Jargon Usage in Intervention Essay Example for Free

Jargon Usage in Intervention Essay The independent variables in the study are the intervention description (jargon vs. no jargon) and group (teachers vs. undergraduate), while the dependent variable was their scores in the Treatment Evaluation Inventory (TEI; Kazdin, 1980a). The case used in this study was about a boy named Michael who has a habit of leaning back in his chair and unfortunately experience hurting himself due to accidental falling for several times The subject of this study took the test in their respective classes. The researcher explains to them briefly the objective of the research. The test kits were distributed to them, they read the direction and completed a profile sheet; TEI was used to rate the intervention. The test takes 15 minutes to finish. The scores of the test were examined using analysis of variance (ANOVA) and independent t test. Based on the result, there were significant differences between the teachers and students’ overall acceptability rating. The teachers rated the jargon description of time-out as significantly more acceptable than the no jargon description, while the result of the test of the undergraduates revealed that there were no significant differences between the jargons versus the no jargon intervention description The result of this result thus contradicted some of the former researchers. Some of them were as follows: 1. Significant higher ratings of teachers for the jargon versus non jargon. It was mentioned in the review some former researchers from Hall Didier, Kazdin and Cole, and Watt et. al. (as cited in Hyatt, Tingstrom Edwards, 1991) regarding the difficulty and negative influence encountered by third party (parents, teachers and ward personnel) in using jargon intervention description. Outcome of this research was reverse because the teachers favor more using jargons and it has positive influence on them. 2. No difference in judgment between low experienced teachers and high experience teachers. The difference between the result of the test and the research of Witt and company (as cited in Hyatt, Tingstrom Edwards, 1991) and the researcher said that this maybe due to the difference in the method they use in treating the variables understudy. Other result of the test revealed that: 3. For undergraduates on this study – they have found out that jargon versus no jargon description in intevention is not an issue for the undergraduates. It doe not matter to them whether which of the two approach is use in the intervention description. The acceptability ratings also revealed that both upperclassmen and underclassmen favored both intervention descriptions. It also revealed that they respect the intervention description whether it uses technical or non-technical language and the outcome of the intevention is still the same for their opinion. The researchers of these study pointed out that their research has its limitations that might one way or the other affect the result of the test and they were as follows: 1. Generalizability to classroom interventions other that time-out (Hyatt, Tingstrom Edwards, 1991) 2. Jargons other than behavioral (Hyatt, Tingstrom Edwards, 1991) 3. Teachers not seeking additional educational past the bachelor’s degree. (Hyatt, Tingstrom Edwards, 1991) 4. Relative Effect of jargons versus other variables like teachers time expenditure, theoretical orientation and intervention agent on intervention acceptance (Hyatt, Tingstrom Edwards, 1991) The researchers recommended further additional studies to support this study. The use of variables is recommended a. Regular and special education teachers in school setting b. Jargon’s influence on acceptability to a behavioral assessment c. Design, evaluation and acceptance of behavioral intervention for Children. References Hall, C. W. , Didier E. (1987) Acceptability and Behavioral Treatment: Review of Variables that influence treatment selection. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice. In Hyatt, S. P, Tingstrom, D. H, and Edwards, R (1991) Jargon Usage in Intervention During Consultation: Demonstration of a Facilitative Effect. Journal of Educational and Psychological Consultation. 2(1) 49-56

An Overview of Existentialism Theory

An Overview of Existentialism Theory In a clearer sense Existentialism is a 20th century philosophy that is examined the idea of existence and of the way people found themselves existing in the world. The idea is that people as individuals exist first and then each person spends their existence varying their understanding of that their lifes nature or essence was meant to be. In a simpler term, existentialism is a philosophical thinking that a person might experience when worried with finding their self and what the meaning of life may be through, life choices, free will, and the undertaking of personal responsibility. The principle is that we as humans are searching to discover who and what we are throughout life, as we make choices based on experiences, attitude, and sometimes beliefs. What is more individual choices becoming distinctive without the need of a detached form of truth. An existentialist might consider that a person ought to be required to decide and be accountable for their own existence without the assistance of other things such as laws, cultural rules, or rituals. Existentialism takes thought of the basic notions: Human free will Human nature is chosen through life choices A person is best when struggling against their individual nature, fighting for life Decisions are not without stress and consequences There are things that are not rational Personal responsibility and discipline is crucial Society is unnatural and its traditional religious and secular rules are arbitrary Worldly desire is futile Existentialism can mostly be described in a multiplicity of perceptions and really there cant be one given answer as to what it really is, but still it does not embrace any of the idea: wealth, pleasure, or honor make the good life social values and structure control the individual accept what is and that is enough in life science can and will make everything better people are basically good but ruined by society or external forces I want my way, now! or It is not my fault! mentality (All About, n.d.) There is a varied diversity of philosophical thinking, religious beliefs, and political ideas that make up what existentialism is, so there is no general agreement in a subjective set of beliefs and ideals. Since beliefs vary, each gets that the individuals best freedom is whats important for people within a society. Existentialisms Influence on Humanity Existentialistic beliefs came at a time where in society there was a sense of hopelessness following World War II and the Great Depression. There was an essence of confidence in people whose life that was devastated by events of World War I and its tragedies. This depression had been voiced by existential philosophers such as Kierkegaard, Dostoyevsky, Nietzsche and Sartre well in to the 70s and has remained on to this day as a common way of thoughtfulness and reasoning. With freedom to decide ones desired belief and lifestyle, an existentialist could a very of things from being a religious moralist, agnostic relativist, or an amoral atheist. With Kierkegaard being a religious philosopher, Sartre an atheist and Nietzsche an anti-Christian. Being credited for their workings and literatures on existentialism. With Sartre being noticed for taking the philosophy to global attention in the 20th century era. With a philosophy work based on a lecture called Existentialism is a Humanism he gave in Paris, 1945. Then a well-liked starting point for debates on Existentialist views, his work has been criticized by some philosophers. Even Sartre later disapproved of some of the views he stated and had regression over its publication. Each basically agrees that human life cannot be fully complete and completely pleasing since due to misery and past or current suffering that occurred when reflecting on ones lack of power, control and perfection over their lives. While they did approve on that life is not always satisfying, it nevertheless has a meaning. The hunt and journey one takes for find their true self and true personal meaning in life. The arbitrary act when someone or society attempts to insist or demand that their rules or beliefs are to be closely accepted and observed. Existentialists trusted that this destroyed individuality and makes a person become what the people in power desired, (similar to Michel Foucault on docile bodies) thus dehumanizing them and reducing them to being an object. A persons decision is the important factor when taking into account what is to be trusted rather than religious or cultural rules. References All About (n.d.). Existentialism. [online] Available at: http://www.allaboutphilosophy.org/existentialism.htm [Accessed 10 Jan. 2017]. Burnham, D. and Papandreopoulos, G. (n.d.). Existentialism. [online] Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Available at: http://www.iep.utm.edu/existent/ [Accessed 10 Jan. 2017]. CrashCourse, (2016). Existentialism: Crash Course Philosophy #16. