were due to the high risk of unemployment due to the financial crisis that resulted in a high lay-off of workers (Smith 2011). In addition, the employees were defeated by the government in their push for salary increment, an incidence used by the government to institute laws allowing the employers to sack their rebellious workers at will. Furthermore, the Labour government made depriving laws in 1974 with a move to revenge against the great miners strike by adopting the Tory anti-union laws designated to cut indus trial wages. Labour government also worked hard to weaken the momentary strong shop stewards’ organization. The initial moves accomplished by the Labour government demoralized individual workers from participating in national votes thus paving way for Margret Thatcher and Tories laws insurgence to power. Upon entrance of the Conservative government into power under the umbrella of Margret Thatcher, new mechanisms were devised to reverse the defeat suffered by the employers at the hands of the trade unions. In that line, Margret started by isolating the key trade unions after which Tory anti-union laws of 1980 was adopted. Conservative government began the fight with the steel miners and the health workers in the year 1980 and then the printers in 1985 whose defeats returned to the government. In addition, there was great contest between the leaders of the various trade unions over who could lead the entire trade unions in Britain. This led to the automatic weakening of the ef forts of the entire trade unions (Smith 2011). Since 1980, British trade unions have tried to regain their former stature and power with limited success. In a move to restore the initial membership of workers into the trade unions, British trade unions have adopted practical policies that have stood to bear desirable results that in reviving the image of the trade unions. According to Budd and Mumford (2001, 2), many trade unions in the British economy have adopted family-friendly policies, which have led to the recovery of particular trade unions. The family-friendly policy entails the provision of subsidized onsite daycare to the workers on board. In addition, family-friendly practices provide free health care services to the children of the employees. Furthermore, the family-friendly services offered by the trade unions in Britain avails free meals to the onsite workers, a practice ought to increase the performances of the employees. Family friendly practices include provision of benefits that allow flexibility of the employees to tune from full time workers to balance between work and family issues. According to Budd and Mumford (2001, 3), the most critical component of benefits offered by the family-friendly policy is the leave policies.

The capital punishment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

The capital punishment - Essay Example The capital punishment is retribution; therefore, it should be practiced in the U.S despite claims by that it has no efficacy in deterring crime. The capital punishment is no doubt the most effective way to deter a criminal from committing further crimes since death deprives of human ability. Death penalty puts a stop to a murder’s criminal activity. The cost of taking care of a life sentence convict is much less the cost of the death sentence (Evan Mandery 204). Texas is one of the states that comprise the U.S with an excellent example to the practice of the capital punishment. On 2 July, in the year 2007, legislators in Texas mandated the death penalty for traffic offences among them failure to obey seat belt laws, speeding and driving without a license. This legislation stipulates seizure and sale of offender’s assets by the state to raise revenue for road construction and maintenance following execution. The legislation plays a vital role in raising taxes for the state. The capital punishment is economically significant to the U.S. On a rough approximate the U.S spends $25,000 to maintain a single prisoner. Imprisonment of criminals adds a burden to the U.S budget. The practice of a retroactive application of the capital punishment in the prison system might be the gateway to achieving a cost cut on the government’s expenditure on maintaining criminals. The death punishment is not only effective in deterring crimes but also promoting economic growth (Evan Mandery 368).

Missouri Crimes Against Property Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Missouri Crimes Against Property - Essay Example Usually, property crimes are large crimes targeting jewelry, electronics, for example, stereos, cameras, and other valuable equipment. Products that are included in property crime tend to be enjoyable, concealable, valuable, available, removable, and easy to dispose (Allen, 2005). This paper will look at  the State of Missouri, and its statute concerning a crime against property. A robbery charge should not be taken lightly because the outcomes of a guilty verdict are extremely harsh. Missouri law classifies a robbery charge as either that in the second degree, or that in the first degree. In Missouri, first degree robbery is categorized as a class A felony. The class A felony constitutes a prison term that is between 10 to 30 years. An individual is involved in robbery in the first degree when he uses force to steal possessions from another person and displays, threatens, uses, or possesses a deadly or dangerous weapon, or causes severe physical harm to an individual. In contrast, an individual is involved in robbery in the second degree when he employs force to steal belongings from another person (Conklin, 1972). In Missouri, second degree robbery is categorized as a class B felony. ... The definitions of robbery crime used are mainly of two types: those that are modified to the standards of American Law Institute Model Penal Code and those directly originated from the former English common law (Friedman, 2005). Missouri statues move into extra details while a small number of states like Virginia, leave the description as it is in the common law. Under the historical common law or older definitions of robbery, it demands proof of theft, the key common law theft, the theft is by fear or force, and the theft is from immediate presence or person of the victim. Use of Fear or Force The prime element of robbery is that theft be by means of either fear or force. A common form of robbery that utilizes force is mugging. In this case, the robber holds the neck of an unsuspecting individual from the rear and uses force to take his or her valuables, for example, wallet, purse, or phone. Other popular forms of force include striking a victim with a blunt object, fist, or gun. I n contrast, picking another person’s pocket is not presumed as robbery. This is because there is no perceived use of fear or force, and robbery entails the use of force and not just removing the belongings from the pocket (Siegel, 2003). Nevertheless, if the robber manhandles the victim during the taking, or if the victim is aware of the endeavor and resists, it becomes robbery. Taking from Presence or Person Another element of robbery, under historical common law,  is that the action be in the immediate presence of the victim or from the individual. Possession is considered taken from a person if it is taken from his clothing or hand, or from an area where it is hidden while the individual is running away from the robber. A victim’s