Essay about Marcus Aurelius Meditations - 1199 Words

Kurt McGann 11/12/11 Period 1 Mythology Hart Personal Meditations Section 1 Stoicism: â€Å"a systematic philosophy, dating from around 300 b.c., that held the principles of logical thought to reflect a cosmic reason instantiated in nature.† (dictionary.com). Marcus Aurelius (the author of â€Å"Meditations†) was a stoic as well as an emperor. The book he wrote was a collection of thoughts, things he advised himself to do, a piece reflecting his stoicism, and a personal diary of sorts. The kinds of things put into this book were sometimes crazy, sometimes contradictory, yet sometimes very true and insightful. Marcus wasn’t a professional philosopher, and this comes out in his work, but he had an interesting way of living his life. His writings†¦show more content†¦Could you have a hot bath unless the firewood underwent some change? Could you be nourished if the food suffered no change? Is it possible for any useful thing to be achieved without change? Do you not see, then, that change in yourself i s of the same order, and no less necessary to nature?† Many things we reap benefits from only come from the change of that item, as marcus explains. As well as getting benefits from change, we can also get cons. If we change things, such as law reforms, many will be mad, and just as many will be happy. So when it comes to change, it can leave bad effects just as well as it can leave good effects. Although Marcus has good intent, I can’t head all of his advice. Marcus believed along with other things, that self-improvement was important over many a things. I agree that self-improvement is well, self-improvement; and by the nature of the phrase itself is a good thing. Marcus holds this true at a more extreme level, putting it before things that lead to your own happiness. If today was your last day to live (assuming you are certain it is your last day to live) and you had a responsibility to better yourself given to you before your death, Marcus would say to go through with that responsibility, even if it resulted in your own discomfort. Marcus sees the improvement of one’s self would be more important than your own happiness, saying that dying a better person is better than dying content. I completelyShow MoreRelatedThe Meditations By Marcus Aurelius1765 Words   |  8 Pagesabout The Meditations by Marcus Aurelius. In The Meditations, you read of ways to live y our life without fear of consequences. Forgetting past troubles and current issues will help our employees to work hard at what they have to do, working for our tire distribution company. The universe sets out our life before we are born and it is important to not let fear or mistakes get in the way of the future. If we assign everyone in the company, including those in satellite locations, Marcus Aurelius, I believeRead More Philosophies of Meditations by Marcus Aurelius Essay examples2608 Words   |  11 Pages Marcus Aurelius Even today, Meditations by Marcus Aurelius is read by every class from kings to common people. The book is a universal classic, meaning it can be related to at any time, by anyone. The philosophies included in his book have spanned the centuries, and Meditations remains to be one of the most influential books ever written. Marcus Aurelius was born on April 20, 121 AD into a family of royalty. His uncle and adoptive father, Antoninus Pius, was the emperor of Rome. Aurelius,Read MoreAnalysis Of The Meditations By Marcus Aurelius2002 Words   |  9 PagesThe Meditations was written by Marcus Aurelius, a Roman emperor, almost a hundred years after the birth of Christ. This man had all the power in the world, but he remained virtuous and pious as illustrated through his book. This book was never intended to be published. It is a collection of exhortations, reminders, reflections, and ideologies meant for his own self-improvement. By reading his Meditations, I have grown in thought and character. Aurelius has wonderful lessons everyone can learn fromRead MoreMarcus Aurelius Essay2625 Words   |  11 PagesEven today, Meditations by Marcus Aurelius is read by every class from kings to common people. The book is a universal classic, meaning it can be related to at any time, by anyone. The philosophies incl uded in his book have spanned the centuries, and Meditations remains to be one of the most influential books ever written. Marcus Aurelius was born on April 20, 121 AD into a family of royalty. His uncle and adoptive father, Antoninus Pius, was the emperor of Rome. Aurelius, too, was trainedRead MoreThe Philosopher King2423 Words   |  10 Pagesthroughout history and are influenced by historical events. First, the description of a perfect ruler in an ideal society in Plato’s Republic will be the first comparison and the basis of a philosopher king. Second, Marcus Aurelius, who was described as the first philosopher king wrote Meditations and it expresses his own thoughts and beliefs which can ultimately reflect his actions. Lastly, Notker’s account of Charlemagne can be used to examine a king who may not always be recognized as a philosopher kingRead MoreBoethius And Stoicism In The Consolation Of Philosophy1502 Words   |  7 PagesMarcus Aurelius in Meditations, believes that practicing stoicism will bring a person true happiness. Stoicism is an act of independence, and having a st ate of mind that all things that happen in life are meant to happen. Regardless what happens, stoics do not let it affect their actions or state of mind. Boethius in The Consolation of Philosophy, believes happiness is recognizing that a man’s desires being fulfilled is not true happiness, but having a relationship with God is true happiness. ReligionRead MoreEssay Marcus Aurelius and Stoic Philosophy1270 Words   |  6 PagesMarcus Aurelius and Stoic Philosophy Stoicism is a belief that the universe, despite its appearances, is completely rational and guided by fate. Within it, individuals can, by conforming themselves to divine reason, find their proper place, learn to accept whatever happens with a strong and tranquil mind, and fulfill their obligations to society. These beliefs are the heart of Stoicism, a philosophy that originated in Athens during the 3rd century BC. Stoicism can be divided intoRead More Marcus Aurelius Essay832 Words   |  4 Pages Marcus Aurelius was born on April 20, 121 AD into a family of royalty. His uncle and adoptive father, Antoninus Pius, was the emperor of Rome. Aurelius, too, was trained from birth to be a great ruler like his father. At age eleven, he dedicated himself to religion, although he considered philosophy to be the quot;true, inwardquot; religion, one which did not require ceremonies necessary in others. He was appointed by Emperor Hadrian to priesthood in 129. The Emperor also supervised his educationRead MoreMarcus Aurelius Philosophy is Unique957 Words   |  4 Pagesunique and Marcus Aurelius is no exception. (I would use his name here just to make sure the audience knows who you’re talking aboutïÆ'  He was a philosopher, though a not widely known (Word choice?), and I believe that he has a lot to teach us despite the fact that we live in a different era (After and make this into a new sentence or combine how you think he is brilliant despite not many people knowing who he is.). This is because the overall concepts and themes found in his meditations come into playRead MoreAn Antidote Of Modern Society : Stoicism1058 Words   |  5 Pagesdogma of the Stoicism finds itself at odds with manipulation. Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius would have found himself in conflict with the elite throughout his life. As a student, Marcus did not want to just be a student of philosophy, but an actor. Reflected in Meditations are three doctrines- Life is governed by Providence, happiness comes from virtue, and to not be angry at other men. These tenets would have taught Marcus how to best prepare himself as an intellectual and a leader, and how to manage

Einhard s The Life Of Charlemagne - 878 Words

Einhard’s The Life of Charlemagne is one of several prominent texts from Mediaeval Europe. The main focus of the text is on the life of Charlemagne, the Frankish king from the Carolingian dynasty. Under his rule, the Frankish kingdom experiences an extensive period of prosperity and growth, especially in intellectually related areas since Charlemagne himself is a well-known patron of the arts (#). Hence, Charlemagne is the ruler often credited for the â€Å"Roman revival† across Mediaeval Europe. In order to ensure that Charlemagne’s glorious reign will leave its mark in history, all of Charlemagne’s works and accomplishments are accounted for Einhard’s book. As expressed in the preface of the book, Einhard’s intention is to document the life of the greatest king that is often overlooked in other texts (*). Four essential facts are noted in The Life of Charlemagne: 1) The prevalence of alliances foreign relations 2) Cultural revolution throu gh public works endorsement of the arts 3) Promotion of the Christian faith 4) Public reforms throughout the state. The Frankish kingdom rises as the dominant post-Roman European entity through the political and economical stabilization of the state with the use of foreign alliances. Emperor Charlemagne is said to have close relations with Kings of Persia, Scotland, and Constantinople (*). Prosperity in the Frankish kingdom is due to the frequent correspondences that exist between these European states, further promoting the flow ofShow MoreRelatedThe Life of Charlemagne by Einhard1388 Words   |  6 Pages Charlemagne is described by Janet Nelson as being a role model for Einhard. Einhard himself writes in the first paragraph of The Life of Charlemagne, â€Å"After I decided to write about the life, character and no small part of the accomplishments of my lord and foster father, Charles, that most excellent and deservedly famous king, I determined to do so with as much brevity as I could.† I feel that these are sincere words about the man who cared for Einhard. I feel that Einhard’s purpose for writingRead MoreThe Life Of Charlemagne By The Frankish Scholar Einhard1227 Words   |  5 PagesThe Life of Charlemagne, written by the Frankish scholar Einhard, is a biography on the personal life and achievements of Charlemagne, a ruler of the Franks and the king of Italy. He ruled from 774-800. Einhard, a male Frankish scholar, was born to noble parents in the Main Valley, around 770 A.D. He was educated in the monastery of Fulda, and shortly after sent to the palace school of Charlemagne in Aachen. Eventually becoming a personal adviser and a close friend to the king of the Franks, he influencedRead MoreThe Life Of Charlemagne By Einhard965 Words   |  4 PagesThe Life of Charlemagne is an edited version from the original book Two Lives of Charlemagne. The author of the original biography is Einhard, who was his close friend and younger contemporary. He wrote this biography, after his death in 814 CE to honor Charlemagne and his contributions to the Frankish dynasty. In the historical context Charlemagne is believed to have contributed largely in flourishing the Carolingian Empire. In the book, The Life of Charlemagne, Einhard describes Charlemagne’s personalRead MoreThe King Of The Frankish1509 Words   |  7 PagesCharlemagne, also known as Karl I or Charles the great [1] was the king of the Frankish (the Germanic peoples of France, west Germany and North Italy). He took the throne in 768 A.D after the death of his father Pepin the short, with his brother Carloman as co-ruler. He became king of Italy in 774 after his conquest of the Lombard kingdoms and after 800 A.D he was proclaimed the ‘Emperor of the Romans’ by the Pope Leo III. This marks the peak of the Carolingian empire that Charlemagne founded [2]Read MoreCharlemagne Or Charles The Great1525 Words   |  7 PagesCharlemagne or Charles the Great, (747-814) was one of the most significant people during the Middle Ages, playing a key role in defining the shape and character of Medieval Europe. Considered the ‘Father of Europe’, Charlemagne reigned as King of the Franks (768-814) and became the first Holy Roman Emperor (800-814). He created a great empire as he dramatically expanded the Frankish Kingdom in a series of conquests that united most of Western Europe for the first time since the Roman Empire. HeRead MoreReligion And Its Influence On Religion1313 Words   |  6 Pagesto its people, and finding reason for life. Religious in fluence on kingship seems to be an almost universal concept in human history. The acceptance of religion has changed many kings’ lives, for the better. All throughout history, religion has expressed the answer to our deepest questions that we ask. It has been dedicated to be centrally place in the lives of all civilizations and cultures. Religion had a great influence on how Ashoka, Clovis and Charlemagne ruled their people. Ashoka was bornRead MoreCharlemagne : The King Of The Frankish1515 Words   |  7 Pages Charlemagne (Charles the great, Karl 1) Charlemagne, also known as Karl I or Charles the great [1] was the king of the Frankish (the Germanic peoples of France, west Germany and North Italy). He took the throne in 768 A.D after the death of his father Pepin the short, with his brother Carloman as co-ruler. He became king of Italy in 774 after his conquest of the Lombard kingdoms and after 800 A.D he was proclaimed the ‘Emperor of the Romans’ by the Pope Leo III. This marks the peak of the CarolingianRead MoreEssay on Charlemagne2032 Words   |  9 PagesCharlemagne The two lives of Charlemagne as told by Einhard and Notker the Stammerer are very different accounts of the life of the great Emperor. Einhard gives us a historical overview of the life of Charlemagne who lived from 742 to 814 A.D. Charlemagne was also known as Charles the Great and the King of the Franks.Charles was one of four children born to Pepin the Short, A Mayor of the Palace of the Carolingian Empire. He had one brother, Carloman and two sisters, Gisela and Pepin.SinceRead MoreCharlemagne King Of The Franks1809 Words   |  8 PagesCharlemagne King of the Franks Born in about 742, Charlemagne was the son of King Pepin III (known as Pepin the Short). Pepin and his brother together ruled the Franks, whose kingdom included parts of present-day France, Belgium, Germany, and the Netherlands. Upon Pepin s death in 768, Charlemagne and his brother Carloman inherited the kingdom. When Carloman died three years later, Charlemagne became the sole ruler. Charlemagne, also known as Charles the great was a ruler in times of turmoilRead MoreCharlemagne And The Carolingian Renaissance1677 Words   |  7 PagesNaomi Spiegelman Professor Rui de Sousa Medieval Civilization - Section 01 27 September 2017 Charlemagne and the Carolingian Renaissance The Carolingian Empire was not at full fruition when Charlemagne rose to power, it was quite the contrary. In the eighth century, the lands covered by what is now known as France and Belgium, as well as part of Germany made up the Frankish state ruled by the kings of the Merovingian line. The Merovingian empire was weak and in a steady decline; the majority of