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YaDvRdLMkHs [Accessed 9 Jan. 2017]. Foucault, M. (1995). Discipline and Punish. 1st ed. New York: Vintage Books. Sartre, J. (1948). Existentialism and Humanism. 1st ed. London: Methuen. Slow cinema is a cinematography style which stems from the artist film genre and which involves conveying a sense of a designed slowness to its viewer. Films in this genre often involves a lot of resistance to the use of movement and sometimes emotions, the absence of causality and focus on realism, such as, silent in a car. (ÇaÄÅ ¸layan, 2014) This affect is normally achieved through the practice of using long takes, minimalist acting, slow or inexistent movements of the camera, and sparse editing along with unconventional music. Slow cinema came from the slow movement which encouraged a social change toward slowing down ones life pace. It apparently began in the year 1986 with Carlo Petrinis protest against an opening of a McDonalds in Rome. This eventually sparked the creation of what was called the slow food movement. And over time, this had established into sub cultures in other areas, like slow cities, slow fashion and of course slow cinema. The slow moniker has successively been related to a range of activities and parts of culture, especially in a world that now release on things being so fast, such as action movies and fast food. I happened to then look for books and even thesiss relating to slow cinema, being delighted to read The Multisensory Film Experience a book that argues that it is the experience one feels from the viewing of film that is inherently multisensory and not the medium, contained a great deal of significances to materials and elements that is also appropriate for use in Slow Cinema, or that comes specially from slow films. The book even discusses Slow Cinema, which hadnt shocked me at all. With the help of its supporting video so to help get a better understanding of how these techniques would work, it claims that the multisensory experience in viewing a film can be felt mainly in ones with little to no dialogue. Films which have permitted time for its viewers experience and films which are often seriously concerned with beauty or the appreciation of beauty in its cinematics be in colourful landscapes or thoughtfulness of subject framing. That is not to say that other genres of films creat ed dont create or give this experience. It is simply more challenging to identify with blockbuster styled action movie as multisensory experience rather than as a product which uses image and sound extremely, nevertheless that doesnt mean it isnt there. Particularly, Antunes states that By using non-verbal communication and the senses, these films capture the interest of various audiences. The experiential appeal of these films is universal. (Antunes, 2016:7). The point that it is the experiential aspect is universal describes to me why there seems to be a relatively sizable group of people fascinated by slow cinema based films, and when asked why they are attracted to it, it seems that they may all feel the same way. Surely to different degrees, nonetheless its constantly about the individuals own experiential characteristic towards the films, not about how they feel towards the actress looks, or how staggering the use of movie cuts occurred. There is a feeling that lies within these individuals own identity in a way, who appreciate slow cinema, and I believe that me reading Antunes book is a very good start to discovering this feeling, the same way with discovering the feeling relating to Existentialism. Although the video above isnt a fair comparison it is to gain an understanding of the major scenes of slow cinema verses Hollywood blockbusters might entail. Different genres give a different experience especially when it comes to the use of cinematic framing and even acting. The viewers are there to experience the film in a different light. To me the experience you acquire from viewing slow cinema is subjective and generally individual; so, I cant prove anything or write a neutral scientific review backed up with facts I can only show you the style and methods it uses in hope that you can experience it in a similar way to me. But film viewing isnt fact, its experience. It always has been and it will always will be, be it that were discussing films of from the popular mainstream releases or to niche art house cinema. References Antunes, L. (2016). The Multisensory Film Experience. 1st ed. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. Antunes, L. (2016). The Multisensory Film Experience: A Cognitive Model of Experiential Film Aesthetics (Luis R. Antunes, 2016, Intellect Books). Available at: https://vimeo.com/166639673 [Accessed 5 Jan. 2017]. Alayan, O. (2014). SCREENING BOREDOM: The History and Aesthetics of Slow Cinema. Ph.D. University of Kent. JoBlo Movie Trailers, (2014). Night Moves Official Movie Clip #1 (2014) Jesse Eisenberg, Dakota Fanning HD. [image] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zU96c-uEWxc [Accessed 5 Jan. 2017]. Keene, S. (2015). Slow Cinema vs Hollywood. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W-YTt8zfCOw [Accessed 5 Jan. 2017]. Existentialism being a catch-all word used for those philosophers who consider the nature of the human condition as the crucial philosophical problem and who share the opinion that this problem is best tackled through what is called ontology. With existentialism being a philosophical theory that a person is an unrestricted being who have power over their own choices and actions. Existentialists believe that people should not limit their individuals life or actions and that limitations constrain a persons free-will and the growth of that persons real potential. To get a better understanding existentialism, it was important for me to look into examples of existential situations, activities and questions. It was also fun to look into how the media industry use of this theory is done and which movies and directors were famous for their use of existentialism. Common Existential Actions Taking charge for your own actions. Deciding your career based on what you think is the most significant way to spend your future. Living your life without concern on following all if any of commonly-held religious or social beliefs Trusting in yourself that as educator you are offering a positive and critical role in the growing of your students. And more extreme behaviors such as releasing all of your belongings and going on some sort of self-journey. Existential Questions To get an understanding of how existentialism view life, here are instances where existential questions may come into play: Who am I? What is my real purpose or identity? What is the meaning of life? What is the meaning of existence? What is my greater purpose? What is death? And what happens when to a person when they die? Is there a god? And if there is a god, what is the nature of god? Existential Crisis Examples An existential crisis is when a major changes relating to life or tragedy happens and causes us to start questioning our real identity. Such as: Being in education you entire life and have become so used to the routine however when youve come towards the end you not entirely sure which path you want to continue with. You fall in love and want to live with that person forever. Then you discover that person does not feel the same way. You identify yourself as an athlete and have a promising career. Then you have a severe injury and your career is over. At that point, you would have an existential crisis because you have defined yourself as an athlete. If you are raised to believe that God rewards good people and punishes bad people, you may have a problem coping with injustice or cruel acts inflicted by bad people on good people. You see yourself as a parent so when the children leave the home, you are faced with a crisis in how you perceive yourself. You are a soldier and you have been told that you will be considered a hero by people you are trying to help. Then you find out that they hate you. Existentialism x Media Monty Python dealt with existentialism in their 1983 film Monty Pythons The Meaning of Life Alice in Wonderland Alice wishes she hadnt come there but it was her decision and no one elses. In Natasha Bedingfields song, Unwritten where in the lyrics she explain that no one else can take the blame since it was a person decision out of their own free will to do it. Feel the rain on your skin, No one else can feel it for you, Only you can let it inà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ No one else, no one else In the movie Stranger than Fiction the character Professor Hilbert implies that Harold can do whatever pleases him, even if it just means eating nothing but pancakes. This is to point out that he should go out and live his life. The movie I Heart Huckabees. In this movie a character uses a blanket to represent the universe and that each part of the blanket is a person or thing. Theatre of the Absurd has roots in existentialism as shown in Waiting for Godot by Samuel Beckett, where characters discuss their lives while waiting for Godot. In Jean-Paul Sartres No Exit , people are left in a room and they think it is hell but no one arrives to torture them. They soon see that they really there to torment one another but instead they converse about each others lives. Directors of Existentialist Films Some movie directors are well-known for their existentialist films such as: Christopher Nolan Stanley Kubrick Woody Allen Wes Anderson Jean-Luc Godard Charlie Kaufman These are all different examples that can help gain a better understanding of what existentialism is and how it has been used in the media, both in film and music, also who is known for using elements of this theory in the process of their creative process. References: Burnham, D. and Papandreopoulos, G. (n.d.). Existentialism. [online] Iep.utm.edu. Available at: http://www.iep.utm.edu/existent/ [Accessed 4 Jan. 2017]. CrashCourse, (2016). Existentialism: Crash Course Philosophy #16. [image] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YaDvRdLMkHs [Accessed 4 Jan. 2017]. YourDictionary. (n.d.). Examples of Existentialism. [online] Available at: http://examples.yourdictionary.com/examples-of-existentialism.html [Accessed 4 Jan. 2017]. With my idea following the styling of slow cinema, its meaning even more importance is put on the use of cinematic and well as how the characters are framed in order for the viewers to get the emotions and feelings of the character without having to use dialog, so i began researching how best to do this has I have loved the work of Tom Campbell. There are many different techniques to express emotions on screen, from obviously expressing it with dialog to tapping into the use psychological effects related to colour. But framing shots in specific ways can also be really effective at communicating a characters emotional and mental state. Though it might seem like a bit of a puzzling idea, of communicating feelings through visuals however it is relatively straightforward. There are a number of elements in filmmaking that do the job, and filmmakers, like Steve McQueen, Frank Darabont and Alfonso Cuarà ³n combined them to produce some of the most effectively moving and emotional scenes in cinematics. From watching the video by Simon Cade DSLRguide, one of the main pieces of information that was just briefly touched upon, is that storytelling with the use of cinematography is basically the art of visually portraying some sort of change. If your characters happen to go through an important change during the script, let your cinematographic selections reveal that change. Lets say that a character starts out, terrified, shy or timid of the world around him. You could start off with framings that minimizes the characters size while accentuating and increasing the situation around him. The use of Wide-angled lenses are great for this purpose as they capture more of whats in view. Then, as the narrative develops and the character becomes self-confident, your framings and lens choice should begin to develop with that change. Instead of using wide-angles, you choose a longer focal length that separate the character from their foreground and background, and frame them so that they are equa l or even larger in the frame as the other characters around them. The other important insight from watching this video shows is that with cinematography, none of these rules are set in stone. As weve seen from many other experimental pieces and even TV shows, rules are meant to be broken, and in fact, many filmmakers overlooked these conventions in their own work such as cinematographer Tom Campbell on Mr. Robot. The essential thing is that you make knowledgeable use of cinematic choices based on whats happening in the story and what your character is undergoing emotionally. James Manning discusses a bit on how the producers of the award-winning TV show Mr. Robot uses framing, namely quadrant framing, to communicate the social anxiety and distrust experienced by its protagonist, and we me taking inspiration from the show on how to frame my characters to help show theyre emotions on scene without having to using dialog. As we have seen there are numerous different recognised concepts about composition and storytelling with just cinematics, that looks to enlighten us on how a characters placing within a frame affects the audiences understanding of the scene. The general view of the Rule of Thirds states the frame is split into horizontal and vertical guide lines that create a multi-quadrant grid, the crossings of them then serves as the focal point for anything of significant to the image such as faces and objects. There are many ways to play around with this perception such as placing the things of main importance at a crossing, but you can also communicate different things by placing your subject inside a certain quadrant. An example by, how the creators placing Elliot in the bottom left quadrant gives the feeling of how he is isolated, and even untrusting of what is around him. The reason for this stems from the relationship between positive space and negative space with negative space being the space that surrounds a subject, while positive space is usually the subject itself. If a character, which is conventionally the focal point of the framing, simply takes a small portion of the frame, the negative space enhances and becomes much more noticeable and even consuming, which can result in provoking emotions such as isolation, loneliness, suspicion, distrust and powerlessness. References CineFix, (2016). 3 Brilliant Moments in the Visuals of Emotion. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NDFTFFA0LtE [Accessed 3 Jan. 2017]. DSLRguide, (2015). Composition + Framing Storytelling with Cinematography. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MfIanZimZR8 [Accessed 3 Jan. 2017]. Manning, J. (2016). Mr Robot: Unconventional Framing (Video Essay). Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Se6ftrRd5KM [Accessed 3 Jan. 2017].