Contemporary Business Issues for Patterns- myassignmenthelp.com

Question: Discuss about theContemporary Business Issues for Purchasing Patterns. Answer: Introduction Contemporary business issues examine the contemporary and emerging issues faced by an organization (Smallbone, Welter and Ateljevic 2014). This study will assess the contemporary business issues faced by Wesfarmers in its global business markets. From the analysis of Assignment Part A, it can be found that changing purchasing pattern of the customers can have negative effect on the business performance of Wesfarmers. It has been found that changing purchasing pattern of the customers may hamper the sales volume of the organization. Such social changes can minimize the sales volume of the organization. The study will assess the factors behind the changing purchasing pattern of the customers and their impact on the business performance of Wesfarmers. The study will also provide some suitable recommendation for overcoming the issues of changing purchasing pattern of the customers. Factors behind the Issue of Changing Consumer Purchasing Patterns Domestic Factor and Its Impact The consumers aged over 65 and older has increased s the world. Naser et al. (2013) pointed out that the trend is also expected to continue through 2050, where the share of senior citizen is expected to increase by 25%. Such trends in the social trend can be harmful for the business growth of Wesfarmers. Moreover, older generations are always encouraged to show their interest in traditional marketing. In such situation, the modern marketing techniques of Wesfarmers may be failure towards attracting old generation customers. On the other hand, Baesens et al. (2014) opined that there is an increasing trend of nuclear family among the customers. In such situation, the members of nuclear families are not making bulk purchase for meeting their daily needs. In such situation, the small purchase from the consumers can hamper the overall sales volume of Wesfarmers. Shifting towards Online Shopping and Its Impact According to Dyllick and Muff (2016), the purchasing patterns of the customers have been changed completely due to online channels. People are getting highly busy day by day due to their work pressure. In such situation, they do not have much time to go physically in any retail shop and purchase their required products. Therefore, such customers are highly inclined towards online shopping for purchasing their required products. Wesfarmers also has initiated their online shopping facilities for their customers. However, the system of Wesfarmerss online shopping is not much improved. On the other hand, Bilgihan, Kandampully and Zhang (2016) opined that customers are highly interested to use the click-and-collect facilities provided by the online retailers. However, Wesfarmers is still lagging behind the online retailers towards provide such quick online services. Therefore, such lack of facilities can hamper the sales volume of the organization. Changes in Quality Perception of Consumers and Its Impact According to Delgado-Ballester et al. (2014), customers in modern society are becoming less sensitive for the price of the products. Moreover, the customers are highly concerned about quality of the products. In the economically developed counties, people are now quite confident upon their spending power having increased disposable income. In such situation, they are only concerned about the quality of the products even for premium prices. On the other hand, Yoon et al. (2014) opined that people in modern society are also having high level of sophistication in their life. Therefore, they always seek high quality in their required products. In such situation, the customers are not being highly satisfied with the quality of the products of Wesfarmers. Therefore, the high level of quality perception of the customers may hamper the sales volume of Wesfarmers. Benefit Seeking Tendency and Its Impact Pchelin and Howell (2014) pointed out that wide availability alternate options like independent retails, hypermarkets, supermarkets, grocery shops and others has increased the bargaining power of the buyers. Moreover, increased bargaining power of the customers has increased the competition of Wesfarmers with other organizations in terms of providing offers and discounts. On the other hand, Amos, Holmes and Keneson (2014) opined that customers are becoming more inclined towards seeking benefit in purchasing their required products due to wide availability of alternate purchasing options. In this way, the benefit-seeking tendency of the customers can actually increase the competitive pressure of Wesfarmers in near future. Recommendations for Mitigating the Issue Personalized Marketing for Old Customers The numbers of old customer are expected to increase by 25% by the year 2050. Old customers are not high tech-obsessed and use their mobiles towards searching for required information regarding the products, which want to buy (Tran 2017). In such situation, it can be too much difficult for Wesfarmers to encourage the old customers through digitalized information about their products. In such situation, Wesfarmers should be much more concentrated on personalized marketing for attracting the old customers. Moreover, mobile messaging with simple marketing tone will attract the old customer groups. Improve Online Shopping Facilities Wesfarmers already has high level of online presence for increasing its sales through online shopping system. However, the organization is still lagging behind the online retailers in terms of providing the services like click-and-collect (Bilgihan 2016). Moreover, the organization is not fast enough towards delivering the products and services to the customers. Such delay in delivery system often dissatisfies the customers, which can hamper the loyalty level of the customers. Therefore, the organization should immediately improve its online shopping facilities through concentrating on click-and-collect services. It will help in gaining high level of customer loyalty through fast product and service delivery. Improved Product Quality With high level of spending power, the customers are now being much concerned about the quality of the products rather than the price of the products. Moreover, customers are willing to purchase premium quality products even for high prices. In such situation, low quality or moderate quality of the products and services may hamper the buying behaviour of the customers. Therefore, Wesfarmers should be highly concerned about enhancing the quality of the products. High quality of the products will enhance the loyalty level of the customers, which will enable Wesfarmers towards gaining competitive edge over the rivals. Discounts and Offering on Bulk Purchase Increasing numbers nuclear family are more inclined to purchase little amount of products. In this way, lack of bulk purchase is ultimately hampering the sales volume of Wesfarmers (Sharma 2014). Therefore, the organization should provide attractive offerings and discounts on bulk purchase. Such attractive offerings and discounts will attract even the nuclear families towards making bulk purchase of products. This will ultimately increase the sales volume of the organization through huge sales to the customers. Conclusion While concluding the study, it can be said that it has been found that changing purchasing pattern of the consumer can be harmful for Wesfarmers. The increasing numbers of older customers may not be encouraged with the modern marketing techniques. The improved facilities of online retailers like click and collect can be competitive for the organization. The customers are more inclined towards using the online shopping system of online retailers for getting fast delivery of products and services. It can actually hamper the sales volume of the organization. Furthermore, the benefit-seeking customers are more willing to seek alternative options for getting discounts and offerings. In such situation, the organization should increase its offerings on bulk purchase for encouraging the customers towards bud purchase and increased sales volume. Furthermore, the organization should also improve its online shopping facilities. It will enhance the loyalty level of the customers towards Wesfarme rs. Reference List Amos, C., Holmes, G.R. and Keneson, W.C., 2014. A meta-analysis of consumer impulse buying.Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services,21(2), pp.86-97. Baesens, B., Bapna, R., Marsden, J.R., Vanthienen, J. and Zhao, J.L., 2014. Transformational issues of big data and analytics in networked business.MIS quarterly,38(2), pp.629-631. Bilgihan, A., 2016. Gen Y customer loyalty in online shopping: An integrated model of trust, user experience and branding.Computers in Human Behavior,61, pp.103-113. Bilgihan, A., Kandampully, J. and Zhang, T., 2016. Towards a unified customer experience in online shopping environments: Antecedents and outcomes.International Journal of Quality and Service Sciences,8(1), pp.102-119. Delgado-Ballester, E., Hernandez-Espallardo, M. and Rodriguez-Orejuela, A., 2014. Store image influences in consumers perceptions of store brands: the moderating role of value consciousness.European Journal of Marketing,48(9/10), pp.1850-1869. Dyllick, T. and Muff, K., 2016. Clarifying the meaning of sustainable business: Introducing a typology from business-as-usual to true business sustainability.Organization Environment,29(2), pp.156-174. Naser, K.A.M.A.L., Nuseibeh, R.A.N.A. and Al-Hadeya, A.H.M.E.D., 2013. Factors influencing Corporate working capital management: Evidence from an Emerging Economy.Journal of Contemporary Issues in Business Research,2(1), pp.11-30. Pchelin, P. and Howell, R.T., 2014. The hidden cost of value-seeking: People do not accurately forecast the economic benefits of experiential purchases.The Journal of Positive Psychology,9(4), pp.322-334. Sharma, M.K., 2014. The Impact on Consumer Buying Behaviour: Cognitive Dissonance.Global Journal of Finance and Management,6(9), pp.833-840. Smallbone, D., Welter, F. and Ateljevic, J., 2014. Entrepreneurship in emerging market economies: Contemporary issues and perspectives.International Small Business Journal,32(2), pp.113-116. Tran, T.P., 2017. Personalized ads on Facebook: An effective marketing tool for online marketers.Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services,39, pp.230-242. Yoon, S., Oh, S., Song, S., Kim, K.K. and Kim, Y., 2014. Higher quality or lower price? How value-increasing promotions affect retailer reputation via perceived value.Journal of Business Research,67(10), pp.2088-2096.