Entrepreneurship In Contexts Of Business Management Commerce Essay

Entrepreneurship In Contexts Of Business Management Commerce Essay The business world can be seen as a complex system of individuals and business organisations that, in a free market economy such as South Africa, involves the activity of transforming scarce resources into products and services in order to meet the needs of society (Du Toit, Erasmus Strydom, 2007:4). Business organisations therefore solve the fundamental economic problem of how to ensure the highest possible satisfaction of needs with scarce resources (Cronje, Du Toit Motlatla, 2001:23). In order to understand how the business organisation satisfies the needs of society in a free market economy, it is important to understand the driving force behind the business organisation, namely the entrepreneur (Du Toit et al., 2007:37). The entrepreneur is at the heart of a free market economy and establishes business organisations and in doing so creates jobs and wealth (Cronje et al., 2001:3). Entrepreneurs and new business creation is fundamental to the growth of the South African economy and to the future socio-political stability of the country (Von Broembsen, Wood Herrington, 2005:5). Due to low economic growth, high unemployment and an unsatisfactory level of poverty in South Africa, entrepreneurship becomes a critical solution (Rwigema Venter, 2004:27). As mentioned in Chapter 1, one of the most important groups of entrepreneurs within the economy with considerable potential to contribute to economic growth, economic development and employment generation are business women (Blumberg Kenan, 2008; Ahl, 2006; Negash, 2006; Blumberg, 2005; Republic of South Africa, 2005; Baker, Aldrich Liou, 1997). Therefore, this study focuses on the strategic entrepreneurial behaviour of business women in South Africa. An improved understanding of entrepreneurial behaviour and decision-making would enable business management students to better understand how business organisations function in todays competitive environment. In this chapter the concept of business management is addressed. The chapter starts by introducing the subject of economics, followed by an overview of business management as a discipline. This section leads to a discussion of the relationship between economics and business management. Then follows a section which elaborates on entrepreneurship and strategic management as well as a section how these two fields overlap. Special attention is given to entrepreneurship and strategic management in an attempt to clarify the position of this study in a business management context. The position of the study within the field of economics and business management is illustrated in Figure 2.1. Figure 2.1: The position of the study within the field of economics and business management 2.2 ECONOMICS Economics has been defined in various ways in its more than 200 year history (Arnold, 2004:3). It is therefore useful to review a number of definitions of what economics entails. Alfred Marshall (1824-1924) broadly defined economics as the study of mankind in the ordinary business of life; it is the study of wealth and of man. Lionel Robbins (1898-1984) definition focussed on alternative outputs that can be achieved with scarce resources. He defined economics as the science which studies human behaviour as a relationship between ends and scarce means which have alternative uses. Similarly, Milton Friedman (1912-2006) said that economics is the science of how a particular society solves its economic problems. He then argues that an economic problem exists whenever scarce means are used to satisfy alternative ends (Arnold, 2004:3). It seems from the above definitions that economics is the study of how society manages its scarce resources (Mankiw, 2004:4). More comprehensively, economic s is the study of how individuals and societies deal with the fact that wants are greater than the limited resources available to satisfy those wants (Arnold, 2004:3). The condition, under which wants are greater than the limited resources available to satisfy those wants, is called scarcity (Arnold, 2004:3). This endeavour to achieve the highest possible satisfaction of needs with scarce resources is known as the fundamental economic principle (Smit, Cronje, Brevis Vrba, 2007:20) and every economic system is subject to it (Cronje et al., 2001:23). That being so, it follows that any component of an economic system, including a business organisation, is also subject to the economic principle (Nieman Bennett, 2006:6; Cronje et al., 2001:23). In order to create wealth and satisfy wants, as implied in the definitions, resources are utilised (Nickels, McHugh McHugh, 2008:9). Resources are divided into four broad categories, called factors of production. These factors of production are: land, labour, capital, and entrepreneurship (Arnold, 2004:5). Land includes all natural resources, such as minerals, forests, water and unimproved land. Labour, on the other hand, consists of the physical and mental talents people contribute to the production process. Capital consists of produced goods that can be used as inputs for further production. Entrepreneurship, the focus of this study, refers to the particular talent that some individuals have for organising the resources of land, labour, and capital to produce goods, seek new business opportunities, and develop new ways of doing things (Arnold, 2004:5). It furthermore refers to the initiative of putting together a range of production factors in various combinations in diverse busin esses to satisfy the numerous needs of consumers (Nieman Bennett 2006:6). The field of economics is traditionally divided into two broad subfields, namely, microeconomics and macroeconomics (Mankiw, 2004:4). On the one hand, microeconomics deals with human behaviour and choices as they relate to relatively small units and studies interactions through individual markets, given scarcity and government regulation (Arnold, 2004:27). In other words, microeconomics is the study of how households and firms make decisions and how they interact in specific markets. On the other hand, macroeconomics deals with human behaviour and choices as they relate to highly aggregate markets or to the entire economy (Arnold, 2004:4). Macroeconomics is thus the study of economy-wide phenomena (Mankiw, 2004:27). The present study is related to microeconomics as it deals with individuals i.e. business women and how they make decisions to allocate scarce resources. Neoclassical economists are interested in decision-making, especially the costs and incentives associated with economic choices (Hicks, 1937). The decision-making process plays an important role in any business organisation and is of importance for problem-solving, the development of business plans, and goal-directed behaviour (Gray, 2001). In macroeconomics, a neoclassical synthesis was developed in the early 1950s, based on an integration of Keyness ideas and the ideas of earlier economists (Blanchard, 2006:576). These theories had a fundamental impact on the modern understanding of firms and their relation to the environment. In economics theories are useful for explaining and predicting economic behaviour. Theories are developed to explain observed phenomena in terms of a set of basic rules and assumptions (Pindyck Rubinfeld, 2005:5). The theory of the firm consists of a number of economic theories which describe the nature of the firm, company, or corporation, including its existence, its behaviour, and its relationship with the market (Coase, 1937), which impact business management scholars understanding of the field. The theory of the firm is based on a simple assumption namely that firms try to maximise their profits (Pindyck Rubinfeld, 2005:5). The theory of the firm furthermore provides an explanation of how a firm makes cost-minimising production decisions and how its cost varies with output (Pindyck Rubinfeld, 2005:188). In simplified terms, the theory of the firm attempts to answer questions regarding the existence of firms, the boundaries of firms, the organisation of firms and questions con cerning heterogeneity of firm actions and performances (Coase, 1937). To summarise, the field of economics focuses on how society manages its scarce resources, also called factors of production, to satisfy the needs of society. In order to understand how entrepreneurship, as one of the factors of production, influences wealth creation in the economy, one has to appreciate the role of business management which is concerned with the management aspects of the factors of production. 