The Global Sports Retail Industry

Introduction The global sports retail industry has achieved a rapid growth over the last ten years. It is also expected to continue growing over the next five years, with an estimated growth rate of about 6% per annum to reach about $130 billion by 2020 (United Nations 2014). The rapid rate of growth in this industry is due to a number of factors.Advertising We will write a custom assessment sample on The Global Sports Retail Industry specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More However, the major factor contributing to the industrial growth and development at a faster rate is the dynamism in the demand for sports goods. For instance, studies have shown that there is an increase in the demand for sports goods or sport-style products in various parts of the world, especially Asia. The purpose of this paper is to develop a comprehensive report based on the industrial analysis of the global sports retail business. It will examine the industry ba sed on the conventional techniques of industry analysis, including forced field analysis, porters 5 forces, PEST and SWOT analysis. This paper argues that the sports industry stands a better chance to develop rapidly over the next five years, giving corporate and other players a good chance to improve their economic development and financial health. Force field analysis Force field analysis is an important tool in the process and technique of decision-making (Lewin 2000). It aims at analyzing the forces for and against industrial or corporate change in order to provide corporate leaders with information needed to make effective decisions. In addition, the technique helps corporate leaders communicate the reasons behind their need for change in the corporate management area, which makes it easy to convince stakeholders that a change or project is needed. In particular, the force field analysis model yields information that has two effects (Cartwright 2009). It can provide information that supports the idea of change, thus calling the corporations involved to go ahead with a project, a change of a program.Advertising Looking for assessment on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The forces favoring the growth of the sports retail industry Population growth: The increased rate of world population is an important factor supporting the rate of growth for sport retail industry. In particular, the growing demand for sports and sport-style products is high in areas with a high rate of population growth, especially in a number of Asian countries (Cai Du 2013). Statistics indicate that out of the estimated 7.14 billion people in the world, about 4 billion live in Asia, accounting for more than 55% of the total world population (World Bank 2013). Together, the populations of India and China make about 2.6 billion people, providing evidence of the increased rate of demand for sports products in thes e areas (Randers 2012). For instance, the increase in the demand for sports-style products was more than 4% in China between 2005 and 2010 (Research markets 2012). Overall, the rate of demand for these products is more than 3% per annum (Mullin, Hardy Sutton 2013). The high population is the largest player in the increased rates of demand. Improved economies: Another major factor supporting the rate of growth in the sports retail industry is the trend of economies in various parts of the world. In North America, the economic situation has improved rapidly since the end of the global recession. Between 2010 and 2013, the economy of the US increased by 2.3% per annum (Coates Humphreys 2003). In addition, other regions have enjoyed improved economic growths since 2010. For instance, the economy of the south east Asian region has improved by more than 3%, while that of the near and middle east nations has achieved a growth rate of more than 4% per annum (World Bank 2013). In addition, despite few cases such as Greece, Italy and Spain, the European Union has achieved an improved growth rate in its economy, which is expected to reach 2.1% per annum (Smith Stewart 2012). South America has some of the most rapidly developing economies in the world. The number of people attaining the middle class level is increasing rapidly, while poverty rates are declining. In nations such as Brazil and Argentina, the economic growth has developed rapidly over the last five years. This explains the rising demand for sport-like goods in these areas. In addition, African nations have the world’s largest rates of economic growth.Advertising We will write a custom assessment sample on The Global Sports Retail Industry specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In the recent past, a number of African nations have achieved an economic growth rate of more than 5%, with some reaching a high of 8%, including Ghana, Angola and Senegal (Brei singer, Diao Thurlow 2011). In addition, most countries in the region have a growth rate of more than 4%, with the most significant including Nigeria, Kenya, Tanzania, South Africa, Ethiopia and Ivory Coast (World Bank 2013). The youth factor: In the modern world, the status of the young people has increased significantly. With an increase in the number of young people taking part in the economic building such as employment and business, most nations have experienced in increase in the demand for products and services that support youth affairs. Among the most important industry supported by this phenomenon is the sports retail industry. In North American, South America, Asia and Europe, growth of the sports retail industry is favored by an increased rate of youth participation in various aspects of the economy. According to studies, young people have a tendency of being active in sports or wearing sport-like clothing and shoes. In addition, the empowerment of the young people thro ugh financial support and improvement of employment opportunities in Asian nations, in particular, has supported the increase in the demand for sport goods and services, which supports the growth of the sports retail industry. Restraining forces Economic recession: Although the world economy has achieved a relatively good rate of recovery from the 2007-2010 economic recession, the effects of the phenomenon is still affecting most countries. For instance, the recession made the US economy lose by more than 4% per annum (Bjork 2012). In particular, the employment rate declined significantly, with the rate of unemployment reaching about 8% per annum (World Bank 2013). The number of people that lost jobs during the time is significant, with a good number being young people. This also took place in Europe and Asia, which affected the industrial growth rates. With a high number of people losing job opportunities due to the impact of the recession, the number of people purchasing luxury sp ort goods declined significantly in most nations in Europe, Asia and North America.Advertising Looking for assessment on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Porter’s Five Forces Analysis of the Global Sports Retail Industry A five force analysis of the global sports retail industry is important in determining the effectiveness and micro environment forces that affect the industry’s ability to meet the demands of its customers, achieve profitability and the overall growth. The buyer power, new entrants, competition rivalry, supplier power and threats of substitutes provide evidence of the industry’s state at a given time. Buyer Power in the Global sports retail industry In sports retail industry, consumers have the largest role in driving the business of the industry. The power of the consumers is evident in pricing, especially when competitors tend to outdo each other based on pricing strategies. In the recent past, most competitors in the industry have been trying to attract more consumers through discounts and services to increase their market share. Buyers reap the benefit of obtaining products at competitive pri ces. However, statistics have shown that the number of people aged 45 and above seeking to use sports product in managing their health has increased significantly, especially in the developed world (Quan 2010). This trend has allowed consumers to look for fashion that is mostly associated with sports. The high rate of competition between retailers in the industry based on production of goods meant to meet the specific demands for various social groups has enhanced the power of buyers in the industry. In addition, the amount of product differentiation in the market for sports goods has increased, with companies manufacturing products based on the specific needs such as jogging, cycling, skating for health purposes and those meant for real sporting activities (Andersen, Van Raalte Brewer 2001). This has given consumers a wide range of choice, enhancing their power in the control of the industry. However, there are only a small number of retailers in the oligopolistic sports retail ma rket, which has restrained the buyer power because forward integration is difficult as the buyers are mainly the consumers, making their chance of taking over less significant. Nevertheless, the overall power of buyers in the industry is rated â€Å"moderate†. The power of suppliers In the global sports retail industry, the suppliers are the corporations involved in manufacturing, including Nike, Reebok, Adidas and Puma. These organizations are multinational and large corporates that control the industry. They are globally branded with reputation and value due to high quality products they offer to the market. This makes the bargaining power of the industry to be significantly low. They have almost become the main decides of the prices for sports products. Forward integration seems to be relatively high because the retailers are threatened by the suppliers. For instance, a number of suppliers have been acquiring retailers, which makes the suppliers take over the control of th e retail industry. A good example is the acquisition of Hargreaves Sports, a retail business in the industry, by Nike. Nike used this opportunity to set up an exclusive fully branded outlet for sports good in Nike town, London, in 1999 (Deng 2009). On its part, Reebok opened a fitness center known as Reebok Sports Club in London, England, which provides consumers with a wide range of exclusively branded Reebok products for health fitness purposes (Yu 2011). Moreover, the suppliers use marketing strategies such as advertising, promotion, corporate social responsibility and sponsorship for sports clubs and fitness welfares, achieving the overall control of the industry. Overall, the power of suppliers in the retail industry for sports good in the world is high. Rivalry among competitors There is a considerably good level of competition between main players in the retail business in the global sports industry. The concentration ratio as well as HHI is important measures of rivalry in t he industry based on market share. These markets shares can be obtained in the Mintel’s report (2008) as shown in appendix 3. In this case, it has been shown that the concentration ratio is the market share that the four major competitors in the global retail industry are JJB Sports, Sports World, DJ Sports and Supermarkets/retail chains in various parts of the world. As shown in the appendix, the CR reveals that the four major competitors sell about 75% of the total output, which means that the degree of rivalry is high. In addition, the calculations in the appendix show that the HHI of the industry is about 1683, which lies between 1000 and 1800. This means that the market is moderately concentrated. Threat of new entrants As shown above, the CR and HHI degrees are relatively high, with the number of major players in the industry remaining relatively low. Each of the players has a large number of stores in various parts of the world. They compete among themselves to increas e their market shares. In addition, they have dominated the market for a long time, providing quality products. Therefore, for new entrants in the market to succeed, they must impress consumers that their products are quality. In addition, the entry of supplies in the market, especially through acquisitions and mergers or joint ventures with the existing retailers, has made it difficult for new entrants to tap market share in the industry (DePamphili 2013). Therefore, the overall threat of new entrants is low. Threats of substitutes In footwear, the price of sports shoes is likely to change when substitutes change in prices. In this case, substitutes include products from local companies, which is common in various parts of the world. PEST analysis Political The global sports retail industry seeks to increase the volume of sales of sports goods and services to the global clients. The key players involved in this industry include Foot Locker, JD Sports, Sports Direct, Sports World, J JB Sports and supermarket chains. These companies face political challenges in their business. For instance, the politics of control of the industry is evident. Suppliers seem to be fighting each other at the retail level. For example, Nike and Reebok have strategies to acquire or partner with selected retailers in order to lock out other suppliers (Slater Lloyd 2004). This brings a tense political environment between the suppliers and the retailers. In addition, retailers are flexing their muscles by moving beyond Europe and North American to venture new markets in Asia and South America, especially in China, India, Brazil and other nations in the Southeast Asian region. In all of these regions, the political environment is diverse. For example, there are laws to protect local companies in some nations like South Korea and China. Taxation and legal politics are evident. In addition, the companies are considered western products, which affect the perceptions of the people in foreig n nations. Economical Retailers of sports products seek to increase their market share and profitability. To do this, they tend to increase their outlets, which make it necessary to hire a large number of employees in Europe, North America as well as foreign markets. This contributes to the overall growth of the economies where the outlets are based. In addition, it is worth noting that labor affects these companies. In Europe, the cost of labor is higher in France and Germany than in Britain. Similarly, the cost of labor is high in North American and Europe than in China and South Korea. Thus, most factories are located in Asia. It means that the retailers have to open new locations in Asia and sometimes obtain supplies from these areas. Social Sports products are associated with sports cultures at a given time and location. In Europe, North America and other westernized nations, sports are a major social factor, with few social restrictions attached to it. Sportswear of different kinds and styles are allowed. However, in some nations such as those using strict Islamic laws, including Saudi Arabia, as well as those with strict cultural laws like North Korea, some sports and sportswear are not allowed, especially those though to expose certain parts of the bod. In addition, some cultural laws prohibit women from taking part in sports or wearing certain sports clothing. Technological analysis The internet technology has improved business processes. Sports retail business is one of the most affected industries. Currently, most consumers are increasingly moving to online shopping, where it is possible to select and order products. Thus, most retailers have implemented e-commerce as part of their business processes. SWOT Analysis Strengths The sports retail industry is one of the fastest growing industries, thanks to an increase in the number of middle and aged people using sporting activities to enhance the quality of their lives. According to statistics, the num ber of baby boomers population in North America and their similar population in Europe are concerned with their health. They have increasingly been using sporting activities as the most effective solution to improve their health and quality of life. Thus, the retail business is likely to remain strong over the next few decades. Weaknesses Sports products are mostly luxury goods and services. They do not have a high priority in most households. Therefore, frequent economic recessions and other financial problems are likely to affect the demand for these products (Mehta 2013). Thus, retailers face the risk of frequent decreases in demands. Opportunities As mentioned, the increase in global population, especially in Asia, South America and Africa, provides the sports retail business with chances for expansion and growth. In addition, the rising state of economics in various parts of the world means that the demands for these products are likely to rise. Moreover, the trend of using spo rting activities to meet health demands is increasing throughout the world. Threats Although the number of retailers is relatively low, the current players face a threat of new entrants in the market. For instance, the increased tendency of suppliers to enter the retail market is a major threat. In addition, emerging nations like China, India and others have a quest for entering the market. They are encouraging corporations to go global, which means that some of their retailers in this industry are likely to enter the market in the future (Development Research Center of the State Council 2009). References Andersen, MB, Van Raalte, JL Brewer, BW, 2001, â€Å"Sport psychology service delivery: Staying ethical while keeping loose†, Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, vol. 32, no. 1, pp. 12-17. Bjork, GJ, 2012, The Way It Worked and Why It Won’t: Structural Change and the Slowdown of U.S. Economic Growth, Praeger, Westport, CT. Breisinger, C, X. Diao, X Thurl ow, D, 2009, â€Å"Modeling growth options and structural change to reach middle income country status: The case of Ghana†, Economic Modeling vol. 26, pp. 514–525. Cai, F Du, Y, 2013, The China Population and Labor Yearbook: The Approaching Lewis Turning Point and Its Policy Implications, Brill, New York. Cartwright, D, 2009, Field Theory in Social Science and Selected Theoretical Papers, American Psychological Association, Washington, D. C. Coates, D Humphreys, BR, 2003, â€Å"The effect of professional sports on earnings and employment in the services and retail sectors in US cities†, Regional Science and Urban Economics, vol. 33, no. 2, pp. 175-198. Deng, T, 2009, â€Å"Just Done It—Nike’s New Advertising Plan Facing Global Economic Crisis†, International Journal of Business and Management, vol. 4, no. 3, p. 102. DePamphili, D, 2013, Mergers and Acquisitions Basics: All You Need To Know, Academic Press, New York. Development Research Ce nter of the State Council, 2009, â€Å"China: Seeking for new breakthrough in coping with crisis†, Manage World vol. 6, pp4–18. Lewin, K, 2000, â€Å"Defining the Field at a Given Time†, Psychological Review vol. 50, pp. 292–310. Mehta, M, 2013, â€Å"How Does the Global Economic Crisis Affect Textile, Apparel Sourcing?† Apparel Technology. Web. Mullin, BJ, Hardy, S Sutton, WA, 2013, Sport Marketing, Human Kinetics, New York. Quan, K, 2010, â€Å"Use of global value chains by labor organizers†, Competition Change, vol. 12, no. 1, pp. 89-104. Randers, J, 2012, 2052: A Global Forecast for the Next Forty Years, Green Publishing, Vermont: Chelsea. Research markets, 2012, â€Å"Global Retail Sports Apparel Market 2012-2017: Market Trends, Profit and Forecast Analysis†, Research and Markets. Web. Slater, J Lloyd, C, 2004, â€Å"It’s gotta be the shoes: exploring the effects of relationships of Nike and Reebok sponsorship on two college athletic programs†, Sports Marketing and the Psychology of Marketing Communication, vol. 191. Smith, A Stewart, B, 2012, Sports Management: A Guide to Professional Practice, Allien and Unwin, London. United Nations, 2014, World Urbanization Prospects: The 2013 Revision, UN Publications, New York. World Bank, 2013, Global Economic Growth Will Accelerate in 2014, WB publications, New York. Yu, X, 2011, â€Å"Impacts of corporate code of conduct on labor standards: A case study of Reebok’s athletic footwear supplier factory in China†, Journal of Business Ethics, vol. 81, no. 3, pp. 513-529. Appendix Figure 1: Position of Asian population in the top 20 most populous nations in the world. Figure 2: World Population growth rates Figure 3: Supply and demand for sports goods follows this trend Figure 4: Force Field analysis for sports retail industry Calculations for rivalry in the sports retail market CR4 = Market Share (JJB Sports + JD sports + Sports Worl d + Supermarkets) CR4 = 33% + 16% + 13%+ 13% CR4 = 75% HHI = SQUARE [Market Share (JJB Sports + JD sports + Sports World + Supermarkets)] HHI= 1089+256+169+169 = 1683 This assessment on The Global Sports Retail Industry was written and submitted by user Adonis Barr to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Legal Aspects Of Child Labour In India Young People Essays

Legal Aspects Of Child Labour In India Young People Essays Legal Aspects Of Child Labour In India Young People Essay Legal Aspects Of Child Labour In India Young People Essay CHILD LABOUR AND INDIA- AN ANALYSIS OF VARIOUS CONSTITUTIONAL AND STATUTORY PROVISIONS Introduction Child labor has been in India from a long clip in some signifier or the other. Practice of kid labor in lucifer box industries, glass bracelet industries and is really normally seen in inexpensive eating houses and dhabas etc. By and large talking child labors can be said to be the development or maltreatment of kids in mills, industries etc, who are below the age specified by jurisprudence working ( mentally or physically ) to gain for his/her ain endurance or to back up his/her household partly or to the full, and which prevents his/her societal and instruction development may be said to be child labor . The grounds which are by and large responsible for child labor may include[ 1 ]: Poverty, Ignorance, Illiteracy, Population detonation, Lack of cognition of their ain rights, Large sums of debt on the parents, Large size of household but non adequate income to back up such large household, Lack of societal security strategy in the state, Weak enforcement of labour Torahs. Harmonizing to an U.N.O study India has the maximal child labor in the universe i.e. approx 20 per cent.[ 2 ]On the footing of Census 1991 and assorted governmental and non-governmental organisations following are the figure of child laborers in India[ 3 ]: Census 1991 2.63 crore, Organization research group, Baroda, 1994-95 4.44 crore, Centre for concern of Child Labour 10 crore. Extra-governmental voluntary organisation more than 5 crore. The Numberss may change harmonizing to different organisations but the fact is clear that the Numberss of kid laborers in India are in crores, which is once more a hapless sight, particularly with all the assorted child labour statute law and the Constitutional commissariats. In a study by the Labour Ministry every 4th kid is a child labor, aged between 5-14 old ages and there is one kid labor in every three households.[ 4 ] But it s non as if Indian authoritiess have nt done anything about this sedate societal stigma, over the old ages it has enacted many statutory statute laws and Constitutional commissariats in order to eliminate the job of kid labor, to call some of them, we have: Labour statute laws: The Child Labour Act, 1986, The Factories Act, 1948, The Mines Act, 1952, The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009, The Minimum Wages Act, 1948, The Juvenile Justice ( Care and Protection ) of Children Act, 2000 Constitutional commissariats[ 5 ]: Article 24 provides: purely prohibits kids to work in risky environment. Article 21, 45 gives the right to education to all the kids below the age of 14years. Article 39 declares the responsibility of the State to supply the kids a free installations to develop in conditions of freedom and self-respect in a healthy mode. India is besides a party to the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of the Child, 1959. India is besides a signer to: ILO Forced Labour Convention ( No. 29 ) ; ILO Abolition of Forced Labour Convention ( No. 105 ) ; UN Convention on the Rights of the Child ( CRC ) . World Declaration on the Survival, Protection and Development of Children. The Government of India adopted the National Policy for Children ( NPC ) in August 1974. This Policy provided that[ 6 ] It shall be the policy of the province to supply equal service to kids both before and after birth and through the period of their growing, to guarantee their full physical, mental and societal development. The State shall increasingly increase the range of such services so that, within a sensible clip, all kids in the state bask optimal conditions for their balanced growing. Indian is besides a party to United Nations Declaration on the Rights of the Child, 1959 and Convention on the Rights of the Child, 1992 and has formulated its labour Torahs in conformity to International Labour Conference declaration of 1979. The first portion of the paper aims to look into the assorted statute laws associating to child labor. In the 2nd portion we shall look into the assorted case in points set by the Supreme Court of India on the issue of child labor and eventually the decision. Chapter 1 CONSTITUTIONLA AND STATUTORY PROVISIONS Constitutional commissariats The authorities of India has enacted assorted labor Torahs has in conformity to International Labour Conference declaration of 1979. The Fundamental law of India, through assorted articles enshrined in the Fundamental Rights and the Directive Principles of State Policy, lays down that: Article 21 ( A ) The State shall supply free and mandatory instruction to all kids of the age six to 14 old ages ; Article 24 No kid below the age of 14 old ages shall be employed to work in any mill or mine or engaged in any other risky employment. The word risky employment in Art 24 besides includes building industry, besides in P.N. v. U.O.I[ 7 ], it has been laid down that Art 24 is enforceable even in the absence of implementing statute laws ;[ 8 ] Article 39 ( vitamin E ) States that the wellness and strength of workers, work forces and adult females, and the stamp age of kids are non abused and that citizens are non forced by economic necessity to come in by-lines unsuited to their age or strength ; Article 39 ( degree Fahrenheit ) States that childhood and young person are protected against development and against moral and material forsaking[ 9 ]. Hence Art 39 in whole requires the province to guarantee and protect the kids and supply proper kid attention. Article 45 The State shall endeavor to supply, within a period of 10 old ages from the beginning of this Constitution, for free and mandatory instruction for all kids until they complete the age of 14 old ages The framers of the Constitution imposed a responsibility on the State under Article 45 as one of the directing rules of the State Policy to supply free and mandatory instruction to all kids until they complete the age of 14 twelvemonth with the exclusive aim of wholly eliminating illiteracy and child labor. Besides many of the provinces had passed assorted Acts supplying for free and mandatory primary or simple instruction to kids. But unfortunately old ages after the beginning of the Constitution the end set by this Article which was to be achieved in 10 old ages, have yet non been reached. But the proviso in article 39 ( degree Fahrenheit ) and 45 of the fundamental law gave certain waies in supplying a better quality of life of kids employed in the mills. Labour statute laws The Child Labour ( Prohibition and Regulation ) Act, 1986: The Act prohibits the employment of kids below the age of 14 old ages in 13 businesss and 51 procedures that are risky to the kids s lives and wellness listed in the Agenda to the Act[ 10 ]. The Factories Act, 1948: The Act wholly prohibits kids working below the age of 14 old ages[ 11 ]. It farther provinces that if a kid is between 15 and 18 old ages of age, can be employed in a mill merely if he has a certification of fittingness granted with mention to him under subdivision 69 which is in the detention of the director of the mill. The Act besides says that no kid shall be employed or permitted to work, in any mill for more than four and a half hours in any twenty-four hours ; A The Mines Act, 1952: The Act prohibits the employment of kids in mines, who have non completed their 15th twelvemonth. The Juvenile Justice ( Care and Protection ) of Children Act, 2000: This Act was last amended in 2002 in conformance with the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child screens immature individuals below 18 old ages of age. Section 26 of this Act deals with the Exploitation of a Juvenile or Child Employee, and provides in relevant portion, that whoever procures a juvenile or the kid for the intent of any risky employment and keeps him in bondage and keep back his net incomes or utilizations such gaining for his ain intents shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which may widen to three old ages and shall besides be apt for mulct. The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009: The Act provinces that all kids aged 6 to 14 old ages shall be provided free and mandatory instruction. It farther provinces that all private schools should allocated 25 per cent of their seats for deprived and otherwise abled kids. Chapters 2 Precedents set by Supreme Court Though the authorities of India has enacted assorted labour statute laws to forestall child labour still there are some contradiction among them, chiefly the definitional arguments on child labor as different statute law provide different definition of a child . Section 2 ( two ) of The Child Labour ( Prohibition and Regulation ) Act, 1986, defines child as a individual who has non completed his 14th twelvemonth of age ; Section 2 ( degree Celsius ) of The Factories Act, 1948 defines child as a individual who has non completed his 15th twelvemonth of age ; Section 2 ( vitamin E ) of The Mines Act, 1952 defines child as a individual who has non completed his 15th twelvemonth ; Section 2 ( degree Celsius ) of The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009, defines child as male or female kid of the age of six to fourteen old ages ; Section 2 ( K ) of The Juvenile Justice ( Care and Protection ) of Children Act, 2000 defines child as a individual who has non completed 18th twelvemonth of age ; Section 2 ( degree Celsius ) of The Plantations Labour Act, 1951 defines child as a individual who has non completed his 14th twelvemonth of age Therefore, we can clearly detect that these statute law are at contradiction to each other in specifying who s a kid and puting an unvarying age bound. Therefore the Centre and several province authoritiess should put a unvarying cosmopolitan minimal age of the kid as these contradictions adversely affect the aim of protection from child labors and supplying a better educational and societal development to kids of India. Following are few of of import Supreme Court instances that have helped in bordering better Torahs sing child labor: In Democratic Rights V. Union of India[ 12 ], it was contended that the Employment of Children Act, 1938 was non applicable in the affair of employment of kids in building plants, as it was non mentioned in the act. But the tribunal held even building work is a risky employment and no kid below the age of 14 old ages can be employed as given under Art 24 of the Indian Constitution, even though building industry has non been specified in the agenda to the Employment of kids Act, 1938, therefore the SC rejected the contention. In Salal Hydro Project vs. Jammu and Kashmir[ 13 ], the Court has restated the rule laid in Democratic Rights V. Union of India[ 14 ]that Construction work is risky employment and any kid below 14 can non be employed in this work. In Sheela Barse and others vs Union of India and others[ 15 ], Bhagawati, C.J. quoted from National Policy for the public assistance of Children incorporated to supply better societal and educational development to the kids of India: The Nation s kids a supremely of import plus. Their raising and solicitousness are our duty. Children s programme should happen a outstanding portion in our national programs for the development of human resources, so that our kids turn up to go robust citizens, physically fit, mentally watchful and morally healthy, endowed with the accomplishment and motives needed by society. Equal chances for development to all kids during the period of growing should be our purpose, for this would function our big intent of cut downing inequality and guaranting societal justness . In M.C. Mehta 5 State of Tamil Nadu A ; Ors[ 16 ], the SC gave way to the Union and province authoritiess to place all kids and retreat them from working in risky procedures and businesss, and to supply them with free and proper instruction as incorporated into the Constitution, Artcle 21-A. The Court besides directed the Union and province authoritiess to put up a Child Labour Rehabilitation-cum-Welfare Fund utilizing parts from employers who breach the Child Labour Act. In Unnikrishnan v. State of Andhra Pradesh,[ 17 ]the SC held that every kid has the right to free instruction till the age of 14 old ages. Artcle 21-A which was incorporated into the Constitution, reflects this criterion. Decision It is said that kid is the male parent of adult male , and the kids of our state are our biggest plus. The authorities of India has enacted several Torahs in order to supply healthy societal and educational environment for the kids. But in malice of all the Torahs enacted, job of kid labor still persists in our Indian society that is because child labour Torahs are themselves flawed in some manner or the other or suffer from hapless execution of programmes. Though awareness towards child labor has increased and now there are several NGO s seeking their best, but today what we require is to take concrete actions, the cardinal and several province authoritiess need to supply for better machinery for implementing child labour Torahs. Unless this is achieved our state wo nt be wholly free the load of child labor.