2.3 BUSINESS MANAGEMENT AS A DISCIPLINE The origins of traditional management can be traced back to the need for efficiency and effectiveness (Weymes, 2004:340). The endeavour to achieve the highest possible satisfaction of needs with scarce resources is known as the fundamental economic principle (Smit et al., 2007:20). Within economic and management sciences, traditional business management is subject to this principle, and the managements task is thus is to decide how an organisation can achieve the highest possible output with the least possible input (Smit et al., 2007:20; Scheepers, 2009:7). More specifically, it entails an examination of the factors, methods and principles that enable a business to function as productively as possible in order to maximise its profits (Nieman, 2005:39). In short, the individual business enterprise should focus on realising the economic principle (Scheepers, 2009:7). The study of business management depends on comprehensive and ongoing research and the examination of management problems, the testing of approaches and principles as well as experimentation with methods and techniques. Business management is thus an applied science that studies how business organisations can best be directed towards realising their objectives given their limited resources (Du Toit et al., 2007:27). Klekamp (1968:54) defines business management as achieving organisational goals through people. It is useful to consider this time-worn definition through the perspective of three fundamental schools of management. These schools are: the traditional school of management; the behavioural school of management and the quantitative school of management. It appears that the traditional school sees the achievement of organisational goals as a process. It further suggests that the process is universal i.e. the distinguishing characteristic of a manager is the mastery of her discipline and the application of her art rather that the environment in which it is practiced. The behavioural school, on the other hand, focuses on the achievement of goals, as the process does, but dwells to a large extent upon why people act as they do when under the influence of the management process and in the company of people grouped together for the accomplishment of organisational goals. Alternatively, the quantitative school proposes that the achievement of goals depends to a large extent on the quality of the decisions made in the practice of the management science (Klekamp, 1968:54). Although, business management has been defined by a number of authors, fundamental to most definitions is the idea that management is a social process of planning, coordination, control, and motivation (Pettinger, 2002; Hodgetts, 1981:114). One can infer that business management therefore involves satisfying needs with a limited amount of resources through planning, coordination, control, and motivation of these resources (Ward, 2008:19). The many definitions offered in the literature on management demonstrate the wide differences of opinion among writers and experts about the tasks and activities of management. Figure 2.2 illustrates the four fundamental tasks that are singled out as the most important activities of the management process. These are: planning, organising, leading and control (Du Toit et al., 2007:129). Figure 2.2: The four fundamental management tasks represented as a process SOURCE: Adapted from Du Toit et al., 2007:130 The following brief description of the fundamental management tasks clarifies the concept of management and the management process. The first fundamental task of management, namely planning, determines the mission and goals of the organisation, including the way goals are to be reached in the long-term, and the resources needed for this task (Du Toit et al., 2007:130). Strategic management is an integral part of planning and is the process of developing a vision, mission and long-term objectives for the organisation as a whole. According to Nieman and Bennett (2002:14), organisations succeed if their strategies are appropriate for the circumstances they face, and feasible in respect of their resources, skills and capabilities. Strategic management is discussed in more depth in Section 2.6. The second fundamental task in the management process is organising. This task refers to the development of a framework or organisational structure to indicate how people, equipment and materials should be employed to reach the predetermined goals (Du Toit et al., 2007:130). Leading, the third fundamental task, entails directing the human resources of the business and motivating them (Du Toit et al., 2007:130) in order to get them to perform in such a way that the organisational objectives can be achieved (Nieman Bennett, 2006:99). The final fundamental task, namely control, implies that managers should constantly establish whether the business is on a proper course towards the accomplishment of its goals (Du Toit et al., 2007:131) as well as structuring the activities of the organisation to facilitate the attainment of its objectives (Nieman Bennett, 2006:93). The fundamental task of business management is, however, not only to plan, organise, lead, and to control but to study those factors, principles and methods that will lead a business organisation, as a component of the prevailing economic system, to reach its objectives against the background of limited resources (Du Toit et al., 2007:28) within the microeconomic field of study. In the following section the relationship between economics and business management is discussed. Particular attention is paid to the discussion of a business organisation as a component of the economic system, specifically how, as a need-satisfying institution in the free market economy, it provides for the needs of the community (Cronje et al., 2001:32). 2.4 RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ECONOMICS AND BUSINESS MANAGEMENT On the one hand, economics, as a social science, studies how humans and society exercise choices concerning different ways of utilising their scarce resources in order to satisfy unlimited needs. On the other hand, business management as an applied science is concerned with the study of those institutions in a particular economic system which satisfy the needs of a community. Economics examines the entire economic system, while business management limits its studies to one component of the economic system, namely the individual organisation (Cronje et al., 2001:23). Business management is thus closely linked with microeconomics and the theory of the firm as the purpose of business management is to hold an organisation to the economic principle (Cronje et al., 2001:23). Business management, as a field of study, is concerned with the management aspects of the inputs, the conversion process, and the outputs (Nieman Bennett, 2006:6). More specifically, it entails an examination of the factors, methods and principles that enable a business to function as productively as possible in order to maximise profits (Nieman Bennett, 2002:4). In order to recognise how the business organisation satisfies the needs of society in a free market economy, such as South Africa, one has to understand one of the driving forces behind the business organisation, namely the entrepreneur (Du Toit et al., 2007:37). 2.5 ENTREPRENEURSHIP Economic development can be directly attributed to the level of entrepreneurial activity in a country (Bird, 1989; Schumpeter, 1934) as entrepreneurial businesses are responsible for growth and job creation in the economy (Nieman, Hough Nieuwenhuizen, 2003:3). Entrepreneurship is the process that causes change in the economic system through innovations of individuals who respond to opportunities in the market. Entrepreneurs are challenging existing assumptions as well as conventional rules of business and are creating value in novel and creative ways for themselves and society (Morris, Kuratko Covin, 2008:3). It is therefore important to study entrepreneurship in an increasingly globalised world where survival often depends on people who are driven by opportunity and who seek to achieve their goals in a sustainable way (Rwigema Venter, 2004:9). Although the term entrepreneurship has been in use for over 200 years, considerable disagreement remains over its meaning. Although the disagreement seems greatest if definitions of entrepreneurship between disciplines are compared, a consensus is found if definitions produced by specialists in the same field, are compared (Nieman et al., 2003:9). Economists, for example, tend to agree that entrepreneurs are associated with innovation and are seen as the driving forces of development (Filion, 1998). The behaviourists, on the other hand, try to understand the entrepreneur as a person and ascribe to the characteristics of mainly the flexible interpretative models. The behavioural approach places emphasis on explaining how decisions are taken within the firm. However, any theory of entrepreneurship must be flexible and multidimensional to reflect its multidisciplinary roots (Nieman et al., 2003:9; Filion, 1998). While multiple definitions of entrepreneurship