Overview of United States Government

Overview of United States Government The government of the United States is based on a written constitution. At 4,400 words, it is the shortest national constitution in the world. On June 21, 1788, New Hampshire ratified the Constitution giving it the necessary 9 out of 13 votes needed for the Constitution to pass. It officially went into effect on  March 4, 1789.  It was  consists of a Preamble, seven Articles, and 27 Amendments. From this document, the entire federal government was created. It is a living document whose interpretation has changed over time. The amendment process is such that while not easily amended, US citizens are able to make necessary changes over time. Three Branches of Government The Constitution created three separate branches of government. Each branch has its own powers and areas of influence. At the same time, the Constitution created a system of checks and balances that ensured no one branch would reign supreme. The three branches are: Legislative Branch- This branch consists of the Congress which is responsible for making the federal laws. Congress consists of two houses: the Senate and the House of Representatives.Executive Branch- The Executive power lies with the President of the United States who is given the job of executing, enforcing, and administering the laws and government. The Bureaucracy is part of the Executive Branch.Judicial Branch- The judicial power of the United States is vested in the Supreme Court and the federal courts. Their job is to interpret and apply US laws through cases brought before them. Another important power of the Supreme Court is that of Judicial Review whereby they can rule laws unconstitutional. Six Foundational Principles The Constitution is built on six basic principles. These are deeply ingrained in the mindset and landscape of the US Government. Popular Sovereignty- This principle states that the source of governmental power lies with the people. This belief stems from the concept of the social contract and the idea that government should be for the benefit of its citizens. If the government is not protecting the people, it should be dissolved.Limited Government- Since the people give the government its power, the government itself is limited to the power given to it by them. In other words, the US government does not derive its power from itself. It must follow its own laws and it can only act using powers given to it by the people.Separation of Powers- As stated previously, the US Government is divided into three branches so that no one branch has all the power. Each branch has its own purpose: to make the laws, execute the laws, and interpret the laws.Checks and Balances- In order to further protect the citizens, the constitution set up a system of checks and balances. Basically, each branch of government has a certain nu mber of checks it can use to ensure the other branches do not become too powerful. For example, the president can veto legislation, the Supreme Court can declare acts of Congress unconstitutional, and the Senate must approve treaties and presidential appointments. Judicial Review- This is a power that allows the Supreme Court to decide whether acts and laws are unconstitutional. This was established with Marbury v. Madison in 1803.Federalism- One of the most complicated foundations of the US is the principle of federalism. This is the idea that the central government does not control all the power in the nation. States also have powers reserved to them. This division of powers does overlap and sometimes leads to problems such as what happened with the response to Hurricane Katrina between the state and federal governments. Political Process While the Constitution sets up the system of government, the actual way in which the offices of Congress and the Presidency are filled are based upon the American political system. Many countries have numerous political parties- groups of people who join together to try and win political office and thereby control the government- but the US exists under a two-party system. The two major parties in America are the Democratic and Republican parties. They act as coalitions and attempt to win elections. We currently have a two-party system because of not only historical precedent and tradition but also the  electoral system itself. The fact that America has a two-party system does not mean that there is no role for third parties in the American landscape. In fact, they have often swayed elections even if their candidates have in most cases not won. There are four major types of third parties: Ideological Parties, e.g. Socialist PartySingle-Issue parties, e.g. Right to Life PartyEconomic Protest Parties, e.g. Greenback PartySplinter Parties, e.g. Bull Moose Party Elections Elections occur in the United States at all levels including local, state, and federal. There are numerous differences from locality to locality and state to state. Even when determining the presidency, there is some variation with how the electoral college is determined from state to state. While voter turnout is barely over 50% during Presidential election years and much lower than that during midterm elections, elections can be hugely important as seen by the top ten significant presidential elections.