could be found in the literature (Sharma Chrisman, 1999; Venkataraman, 1997; Schumpeter, 1983; Kirzner, 1973), no single definition has been accepted by the whole entrepreneurship field (Scheepers, 2007:25). For the purposes of the present study entrepreneurship can be defined as the process of creating value by bringing together a unique combination of resources to exploit an opportunity (Barringer Ireland, 2006:5; Stevenson, Roberts Grousback, 1989). Since this definition implies that: (1) entrepreneurship may vary in terms of the extent and number of times it occurs; (2) entrepreneurship occurs in various contexts for example start-ups and corporate firms; (3) it is a process that can be managed; and (4) it creates value and it is opportunity-driven (Scheepers, 2009). Firstly, regarding the implication that entrepreneurship may vary in terms of the extent and number of times it occurs, it is useful to examine the concept of entrepreneurial intensity (EI). The term of EI was pioneered by Morris and Sexton (1996), who view EI as a function of the degree and frequency of entrepreneurship (Morris, 1998:42). Frequency of entrepreneurship refers to the number of times an enterprise acts entrepreneurially. In other words, the number of entrepreneurial events that takes place within a company over a given period of time (Morris et al., 2008:69; Morris, 1998:42). The degree of entrepreneurship could be assessed against the background of three dimensions: innovativeness, risk-taking, and proactiveness (Erasmus Scheepers, 2008; Morris, 1998:37). Innovativeness, the first dimension of the degree of entrepreneurship, refers to the ability to generate ideas that will culminate in the production of new products, services and technologies. Risk-taking, the second dimension, involves the determination and courage to make resources available for projects that have uncertain outcomes. Attempts are made to manage these risks by researching a market, recruiting and employing skilled staff among other strategies. Proactiveness, the third dimension, indicates top managements stance towards opportunities, encouragement of initiative, competitive aggressiveness and confidence in pursuing enhanced competitiveness (Morris, 1998:18, 41-43). The concept of EI is illustrated in Figure 2.3. The two-dimensional matrix, referred to as the entrepreneurial grid, shows the frequency of entrepreneurial events on the vertical axis, and the degree to which these events are innovative, risk-taking and proactive on the horizontal axis (Morris et al., 2008:69). EI must become a key activity ratio that is monitored on an ongoing basis within organisations. Assessment at the level of the organisation can be used for various purposes: to benchmark and track levels of entrepreneurship; establish norms and draw industry comparisons; establish entrepreneurship goals; develop strategies; and assess relationships between EI and organisation performance variables over time (Morris et al., 2008:78). Figure 2.3: The entrepreneurial grid SOURCE: Morris et al., 2008:70 Secondly, as implied in the definition of Stevenson et al. (1989) entrepreneurship in reality can occur in various organisational contexts (Morris et al., 2008:11). These organisational contexts may range from establishing a new enterprise, growing an existing small business, or innovation within large organisations (Scheepers, 2009:27). In other words, entrepreneurship can also be used to describe entrepreneurial actions within a firm. In this instance, an entrepreneurial firm creates wealth by concentrating on being innovative, proactive, and risk-taking (Ireland, Hitt, Camp Sexton, 2001:51). Corporate entrepreneurship is a term used to describe entrepreneurial behaviour inside existing organisations (Morris et al., 2008:11). Within these different contexts the definition above still applies, since the process and required inputs are similar, even if the outputs differ (Scheepers, 2009), therefore the female entrepreneurial behaviour examined in this study is still regarded as ent repreneurship, even though it may occur in two contexts, namely within a corporate context or in an independent venture. Thirdly, as stipulated in the definition, entrepreneurship can be viewed as a process. Therefore even though entrepreneurship and innovation are inherently unpredictable, chaotic and create ambiguity; entrepreneurship is a process, and as such it can be managed. Entrepreneurial events are characterised by different stages, such as opportunity identification, business concept definition, assessment of the resource requirements, acquisition of the needed resources, and then the management and harvesting of the business (Morris Kuratko, 2002). Finally, the ability to act entrepreneurially is linked to the perception of opportunity. The pursuit of opportunities also emphasises that those opportunities, which create the greatest value, could be exploited. It is important to note that entrepreneurship differs from management. There are important differences between the entrepreneurial and managerial functions, as well as the expertise and competence with regard to each (Nieman et al., 2003:13). Management is a social process of planning, coordination, control, and motivation (Ward, 2008:19). Management thus involves getting things done through other people and is, in a sense, a transformation process, where human, technical, and conceptual skills are used to transform inputs into outputs (Morris et al., 2008:12). Entrepreneurship, on the other hand, is the process of creating value by bringing together a unique combination of resources to exploit an opportunity (Barringer Ireland, 2006:5; Stevenson, Roberts Grousback, 1989). Entrepreneurs envision the future, recognise emerging patterns, identify untapped opportunities, and create innovations to exploit those opportunities (Morris et al., 2008:12). Figure 2.4 contrasts the primary roles of the manager with those of the entrepreneur. The figure shows that managers are charged with the efficient and effective utilisation of the resources under their control. They tend to be focussed on optimising current operations. Entrepreneurs, alternatively, demonstrate creative capabilities in obtaining resources, overcoming obstacles, and persisting in implementing new ideas that represent change (Morris et al., 2008:12). Figure 2.4: Comparing and combining key roles of managers and entrepreneurs THE ENTREPRENEURIAL MANAGER SOURCE: Adapted from Morris et al., 2008:13 One of the general approaches to management methods with the purpose of creating a sustainable competitive advantage is that of strategic management (Cronje et al., 2001:24). According to Nieman and Bennett (2002:14), strategy is fundamentally about a fit between the organisations resources and the markets targeted by it, as well as the ability to sustain fit over time and in changing circumstances and to create and maintain a competitive advantage within a given market. Therefore, the nature and characteristics of strategic management is discussed in the following section. 2.6 STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT Several schools of thought with different opinions about the nature and scope of strategy can be distinguished from the literature (French, 2009:13). There is also a lack of a universally accepted definition of strategic management. However, central to most definitions is the notion that strategic management is the process through which managers formulate, implement, and monitor action plans to optimise the achievement of key goals (Rwigema Venter, 2004:195). Barney and Arikan (2001:140) define strategic management as a firms theory of how it can gain superior performance in the markets within which it operates. Venkataraman and Sarasvathy (2001:651) define the subject of strategic management as having to do with the methods used to create value and the ensuing struggle to capture a significant share of that value. Hough, Thompson, Strickland and Gamble (2008:4) propose that strategy consists of the competitive moves and business approaches that managers employ in order to grow the firm, attract and please customers, compete successfully, conduct operations, and achieve the targeted levels of organisational performance. For the purpose of the present study strategic management is defined as a process that deals with the long-term entrepreneurial work of the organisation, with organisational renewal and growth, and more particularly, with developing and utilising strategy, which is a guide to the organisations operations (Lyles, 1990:363). Strategic management has gained prominence in recent years as organisations compete in volatile environments (Rwigema Venter, 2004:197). The dynamic environment in which organisations operate poses ongoing management and leadership challenges, marked by complexity, uncertainty, and ambiguity (Rwigema Venter, 2004:93). Traditional business models are often no longer applicable and some managers are abandoning conventional approaches to strategy as they search for new ways to achieve a competitive advantage in a turbulent environment. Strategic management paradigms have shifted from essentially static to more dynamic worldviews (Scheepers, 2007:46). To summarise, in todays fast-paced competitive environment, firms face the need to be increasingly nimble and adaptive (Ireland Webb, 2007:49). Ireland et al. (2001:53) state that successfully integrating entrepreneurial and strategic actions improves a firms ability to grow and create wealth. The following section elaborates on the relationship between entrepreneurship and strategic management and on how these two fields overlap. 