Elements of and Distinctions Between Ethics and the Law Assignment - 1

Elements of and Distinctions Between Ethics and the Law - Assignment Example From these truths are based many civil and criminal laws. For instance, the law on not causing physical harm or injury to another is based on the principle of nonmaleficence. Confidentiality of information is an expression of fidelity. The ethics-law relationship can be exemplified by the confidentiality rule in counseling relationship. The counselor has to respect all the private information that he or she has obtained from the client. But in the case of a dying client who expressed the intention of hastening one’s death, the counselor may break the confidentiality rule after determining the propriety of such act, and as allowed by law and particular circumstances (ACA Code, 2005). The counselor may also break confidentiality if the client has a life-threatening or contagious disease after verification and due consideration of the situation (ACA Code, 2005). At present, the law prescribes a mode of conduct and professional practice for counselors. The code of ethics of counseling organizations mandate that members should conduct one’s practice in accordance with law (ACA Code, 2005); thus, indicating the relationship between law and ethics. Ethical concerns often affect counselors in making decisions (Forester-Miller & Davis, 1996). Counselors also face an ethical dilemma when deciding which action to take (Forester-Miller & Davis, 1996). Thus, counseling organizations, such as the American Counseling Association (ACA) issue ethics manual to serve as guide of its members and other professional counselors in deciding the proper action to take when faced with a difficult issue (Forester-Miller & Davis, 1996). In the same manner, the International Association of Marriage and Family Counselors (IAMFC) also enjoins its members to promote â€Å"healthy growth and development of the family,† as well as co-equality and empowerment of

Research Methods Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 2

Research Methods - Assignment Example However, though this is a great advantage for patient diagnosis, the risks associated with these practice for both the patients and the staffs who operates the radiology equipments have increased. The exposure of the patients to longer duration of fluoroscopy and higher doses of radiation are the major risks associated with the radiation modalities (Slechta, & Reagan, 2008 p302). Consequently, there is a greater need for the medical staff to adhere to the radiation protection and safety practices, to secure the patients, as well as the staffs themselves from the negative effects of radiation (Furlow, 2010 p440). Since most of the data was collected through the application of quantitative research designs, the information obtained is more reliable. However, the dependence on questionnaire as the instrument of data collection may not have given precise information regarding the area of study, as truthfulness of the information given cannot be easily verified. Thus, more use of interviews and observation, which allows the researcher to be in touch with the respondents, would be more appropriate for the

Black Rage-Book Report Essay Example for Free

Black Rage-Book Report Essay The pages of human history daubed in bloodshed and thickly coated with ethnic, racial conflicts ask a crying question. How to make this Planet Earth heaven -like? The answer is simple and direct. Eyes full of understanding, heart full of love and the life that refuses conflicts—these alone are enough! When an individual or a people of a particular race are constantly nagged and abused, condemned and ostracized by the society, they become bitter and cynical individuals. Heartfelt care and concern, an understanding approach and tender regard for their feelings are necessary pre-requisites to heal their inner wounds. Adequate opportunities need to be created for their ‘reformation’ and ‘rehabilitation’ into the mainstream of the society. The authors feel that it is not an easy task. Each and every molecule of the Negro race is surcharged with the hidden grudge as for the inhuman treatment meted out to them in all walks of life, from the cradle to the grave and from the womb to the tomb and this process continued for centuries. They were branded from birth as ‘niggers. ’ This insult on their personality is difficult to condone. Brief summary of the book: This is a classic work on black identity. This is also criticized as one of the sexiest books. Slavery is no ordinary crime against humanity. The book explains the race relations and its dynamics in the day to day living of the blacks vs. whites. How at each step of the ladder the blacks were pulled down, how they were made to stumble at deliberately created hurdles by the whites, how slavery dynamics deeply impact the cross-racial sexual relationships etc. It is one thing to have freedom and protection for the essential human dignity of the individual legally. It is good to have uniform constitutional rights for whites and blacks. But what mattes is the interpretation of the laws and their applicability to the ground level situations, concerning the blacks. The book is an authentic source of inspiration to the educated younger generation of blacks, and for the African psychologists of the day. The book cites case studies and they are properly dealt with. The point by point analysis of the â€Å"intra-psychic† dynamics of Black life in every day America is extremely informative and an eye-opener. Blacks, in many parts of the world where the whites were the dominating community, suffered, and in USA they suffered intensely. The authors are psychiatrists by profession and they are eminently suited to treat this subject. The inner conflicts and the desperation of back life, how they carry on with their back to the wall existence—all these have been highlighted, with the zeal of pursuing the truth. As the black race is exposed to various social situations related to the individual growth through education, employment, achievement of status in life, the intra-racial problems have begun to crop up with great intensity. The authors cite the case of an educated school teacher, marrying a laborer. They explain: â€Å"†¦She was embarrassed by his poor education. He felt that she and her friends were phony and that she was preoccupied with maintaining senseless appearances. Their mutual hostility led to verbal and later physical assaults. Divorce was the result. This pattern is so common in Negro marriages that it deserves special study, which might shed light on the broader problems of how in America choice of mate and marriage in general is influenced by a persons blackness. †(p. 75) The authors put forth strong arguments that black people living in a racist, white dominated society have suffered and are suffering psychological pressure by the effects of racist oppression. This sometimes, has the telling effect in on the day to day disposition and black people act in unpredictable manner. The thesis of the book: Will the country ever awake in to that heaven of freedom, and when it will be free from the division of narrow domestic walls created by race prejudices? What you do to mitigate the mental barrier of racial discrimination on so many counts is not important. How you do, what you do is indeed important. More acts and legislations have helped to create a stir in the minds of whites and blacks. But the problem eludes permanent solution. This is so, because the feeling of superiority within the minds of the whites has to change. When the thought process will change, the action process will also change! When the thoughts are changed, the mind is changed; when the mind is changed, the man is changed; when the man is changed, the society is changed; when the society is changed, the Nation is changed. Then only we can way that plenty and prosperity engulfs USA, not otherwise! The contents and arguments in the book contain too much sex, much more than required by the literary standards. But some times, these issues are beyond the control of the authors. Firstly the book must sell. This is the prime objective of the publisher. Fortunately or unfortunately, sex sells. If it is handled well, it sells well. This could be one of the reasons for the extra dose of sex in the book—this may not be as well! This book has about 230 pages with 10 chapters, Who’s angry, the shadow of the past, achieving womanhood, acquiring manhood, marriage and love, character traits, the â€Å"Promise† of education, mental illness and treatment, and how come there’s so much hate and black rage. In a nutshell, the contents of the book discuss and analyze the bitter past of slavery in USA, the tension-ridden race relations in USA today, and the future of black and white race relations which have the possibilities to turn worst, on the slightest provocation, when the black race is making its presence felt strongly, in political, social, and economic spheres. In sports, blacks are dominating! The blacks accepted the domination of the white race-will the whites accept the domination of the black race in times to come? Will the law of divine retribution work in this context? Identify the evidence used by the author to support his/ her thesis That which is evident requires no introduction, elaboration, or appreciation. Light is bright and it is evident. Milk is white and it is evident. Simply say black race in America, and everything is evident. The saga of suffering of the Negro race, the era of slavery, violence and cruelty to subdue their legitimate aspirations rotates on the curtain of one’s mind. The authors of Black Rage do not mince words when it comes to condemning the atrocities committed on the black race. â€Å"The voice of black America has been heard in the explosions of Watts, Newark, and Detroit,† they warn. (p. 3) They assert their aspiration in strongest terms. â€Å"Black people continue to revolt against laws and customs that are deadly and humiliating†¦Aggression leaps from wounds inflicted and ambitions spiked. It grows out of oppression and capricious cruelty. †(p. 3). The younger generation of Negroes is not willing to wait and accept ‘the tactful handling of the situation’ by the whites when their interests matter. The white race is not willing to travel in the boat where the rudder is controlled by the black. The blacks are aware, by their bitter past experiences that the whites will go to any extent when their own interests matter. This causes more frustration and apprehension in the black community and adversely affects their psyche. The example cited in the text is that of Jimmy, a twelve year old boy. â€Å"His face was jet-black, and his expressions ranged from somber to sad. Whether relating stories of home, school, or the streets, he disguised his true feelings. At twelve he had learned one of his first lessonsalways play it cool. As much as possible, he worked to hide his inner life. One day he stared long and hard at his fist and said: I want to hit a white man. †(p. 59) State your own opinion and ideas about this book. The book contains tough opinions about the white race. To tell a black youngster to forget the past, say that he is constitutionally protected and enjoys equal rights as applicable to whites or any ethnic group is as good as telling him a story. The suffering of the Negro race is something very special and closely linked to the destiny of America. The black can condone the past; they can not ignore or forget it. The whites are not obliging the blacks by the present stance of understanding them. They have no other alternative. They must accept their newfound social position—equal in every respect as compared to the black people and it is their duty to say that the black-brother is first among the equal. They must attempt and secure the transformation within. The writers put it crisply and authoritatively. â€Å"After all, the thoughts begin, the Negro is also an American and if he is different it is only matter of degree. Cliches are brought forth and there is a lengthy recitation of the names of famous Negroes. Long association has bred feelings of familiarity which masquerade as knowledge. But there remain puzzles about black people; all is not understood; something is missing. †(p. 23) â€Å"It is better to have a world united than a world divided; but it is better to have a world divided, than a world destroyed,† said Sir Winston Churchill at the time of II World War. Presently, does this quote apply to the solution for the race problem in USA? USA will never be divided in geographical terms, the Constitution of USA is strong enough, the political leaders have enough foresight, but the example given in the book is shocking and is the definite pointer, how the division of the hearts is complete. How Come Theres So Much Hate? â€Å"When the man died, his wife of forty years was pitied by her friends. The widow was a stern New Englander; her dead husband was a black. In spite of strong social disapproval of their marriage, they had raised children and prospered. There had been some discord between them, but they handled it discreetly and the children had never heard them comment on racial matters. Even when a racial incident was prominent in the news, not a word was said about it. The children assumed that their mother had long since accepted the realities of marriage to a black man. They were completely unprepared for her words when her husband died: Thank God that nigger is gone! (p. 181) Spirituality, not religion, seems to be the only answer to this vexed problem of race relations. Once a human being crosses the mind barrier, all differences all tensions, cease! Mind is a bundle of negative and positive thoughts. The usual methods of suppressing the thoughts and emotions are not going to bring permanent peace. If the Negro race has to surrender at any point, it has got to be the dynamic surrender, of a supreme and brave human being. They should not accept the supremacy of the white race, nor demand the pound of flesh for the historical misdeeds of the whites. If the revengeful attitude persists, it will take them and the Nation nowhere. If the Nation does not survive how will the black and white races survive?