2.7 RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP While the fields of strategic management and entrepreneurship have developed largely independently of each other, they both focus on how firms adapt to environmental change and exploit opportunities created by uncertainties and discontinuities in the creation of wealth (Hitt, Ireland, Camp Sexton, 2001:480; Venkataraman Sarasvathy, 2001:480). Creating wealth is at the heart of both entrepreneurship and strategic management. Figure 2.5 illustrates how firms create wealth by using entrepreneurial actions and strategic actions within different domains. Figure 2.5: Creating wealth through entrepreneurial and strategic actions SOURCE: Ireland et al., 2001:51 As illustrated in Figure 2.5, firms can create wealth by using entrepreneurial actions and strategic actions within different domains. These domains are vital in the process of creating sustainable income streams by developing and exploiting competitive advantages. (Ireland et al., 2001:51). Strategic management and entrepreneurship overlaps in terms of their interest in venture creation, novel strategies, growth and performance of organisations (Scheepers, 2007:46). Entrepreneurship involves identifying and exploiting entrepreneurial opportunities. However, to create the most value entrepreneurial firms also need to act strategically. An integration of entrepreneurial and strategic thinking is therefore necessary (Hitt et al., 2001:479). In the previous section entrepreneurship was defined as the process of creating value by bringing together a unique combination of resources in order to exploit an opportunity (Barringer Ireland, 2006:5; Stevenson et al., 1989). As such, entrepreneurial actions, on the one hand, entail creating new resources or combining existing resources in new ways to develop and commercialise new products, move into new markets, and/ or service new customers (Hitt et al., 2001:480). On the other hand, strategic management entails the set of commitments, decisions, and actions designed and executed to produce a competitive advantage and earn above-average returns (Hitt et al., 2001:480). Strategic management thus provides the context for entrepreneurial actions (Ireland, Hitt, Camp Sexton, 2001). Entrepreneurship is about creation; strategic management is about how advantage is established and maintained from what is created (Venkataraman Sarasvathy, 2001). Entrepreneurship is concerned with how the opportunity to create value in society is discovered and acted upon by some individuals. Strategic management is concerned with the methods used to create this value and the ensuing struggle to capture a significant share of that value by individuals and firms (Venkataraman Sarasvathy, 2001:650-651). Strategic Management has to do with the achievement of ends obtaining market share, profit and sustained competitive advantage. Then again, entrepreneurship has to do with the achievement of beginnings creating markets, firms and products (Venkataraman Sarasvathy, 2001:651). Thus, entrepreneurial and strategic perspectives should be integrated to examine entrepreneurial behaviour. For the purpose of the present study this approach is called strategic entrepreneurial behaviour (SEB). SEB is entrepreneurial action and behaviour with a strategic perspective. It is the integration of entrepreneurial (i.e. opportunity-seeking behaviour) and strategic (i.e. advantage-seeking behaviour) perspectives in developing and taking actions to create wealth (Hitt et al., 2001:480-481). 2.8 CHAPTER SUMMARY This chapter attempts to provide perspective on the position of this study within the broad field of economics and business management. It defines the concept of business management as satisfying consumer needs with a limited amount of resources, through the planning, coordination, control, and motivation of these resources. Based on this definition of business management, the chapter provides an explanation of how business management stems from economics. Economics is defined as the allocation of scarce resources in order to fulfil the unlimited needs of society. This section leads to a discussion of the relationship between economics and business management. The main link between economics and business management is that the one studies the economic system as a whole, while the other studies a single component of that system.

Sufism Essay -- essays research papers

Sufism   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Sufism, otherwise known as Islamic Mysticism, is a branch of Islam. It deals with special powers that are contained in the Qur'an. It is a more philosophical approach, where a person tries to become one with nature, and feel the power of God. The term mysticism can be defined as the consciousness of the One Reality -- be it called Wisdom, Light, Love or Nothing. (Shcimmel 23)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  A Sufi tries to unite his will with God's will. They try to isolate themselves, so they can fear and become close to God. By isolating themselves, a Sufi tries to stay away from politics and public affairs, so as too not get corrupted. The Sufi's path is a path of love, to be thankful of all God's bounties. Many Sufi's try to help individuals in trouble. They use special powers, which enable them to help people who are suffering. Of course this power can only be given by God, and Sufi's in no way equal to God's power. In fact, Sufi's that claim to be at the same level of God cannot be classified as a Muslim. (Frager 11)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Sufi's stress love, because they believe that love will help you in the Day of Judgement. That the people who you truly love, will give you their good deeds, so that you may enter Paradise. Normally these people who give their good deeds away are known as dervishes (this is quite different from the belief in Islam).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Sufi's also stress the remembrance of God, which is called Zikr. They try to get close to God, to be one with God. They define God as something that is close to you but you can't see it. That God is all around us, but His presence is too overwhelming to see. An example is like fish who is in water. The fish can't really see the water, even though it is all around the fish. Once a person realizes the presence of God, he or she will feel closer to God. (Frager 27)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Sufi's believe that God remains hidden, so that people don't complain to Him (this however is not an Islamic belief). In Islam, God's presence isn't seen, because He has too much power for the human eyes to see. Sufi's also believe that pain increases the devotion to God. To get close to God, one must experience pain. To suffer pain is a true test of faith. Life becomes a test for that person, and if he or she remains close to God, then he or s... ...o temptation. A Sufi must have a strong will and be able to control their inner soul (nafs). This also part of the reason why they isolate themselves, so they do not get tempted by any worldly desires. A Sufi's outside appearance should represent his inner soul. If a person does commits a sin then he/she must repent to God, and ask for forgiveness. If a Sufi sees a fault in someone else, then he should correct. It is a Sufi's duty to correct other people and help them.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  These beliefs are followed by many Sufi's around the world. All aspect of Sufism are considered Islamic, unless the basic principles of Islam are broken. These basic principles are found in the Qur'an and also in the hadith. Anything else added to the religion is called bidah, and is not accepted in Islam. Sufism deals with a whole other side of Islam, a part which deals with mystical powers and mysteries (some of which are not meant to be understood, that is only for God to know). To understand these powers and mysteries are very difficult and take a great deal of studying and self searching. But when one taps into these mystical powers, that person opens a door of unlimited knowledge.

Guns, Germs, and Steel :: History, European Dominance

All through history, there is a ubiquitous theme. In life’s perpetual cycle, the Europeans always manage to overshadow the other civilizations. Why is it that the Europeans dominated the other races? Throughout Guns, Germs, and Steel, Jared Diamond desperately attempts to answer Yali’s question asking â€Å"Why is it that you white people developed so much cargo and brought it to New Guinea, but we black people had little cargo of our own† (Diamond, p. 14)? In the Epilogue, Diamond summarizes his answer to Yali’s question essentially attributing the environment for the success of the Europeans and discredits racial superiority of any sort (Diamond, p.405). Although other factors contributed to the rise of the European civilization, the environment was the main factor. Some specific factors falling under environment that affected the European civilization are geography, food production, and diffusion and population. The geography of Europe contributed to its dominance over the other civilizations. The Chinese appeared to have it all. They had a rise of food production, the largest human population in the world, and developed writing and most of all they were unified country (Diamond, p.411). The European coastline was highly indented with five large peninsulas which all evolved independent languages, ethnic groups, and government. China has a much smoother coastline with land that is less scattered compared to Europe (Diamond, p.414). â€Å"Europe’s geographic balkanization† and discord among the states developed hundreds of competing, and ambitious states (Diamond, p.416). States were kept on their toes to try to out due what another state had previously accomplished because they knew â€Å"if one state did not pursue some particular innovation, another did, forcing neighboring states to do likewise or else be conquered or left economically behind† (Diamond, p.416). Chinaà ¢â‚¬â„¢s unification based on geography led to their demise. Their government isolated them from the outside world and rejected all imports including technologies leaving them dramatically underdeveloped in a world of technologies (Diamond, p.416). Food production also affected Europe’s dominance over the other civilizations. As stated in chapter 18, â€Å"the former absence of food production in [the Americas] was due entirely to their local paucity of domesticable wild animals and plants, and to geographic and ecological barriers that prevented the crops and the few domestic animal species of other parts of the Americas from arriving (Diamond, p.356). Domestication of animals varied among the continents because of differences in continental areas and the Late Pleistocene extinctions.

Cell Injury and Cell Death

â€Å"Common biochemical themes are important to understanding cell injury and cell death regardless of the injuring agent† (Heuther & McCance, 2012). Cellular injury arises when a cell is unable to sustain homeostasis. The injury can be reversed if the cell can recover from whatever damage was done but if it does not recover the cell will die. The three common forms of cell injury are hypoxic injury, free radicals and reactive oxygen species injury, and chemical injury.The most common form of cell injury is hypoxic injury, or hypoxia, the deficiency of adequate oxygen. Ischemia is the most common cause of tissue hypoxia and is caused from a decrease in blood flow. Hypoxia can also be caused by a reduced amount of oxygen in the air, loss of hemoglobin, diseases of the respiratory and cardiovascular systems, and decreased production of red blood cells. Cardiac ischemia is one of the most recognizable forms of hypoxic injury and is caused by a blockage in the coronary arteries o f the heart.Once the blood flow to heart tissue decreases or stops completely, the heart tissue is damaged and can lead to further complications including a myocardial infarction. Another form of cell injury is free radicals and reactive oxygen species. â€Å"An important mechanism of cellular injury is injury induced by free radicals, especially by reactive oxygen species (ROS); this form of injury is called oxidative stress† (Heuther and McCance, 2012). Free radicals are produced by cells and are crucial to normal cellular metabolism.Free radicals can form damaging chemical bonds with lipids, proteins, and carbohydrates. The most commonly defined free radicals are the reactive oxygen species (ROS) which contribute to mitochondrial dysfunction and are linked to many human diseases and the aging process. According to a holistic physician, Dr. Jill Marjama-Lyons, â€Å"oxidative stress is one of the leading theories as to what might cause dopamine cell death in Parkinson†™s disease† (2003). Chemical injury is the final form of cell injury.â€Å"About 4 billion pounds of toxic chemicals are released per year in the United States. Of these, approximately 72 million pounds are known carcinogens† (Heuther and McCance, 2012). We are frequently exposed to xenobiotics, a variety of compounds that include toxic, mutagenic, and carcinogenic chemicals. â€Å"These chemicals can react with cellular macromolecules, such and proteins and DNA, or can react directly with cell structures to cause cell damage† (Heuther and McCance, 2012).Tissue damage caused by xenobiotics can lead to organ and systemic toxicity,  mutations, and cancer. Lead , a heavy metal found in the environment, is a chemical highly toxic to children. The exposure primarily effects the nervous system, the hematopoietic system, and the kidneys. Lead exposure can result in learning disorders, hyperactivity, and attention problems if exposure is too high. Cell injury occurs when a cell is unable to sustain homeostasis. Maintaining homeostasis within the body is vital to prevent serious complications and death. Cell injury forms include hypoxic injury, chemical injury and oxidative stress.Hypoxia is the insufficiency of oxygen, without oxygen the body cannot keep its tissue healthy and that can lead to tissue death and organ system failure. Unfortunately, due to the 4 billion pounds of toxic chemicals released into the environment each year, chemical injury is common and hard to avoid. Chemicals can be found the air, the food we eat and the water we drink. Exposure and a reaction to the exposure depends on an individual’s health. Cell injury can be reversed but it must happen quickly to prevent lasting complications or cell death.

Mutual interest discovery

Social skills and social interaction need not be taught explicitly to young students. Instead of discussing social skills theoretically or through an academic discourse headed by the teacher, the mutual interest discovery model introduces a process of structured activities for students. This process aims to increase peer acceptance by having students discover similarities they have with others. The prevalent presumption is that attraction between people increases as known shared similar attributes increases. It is further postulated that the higher level of self-disclosure between two people, the deeper liking there is for one another (Burger, 1981). This model was applied to students with learning disabilities; however, it has been applied to classes where students need not necessarily have such disabilities. To introduce this social skills activity to a class of elementary school students, the procedure was outlined and I shared some of my own interests with the group. The students were then asked to pair up with one other. I thought this activity to be a timely remedy since in this particular group several of the students did not get along well with the others. The activity proved fruitful as I observed that those who had strained or distant relationships prior to the activity were observed to have become more sociable to each another. I consider this activity a greater success with the marked change between one 2nd grade boy and a 4th grade girl. They had been talking and discovered that they both had scars in their chest area from surgeries they had undergone. They were so pleased that they even came up to me saying â€Å"So and so is the same as me! We both have a line.† Now, every time that they see each other in school they hug each other. The older girl has become like an older sister to the smaller boy. I regard not just the activity as a success, but I myself feel fulfilled. Such change effected into the life of pupils was more than I could have hoped for from this interaction activity. It brings a renewed drive to teach and a deeper significance to this most dignified profession. Reference: Burger, Jerry M. Self-Disclosure and Liking During Initial Encounters: An Attributional Approach. Social Behavior and Personality, 1981, 9 (2), 179-183.