The New Teenage Parent Essay -- Essays Papers

The New Teenage Parent I originally wrote this essay as an assignment for Monique DuFour's class about how we classify different groups of people. I think that the part of the student population that are parents (especially single parents) are often forgotten by the University as a whole. I say this because there are very few, if any, programs that recognize and cater to the needs of parents/students that may need a little extra help, with time or financially. As I revised this essay, I tried to think of ways that I could speak to a larger audience and raise general awareness on this issue. A young man is at a party. He reaches in his pocket for some money, but he smiles to himself and pulls out a pacifier. He's a young single father. A young woman is playing on the lawn with a little boy, tickling him and laughing as he giggles. He's not her little brother. . . he's her son. Even more than being single parents, these are real people and have been or are currently students in college. I naturally feel that what I have to say is important because I am one of these people. I have a two-year old son, Jaymen. I also want you, the reader, to know that we, the young single parents who are a part of the United States, New York State, Syracuse and even closer to home, Syracuse University, are definitely more than statistics. I could tell my story and try to prove that to you, but that would not be a multi-faceted account of what being a single parent is. When I use the term, single parent, I am keeping in mind the literal meaning of single--unmarried. I am not excluding support of the other parent in any situation. When I add the word young to it, I am referring to a male or female whose child was born while they wer... ...ie, which ended in divorce five years later. She went to nursing school part-time, while working various kinds of jobs. She remarried while in school and finished nursing school when she was in her early thirties. Her son, Anthony, has finished high school and is now in the Marines. He's twenty-one now. She's divorced and now working as a traveling nurse. She never had any more children. The list of success stories for young single parents go on and on. Just because a person has made a mistake in the past does not mean that the future has to be a life full of mistakes. The saying, "Life is what you make it," is true. There is a difference, however. The extra incentive to work hard is to look into the big brown eyes of a child that you helped to create and realize that you have to be a good example and teach them to make their lives a little better than yours was. The New Teenage Parent Essay -- Essays Papers The New Teenage Parent I originally wrote this essay as an assignment for Monique DuFour's class about how we classify different groups of people. I think that the part of the student population that are parents (especially single parents) are often forgotten by the University as a whole. I say this because there are very few, if any, programs that recognize and cater to the needs of parents/students that may need a little extra help, with time or financially. As I revised this essay, I tried to think of ways that I could speak to a larger audience and raise general awareness on this issue. A young man is at a party. He reaches in his pocket for some money, but he smiles to himself and pulls out a pacifier. He's a young single father. A young woman is playing on the lawn with a little boy, tickling him and laughing as he giggles. He's not her little brother. . . he's her son. Even more than being single parents, these are real people and have been or are currently students in college. I naturally feel that what I have to say is important because I am one of these people. I have a two-year old son, Jaymen. I also want you, the reader, to know that we, the young single parents who are a part of the United States, New York State, Syracuse and even closer to home, Syracuse University, are definitely more than statistics. I could tell my story and try to prove that to you, but that would not be a multi-faceted account of what being a single parent is. When I use the term, single parent, I am keeping in mind the literal meaning of single--unmarried. I am not excluding support of the other parent in any situation. When I add the word young to it, I am referring to a male or female whose child was born while they wer... ...ie, which ended in divorce five years later. She went to nursing school part-time, while working various kinds of jobs. She remarried while in school and finished nursing school when she was in her early thirties. Her son, Anthony, has finished high school and is now in the Marines. He's twenty-one now. She's divorced and now working as a traveling nurse. She never had any more children. The list of success stories for young single parents go on and on. Just because a person has made a mistake in the past does not mean that the future has to be a life full of mistakes. The saying, "Life is what you make it," is true. There is a difference, however. The extra incentive to work hard is to look into the big brown eyes of a child that you helped to create and realize that you have to be a good example and teach them to make their lives a little better than yours was.

Mannerist Portraits of the 16th Century

The sixteenth century was a period of intense political and military. The 1500s were also a period of religious change. The Italian painter Parmigianino was a pioneer of the mannerist style, which his work shows an essentially decorative emphasis and accomplished smoothness. They had a nickname for Parmigianino which was â€Å"little man from Parma†. At the age of 19 Parmigianino was commission to frescoes for the Parma Cathedral. Now the painting that I’ve chose from the Mannerist portraits of the 16th is Parmigianino’s Madonna and child with Angels, which is also Madonna of the Long Neck.Now the reason they call it Madonna of the long Neck is because how long her neck is in the painting. The Madonna, in particular, has an elongated neck and tilted head. Her movement flows into the spatial twist of the torso and legs, Mary dress, in contrast to the usual blue and red. Parmigianino’s painting exemplifies the elongation that the Mannerists gave their figure s. They made the stretching the human body in some ways the Mannerist artists seemed to be ahead of everyone else. This is one of the most popular subjects in Christian art.It has been painted by hundreds of painters over the centuries to be placed in a church or chapel as an altarpiece. Some of the effects that are in the picture is the faces are more realistic and not idealized. The baby Jesus is less of a small man and more like a child. An attempt at creating depth has been attempted to place two background angels and through the use of linear perspective in the throne. Modeling is clearly visible as the light source is coming from the left of the painting.Madonna drapery has larger and more naturalistic folds that shape her body. The way Madonna look had her head tilted and how her hand was on her chest in the picture was like she was in the royal family or had royal blood, and how the mannerism had a different style of painting the baby was bigger than the normal size baby. In the picture is see five angels looking at Madonna and the baby. They use Oil on panel, and if you pay attention to the floor there is a little man looking away from a scroll.As you can see that the painting is taking place in a room, but in the background you can see a background of outside, and they used like a brownish colors to make it look like the sun is going down or coming up. If you look at Madonna and the angels cheeks, they have all have red blush on their cheeks. If you look close you can see that Madonna’s stomach is sticking out a little because the scene of the painting makes it look like she just had a baby.

Store and Recover Information About Object Using Binary Serialization in C#

Report Store and Recover Information about Object Using Binary Serialization in C# What is Binary Serialization: Serialization is the process taking an object and converting it to a format which can be transported through net work or store into a storage medium, the storage medium could be file, database, or memory. The . NET Framework provides two types of serialization, XML serialization and Binary serialization. There are also three formats provided by the Microsoft . NET framework to which objects can be serialized. The formats are binary, SOAP, and XML.Binary serialization can either the binary or the SOAP formatter, are suitable for storing object Information in . NET applications, and you don’t need share the information with non-. NET programs. When I mention Binary serialization below I mean â€Å"Binary serialization† using binary formatter, as short expression. Why use Binary Serialization: The binary serialization working chart is: [pic] The chart also can p resent the other two format of serialization. so why we use Binary serialization instead of use the other two? What the advantage and disadvantage of binary serialization?The binary serialization is the most compact and light of the three formats and it is the fastest one of the three formats. Also the binary serialization can serialize all the state of the object, including type information. Therefore when the object is deserialized, you get an accurate and fully functional copy of the original, which xml will not It ignores private member fields and properties. The main limitation of using binary serialization is that binary serialization depends on platform, while XML and SOAP do not adhere to that limitation.Therefore only when all your applications which use serialization are . net framework applications, you can use binary serialization, otherwise uses other two formats instead. Using Binary Serialization in C#: The code to using Binary serialize is very simple. The step is: 1 ) create an instance of an BinaryFormatter class (using the interface iForamatter) 2) pass it an object and an open stream 3) iFormatter. Serialize methodwrites the object's state to the stream. Below I will show a very simple code to serialize an object call aPerson to a file.To make a class serializable we must mark it with the serializable attribute at before the class code The code is: [Serializable] public class Person then we need 2 namespaces for using serialization in our application: using System. Runtime. Serialization. Formatters. Binary; using System. Runtime. Serialization; then use the code below to Serialize: //create an instance of an BinaryFormatter class(IFormatter is a interface) IFormatter formatter = new BinaryFormatter(); //create a stream Stream stream = new FileStream(â€Å"filename†, FileMode. Create, FileAccess.Write, FileShare. None); //pass stream and object to the stream formatter. Serialize method for doing Serialization formatter. Serialize(stre am, aPerson); //finished close the stream stream. Close(); The deserialize just as simple as serialize, the code are: IFormatter formatter = new BinaryFormatter(); Stream stream = new FileStream(â€Å"MyFile. dat†, FileMode. Open, FileAccess. Read, FileShare. Read); Person clone = (Person) formatter. Deserialize(stream); stream. Close(); Some Important not for Serialization: ? the constructors are not called when an object is deserialized. the Serializable attribute cannot be inherited. ? there are some Security issues of serialization you can visit The Security and Serialization (http://msdn. microsoft. com/library/? url=/library/en-us/cpguide/html/cpconsecurityserialization. asp)topic in the Framework Documentation further reading: This report just explains the very basic idea of Binary serialization for further study the following links will help. Serializing Objects: http://msdn. microsoft. com/library/default. asp? url=/library/en-us/cpguide/html/cpovrSerializingObjects. sp C# Object Serialization by Budi Kurniawan http://www. ondotnet. com/pub/a/dotnet/2002/08/26/serialization. html References: Serializing Objects: http://msdn. microsoft. com/library/default. asp? url=/library/en-us/cpguide/html/cpovrSerializingObjects. asp http://www. c-sharpcorner. com/Language/serializingObjectsinCS. asp ———————– Deserialization Binary Serialization network Deserialization Binary Serialization Copy of Your Object A File, Database or memory Storage medium Another Application Your object Your Application

Full Analysis of ACT Grammar Rules Which Are Most Important

Full Analysis of ACT Grammar Rules Which Are Most Important SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips When you are planning your study approach for ACT English, it’s important to know where your time is best spent. Which grammar rules are really the most important to learn? What can help you make the greatest improvement to your score? What kind of questions are on ACT English? ACT English is a passage based test. There are 5 multi-paragraph passages and 75 questions to go with them. The makers of the ACT break the test down into two main sections: Usage and Mechanics questions and Rhetorical Skills. Usage and Mechanics covers questions about punctuation (including internal and end of sentence punctuation and avoiding ambiguity), grammar and usage (including subject-verb agreement, pronoun-antecedent agreement, verb formation, pronoun case, comparative and superlative adjectives and adverbs, and idiomatic use), and sentence structure (including modifier placement and relationships between clauses). In the past, these questions have made up about 53% of the questions on the test. The second main category is Rhetorical Skills. These questions will ask about strategy (including understanding when to add or delete information and how to best revise writing for a certain audience), organization (including choosing effective openings, transitions, and conclusions), and style (including choosing correct words, tone, style, and avoiding wordiness). Also grouped with Rhetorical Skills are questions that ask about the author’s goal. These questions test your ability to recognize main ideas and understand what the passage is about, and understanding the scope of the passage. These questions usually compose about 47% of the questions on the test. Since the most recent updates to theACT, the test makers are not sticking as strictly to these percentages, butthey are still good guidelines. What concepts are tested? And why should you care? Almost as predictable as the question types are the grammar and style rules that ACT English will test you on. ACT English heavily favors a few main grammar and style rules, and lightly touches on a multitude of others. Why should this matter to you? This means that especially if you are aiming for a mid-range score, you should focus your studying on the main grammar and style rules that are covered. But if you are aiming for a high score, you should make sure you know all the concepts listed here. Since ACT English has so many questions, even concepts that appear a low percentage of the time will almost definitely be featuredand could affect your score. How did I find this out? I analyzed over 500 ACT English questions from seven official ACT tests that have been given in the past and wrote down the grammar and style concepts tested in each. Usually, it was easy to find the answer to a question just by knowing one style or grammar rule. But a couple of questions required knowledge of more than one rule. For these questions, I counted them for both concepts. And the winners are†¦ Usage and Mechanics For usage and mechanics questions, the overwhelming winner of the frequency test is correctly forming and joining sentences at 20.5% of the grammar questions. This covers all the concepts involved in understanding what a correct sentence is, including bothfragments and run-ons. This topic also covers correct use of semicolons in joining sentences. Not far behind in second place are questions dealing with correct uses of commas, dashes, and colons. These questions make up 17.7% of the grammar questions. Following in third and fourth places are correctly used non-essential clauses and relative pronouns with 10.2% of the questions, and correct verb tense and form, with 9.6% of the grammar questions. This topic involves, among other things, knowing what tense is necessary, and forming the tenses correctly. So, if you master these four concepts, you will have all the information you need to answer almost 60% of the grammar questions on ACT English. Here is the full breakdown This is my analysis of the most commonly-tested grammar concepts on ACT English, along with brief explanations of what each grammar rule means. #1: Correct Sentence Formation: 20.5% Recognizing fragments Recognizing run-ons, including comma splices Joining sentences correctly Incorrectly used semicolons #2: Use of commas, dashes, and colons: 17.7% No comma between subject and verb No comma before or after preposition When to use commas to separate adjectives No comma between adjective and noun Commas used after introductory words No commas between compound subjects or compound objects No commas around emphatic pronouns Colons used for a list or explanation Dashes used with non-essential clauses, as intro for a list, and with a deliberate pause #3: Correctly formed non-essential clauses andrelative pronouns: 10.2% Non-essential clause must be surrounded by commas Correct use of which vs. that; who vs. which; who vs. whom #4: Verb tense and form: 9.6% Correct and consistent tense usage When to use past tense instead of past participle Past participle needs a helping verb Incorrectly formed past participle Will vs. would When to use gerund and when to use infinitive #5: Misplaced and dangling modifiers and word placement: 9.2% Descriptive phrases must be next to the word they describe. Would a word make more sense elsewhere in the sentence? #6: Apostrophe use: 7.5% Correct formation of plural nouns Correct formation of possessive form of nouns Common contractions and their meanings (such as â€Å"it’s†) #6: Pronoun Use: 7.5% Consistent use of pronouns Pronoun-antecedent agreement (including singular or plural pronouns) Pronoun case Present and clear antecedents #8. Idioms: 5.1% Idiomatic use of prepositions #9: Parallel Structure and Word Pairs: 4.1% Use of matching prepositions Items in a list match Such as neither†¦nor, either†¦or, not only†¦but also, from†¦to, as†¦as #10: Subject-Verb Agreement: 3.8% Singular subjects need singular verbs; plural subjects need plural verbs Subject – non-essential clause – verb construction Subject – prepositional phrase – verb construction Verb before subject #: Adjectives vs. Adverbs: 2.4% Adjectives are used to describe nouns Adverbs are used to describe adjectives, adverbs, and verbs Correct use of the comparative and superlative forms #: Comparison words: 2.4% Correct use of comparison words such as more/less than, less vs. fewer, much vs. many, and that of/those of Rhetorical Strategy These questions are based on making the passages more smooth and logical to read. As in the grammar section, the ACT heavily favors some rules over others. The big winners for Rhetorical Strategy are†¦ Logical transitions. Unsurprisingly, in a section all about making passages more logical, transitions reign supreme. Over 18% of the questions will test your ability to create logical bridges within and between sentences and paragraphs. In second place is adding information with 16.7%. These questions test your ability to see if new information is relevant to the paragraph in question, and also ask students to explain how the paragraphs are changed by the addition of new information. And tied in third with 15.5% each are conciseness and replacing and re-wording information. Similar to the concepts above, replacing information questions ask student to tell if information is relevant to the paragraph in question, and if not, to replace it with different information. Conciseness questions test students’ abilities to see when the author has been unnecessarily wordy. Repetitive words, circular talking, and the passive voice are all put to the test in these questions! Let’s break it down completely #1. Logical Transitions: 18.4% Includes transitions within sentences, between sentences, and between paragraphs Transition words make logical sense for context #2. Adding Information: 16.7% Determining if new information is relevant to paragraph Understanding why new information is relevant #3. Re-wording or Replacing Information: 15.5% Replacing a word or phrase to add a certain emphasis to the passage Replacing irrelevant information with relevant information #3. Conciseness: 15.5% No using repetitive words to describe something General wordiness No passive voice when active voice is also correct and shorter #5. Deleting Information: .7% Is information irrelevant? If so, delete it. What information would be lost if sentence were deleted? #6. Diction: 8.4% Commonly confused words, such as then/than, have/of #7. Sentence Order/Placement and Paragraph Organization: 6.7% Does the placement of a sentence make sense in context? Does one sentence/paragraph logically follow from the last? Does a new paragraph start with a shift in topic? #8. Writer’s Goal: 5.4% Recognizing main ideas in the passage Recognizing specific and general passages #9. Formality: 1.5% Is the phrasing of an answer too casual or formal to match the rest of the sentence? So What Would a Perfect Test Look Like? If you took the ACT English and it broke down exactly according to these statistics, here is what you would expect to see: 8 questions on Forming Correct Sentences 7 questions on Commas, Dashes, and Colons 7 questions on Logical Transitions 6 questions on Adding Information 5 questions on Replacing or Re-wording Information 5 questions on Conciseness 4 questions on Verb Tense and Form 4 questions on Deleting Information 4 questions on Non-essential Clauses and Relative Pronouns 4 questions on Dangling and Misplaced Modifiers and Word Placement 3 questions on Diction 3 questions on Apostrophe Use 3 questions on Pronouns 2 questions on Idioms 2 questions on Parallel Structure and Word Pairs 2 questions on Sentence Order/Paragraph Organization 2 questions on Author Goal/Intent 1 question on Subject-Verb Agreement 1 question on Adjectives vs. Adverbs 1 question on Comparison Words 1 question on Formality †¦.for a total of 75 questions. Of course, it’s unlikely that any test will exactly follow these statistics, so don’t be surprised if you see a few extra (or fewer) questions of a certain type! How Should You Use This Information? Now that you know exactly what you can expect to find on ACT English, use this information to guide your studying. Here’s a study plan that will help you make the most of your study time to give you the best chance of improving your score. Take a diagnostic test. To do this, you should take a real ACT English test, because it’s best to work with realistic questions. You can find official ACT tests online, or you can get them from The Real ACT Prep Guide. After taking the test, score it to see how you've done. For every question that you either got incorrect or had to guess on, make a note of why you got it wrong, and what grammar concept it is testing. Compare your list of grammar mistakes with the â€Å"Perfect Test† list above. Which of your mistakes appears highest on the list? Focus your studying on the concept that is highest on the list. You’re likely to see that kind of question the most, and so mastering that grammar concept will give you the chance to improve your score by a few points. When you feel confident that you have mastered the highest concept on the list, move on to the next one. Keep working your way down the list. As you’re taking these steps, you should also consider what your target ACT score is. For example, if you're just looking to boost a mid-range score (around a 20) a bit higher (a 24), you’ll want to focus on the first 10 – 12 grammar concepts. If you can get these concepts down, you’ll have a great chance of hitting your target score, and you won’t need to worry about many of the less-frequently-tested concepts. On the other hand, if you're aiming for a high or perfect score, you should pay attention to every grammar and rhetorical point on the list. Missing even a few points could hurt your chances of getting the score you want. What’s Next? Now you know exactly what is on ACT English. Use the above links to master each topic. Know the concepts, but unsure of how to attack the questions? Read the best way to approach ACT English passages. Before you get studying, read our top 5 secrets to mastering the ACT English. Not sure if ACT English is for you? Read our comparison of ACT English and SAT Writing to see which is the best fit! Want to improve your ACT score by 4 points? Check out our best-in-class online ACT prep program. We guarantee your money back if you don't improve your ACT score by 4 points or more. Our program is entirely online, and it customizes what you study to your strengths and weaknesses. If you liked this English lesson, you'll love our program.Along with more detailed lessons, you'll get thousands ofpractice problems organized by individual skills so you learn most effectively. We'll also give you a step-by-step program to follow so you'll never be confused about what to study next. Check out our 5-day free trial: