Synoptic Gospels

Synoptic Gospels Introduction God used his four Gospels to accomplish a purpose. Each Gospel and author had a different purpose and each focused on the different facets of Jesus and his ministry. â€Å"The first three Gospels â€Å"are referred to as the synoptic gospels because of the large amount of overlapping materials. (In Greek, synoptic means â€Å"seen together’). The Gospel of John is distinguished from the synoptic gospels due to the accounts on Jesus miracles and discourses. † (Mueller 79). The Gospel of John is often used to compare and contrast the synoptic three gospels.The synoptic gospels and their similarities has risen a growing suspicion if the authors had a common source or if they retrieved their information or it has even been argued they copied each other’s gospels. This has caused many growing issues among Christians over a span of time concerning the similarities and differences in each gospel. Between the earliest surviving Gospel and the death of Jesus, four decades had passed; knowing this gives a person reasonable belief Gospels were the true writings. They were written by the authors based on many writings as well as eyewitness testimony.The similarities in Matthew, Mark and Luke can be explained by oral tradition meaning what they saw and heard for themselves; as well as stories and events told by communities during Jesus life and after his death. The first three Gospels are what are known as the â€Å"Synoptic Problem†. â€Å"The Synoptic Problem addresses the need to account for the similarities and differences in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke. † (Mueller 85) The â€Å"Synoptic Problem† is not really a problem at all it is a question which consists of who wrote the first gospel and did one copy from the other?How did the three gospels bear such a likeness to each other and not the Gospel of John? There is no real or correct answer to this question or problem. The synoptic gosp els were obviously written in different places, by different people and at different times. Each Gospel was written with its own theme and emphasis on Jesus and reasoning behind it. â€Å"These three books, which occupy perhaps 240 pages of the average edition of the New Testament, have been the subject of a weight of scholarly investigation, an analysis which leaves far behind that accorded to any other literature in the world. † (Hanson) Similarities and DifferencesWhile comparing Matthew, Mark and Luke there are similarities and differences between the gospels. There are significant numbers of exact wording, order of narrative and parenthetical material. Of 661 verses which belong to Mark all but 30 verses are found in Mark and/or Luke. Of the material common to Mark and in Matthew and Luke there are 8, 189 of the 10, 10650 words found in one or both of them. Matthew and Luke have 235 verses in common that is not found in Mark, leading us to believe that Matthew Mark and L uke depended upon each other or that two sources were used to produce these gospels.It is not indicted or proven that they copied from each other. (Farmer) â€Å"Since Matthew and Luke wrote independently but share so much of non-Markan material the â€Å"other source† material called (â€Å"Q†). † (Mueller) Hypothesis and Theory There is a continuing debate regarding the composition of the Gospels. There are many theories and hypotheses based on biblical scripture and theological findings but there is no right or wrong answer. The Augustinian hypothesis states since Matthew was the first written gospel the Gospel of Mark came after Matthew and Luke wrote his gospel based on theirs (Piper).In addition, Griesbach accepted this theory and â€Å"dismissed any kind of traditional attempt and was focused on the three Gospels literary dependence between gospel narratives†. (Smith), Griesbach dismissed traditional attempts to blend these accounts & focused atten tion on their literary dependence instead (Smith). Gresbach even published a thesis where Mark often followed Matthews writing as a guide to his writings. Second is the Two- source; this thesis shows the gospels of Matthew & Luke are independent writings. They each are based on Mark and Q.Mark is identified as the main source of information to whereas Matthew and Luke had gathered their information for their gospels from because of the similarities in wording, events, and parallels A Philosophically trained British theologian & biblical exegete by the name of Mark Farrer held that Mark was Matthews’s sole literary source. (Smith) Farrer states that any writings from Matthew such as Sermon on the Mount that could not be traced back to Mark must be his own. Lastly the Q source hypothesis which is a written document composed in Greek is short for: Quelle: which is defined in German for source. Q contained sayings and discourses ascribed in to Jesus† (McConkey). There was n ever a copy of Q found but many scholars are convinced it did exist. This hypothesis states most of Q contents appear either both in Matthew and Luke or in one or the other. There are many other hypothesis and theories base on the solving the synoptic problem. Solution â€Å"The prevailing solution to the synoptic problem for the past century among scholars trained in literary criticism of the gospels. The thesis is the gospels of Matthew & Luke are independent compositions, each based on two earlier texts: Mark & Q. Smith) In comparing the Gospels in which points they are similar to other existing pieces. In the future, such comparison should identify the issues of composition, social context, and ideology the will be more useful than a sterile â€Å"form/content/function† analysis. In addition, it should be also recognized that the closest parallels to the Gospel genre are most likely to be found within the same Jewish environment which gave rise to the church itself. (Tha tcher) Conclusion The Synoptic Gospels all tell the story of Jesus, and proclaim him the Son of God.Essentially what we believe in as Christians will not change whichever way the synoptic problem is solved. Whether we know him as the King, the Servant, the Son of Man or Son of God , we know he is one in the same; Jesus. As is shown by the writings of the Synoptic Gospels as well as the Gospel of John are a true testimony of the accounts of Jesus ministry. . Although each author may place emphasis on different facets of Jesus birth, life, death and resurrection the subject remains the same. Jesus died to save us from our sins.Works Cited Farmer, William R. THE SYNOPTIC PROBLEM . Mercer University Press, 1981. Hanson, R P C. Bp. â€Å"Assessment of motive in the study of the Synoptic Gospels†. Modern Churchman (1967. ): ns 10 no 4 Jl 1967, p 255-269. James McConkey, Robinson, Christopher, the Sayings Gospel Q: Mueller, J. J. , SJ, editor. Theological Foundations. Winona: Anselm Academic, Christian Brothers Publications, 2007. Piper, Ronald Allen. â€Å"The gospels behind the Gospels: current studies on Q. † Novum Testamentum (1995): 23. Smith,

HR †Selection Process Essay

Today, the human resource selection process plays a vital role in the production and performance value business receive by making good hires and the high costs of replacing employees following bad hires. This is especially true for small business. Now the human resource department takes on a more strategic role with hiring and selection. What is selection? Selection is the process of selecting a qualified person who can successfully do a job and deliver valuable contributions to the organization. The selection process is the strategically planned procedural approach created and implemented by organizations when recruiting and hiring new employees. This begins when jobs are posted internally and externally however in some cases recruiting tools are used to draw top-qualified candidates for important jobs. Screening tools, such as applications, tests, interviews, background investigations and reference checks are all used during this process. One area of the selection process that is significant and sometimes under-valued is the development of screening tools. The goal of selection is to employ the applicant who is the best possible match for the job duties which makes using the right selection tools and developing them effectively crucial. Thorough job analysis assists HR professionals better align selection tools with the job. In addition to locating the best hire, cost efficiency and legal concerns are two main reasons why the HR selection process is so important. When companies make a bad hire, they pay to train and orient a person who ultimately may cause more harm than good if he performs poorly and negatively affects the workplace. The costs to replace a bad hire are astronomical in many industries. A Society Human Resource Management study showed that even an $8 an hour retail employee can cost up to $3,500 to replace because of the hiring, administrative and training costs involved. When hiring an employee it is important to find the right person because this will reduce turnover rates and save time and money in the long run. Many employers seek skills and characteristics in the applicant before they qualify for an interview. Some of these include: †¢ Self motivated individuals †¢ High tolerance for stress †¢ Positive attitude †¢ Good communication skills †¢ Ability to work as an individual and in a group †¢ Good problem solving skills These skills and characteristics are highly important because working in a call center is extremely stressful and routine. In addition, you are on the frontline representing the company yet you are unable to see the customer. You must keep a positive attitude and for that reason, your presentation over the phone is vital. Since the job is based on communication through the phone, a good recruitment practice in the call center would include pre-screening telephone interviews to test out the applicants phone skills. Once a group of applicants are selected, they are scheduled for an interview with two call center managers or supervisors and Raj, the Human Resource Recruiter. During the first interview process, they are asked about their interests and career goals to get a general idea if they are fit for the job. During the second interview, questions are more in-depth regarding experience, what they can contribute to the company, and their skills. The third and final interview tests their problem-solving skills by giving them scenario questions regarding their job and their ability to share the same corporate culture with other staff members. In addition, a lot of call centers also use behavioural based tests and interviews that match skills and interests to the unique mix of products and services provided by the company. Another effective selection and recruitment method they use is the Employee Referral Program. The Employee Referral program offers a costeffective means of attracting applicants, avoiding the need for advertising or agency fees. Also, new recruits who have been recommended by existing employees often come to the company with more realistic expectations and can provide a better cultural fit. At Bodog.com, under an employee referral program, existing staff are offered a cash incentive ($1000) to recommend friends or former colleagues for vacancies within the company. The bonus payments are  only made if the recommended candidate is successful in his or her application. The payments are also typically dependent on a number of other conditions being met. There is a three month probation period which new recruits must complete satisfactorily before the employees who recommended them are paid a bonus. However, there are a number of potential drawbacks. One of the greatest concerns tends to be that relying too heavily on employee referrals could limit diversity in the workplace, with new staff recruited in the likeness of existing employees. But, provided that there is already a diverse workforce in place this ceases to be such an issue. It is a good idea to keep track your hiring methods to see if they are actually working in hiring the right person. If methods start to become ineffective, you can test out some new recruiting methods that may work for your call center.

Bilingualism and Biculturalism

Bilingualism and biculturalism are intertwined terms that have influenced the social model of modern society. As everyday passes by, the world keeps getting smaller and we continue conforming to the cultural norms of the global society. While bilingualism helps us to keep our native language intact, biculturalism reminds of our true roots. In a world with diminishing cultural boundary lines, bilingualism and biculturalism are critical factors that help preserve one’s cultural identity. Bilingualism Bilingualism is basically the ability to comprehend and effectively communicate in two languages.However, various experts have their own definition of bilingualism with certain nuances. For instance, a bilingual is one who is recognized as a native speaker by natives of both languages, according to a French linguist named Thiery (Chan 2). In recent times, the ability to construct and express complete, meaningful sentences is considered adequate for one to achieve bilingualism. B. Wa ys to measure bilingualism Bilingualism can be measured by evaluating the level of mastery of listening, speaking, reading and writing skills in both languages.Most bilinguals have superior command over one language compared to the other, as it is not very common for an individual to have equal mastery of both languages. Likewise, some bilinguals can understand a language better than they speak it; they are commonly referred to as receiving bilinguals. It is generally accepted among the linguist community that knowing a minimum of five thousand words in a language is necessary to carry out effective communication. C. Types of bilingualismVarious types of bilingualism have been found to exist as linguists continue to study the reasons and methods governing the existence of bilingualism. Sometimes, learning a second language might lead to the deterioration of ones native language. This negative impact over a person’s native language is called as subtractive bilingualism. Howeve r, if second language proficiency is achieved without causing any negative impact one’s mother tongue, then it is known as additive bilingualism. When an individual’s communication skills improve in general from the mastery of a second language, it is known as ascendant bilingualism.In countries where people speaking a certain language are frowned upon, there is a tendency to conceal one’s native language owing to the fear of being stigmatized. This phenomenon is known as covert bilingualism. On the other hand, some nations in the world have two official languages, as a result of having people from different cultural backgrounds speaking two different languages. Although not all people in the country speak or understand both the languages, such a country is known to exhibit societal bilingualism.Bilingualism can be classified into infant bilingualism and artificial bilingualism, based on the nature of acquiring bilingualism. Infant bilingualism is a native way o f acquiring both languages simultaneously, right from a very early age when a child begins to talk. This way of acquiring bilingualism would most probably result in one attaining almost equal proficiency in both languages. This is possible when both languages are natural part of the child’s environment. This usually happens when each parent is a native speaker of one language or if the parents are proficient in both languages.This way, the child finds both languages natural since he/she is exposed to it since birth. Artificial bilingualism is a phenomenon according to which parents consciously try to pass on a language that is not either of their mother tongues, to the children. This could be a result of societal or cultural pressure to speak the language like a native speaker. Artificial bilingualism can have a negative impact if the parents try to force a language that they are not proficient at it, since this could lead the children to form an improper language model.D. Bi culturalism Biculturalism enables an individual to possess native-like knowledge of two cultures present in his/her country. Hence, a bicultural person would have the ability to relate to members of both cultures as well as act according to the demands of both cultures. True biculturalism is said to have been achieved if a person inherently feels like a part of both cultures. E. Biculturalism in society Biculturalism usually exists in a country where two different cultures or cultural identities are allowed to freely flourish within the society.It is characterized by widespread occupation of people belonging to two diverse cultures. However, true biculturalism cannot exist in a country where one culture is suppressed or discriminated. Bicultural countries have official policies to protect the interest of both cultures. It also facilitates equitable status and rights to people belonging to both cultures without any prejudice. These countries also celebrate festivals pertaining to bot h cultures to preserve integrity of both cultures and foster the spirit of togetherness. E. 1 Biculturalism in CanadaCanada follows a policy of official bilingualism as its gives equal status to both English and French in its parliament and courts. This was done to preserve the cultural identity of French communities in Canada, as support for the French language in Canada had weakened and English had become the preferred language in business and politics, by the end of the nineteenth century. As the years passed by, Francophone communities outside of Quebec begun to realize the extinction of their culture was inevitable, unless French-based education was made a top priority.Certain political forces in Quebec had also wanted a separate state during the 1960s. Franco-Albertans living in Quebec called for bilingualism and biculturalism to ensure that Canada stayed united. This led to the proclamation of the Official Languages Act of 1969 announcing Canada as a bilingual nation (Alberta ’s Francophone Heritage 3). Today, Franco-Albertans are entitled to exclusive French-only education according to rights guaranteed by Bilingualism and Biculturalism Commission, while French is also now used in government offices and hospitals in Alberta.All these developments with respect to biculturalism have kept Canada together as one nation and led to the revival of the French culture. E. 2 Biculturalism in Australia Australia was originally inhabited only by several indigenous tribes, until the Europeans settlers started to immigrate there. These relatively new settlers started to control the ethnicity of the immigrants settling down to ensure that Australia had a cultural identity of a British Colony. Until 1973, the governments empowered by the Immigration Restriction Act followed the White Australia policy to keep a check on non-European immigration.The racial injustice perpetrated by the White Australia policy official came to end by passing of the Racial Discriminat ion Act in 1975. Australia started to rigorously follow a bicultural policy similar to Canada, opening its doors to several thousands of immigrants from all over the world. The extent of Australia’s multicultural policy can be better understood from a 2005 Department of Immigration statistic which reports that forty percent of the contributing workforce in Australia had at least one parent born outside of Australia, while twenty-five percent of them were not originally born in Australia (Wikiepedia 9).Australian values of ‘mateship’ centered on equality, loyalty and friendship, have enshrined in its biculturalism policy and given equal rights to all Australian citizens irrespective of their ethnicity. Multiculturalism was initially perceived as the acceptance of people coming from different cultural backgrounds as members of Australian society. However, the significance of biculturalism has now deepened and empowered immigrants in Australia to express their cultu ral identity, thereby enabling them to experience both Australian culture as well as their native culture. E.3 Biculturalism in the United States America, in spite of being one of most culturally diverse nations in the world and built on values of equality, does not officially have a federal multiculturalism policy. That being said, America does practices biculturalism on a social level as immigrants from various countries are freely allowed to practice their religion and exhibit their cultural identity. The Hart-Cellar Act of 1965 nullified quotas based on one’s national origin. Since then, more twenty twenty-eight million people immigrants have legally been accepted by the United States of America.Bilingualism is also prevalent is certain Southern states that are heavily populated with Spanish-speaking immigrants. F. The relationship of bilingualism to biculturalism Bilingualism and biculturalism are concepts that are very closely tied together. Bilingualism not only helps one to connect and effectively communicate with the society around him/her, but also enables a person to maintain command over his/her native language. Since language is the key to stay in touch with one’s ethic or national culture, bilingualism helps foster biculturalism as well.F. 1. Origin of bilingualism in bicultural societies Canada was one of the pioneers of the New World to officially adopt the policy of bilingualism. In 1867, British North America Act was passed to legalize to conversing in English as well as French in Canadian Parliament as well as Courts of Law, thereby paving the way for a bicultural state. As the world’s political climate began to change during the beginning of the twentieth century, the idea of cultural pluralism started to gain momentum.Biculturalism began in western world and paved the way for biculturalism to be adopted as a political policy in many other parts of the world. F. 2. Bilingual education Bilingual education is a method of teaching all subjects to students through a country’s primary language as well as the student’s native language. There are several types of approaches and programs available to carry out bilingual education. Transitional programs teach all subjects in the students’ native language and English is taught as a separate subject until bilingual students can study along with other native students in normal classrooms.Dual Language programs consist of an equal combination of students who are native English speakers as well students who have another common native language. These methods enable all students in the class to be bilingual and understand subject matter in both languages. Late-exit program is yet another method that is quite similar to transitional programs, but it also teaches all the subjects in English again to reinforce the subject content and achieve effective bilingualism. It is hard to generalize and develop a common plan to educate bilingual students. For instance, in the US, young immigrants are either more educated or less educated native-born American students since immigrants from Asian countries are relatively well-educated compared to their South American counterparts, as a result of to social and economic differences. Language maintenance and Language shift Language maintenance is an effort to preserve the linguistic ability of child in his/her native language, while not compromising on learning the popular secondary language at school. It is can result from a passion for one’s culture or a necessity to communicate with elder members in the family.Career prospects due to international acclaim or the availability of media services such as television programs or books in one’s native could also cause language maintenance. The avoidance of one’s native language is known as language shift. For instance, bilingual children may stop using their mother tongue owing to a higher degree of English exposure in sc hool. Other factors that influence language shift are fear of one’s native language negatively influencing their English language skills or learning abilities.Lack of parental encouragement to maintain one’s native language can also lead to language shift. G. Transference Transference occurs when a person’s native language negatively influences the way he/she uses another language or vice-versa. This influence can occur in the form of distinctive oral expressions i. e. accent or odd sentence compositions. It is classified into lexical, phonological, semantic, prosodic, tonemic, syntactic and pragmatic transferences.CONCLUSIONThe concepts of bilingualism and biculturalism are two critical aspects that have held together societies comprising of several cultures, languages, races and ethnic backgrounds. Since transference or the deviation from the norms of a language could lead to language shift, proper bilingual education has to be provided to ensure that one is c omfortable using both languages. Bilingualism, the preservation of one’s native language accompanied by command over a country’s primary language, is necessary to achieve biculturalism in a society as well retaining one’s true cultural identity.References A Research Guide for Students. (1998-2006). Retrieved March 20, 2008. http://www. aresearchguide. com/1steps. html Bilingualism and Biculturalism. Retrieved March 20, 2008, from Alberta’s Francophone Heritage. http://www. edukits. ca/francophone/en/secondary/infomatics_text_bilingualism. html Chan, K. (1998). Bilingualism and Biculturalism. Retrieved March 20, 2008, from Academia. http://www. geocities. com/goktimus/bilingualism. html Multiculturalism. Retrieved March 20, 2008, from Wikipedia, a free encyclopedia. http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Multiculturalism

Combating Juvenile Deliquency Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Combating Juvenile Deliquency - Research Paper Example In addition, surety that their job is not under threat boosts their morale and encourages teamwork and coordination with other employees in a relaxed and productive manner. Cooperation and flexibility in the workplace is only possible if a head supervisor assures his employees of job security. This assurance naturally translates to contented employees and improves factors such as production and customer satisfaction, which eventually boosts sales. Based on my work experience, I believe that employment security stands out as the most important of the seven work practices. Several benefits accrue from this factor, and some factors are not achievable without job security. For instance, no matter how trained employees are, without employment security, they may not perform to their expectations. Similarly, high compensation at work is not enough to motivate an unsettled employee who is uncertain about the future (Pfeffer and Veiga 42). This practice is the most important because all of the other seven factors emanate from its applicability. Even reduction of status difference depends on employment security. It is impossible for employees to coordinate their skills if some feel like their jobs are at risk. It threatens all the efforts put in job selection, training, and development of a workforce (Pfeffer and Veiga

Tragedy of the Commons and Collective Action Term Paper

Tragedy of the Commons and Collective Action - Term Paper Example Acceptance of the reality of interdependency is implicit idea that all kinds or types of natural resources are for the good of everybody. This means resources are safeguarded for a common purpose of use, exploitation and preservation for replenishment and eventual use of all future generations. This idea is called the global commons of natural resources (Nonini 164). Early or primitive human societies had latched unto this idea of the commons due to their own survival instincts. Every member of the tribe is tasked to help preserve all resources not only for today's present consumption needs but for the future requirements of succeeding generations as well. Because of this concept of environmental preservation, the tribe members had banded themselves together with some social, cultural or religious arrangements to ensure that resources are safeguarded from over-exploitation, allowed to recover and replenish and to make everyone aware that no one owns these resources exclusively but ev erybody owns it. It is this idea that is known as the commons with the added sense of good stewardship. People are supposed to take only what they need from their common-pool resources. A fertile or rich environment can support a population adequately to provide a comfortable life as long as this practice is enforced. Nobody is supposed to take more than what they need, such as exploiting a resource for profit because some people had become too greedy. This had been practiced by the native Americans before the white colonizers came along. In fact, this is shown to be viable, a sense of abundance even in marginal ecological zones (ibid.). Continued population growth had put pressure on natural resources, a grim reminder of the theory put forward by Malthus centuries ago regarding... Good governance today demands consent, cooperation and commitment from people and the old ways of using coercion is no longer an acceptable alternative when imposing some form of social contract in managing common-pool resources (CPR). In fact, this was what the Nobel prize winner Elinor Ostrom advocates, using her recommended seven principles on the best ways on how to govern the commons while privatization is also considered but it has its limitations but an important point is that socio-economic models for sustainable extraction of resources can be implemented using the old ideas of liberal democracy. Global commons has been shown to be generative as well if done right, such as in music, literature, new medical technologies, hybrid seeds and in computer software where the intellectual rights are recognized and protected by copyright and patent laws.

Budgetary Planning Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Budgetary Planning - Essay Example In the meantime, if the employees find it difficult to attain the targets then it might instead be de-motivating for them (University of Gothenburg. â€Å"Budget-A Perfect Management Tool†). Organizations can allocate certain percentage of budget in order to motivate the employees when they are performing well in an organization. For instance, the company can arrange for travel program for the sales support team that attains the target on a stipulated period of time. In such cases, the company will bear the complete expenses of the employees sent for travelling along with the family (University of Gothenburg. â€Å"Budget-A Perfect Management Tool†). Such kind of budgets can assist in motivating the employee to a great extent and thus can assist the organization to attain its objectives within a short period of time. It is to be remembered that such budgets help to augment the performance of the employees and thus increase their productivity as well. Budget is one of the significant sources of motivation for the employees. Hence, it is crucial for an organization to plan budgets in a way so that it can be utilized for the purpose of motivating the employees. It is to be remembered by the employers that the budgets will have no motivational effects unless they are accepted by the managers involved as their own personal target. In such circumstances, the employer needs to make the managers involvement compulsory in such activities. It is a well known fact that the demanding budgets are seen as more applicable in comparison to less difficult targets. However, negative attitudes can result in if they are viewed as too complex. Therefore, in such circumstances, allocation of budget needs to be done properly so that it serves as a motivational tool. Acceptance of budgets is facilitated when good upward communication exists. The use of departmental meetings can be quite helpful in encouraging the managers to accept

Strategic Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words - 1

Strategic Management - Essay Example Instagram on the other hand also got the opportunity to add its name with a market leader. Facebook acquired Instagram also because they want to hedge the rising popularity of Pinterest, which was a competitor of Instagram (Instagram, 2013). Mark Zuckerburg, the CEO of Facebook considered their decision to acquire Instagram at an inflated price to be correct because they had the target to firstly acquire it before Google did so, and secondly they also stated that this acquisition would have been costlier in future, so the price that they paid was appropriate. This study would be evaluating different facet of such an acquisition, with special focus towards other rising players in photograph sharing segment. The objective of this report would be to analyse the strategic threats and opportunity that Facebook is facing, the framework that they have developed for growth and also assessing the decision of acquiring Instagram. ... However, the opportunities and threats that Facebook is facing or might face can be identified through evaluation of the strategies. Facebook has the opportunity to expand its operations to other international destinations and take the advantage of the popularity in order to introduce new features which will also generate good revenue for the company, such as web advertising, etc (Ansoff, 1987). With the help of technological know-how, and innovative culture, Facebook would be able to diversify and also look forward towards other dedicated segments such as photography sharing segment because now it has already acquired Instagram, web advertising segment, professional platform for job hunters, etc (Eldon, 2010.). However, the company also faces various threats that should be considered before taking strategic decisions. Firstly, the spending of Facebook are more than it is bringing in. Apart from this, Mark Zuckerburg as a CEO also does not have a good reputation, which might hinder s uccessful partnerships (Porter, 1985). Another threat is related to issues of privacy and safety of public information and photos online. The security infrastructure of Facebook is not up to the mark and in this scenario the acquisition of Instagram might be of unproductive for the company because if the privacy and security norms are not strong people will not upload photos. The company has also allowed the third party developers to assist them in their business functions, and also do not prove any button to alert cyber police if someone what to report unethical activity or spam content (Edwards, 2013). Instagram which Facebook acquired was valued to be around $20 million

Analysis of Three Books in Literacy Development among Children Essay

Analysis of Three Books in Literacy Development among Children - Essay Example The aim of the commentary will be to develop a case study using various approaches. The three sources acknowledge the fact that earlier cognitive abilities by children are essential for future literacy development. Arnold (2003) indicates the process that enhances Harry’s cognitive ability. At this point, the mother plays an important role in ensuring Harry undergoes the learning process successfully. Adams (1990) states that early cognitive ability determines how a child will grasp literacy concepts while in school. Adams applies the concept to a child’s earlier phonemic awareness using an earlier cognitive ability. Peccei (2006) uses the cognitive ability of a given child to recognize complex structure words. The common approaches the three authors deploy relates to Piaget cognitive theory. The three concepts of the theory are visible in the books in that parents and the pre-school environment is identified by the authors as Schemas. They also indicate the development of this cognitive ability through different stages before a child is enrolled into the formal educational systems. The books, however, use different writing style. Arnold (2003) uses a descriptive style where he gives a day-to-day account of Harry and hence giving the reader the ability to make a conclusion based on the events. Harry’s life events are based on observations and the author uses these events to ascertain the early cognitive ability of a child. Peccei (2006) and Adams (1990) use an analytical approach in displaying cognitive abilities among children. They both draw from existing researchers to explain certain events in a given child’s life. They analyze the environment in which children would best learn their cognitive ability and focuses majorly on the literacy developmental stages. The differences in style indicate the diverse nature in which cognitive abilities are displayed and learned.  Ã‚  

Discuss the theoretical and practical factors that influence the level Essay

Discuss the theoretical and practical factors that influence the level of gearing and the maturity structure of debt in large qu - Essay Example In this context, borrowing has become a common method of financing for large firms, a fact that has influenced the status of these organizations as investment units. Indeed, large firms with high financial obligations, due to borrowing, are likely to be avoided by potential investors. The latter will examine each firm’s financial characteristics before deciding to invest on a particular firm. Current paper focuses on the examination of two important issues related to the debt in large firms: the factors that influence the level of gearing and the maturity structure of debt in large quoted companies are presented and critically discussed. The literature published in the specific subject is used in order to show the various implications of the above issues. It is revealed that the level of gearing and the maturity structure of debt in large quoted firms are likely to be depended on a series of factors which are not standardized. Rather the type and the power of these factors is depended on the characteristics and the rules of the local market, as influenced by the global economic trends. 2. Theoretical and practical factors that influence the level of gearing in large quoted companies Gearing is a term used in order to reflect ‘the proportion of the firm’s total assets owned by long and short – term creditors’ (Chisholm 2002, p.147). In other words, gearing shows the ability of the firm to repay its creditors, even through its assets in case of lack of cash. In the context of gearing, two are the most important factors that are expected to influence the ability of the firm to pay its creditors: the level of debt and the company’s assets. In modern firms, the level of gearing seems to be differentiated in accordance with the size of the firms. The above phenomenon can be explained as follows: in small firms, borrowing is the most common form of financing – aiming to avoid offering part of the firm’s management in order to be financed. In this context, small firms are expected to have high level of gearing. In large quoted firms, where there is no problem with giving part of the firm’s equity to third persons (the investors) for securing the necessary financing, the level of gearing is low (Walton 2000). There is also the opposite view. More specifically, Atrill et al. (2008, p.231) notes that large quoted firms are expected to have higher gearing compared to the small firms. The above view is based on ‘a report of the Bank of England regarding the financing of small businesses’ (Atrill et al. 2008, p.231). This report reveals that the level of borrowing of small firms is lower compared to that of the large firms, probably because the financing needs of large firms in the particular market cannot be covered by the capital of the shareholders (Atrill et al. 2008). Under these terms, the level of gearing in small and large firms cannot be considered as standardized. Rath er, it would be depended on the conditions and the characteristics of the local market – in the context of which the borrowing schemes available to the large firms may be more attractive compared to those offered to small firms, a fact that would minimize the level of gearing in small firms and maximize the level of gearing in large firms. In accordance with Chisholm (2002), normally, the level of debt of firms is lower from their equity

Talent Management at Google Company Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Talent Management at Google Company - Assignment Example The objective of the paper is to evaluate the implementation of diversity and equality, adherence to employment law and recruitment and selection processes of Google Inc. Talent management is the systematic approach which involves attraction, identification, deployment and retention of individuals or a group of people who are of a high value to the organization to help the enterprise meet its short and long run achievements. There are two approaches to talent management: the inclusive and the exclusive approach (Tucker, Kao and Verma, 2005). The inclusive approach includes the skill and knowledge development of all the employees in the enterprise. The exclusive approach is the process of development of a particular group of individuals considered as high potentials in the company (Buttiens and Hondeghem, 2012). Inclusive approach focuses on the talent development of all the employees of the organization, while, exclusive approach emphasizes on the development of a selected group of high potentials (Accenture, 2009). Inclusive approach does not add any value to the organization (Lockwood, N.R., 2006). In the inclusive approach, the difference between the less talented and the high performers is small while in the exclusive approach it is very high. The psychological contract is the unwritten expectations between the employee and the employer. According to psychological contract, the employee believes that the employer is compelled to behave in a certain manner and the enterprise also has some obligations toward the employee (Accenture, 2009). The psychological contract involves the employee and employer compulsions and the physiological contract evaluation. Under the exclusive approach, talented employees experience less violation of psychological contract and non-talented employees face more violation of the contract in their employment relations. The exclusive approach has high positive results for the high performers, but it adversely effects the employment

Priciples of Software Engineering Essay Example for Free

Priciples of Software Engineering Essay Describe each law in your own words. Illustrate with a practical example ? Glass’ law â€Å"Requirement deficiencies are the prime source of project failures Coming to my explanation Glass law states that if the basic requirements of the projects is not constructed properly that may leads failure of the project. To achieve goals in the project it plays an vital role and any drawbacks may leads project unsuccessful. Around 20% of all IT project failures were caused by incomplete or badly managed requirements. Example: Technological University-Online Practical Tests In the case of technological university the requirements specifications for the online practical exams had been implemented without consulting students and university staff. This system was designed in such a way that students affliated to that university are write the test test online at the same day and same time. Considering the requirements of the colleges were different an the project objectives were different. This leads to failure of the that project. Boehm’s first law â€Å"Errors are most frequent during the requirements and design activities and are the more expensive the later they are removed†. Coming to my explanation Boehm’s law states that the basic designing of the projects mat leads to errors and miscalculations. The sooner you find a problem, the cheaper it is to fix , otherwise to detect the errors in the project is very expensive or complicated . This law is applicable from midrange systems. Example: City Council – Pay Roll System A city council developed a replacement payroll system believed that users had comprehensive knowledge of all the business requirements. But the current staff or IT team had participated in building the old system they had no knowledge of how it was built. That leads to many errors and it cause project failure. Boehm’s second law â€Å"Prototyping (significantly) reduces requirement and design errors, especially for user interfaces†. Coming to my explanation Boehm’s second law states that by prototype modelling the disigning of the project and errors can be reduced. To design the system the staff will be educated . So that that will increase the usability of the system among users. Example: In a postgraduation course prototype modelling experiments were conducted . Some of them were used requirement driven approach and others are prototyping approach. This will leads to satisfaction for the client compare to all other methods. Davis’ law â€Å"The value of a model depends on the view taken, but none is best for all purposes†. Coming to my explanation Davi’s law states that to describe systems requirements, it is very useful. This model is useful to solve the complicated tasks that other models find that difficult to solve. Example:In a system to solve the problems different methods were implemented. Each task follows their methodolgies to solve the problems. At the end all the methods got different results but there methodologies is useful to solve the problem. Your first task is to describe each software development methodology clearly and completely in your own words. You may use diagrams, examples or UML to help you do this. Waterfall Model : The waterfall model is a sequential software development process, in which progress is seen as flowing steadily downwards through the phases of conception, design, analysis, initiation ,testing and maintenance. This model is used in manufacturing industries and construction industries . It is ; highly structured physical environments in which after-the-fact changes are prohibitively costly, if not impossible. Since no formal software development methodologies existed at the time, this hardware-oriented model was simply adapted for software development. For example, one first completes requirements specification, which after sign-off are considered set in stone. When the requirements are fully completed, one proceeds to design. Spiral Model: The spiral model is a software development process combining elements of both design and prototyping-in-stages, in an effort to combine advantages of top-down and bottom-up concepts. Each phase starts with a design goal and ends with the client reviewing the progress . Analysis and engineering efforts are applied at each phase of the project, with an eye toward the end goal of the project. The spiral model might mean that you have a rough-cut of user elements as an operable application, add features in phases, and, at some point, add the final graphics. The Spiral model is used most often in large projects and needs constant review to stay on target. It can get their hands in and start working on a project earlier. Q3) Using the first four laws of the text, show where these are either implemented or missing in each software development methodology (Total Two). If a law is missing, explain the consequences and suggest how the process might be improved. Water Fall Model Glass’ law Requirement deficiencies are the prime source of project failures. The end users gathered by requirements in waterfall model. It states that the basic requirements of the projects is not constructed properly that may leads failure of the project. The failures were caused by incomplete or badly managed requirements. Boehm’s first law â€Å"Errors are most frequent during the requirements and design activities and are the more expensive the later they are removed†. It basic designing of the projects mat leads to errors and miscalculations. In waterfall model this law cannot be able to correct the errors. This law is not reliable for waterfall model. Boehm’s second law Prototyping (significantly) reduces requirement and design errors, especially for user interfaces†. This law cannot be able to correct the errors in waterfall model. The design phase would be reduced by prototype modelling. Davis’ law â€Å"The value of a model depends on the view taken, but none is best for all purposes†. The purpose of this model is not suitable for this law. Spiral Model Glass’ law â€Å"Requirement deficiencies are the prime source of project failures In waterfall model risk analysis is conducted on the prototype. By this if they need any requirement it will included in next stage. Boehm’s first law â€Å"Errors are most frequent during the requirements and design activities and are the more expensive the later they are removed†. In spiral model each phase starts with a design goal and ends with the client reviewing the progress . The risks were eliminated after number of stages. Boehm’s second law â€Å"Prototyping (significantly) reduces requirement and design errors, especially for user interfaces†. In spiral model it will design the prototype. and construct and design the prototype. The analysis and engineering efforts are applied at each phase of the project.

Economic Recovery of the 1930s Essay Example for Free

Economic Recovery of the 1930s Essay â€Å"The economic recovery of the 1930s can be explained entirely by the effects of the New Deal.† How valid is this view? In 1932 Franklin D Roosevelt won the presidential election as a response to the â€Å"Great American Depression† which saw the collapse of the USA’s economic life continuing throughout the 1930s as a result in the inadequate action of Presidents Calvin Coolidge and Henry Hoover to alleviate the sheer hardships that came with the depression. Roosevelt and the Democrats took a more interventionist approach to recover the economy, provide relief for the unemployed and enact reform in order to create a fairer society. â€Å"The economic recovery of the 1930s can be explained entirely by the effects of the New Deal.† The â€Å"New Deal† was the interventionist programme Roosevelt initiated to tackle the issue and is key in explaining the USA’s economic recovery of the 1930s and is split into two factors in order to determine the validity of the previous statement; the first hundred days known as the First New Deal and from1935 to 1937 known as the Second New Deal. However, there were other factors which were important in the recovery of the USA’s economy. The growing power of the Federal Government to defend these reforms. The rearmament in preparation for the Second World War that reduced unemployment and increased industrial production. However, it was Roosevelt himself that revitalised the economy as he went a long way to rebuild confidence with the American public. Therefore the New Deal was undoubtedly a considerable factor in explaining America’s economic recovery but other factors although associated with the New Deal were independently important in the economic recovery. The economic recovery of the 1930s can be explained by the First New Deal, to an extent. During the first 100 days of Roosevelt’s office a flood of new legislation most becoming laws quickly providing relief and recovery. This meant that â€Å"Alphabet Agencies† were established and run by groups of Americans known as â€Å"The Brain Trust† in order to carry out work in tackling relief and recovery. The National Industrial Recovery Act passed on the 16th of June 1933 introduced joint economic planning between the Government and industry to stabilise prices, expand purchasing power, relive unemployment and improve working conditions. This was important as it represented greater government intervention in regulating and planning the country meaning that businesses would return to a living rate again by address issues such as  banking and lack of intervention which were initial kick-starters of the depression. The Public works Administration created jobs for unemp loyed industrial workers through large scale work schemes such as building schools, hospitals and parks which were of public benefit. This was effective in providing both relief and recovery as it created jobs for industrial workers as well as assisting the recovery of the economy by building necessary institutes for a functional economic system. Finally the Work Progress Administration (WPA), aimed to offer carefully chosen jobs that would be beneficial to the individuals community and was one of the most effective agencies. The WPA was one of the country’s largest employers between 1935 and 1941 at a staggering 2 million per year particularly employing the unskilled into large building schemes but also artists, actors and photographers into civic duties. Additionally around 11,000 schools and public buildings had been built nationwide along with 43,000 miles of road. This was important as the number of unemployed people significantly decreased which in turn led to an improvement to the economy as the employed raised revenue through taxation and because people would soon be purchasing more goods from important trades as the wages were respectable. However, the WPA only employed people for a year meaning that people would become unemployed again leading to a fall in investment into the economy taking the USA back to square one. Overall the First New Deal was successful in providing emergency relief and recovery as after the 100 days; national income rose by 23%, unemployment dropped by 2 million and factory wages rose. The impact of it was felt by millions and the money people were making meant that they began spending which brought the nation’s trade and business back to life, this was referred to as â€Å"priming the pump† as the Government’s spending fuelled the nation’s economic machinery and it started to move again. However, Roosevelt’s measures were being challenged in court and many were declared as unconstitutional and therefore illegal, restricting the progress and impact the New Deal could have. Additionally The First New Deal focused more on relief and less on reform and recovery which had shortcomings so it can be criticised for not being more radical and completely changing the USA and therefore cannot explain the economic recovery of the 1930s as factor more work needed to be done through The Second New Deal and other factors. The Second New Deal can also explain the economic recovery of the 1930s to an extent. By, 1935 Roosevelt’s New Deal was being greatly challenged by the courts and a newer more radical House of Representative, in order to solve this issue Roosevelt started over and produced a new flood of legislation. This legislation was more extensive than before and aimed to radically change the USA by focusing towards socio-economic reformation by improving long term living and working conditions due to the widening gap between the rich and poor which contributed market saturation. The social security act of 1935 provided a state pension scheme for the old, widowed, and disabled as well as poor children with payments ranging from $10 to $85 a month, paid from taxes on earnings and employer’s profits. This was important as it was the first attempt to provide for those at the highest risk of falling into poverty and it was the longest lasting New Deal. However, Welfare legislation lagged behind Europe as only 24 out of the 48 states at the time had old age pensions. Additionally there were wide gaps in payments between different states. The National Labour Relations act of 1935 gave the right of union to workers. This was important as the Government became integrated into industrial relations and resulted in the exponential increase of union membership and power. Finally The Wealth act of 1935 sought to raise revenue for the New Deals by now targeting wealthy with taxes, referred to by William Randolph as â€Å"soak the successful†. However very little was raised as loopholes were exploited by the most elite lawyers as the wealthy could afford them. Overall was a successful response to the opposition he faced from the courts. However, the issue remains that Roosevelt was attempting to radically change socio-economic situation in the USA at the expense of the rich and this reform promised by The Second New Deal was not fulfilled to an entirety. Therefore The Second New Deal and as an extension the first did cannot entirely explain the USA’s economic recovery although it undoubtedly contributed and helped other factors such as the increased power of The Federal Government which the New Deals helped to increase though they stand by themselves individually to explain the recovery. The increased power and role of the Federal Government in social and economic affairs was another important factor in the overall explanation of the USA’s  economic recovery. During this period Roosevelt’s New Deals faced opposition which led to Roosevelt using methods to challenge them as he believed he was elected to save big business and was disappointed by their lack of support. In 1944 Congress opposed to the Farm Security Administration of 1935 after it had already helped to settle 11,000 families and provided 41,000 long-term low interest loans to help tenants and sharecroppers purchase their own farms due to its provision of medical schemes for black and white migrants. Although a result of prejudices and partly a result of the New Deal this shows the increased role of the Government in deeming the act illegal and the act making it to that point on the New Deals part. Additionally it highlights how the success of the New Deal may have been restricted. In order to stop the Supreme Court, Roosevelt himself put forward the Judicial Reform act which appointed six additional judges that agreed with him to the pre-existing nine in order to help with the workload. This was important as the power he exerted over the Supreme Court, meant resistance to the New Deals was reduced increasing the power of the executive branch which aided the alphabet agencies’ progress in economic recovery. It also meant that people began to look more towards the Federal Government for help instead of the State Government. However, the judges were aware of this and restricted their duties. Overall the expanding role of Federal Government can explain the economic recovery of the 1930s as it gave the executive more powers to pass legislation that would improve the economy such as the New Deal particularly the survival of the Social Security Act and people look towards the federal government which increased their role in society which meant they could work towards economic recovery. Therefore the success of the New Deal is a result of this increased executive branch presence as it allowed Roosevelt to pass them, meaning that the New Deals alone can’t entirely explain the USA’s economic recovery. However, it was Roosevelt’s efforts in renewing the public’s confidence that explained the economic recovery as the New Deal would not have been successful in motion or in the legislative process without the support of the public. Arguably Roosevelt’s efforts in building the public’s confidence in the Government and its role in the economy explained the economic recovery of  the 1930s almost to an entirety as the New Deal carried some of the confidence. Roosevelt was popular among the public as they believed he cared about them as he was the first president to speak to the dispossessed and the have-nots in society, for example he spoke to those who had concerns with the Government regulating banks as part of the New Deal by ensuring their safety in using them. He said, â€Å"I can assure you that it safer to keep your money in a reopened bank than under your mattress.† Thousands wrote letters to him to show their appreciation. This was important as Roosevelt’s popularity among the electorate meant he won four presidential elections and the Democrats were voted into both Houses of Congress with a secure majority of 2/3 in the senate and  ¾ in the House of Representatives proving his popularity. This meant he was able to increase the role of Federal Government and improve the economy as he could only pass the New Deals with the support of the electorate and have them contribute to the economy with their confidence in the system as prior to him showing care the public were suspicious. However, not all of the elected Democrats agreed with the New Deal for example Ed Johnson who strongly disagreed with it saying it was â€Å"the worst fraud perpetuated on the American people.† Roosevelt also appointed an unprecedented amount of Catholics, Jews, blacks and women and used radio to keep the public updated. This was important as Roosevelt was appealing to minority groups which at the time were having severe problems and including the public in political affairs meaning that they would back the New Deal which would ultimately improve the USA’s economic situation and it made important social changes to minorities which were affected by poverty the most therefore improvi ng their economic status was vital in economic reform. Therefore the confidence that the public had in Roosevelt and the Government in addressing social reform explains the economic recovery during the 1930s as the backing he received was vital in the passing of the New Deals as he spoke to them like no other president which meant he remained in office for four terms and had more powers to pass acts in order to recover the economy. This means that the other factors would not have had any impact without the support he had from a public confident that he could save the economy. Therefore the New Deals do not explain the economic recovery of the 1930s entirely as there were more important factors alone and that affected the New Deals themselves, particularly the  confidence in the economic system that Roosevelt worked hard to build. However, there were still shortcomings of the legislation passed by the New Deal as a result of this confidence, which the Second World War helped in the USA’s economic recovery. An additional, important factor to be considered in explaining the economic reform of the 1930s was the rearmament in preparation for the war. In 1937 a new, less severe depression had arisen because Roosevelt had cut the federal Government’s spending budget causing a fall in the stock market and industrial production as well as a 4 million rise in unemployment. In response to the outbreak of war out with the USA Roosevelt convinced Congress to invest billions in National defence, improving the economy as he increased the wages of military personnel and offered subsidies for defence manufacturing which proved effective as unemployment plummeted to 10% during the war. Additionally the conservation during the war saved money and the immigration particularly Jewish people from Germany to California led to an economic boom. This was important as the war Kick-started the economy as the increase in wages and economic production during the war lowered unemployment and improved the economy post war as this industrial boom continued. Overall this contributed greatly to the economic recovery of the 1930s meaning that the New Deal cannot not entirely explain this recovery. However, it stills stands that the confidence built by Roosevelt explains the economic recovery as though the end of the war saw the end to the Great Depression it was Roosevelt’s support that got him to investing in defence which began the war’s industrial production. Therefore the New Deal can only partially explain the economic recovery of the 1930s as though they provided relief, recovery and worked towards reform, the New Deal did not radically change the face of the USA which did happen later but not as a result of the New Deal. This means that the statement is invalid as though the New deal was undoubtedly a considerable factor in the USA’s economic recovery other factors were also important. The growing power and role of the Federal Government in economics meant that Roosevelt had the power to pass the acts of the New Deal and the public looked towards the Federal Government meaning economic recovery could be  initiated nationally. The rearmament in preparation for the Second World War was more important as it significantly reduced unemployment and increased industrial production which planted the seeds for a post-war economic boom ending the Great Depression. It was Roosevelt’s personal work in building public confidence in the economy which proved to be the most important factor as it provided Roosevelt with the support to remain in office, change the role of the Federal Government which in turn meant he could get backing from both Congress and the public to improve the economy and later invest in the war industries that without would have kept the depression going post-war.

Proposal for Health Promotion Framework

Proposal for Health Promotion Framework Topic: Alcohol The purpose is to propose a health promotion framework Background of the program: Alcohol is one of the topics covered by the health promotion agency. The health promotion agency runs programs like no beersies, say yeah, nah, levy on alcohol ,dont know? dont drink.these programs have recognized the adverse effects on consumption of alcohol and therefore promote reduction or complete stoppage on its intake . Dont know? Dont drink, focuses on pregnant women or women who have the slightest doubt of being pregnant. There is no known safe limit or known safe time which would allow the women to have alcohol without causing harm to the developing fetus. Alcohol crosses the blood brain barrier causing a number of birth defects like low birth weight, distinctive facial features, heart defects, behavior problems, intellectual disability . Dont know? Dont drink is an evidence based program which works in all sectors adding to health and well being of the population. This program works by promoting health and well being, enabling health promoting initiatives and environments, informing health promoting policy and practice. Similarly the other programs like no beersies and say yeah, nah,are giving their contribution towards the reduction of consumption of alcohol. Description The intervention recognizes alcohol consumption as a community problem. According to Ottawa charter, strengthening community actions is defined as expanding the resources and capacities of community to make decision and take collective action to increase their control over determinants of their health.(D.Fry and A.Zak.2016). it gives opportunities to bring the people together of the community. This can be done by providing resources by which the people can take decisions and participate collectively. Te pa mahutonga is a health promotion model , promoting the health of maori. It promotes healthy lifestyles for the maori population. Alcohol is a risk factor and risk factors impose threat to a healthy lifestyle. A large number of maori population whether young or old is surrounded by the risk laden life style. In order to reduce the risk and to lead a healthy lifestyle, the harm should be minimized, the interventions should be targeted, management of risk, relevance of culture and positive development.(m.durie,1999) This program gives an equal amount of chance of participation and is based on the equity principle whose goal is to create an environment where everyone like people coming from all income group, ethnicity have access to good health.( Tones, K., Tilford, S. 2001) This program gives an individual an option of participation thus giving him empowerment, and allowing the individual to take their own decision. The general and the maori population will be equally benefited if there is equal amount of participation and equal amount of opportunity. This is based on the equity principle of health promotion ..( Tones, K., Tilford, S. 2001) The targeted population is based on equity principle Question 9 is also based on te pae mahutongas principle of healthy lifestyles. Ottawa charter explains the principle of Building healthy public policy which that means advocating for, establishing and/or implementing explicit actions by government (international ,national ,state or local). According to Geoffrey Rose, population based interventions have the ability detect the determents of health on a large scale.(2001). Te pae mahutongas principles of healthy lifestyle is also applicable. Question 11 relates to creating supportive environment from ottwa charter, by creating ways and means through which health is supports and protected from any social or environmental hazards. Approach to community falls under the principle of developing personal skills and criteria on lessons for program effectiveness of ottawa charter. Application: 1) yes. This intervention brings the community together through run a promotion and helps the individual in takeing decisions. 2) yes. The program does help maori population for better health care but more focus is needed to be given on this as it specifically does not do so. 3) yes. The program gives opportunity to general as well as maori to participate actively . There are equal opportunities for general and maori population but still more focus is to be added on to the maori population considering them as the minority. 4) yes 5) may be. it will depend on the amount of participation. 6) the general population is more benefited since their involvement is more. Also the promotion strategies used does not show maori involvement, which could be a reason as they cannot relate to it. 7) the targeted population, in this case the pregnant women will be benefited since they will be aware and avoid consumption of alcohol after knowing its ill effects. Dont know? dont drink program focuses on women who are pregnant or other women who have the smallest chance of being pregnant. So this program will indeed benefit the targeted population of women. 8) yes. 9) yes. Programs like no beersies, say yeah,nah, focus on the lifestyle in which people are living. It gives ways and means by which we can avoid having alcohol and still be surrounded by the same peers Programs like no beersies and say yeah, nah campaign for the reduction in consumption of alcohol in such a way that they stay in their group and can still avoid drinking alcohol. So a person need not necessarily drink just for being with his mates 10) yes. By reducing the intake of alcohol, the amount of drink and drive cases will be reduced thus saving lives. 11) yes. 12) the program address the people by promoting, enabling and informing 13) yes. 14) yes. there are on researches which are then later implemented. 15) no Conclusion: Overall it can be seen that most of the programs satisfy the health promotion models of Ottawa charter and te pae mahutonga as well as the principles of health promotion however, there should still be emphasis on maori health approach and on building healthy public health policy. Reference: D. Fry and A. Zack, (may 19,2016). applying the Ottawa charter to inform health promotion programme design.health promotion international, daw022. Durie, M. (1999, December). Te Pae Mahutonga: A model for Maori health promotion. In Health Promotion Forum of New Zealand Newsletter (Vol. 49, No. 2-5). Tones, K., Tilford, S. (2001). Health promotion: effectiveness, efficiency and equity. Nelson Thornes. Rose, G. (2001). Sick individuals and sick populations. International journal of epidemiology, 30(3), 427-432. Appendix Does this intervention bring the community together? Does this intervention help the maori population to better health care? Does this program give an equal opportunity of chance to all for participation? Does this intervention give choices to the population? Are the general population and maori population equally benefited? Who is most benefited? How will this intervention benefit the targeted population? Is this intervention accessible? Does this intervention focus on altering the lifestyle in which people are living? Does the aim of the program help in protecting against any hazards? Does the motivated persons behavior influence others as well? By what means does the program approach to the community? Are the programs carried out by this intervention based on any evidence? Is the intervention supported by any government policy? Does the intervention focus on building healthy public health policy?

Leonardo Da Vinci Essay -- Art, The Mona Lisa

â€Å"Artist, inventor, and scientist Leonardo Da Vinci was one of the greatest thinkers of the Renaissance.† (Stewarts 19) Often referred to as the â€Å"Renaissance Man†, Leonardo Da Vinci was a true genius (Stewarts 19). On April 15, 1452, Leonardo Da Vinci was born in Vinci, Italy, and the world was never the same (Leonardo Renaissance  ¶ 1). His mother moved away shortly after, leaving Leonardo Da Vinci’s father, Ser Piero Da Vinci (Rosand 228), to raise him (Leonardo Renaissance  ¶ 1). Growing up on a family farm, Leonardo could easily study nature (Leonardo Reviewed  ¶ 3). Leonardo Da Vinci developed a vast amount of interests during his extraordinary life. At the age of 15, Leonardo Da Vinci began to apprentice an artist named Andrea del Verrocchio in Florence, Italy (Leonardo Renaissance  ¶ 2). This apprenticeship allowed Da Vinci to study the basics of sculpting and painting (Stewart 19). Although at a young age, Leonardo Da Vinci began to show signs of incredible talent (Leonardo Renaissance  ¶ 2). In fact, Andrea del Verrocchio permitted him paint an angel in his painting, the Baptism of Christ (Stewart 19). When Verrocchio realized Da Vinci’s angel was much more life-like than his own, Andrea del Verrocchio vowed never to paint again (Stewart 19). While Da Vinci was in Florence, several Scopeto monks requested that he paint an altarpiece called the â€Å"Adoration of the Kings† (Leonardo Reviewed  ¶ 5). However, Leonardo Da Vinci stopped working on this piece in 1481, leaving it incomplete (Leonardo Reviewed  ¶ 5). In 1482, Leonardo Da Vinci made the move to Milan to work for the Duke of Milan (Leonardo Reviewed  ¶ 6). He carried out a variety of tasks while working in Milan, including paintings, designing costumes, and working on vario... ...controlled the human body (Summers  ¶ 18). Another area of science Leonardo Da Vinci exhibited interest in was mechanics (Summers  ¶ 16). He produced designs for ideas such as parachutes, aircrafts, helicopters, and a flying machine (Summers  ¶ 16). Also, he designed assorted war machines, including tanks and machine guns, and movable bridges since he also worked as an engineer and military architect (Summers  ¶ 16). In 1513, the King of France, King Francis I, invited Leonardo to come to Paris and granted him with the title â€Å"Master of All Arts and Sciences† (Stewart 21).For six years, he lived and worked in France (Encyclopedia  ¶ 1). He died in France in 1519 (Stewart 21). Leonardo Da Vinci truly was â€Å"the most versatile genius of the Renaissance.† (Rosand 228) His accomplishments are still used in modern day and will always have a lasting impression on the world.

Langston Hughes Essay -- Biography Writer Author Essays

Langston Hughes Langston Hughes was born on February 1, 1902, in Joplin, Missouri. He was named after his father, James Hughes, but was known as Langston. He was the only child from his parents James and Carrie Hughes. His parents were not married for long because of an unhappy marriage. When they separated, Langston was left with his mother, who left him behind to move from city to city to find work. Langston ended up living with his 70 year-old grandmother in Lawrence, Kansas. He lived with her until he was 13, and then he moved back with his mother in Lincoln, Kansas after his grandmother died in 1915. Langston, his mother, and his new stepfather lived in Lincoln for a year, until his stepfather found work and then they all moved to Ohio, where Langston went to high school. Langston went to a high school called Central High. After 2 years, Langston’s mother and stepfather moved to Chicago, but Hughes stayed in Cleveland to Graduate from high school. Langston was very devoted in high school. His first piece of verse was published in Central High Monthly, which was a very prominent school magazine, which he later became staff of and published his work monthly. One of Langston’s English teachers introduced him to writers such as Carl Sandburg, and Walt Whitman, which became Langston’s earliest influences. In the summer after 11th grade, Langston’s father reentered his life. He was living in Toluca, Mexico. Hughes went to visit his father that summer bu...

conducting a strategic audit Essay -- essays research papers

Conducting a Strategic Audit http://www.albany.edu/~pm157/audit.html http://faculty.uwstout.edu/adekolaa/STRAMGT/powerpoints/Wal-Mart%20-%202000.ppt#256,1,Wal-Mart – 2000 One purpose of this course is to train you to assess an organization’s strategy. Part of your skill development is utilizing knowledge to address the real problems of a business organization. At the same time, technology is increasing your ability to obtain information rapidly from multiple sources. Being able to gather and use such information will become a competitive necessity for anyone in business and management. To prepare you for this, we used information technologies to analyze, discuss, and present business issues throughout the semester. To achieve these, you will form a group. While some information may be obtained from library research, field work, or direct interviews, it is expected that you will extensively use the Internet to integrate the diverse information from a top-management perspective. Each team will present its findings and recommendations to the class during the final sessions. They may then make changes for their final written report. Please consider these eight dimensions in formulating a unified, comprehensive, and integrated set of decisions that attains organization purpose. ________________________________________ Step 1: Situation Assessment †¢ What is our purpose? What is our "strategic intent"? †¢ How do we rank in our business and why? †¢ What is our fiscal condition and why? †¢ What is the relationship between the business strategy, organization environment, and overall performance? †¢ What is our sustainable competitive advantage? What core competencies do we posess? †¢ What are our strengths? Do we use these fully? †¢ What are our weaknesses? How can we solve or mitigate these? †¢ What are our opportunities? How can we exploit these? †¢ What are the threats to us? What can we do about them? Step 2: Strategic Managers †¢ What is our strategic vision? †¢ Do the executives possess the right leadership skills and abilities? †¢&nbs... ...; What are the expected fiscal results? †¢ What are the feasible alternatives to these activities? Step 7: Implementation †¢ What resources will this action plan require from finance, human resources, marketing, operations, and other functional areas and departments? †¢ What changes will have to occur for us to be successful in 2 to 5 years? †¢ Are there other organizations or individuals we might collaborate with? †¢ What training is necessary? Step 8: Performance Evaluation and Control †¢ When and how will we evaluate performance? †¢ What are the desired quantitative and qualitative measurements of success? †¢ Will this strategy justify the needed time and resources? †¢ Can we afford it? †¢ Realistically, can we implement this action plan? †¢ Have we included all supporting programs? †¢ Can we clearly establish accountability?

Agriculture in the Caribbean

TABLE OF CONTENTS ROLE AND IMPORTANCE OF AGRICULTURE IN THE CARIBBEAN Foreign exchange Contribution to GDP/GNP Food security Employment Environmental management CONSTRAINTS AFFECTING CARIBBEAN AGRICULTURE Climate Topography Appropriate Technology Rural Infrastructure Land Tenure and Fragmentation Credit Facilities Marketing Facilities Extension Services Praedial Larceny CLASSIFICATION OF CARIBBEAN FARMS Distinguishing Features of Farmers (According to Size) Large Farms Medium Sized Farms Small Farms Distinguishing Features of Farms (According to Produce) Crops Farm Livestock Monoculture/Mono-cropping Mixed Cropping Mixed Farming Organic Farming Agro-Forestry Integrated Farm INSTITUTIONS WHICH SUPPORT LOCAL AND REGIONAL AGRICULTURAL Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA) Bodles Research Station: Jamaica Livestoc Association (J. L. A. ) Jamaica Agricultural Society (J. A. S. ): Scientific Research Council (SRC Sugar Industry Research Institute (SIRI) Caribbean Community Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) Caribbean Agricultural Research and Development Institute (CARDI ) Caribbean Food and Nutrition Institute (CFNI) University of the West Indies (UWI) College of Agriculture, Science and Education (CASE) Inter-American Institute for Cooperation in Agriculture (IICA) Food and Agriculture Organization (F AO) Organization of American States (OAS) Inter-American Development Bank (I. D. B. ) The Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) Caribbean Basin Initiative (C. B. I) United States Agency for International Development (USAID) European Union (EU) INTRODUCTION TO SOIL SCIENCE Functions of Soil in our Environment Soil Formation Weathering Soil formation factors Soil Profile Physical Properties of soils Soil texture Soil Structure Porosity BULK DENSITY SOIL COLOUR SOIL WATER Importance of soil Organic Matter Chemical Properties of the soil Soil pH Plant nutrients HOW THE SOIL HOLD PLANT NUTRIENTS? MANAGING SOIL FERTILITY FERTILIZERS Advantages of organic fertilizers Disadvantages of organic fertilizers Inorganic fertilizers Fertilizer grade Advantages of inorganic fertilizers Disadvantages of inorganic fertilizers Practical activity Identifying types of fertilizers Methods of applying fertilizer Importance of plant sexual reproduction in agriculture The flower Pollination Types of pollinations Self pollination Cross pollination Fertilizatio ROLE AND IMPORTANCE OF AGRICULTURE IN THE CARIBBEAN Foreign exchange The agriculture sector earns foreign exchange by exporting traditional and non-traditional products. In addition to earning foreign exchange, the agriculture sector may also produce food and raw material for local consumption; this reduces the need to import similar products, resulting in the saving of foreign exchange. The foreign exchange earned and saved is used to purchase other goods and services which the country needs/want but does not produce. Imported products must be purchased using foreign exchange. In addition to trading, foreign exchange is also used to repay international debt. Contribution to GDP/GNP GROSS DOMESTIC PRODUCT – GDP GROSS NATIONAL PRODUCT – GNP GDP and GNP are means of measuring the national income of a country. The GDP measures the value of goods and services produced locally, in a given period. The GNP is determined by adding the value of goods and services produced in a country (GDP) and also what is earned abroad and returned to the country, in a given period. GDP = AGRICULTURE + TOURISM + MINING + MANUFACTURING etc. GNP = AGRICULTURE + TOURISM + MINING + MANUFACTURING etc. + EARNINGS FROM ABROAD Agriculture contributes to the overall wealth of a country by contributing to GNP and GDP. As the contribution from agriculture and other sectors increases the wealthier the country becomes. This means more funding will be available to improve infrastructure and services such as roads, education and health. The Jamaican agriculture sector contributes about seven percent to GDP, only tourism contributes more. Food security Food security is concerned with the availability of adequate supply of food and access to the food by all the citizens of a country. Food security exists when all people at all times have physical and economic access to ufficient, safe and nutritious food to meet their dietary needs and food preferences. Food security can be affected by; †¢ Availability or access to arable lands for agriculture †¢ Technology used †¢ Climatic conditions †¢ Conflicts †¢ Ability to import food †¢ Poverty FOOD SECURITY = ADEQUATE FOOD SUPPLY + ACCESS TO FOO D BY ALL Employment Agriculture is a major source of employment in the rural areas of most Caribbean countries. Therefore, agriculture is the primary means of promoting rural development and reducing rural to urban migration and its consequence urban decay. Employment in agriculture ranges from unskilled workers to highly trained professionals such as an agronomist or an agricultural engineer. Also, agriculture offers direct employment for example a broiler farm [pic] or an extension officer. There is also indirect employment in down streams. Down streams industries, such as food processing, generally use agricultural products as raw materials to produce value added products or manufacture new products. Supermarkets, financial institutions and businesses benefit from the earnings of individuals involved in agriculture. Environmental management Through agricultural activities man interacts with the environment. The effects of this interaction may be positive or negative. Since agriculture depends on the natural resources, the goal of all persons who benefit directly and in directly from agriculture should be to promote the use of agricultural practices that are environmentally friendly. CONSTRAINTS AFFECTING CARIBBEAN AGRICULTURE Climate The major areas of consideration are: temperature and rainfall. The climate of the Caribbean is the tropical marine climate; therefore it is warm and moist. The combination of warmth and moisture create ideal conditions for many pests and diseases that affect both crops and livestock. Also, the high temperatures make it more difficult to successfully rear some breeds of livestock in the Caribbean, especially those which originate in temperate areas such as Europe. Topography Topography refers to the relief or the shape of the land. The topography of most Caribbean islands is hilly in the interior with most of the flat land near the coast. The limited flat land is generally used for housing and settlements, manufacturing industries and plantation type agriculture e. g. sugar cane. Steep slopes affect farming by: †¢ Limiting access to farm plots †¢ Restrict the use of farm machines †¢ Increase the risk of soil erosion Appropriate Technology Technology: the use of tools, machinery and knowledge and to complete tasks. Increasing production in agriculture is linked to the use of modern technology e. g. tractors, hybrid seeds, and efficient irrigation systems. Appropriate technology refers to the use of tools, machinery and knowledge which is suited for local conditions or a specific area or condition. Technology should be appropriate to the economic status of the farmer, farm size, climate and level of education etc. Appropriateness technology for small farmers can be judged using the characteristics shown below; †¢ Simple †¢ Low maintenance †¢ Locally made †¢ Access to spare parts †¢ Easy to operate †¢ Affordable †¢ Small/compact [pic] [pic] Rural Infrastructure The farm family needs to have access to basic amenities for both agricultural and domestic activities. If rural areas are not provided with some of the basic infrastructural needs, farmers will not be very productive; also the business of farming may become less attractive or no longer feasible to the farm family. Some of the basic infrastructure includes: †¢ Electricity Water supply †¢ Proper roads †¢ Telephone †¢ Health care †¢ Schools Land Tenure and Fragmentation Land tenure speaks to the ownership of land. Most small farmers do not own their own land or own very small fragmented plots usually in hilly areas. When farmers do not own their own land, they are not motivated to develop the land or put permanent structures on the land. Land fragmentation occurs as land is divided among family members from generation to generation. The land is divided into numerous plots and not all the plots are generally used for agricultural production but for other purposed such as housing. Credit Facilities As with other types of businesses it is often very necessary to borrow money from lending institutions to start, expand or acquire assts for an agricultural enterprise. Because farming is considered to be a high risk business, institutions are not very willing to lend money for agriculture. Very often farmers complain that the cost of borrowing money (interest rate) is too high; while the price of the products they produce is relatively low. Some farmers will experience difficulty accessing loans because they lack suitable collateral such as land. Collateral is material of value used to cover the cost of the loan in the even that the borrower is unable to pay. Marketing Facilities Marketing involves bringing the producer and the consumer together. Marketing also includes transporting, pricing, packaging, storage and advertising. Farmers in Jamaica experience difficulty in selling their produce due to: †¢ A lack of properly organized systems to bring buyers and sellers together i. e. buyers are not aware of what farmers are producing and farmers are not fully aware of the needs of buyers. †¢ Competition from imported agricultural products Extension Services Although there is an increasing number of professionals now operating farming enterprises, most Jamaican farmers are relatively old and have only basic education (grade 9). Therefore there is need to give these farmers constant and individual help to improve their agricultural knowledge. Extension officers provide a vital link between the farmer and the researcher that develop modern farming technology and solutions for on the farm problems. The economic constraints being experienced in Jamaica have resulted in the reduction in the size of the extension service. Praedial Larceny Nothing is more discouraging to a farmer than the theft of his produce. CLASSIFICATION OF CARIBBEAN FARMS Farms are classified according to size and what they produce. Distinguishing Features of Farmers (According to Size) Large Farms Large farms occupy more than 25 hectares, mainly produce one crop or type of livestock and are geared for export. These farms are operated and managed by individuals, co- operations or government and in some cases absentee owners. They employ a skilled labour force as well as semi-skilled and unskilled workers. They farms tend to be highly mechanized or in some cases little mechanization is used but instead large numbers of workers. The profits from these farms in the case of foreign owners are repatriated. Medium Sized Farms The size of these farms range anywhere from 2. 5 to 25 hectares. They are owned and operated by the farmer and usually requires hired labour. These farms usually produce a variety of crops or livestock or both crops and livestock for domestic use. In recent time medium sized farms are accessing export markets. Small Farms These farms are less than 0. 5 hectares to a maximum of 2. hectares. They are owned and operated by the farmer and family labour is used. They produce for local markets and use simple hand tools e. g. hoe, fork, and cutlass. Distinguishing Features of Farms (According to Produce) Crops Farm These farms are of all sizes and produce a variety of crops for the local and possibly export market. Some mechanization is involved especially in land preparation and pest and disease control. The farmer usually owns the land and some labour is hired. [pic] Livestock These farms are also of all sizes depending on the type of enterprise e. . fish, cattle, rabbits and goats. It is owned and operated by an individual, group or government and production is mainly for the domestic market e. g. pork, beef, fish are all used in Jamaica. Monoculture/Mono-cropping In a mono-cropping system, the farmer concentrates on growing only one major crop e. g. sugarcane on a plot of land or in a particular area for an extended period of time. Relatively few of these farms are found in the region. Absentee owners appoint managers to run the farms. In general, these farms are productive but the profits are exported. In cases where the farms are locally owned the profits remain in the country and help with its development. On these farms soil and crop management are uniform, since they are dealing with one crop. This repeating of crop and soil management practices can have negative effects such as: †¢ Grater opportunity of spreading pests and diseases, which may destroy the entire crop. †¢ Continuous ploughing with heavy equipment can destroy soil structure †¢ Cultural practices such as burning of sugar cane can destroy soil structure and beneficial soil organisms. Mixed Cropping In mixed cropping the farmer depends on several plots for his income. Maximum use is made of land space and it is easier to check the spread of pest and diseases. In mixed cropping: †¢ Crops may be grown on the same farm but on different plots. [pic] †¢ Crops may be intercropped on the same plot. [pic] Situation: a farmer often grows one main crop e. g. sugar cane but also cultivates other (cash crops), which he uses to provide his weekly supply of food and to help pay his bills by selling the surplus produce. Such a situation is considered mixed cropping since he has other crops on which he can depend. Mixed Farming Involves the growing of crops and the rearing of animals on the same farm. They can be of and size but usually medium to large and production is basically for a local market, some produce may be exported. The farms are owned and operated by individuals, groups or government. Advantages: o Maximum use is made of land space. o Farms have more than one source of income. o It is easier to check the spread of pests and diseases. Disadvantages †¢ A higher level of management is required. †¢ There is a need to find market for different types of produce. †¢ Animals can damage crops if the y are not properly enclosed or tied. Organic Farming Organic farming is the use of agricultural systems to produce food and fiber without the use of artificial pesticides, fertilizer and genetically modified plants. Crop rotation and the building of biodiversity are very important. Pesticides used come from plants and are used as a last resort and their effects are short lived. Soil amendments come from renewable resources such as farmyard manure and composts. The strategy is to build up healthy soils through cover crops, composts and organically based amendments to build up healthy soils. These plants are better able to resist pest and diseases. Weeds are controlled through cover crops, mulching, flame weeding and crop rotation. When pests and diseases get out of control a variety of strategies are used for their control e. g. insect predators, mating disruption, traps, barriers and bio-chemicals. Agro-Forestry Agro-forestry is an integrated land use system. It refers to land –use systems in which trees are grown on the same land as agricultural crops and/or animals in a spatial arrangement or in a time sequence. Some examples are coconuts under-planted with pasture, apiculture with tree systems and aquaculture under mangroves. Agro-forestry systems resemble the natural ecosystems. The general aim of agro-forestry is to supply and increase a sustainable output of the basic necessities including cash. Agro-forestry is important because the following reasons. †¢ Environmental deterioration – due to the actions of man, natural disasters and volcanic action lead to deforestation. †¢ High rates of oxidation of organic matter due to high temperatures as well as excessive evaporation of moisture. †¢ Soil erosion. †¢ Population pressure for land for a variety of purposes such as housing. †¢ Need for fuel wood. Integrated Farm Farms are said to be integrated when the waste products from one enterprise is used as an in put in another production enterprise e. g. poultry waste can be used in fish farming and cattle rearing. Integrated farms attempt to eliminate the accumulation of agricultural waste by further utilization in production. Sugarcane Feed for ruminants (cattle) Waste Garden (compost) Garden excess and waste Feed ruminants INSTITUTIONS WHICH SUPPORT LOCAL AND REGIONAL AGRICULTURAL For a country’s agricultural sector to maximize its potential and contribute to a nation’s development; numerous organizations and institutions must play an integral role. These institutions may be government or private, local based, regional or international. The roles played by these institutions may encompass: Education ? Research ? Technical assistance ? Poverty reduction ? Rural development These organizations may form a cornerstone for development and ensure sustainable development, food security, poverty reduction, and prosperity. Some institutions have specific roles e. g. CFNI – nutrition. While some are broad based dealing with a wide cross section of development e. g. CDB. Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA) The objectives of RADA include: ? To provide technical extension assistance primarily to farmers in rural Jamaica in an effort to increase production and productivity. ? To train and develop extension personnel at all levels through in-service training programmes, geared towards improving their efficiency. ? To administer farmer training programmes and workshops thereby rendering farmers more knowledgeable and capable. ? To catalyze agricultural credit and input for small farmers. ? To aid in organization of marketing chains beneficial to both farmers and consumers. To cooperate with agencies involved in the development of rural infrastructure with a view to improving the quality of life in rural communities. ? To develop and operate service centres at strategic locations around the island thus bringing the service closer to farmers. ? To be the implementing agency for selected projects that impact on farmers and the biological environment. E. g. watershed development projects and fa rmer registration. ? To provide a free flow of information from policy makers and research organizations to farmers and from farmers upwards to these same persons. Bodles Research Station: Government funded research institution that carries out research in both crop production and animal husbandry to develop new and improved methods of farming, pest and disease control. They also seek to develop new plant and animal breeds which are suitable for local conditions. Jamaica Livestock Association (J. L. A. ): The J. L. A. is concerned with the development of the Jamaica livestock sector. It is a public company offering shares therefore it is concerned with the welfare of share holders. They provide agricultural support services for improving development of the industry such as quality input and technology development and implementation. Jamaica Agricultural Society (J. A. S. ): The JAS represent the interests of all farmers lobbying for agricultural friendly policies for agricultural sustainability and development. They also promote and support agricultural and industrial shows as well as operating a supply subsidiary (JLA farm stores), providing agricultural inputs at affordable costs to farmers. Scientific Research Council (SRC): They undertake research into new and improved technologies in agriculture. They are currently spearheading efforts to implement tissue culture and hydroponics in Jamaica. Sugar Industry Research Institute (SIRI) SIRI main function is to research and develop methods to improve agriculture technology as it relates to sugar cane production. They aim to improve efficiency in all areas of sugar cane production. Their main functions are: †¢ The development of new varieties of sugar cane which are high yielding, drought resistant, pest and disease resistant. †¢ The development of machinery and equipment suitable for Jamaican conditions. †¢ Provide technical assistance in irrigation, drainage and water management. Develop ideal fertilizer preparations based on the nutritional requirement of a crop. †¢ Promote the safe and efficient use of agro chemicals e. g. herbicides and insecticides. †¢ To study, monitor and provide technical advice in control and eradication of pests and diseases. CARICOM – Caribbean Community (Established by th e treaty of Chaguarnas May 1, 1973) Aim is to enhance regional trade, develop common policies, and act as a negotiating body among member states. So as to promote economic, social, cultural and political development through integration. Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) Provides loans for development and establishment of agricultural industries and farms e. g. irrigation, training, fisheries, as well as infrastructural development e. g. roads, water supply. Caribbean Agricultural Research and Development Institute (CARDI ) †¢ Provide for and conduct research into farming methods, pest and disease control, plant and animal breeding, technology for long term development. †¢ Coordinate and integrate research efforts in member states. †¢ Undertake training of farmers and agricultural personnel. †¢ Improve the utilization of modern technology to boost agricultural production. Caribbean Food and Nutrition Institute (CFNI) †¢ Offers technical support for reducing malnutrition †¢ Promote proper nutrition education and provide educational material to this end. †¢ Develop nutrition policies †¢ To collaborate with governments to improve food security. †¢ To improve nutritional aspects of health services. University of the West Indies (UWI) †¢ Provide degree training in agriculture and related fields †¢ Conduct agricultural research for improving farming methods and pest and disease control. College of Agriculture, Science and Education (CASE) Offers training in agriculture. Inter-American Institute for Cooperation in Agriculture (IICA) A specialized agency of the O. A. S. their aim is to promote agricultural development in a sustainable manner working with governments and Ministries of Agriculture. Their focus is geared toward †¢ Rural development and well-being. †¢ Diversification of agricultural production. †¢ Value-added production (agro-processing). †¢ Improving the region’s position in international trade. †¢ Research and development Food and Agriculture Organization (F AO) An organized branch of the United Nations which aims to †¢ Promote agricultural development. Pursue food security and improve nutrition. †¢ Develop infrastructure in rural areas. †¢ Provide information and technical assistance on a project basis to farmers. †¢ Provide a neutral platform for countries to meet and discuss issues and advice them on policy making. †¢ Coordinate government efforts at food security and improved nutrition. Organization of American States (OAS) Includes Thirty four (34) member states from the Americas. Provides technical assistance to countries and aims to improve health care and public administration. Inter-American Development Bank (I. D. B. ) The oldest and largest regional institution of multilateral development. The aim is to accelerate economic and social development in Latin American and Caribbean countries. Operations cover the entire spectrum of infrastructure, energy, transportation and urban development. Current lending priorities: poverty reduction, social equity and modernization. The Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) The lead organization in delivering Canada’s official development assistance programme. Assistance is provided in the form of goods and services, transfer of knowledge, skills and financial contributions. Areas of concentration include: – basic human needs – infrastructure – private sector development – women in development – human rights – environmental protection. These objectives are achieved by working with both the private sectors and governments of respective countries. Caribbean Basin Initiative (C. B. I) Enacted as Caribbean Basin Economic Recovery Act by United States. Products from beneficiary countries may be eligible for duty-free treatment in the U. S. A. United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Undertakes numerous projects aimed at improving the quality of life of citizens in developing countries. They also aim to expand democracy and free market activities ultimately leading to economic growth. European Union (EU) The EU provides grants and loans for a wide range of development projects and environmental protection initiatives in developing countries. They also provide technical assistance for many of these projects. INTRODUCTION TO SOIL SCIENCE Functions of Soil in our Environment. ? Habitat for organisms; Microbes, earth worms, rodents ? Medium for plant growth; Provide essential minerals and water. ? Important component in the water cycle ; storages in pores and evaporation ? Engineering medium; construction of roads and building etc. Soil Formation Soil Composition [pic] Soil formation is slow process. In the best conditions 1mm of soil may be form in a year. However, under poor condition it may take thousands of years for the same quantity of soil to form. Although soil is a renewable resource, in many areas soil is being lost at a much faster rate than it can be produced. SUMMARY OF SOIL FORMATION PROCESSES [pic]Transformation – weathering and decomposition [pic]Translocation – movement of soil materials up or down the soil profile [pic]Addition – rainfall, OM, deposited rock materials pic]Losses – erosion, washing out of soil material in the ground water(leaching) Weathering This is the physical and chemical breakdown of rocks and the mineral found in rocks. i) Physical weathering or disintegration involves the break up rocks into smaller fragments. Physical weathering is often referred to as mechanical weathering, since it involve the action of forces. Agents of physical weathering or disintegration: ? Temperature changes: – Contraction and expansion weaken the structure of the rocks. ? Running water ? Plants: – the roots of plants can grow between rock spaces and break up the rocks as they grow and become larger. Humans and animals The diagram shows the result of physical weathering; a single rock disintegrated into many fragments [pic] ii) Chemical weathering involve changing the chemical composition of rock s/ the minerals in rock via chemical reactions. Primary minerals such as quartz Sio2 are changed into changed into secondary mineral such as aluminium silicates (clay mineral). Chemical weathering is accelerated by the physical disintegration of rocks, which increases the surface of rocks, causing the rate of chemical reactions to increase. In addition, water and warmth are important factors which, influencing the rate of chemical weathering. Water is a universal solvent in which reactions can take place while, as temperature increases the rate of reactions increases. EXAMPLES OF CHEMICAL WEATHERING Carbonation and solution: Water combines with Carbon dioxide to form carbonic acid. Examples: (1) H2O + CO2 ———— H2CO3 + CaCO3 ———Ca(HCO3)2 (2) CaCo3 + H2CO3 ——- Ca2+ + 2HCO3- Hydration: – Water combine with rock minerals causing a chemical change in the mineral structure. Examples: anhydride (CaSO4) + Water (H2O) = Gypsum (CaSO4-H2O) 2Fe2O3 + 3H2O ——- 2Fe2O3. 3H2O Hematite limonite Hydrolysis: The water molecule splits in to H+ and OH-and reacts with minerals CaSiO 3 + 2H2O ——– HSiO3 + Ca(OH)2 Calcium silicates silicic acid calcium hydroxide Oxidation: Oxygen combines with mineral elements to form oxides. Example: a rusting sign post. Soil formation factors These are environmental factors, which determines the type of soils that are formed i. soil colour, profile depth, chemical features and biotic characteristics. i) Parent material: Parent material refers to the type of rock material from which soil forms. It includes bedrock, transported (by water, wind or gravity) and deposited materials originated from rocks. Alluvial – transported by water Colluvial – dislodged and deposited by gravity *** Soil is not necessarily formed from the underlining bed rock *** The parent material contributes to the physi cal and chemical properties of the soil, such as texture, pH, mineral content. |ROCKS CHRACTERISTICS | | | | |Igneous rocks |Rocks formed from cooled molten material | | |Volcanic rocks may acid or basic | | |Granite is an example of igneous rocks | | | | |Sedimentary rocks |The most abundant rock types | | |Formed from deposited materials included rock fragments | | |Usually layered | | |Limestone and sand stone are examples | | | | |Metamorphic rocks |Formed from sedimentary rock when these rocks are exposed to great heat and | | |pressure. | | |Example limestone changed to marble | PARENT MATERIAL |SOIL PROPERTIES | | | | |SOFT LIMESTONE |DARK IN CLOUR | | |SHALLOW | | |UNDERLAID WITH MARL | | | | |HARD LIMESTONE |SOIL VARY IN COLOUR FROM BROWN TO RED, INCLUDING BAUXITIC SOILS | | | | |SHALES |FREE DRAIINING | | RICH IN POTASH | | |PRONE TO SLIPPING AND EROSION | | | | |PURPLE CONGLOMORATES |OCCUR MAINLY ON SLOPES | | |SUSCEPTABLE TO EROSION | | |LOW WATER HOLDING CAPA CITY | | | | |OTHER CONGLOMORATES |ACID CLAYS | | |LOW FERTLITY | | | | |GRANITE AND POPHYRY |GRAVELLY SOIL | | |SHALLOW | | |ACIDIC | | |LIGHT TEXTURE | | |EASELY ERODED | ii) Climate: Agents of climate such as temperature, moisture (rainfall) and wind contributes to rock disintegration and chemical weathering and consequently the type soil that is formed. Warm temperature, as is the case in the tropics, increase the rate of weathering. The amount of moisture present will also affect the rate of soil formation, by influencing the rate of weathering and decomposition. iii) Topography: the topography is the shape or contour of the land surface. Soils formed on slopes then to be thinner than those that are formed on gently sloping lands. Low lying areas, which are poorly drained, have different chemical properties indicated by a grey colour down the soil profile. [pic] iv) Time: the longer the soil formation processes are in action the soil horizons would be more developed and also the soil would be more weathered. v) Biotic factors (vegetation and animals): Soil animals such as earthworms influence soil development by mixing soil components and aerate soils as they burrow through the soil. The mixing action enhances the rate of chemical and physical change in the soil. Fungi and bacteria decompose organic matter. The leaves and roots of plants add organic matter to the soil and contribute to the weathering of rocks. Soil Profile The soil profile is a vertical section of view of a soil showing the horizons or layer. [pic] Soil Profile OSuperficial surface layer consist mainly of plant remains such as fallen and other partially decomposed organic materials ATop soil – divided into two layers on the basis of soil colour ? The upper layer is darker due to a higher concentration of organic matter ? Usually there is an abundance of soil organisms and plant roots ? The top soil generally has a loose structure ? Usually the most fertile layer E BSubsoil- colour of this layer is red to orange due to the accumulation of mineral called oxides ? Proportion of gravel may begin to increase ? Clay content increases caused by the downward washing and accumulation of clay. ? The tap roots of some plants may be visible ? The soil is more compact CWeathered rock/Parent material – contain gravel or generally coarse material D/RBed Rock – Solid rock or parent materials Importance understanding the Soil Profile †¢ Soil horizons help to determine the soil type. †¢ Most plant nutrients are present in the top soil, which can be used to determine the soil fertility. †¢ Subsoil compactness will give a hint to the drainage of the soil. Type of bedrock and parent material will influence chemical and physical soil properties. Physical Properties of soils Soil texture The texture of a soil is determined by the ratio of sand, silt and clay particles present in the soil. The percentage of sand, silt and clay soils can b e used to classify soils into three main texture classes; [pic]Sandy soils —— Coarse [pic]Loamy soil —— Moderately coarse, medium to moderately fine †¢ Clay Soils ——- Fine NOTE – IN THE FIELD THERE ARE MANY VARATION TO THESE TEXTURE CLASSES. THE SOIL TEXTURE TRIANGLE BELOW SHOWS THE MAJOR SOIL TYPES. [pic] In the field soil texture can be determined by the feel method i. e. feeling the soil between the finger. Hence, soil texture can be simply defined as the feel of the soil between the fingers. Soil texture is very difficult to change in the field but on a small scale adding enough of another soil type and mixing thoroughly can modify the texture of one soil type. Soil Particles and size Gravel200 – 20 mm Fine gravel20 – 2 mm Coarsesand2 – 0. 2 mm Fine sand0. 2 – 0. 02 mm Silt0. 02 – 0. 002 mm Clayless than 0. 002 PROPERTIES OF SOIL S AND SOIL PARTICLES Clay ? Clay Particles stick together ? Particles are closely packed ? Highest percentage of micro pores ? Low porosity ? Good for fish ponds and growing rice ? High water holding capacity ? Moderated to high CEC ? Low drainage ? Moderate to high shrinkage and swelling Easily compacted ? Resist wind erosion ? Resist change in soil pH ? Retards leaching ? Rich in nutrients ? Poor structure ? Have negative electric charge (to attract Positively charged nutrients) Sand ? Particles do not stick together ? Part icles can be seen with the naked eye. ? Particles loosely arranged ? Large pore spaces ? Resist compaction ? Easily tilled soon after wetting ? OM decomposed rapidly ? Generally coarse ? Well aerated ? Well drained ? pH is easily changed ? Poor water holding ability ? High rate of leaching ? Low nutrient content Silt ? Particles are smooth and powdery ? Intermediate between clay and sand ? Particles feel smooth but not sticky ? Have and electric charge ? Easily compacted ? Easily blown by wind erosion LOAMS Soils classified as loams tend to demonstrate the properties of the three particles in an almost equal proportion. In the field, there are different types of loams e. g. clay loam, silty clay loam, sandy clay loam and sandy loam. Identifying Texture by Feel Feel test – Rub some moist soil between your fingers. †¢ Sand feels gritty. †¢ Silt feels smooth. †¢ Clays feel sticky. Ball squeeze test – Squeeze a moistened ball of soil in your hand. †¢ Coarse textures (sand or sandy loam) soils break with slight pressure. Sandy loams and silt loams stay together but change shape easily. †¢ Fine textured (clayey or clayey loam) soils resist breaking. Ribbon test – Squeeze a moistened ball of soil out between your thumb and fingers. †¢ Sandy soils will not ribbon. †¢ Loam, silt, silty clay loam or clay loam soil ribbons l ess than 1 inch. †¢ Sandy clay loam, silty clay loam or clay loam ribbons 1 to 2 inches. †¢ Sandy clay, silty clay, or clay soil ribbons more than 2 inches. A soil with as low as 20 percent clay, may behave as a heavy clayey soil. A soil needs 45 percent to over 60 percent sand to behave as a sandy soil. [pic] Activity ; Determine the texture of soil samples Soil characteristics |CLAY SOILS |SANDY SOILS |LOAMS | |Soil Conditions when dry | | | | |Do not from stable aggregates | |^ | | |Easily broken | |^ |^ | |Moderately easily broken | | |^ | |Hard and stable |^ | | | |   | | | | |Soil conditions when wet | | | | |Very stable aggregates |^ | | | |Moderately stable | | |^ | |Very unstable aggregates | |^ | | |   | | | | |Ability to form ribbons | | | | |Do not form ribbons | |^ | | |broken appearance of ribbons | | |^ | |Thin ribbons, will brake | |^ | |Very long & flexible ribbons |^ | | | Soil Structure Soil structure describes the arrangement of individual soil part icle. Individual soil particles come together to form aggregates, which may appear, in a number of shapes; [pic]Granular and crumb – aggregates are loosely arranged, usually found at the soil surface especially those having high organic matter content, it is considered to be the ideal structure soil structure. [pic] [pic]Plate like – generally found in the subsoil can be produced by soil compaction; this type of structure may reduce air, water movement and also hinder the penetration of roots. [pic] Blocky – this type of structure is usually seen in the Subsoil – associated with clay soils [pic] [pic]Prism like or columnar – found in the subsoil of clays [pic] [pic]Structure less soil has single grains or massive structures. [pic] ACTIVITY: Use a pitch fork to remove small sections of top soil and subsoil, identify the types of soil structure observed. Porosity Pores are spaces occurring naturally between soil particle and soil aggregates and direc tly depends on the soil structure. Porosity measures the amount of pore spaces in a soil sample. Pore spaces are important for the growth of plant roots and the movement of soil water and air. Based on size there are two types of pores observed in soils macro-pores and micro-pores. Macro-pores allow water and air to move through the soil at a faster rate, while micro-pores holds water more tightly therefore they act as long term storage of water. [pic] | | | |Pore spaces |Features | | | | |Low Porosity |Water logging, inadequate oxygen in the soil, hinder root penetration, micro-pores | | |dominates. | | | |Improve porosity |Add organic matter (compost) | | | | |Reduce porosity |Soil compaction | WHAT IS SOIL BULK DENSITY? This is the mass per unit volume of a dry soil sample. The volume includes the soil particles and pores spaces. Soils that are more compact usually have a higher bulk density that is having more soil particles and less pore spaces. REMINDERS Low porosity = higher bulk density Compact soils = low porosity = high bulk density* Clay soil = generally low porosity Sandy soils = higher porosity [pic] Activity: list the characteristics of soil with poor soil structure | | |How does soil structure influence plant growth? | SOIL COLOUR The colour of the soil gives clues to the physical and chemical properties of the soil. The soils can be used make a quick evaluation of soils in the field. Soils colours are mainly determine by oxides of metals and organic matter. Soils display a wide range colour for example; †¢ Reds †¢ Browns †¢ Yellows †¢ Black †¢ Green †¢ White Organic matter cause soils to be darker in colour, which may also hide the effect of oxides. Organic matter is associated with good soil structure as well as soil fertility. Iron oxides tend to produce soils that are yellow, brown or red. The colour will depend on the form iron oxide. Carbonates such as Calcite (CaCo3) give soils whitish colour. †¢ Bright soil colours are associated with well-drained soils and well aerated soils †¢ Grays and mixture bright colours and grays (mottled) indicates a poorly drained and poorly aerated soils †¢ When soil that are rich in iron oxides becomes water logged the iron is reduced form the ferrous to the ferric from which give the soil a grey colour |Condition | | |Subsurface soil colour | |Soils in anaerobic conditions, such as those in poorly | | |drained depressions, will normally have dull, grey |Water-logged soils, poor aeration | |B-horizons. Alternatively, aerobic soils on well-drained and |Dull grey (if in low rainfall soi ls 0-20 in) | |aerated slopes have bright reddish-brownish colours. | | |Well drained soils | | |Yellow, red-brown, black (if in forest soils) | | | | | |Poorly drained soils | | |Mottled grey (if in humid soils) | | | | SOIL WATER Water is essential for plant growth. Soil is capable of being a storehouse of water and becoming the main source of water for land plants. Soil water plays a significant role in several natural processes- evaporation, infiltration and drainage of water, diffusion of gases, conduction of heat, and movement of salts and nutrients are all dependent upon the amount of water present in soil. Plants meet their water requirement from water stored in soil. Soil moisture can be improved with aeration. Soil water is contained in soil pores Soil water contains dissolved substances for example nutrient elements and organic matter HOW DOES WATER MOVE UPWARD IN THE SOIL? Think about narrow tubes of different diameter placed vertically in beaker with water, as the diameter of the container decreases the height of the water in the tubes increases. The forces involved are called cohesion and adhesion. ? Cohesion attraction between water molecules ? Adhesion attraction between water and soil surface CLASSIFICATION OF SOIL WATER ? FIELD CAPACITY – water held in the soil after excess water has drained away ? CAPILARY WATER – water held by cohesion and adhesion [surface tension] ? GRAVITATIONAL WATER – water that drains under the influence of gravity especially after rain fall ? HYGROSCOPIC WATER – water that is held tightly around soil particles. This water is nit available to plants. Importance of soil Organic Matter ORGANIC MATTER (OM) = Decaying and decayed plant and animal remains †¢ Low percentage present in soil Colloidal in nature †¢ Have electric charge. †¢ Binds mineral particles to form stable aggregates. (improve soil structure) †¢ Humus is the final stage of decomposed material †¢ Responsible for the loose nature of productive soils. †¢ Increase water-holding ca pacity. †¢ Source of plant nutrients such as phosphorus and sulphur and major source of nitrogen. †¢ Supply food for soil organism. Chemical Properties of the soil Soil pH The term soil pH refers to the degree of acidity or alkalinity of a particular soil type. The soil pH or soil reaction is determined by the concentration of Hydrogen H+ and hydroxyl OH- in the soil. ? H+ higher than OH- soil acidic OH- higher than H+ soil alkaline soil In addition alkaline soils have more Ca, mg, K, and Na ions (base forming ions), while acid soil have more acid forming elements such as aluminium ions. ___________ Items & pH ________ Most acid soils 4. 0-6. 0 Lemon juice 2. 2-2. 4 Orange juice 3. 4-4. 0 Vinegar 4. 0-4. 5 Acid rain 3. 0-5. 0 Clean rain water 5. 5-5. 7 Fresh milk 6. 3-6. 6 Blood plasma 7. 0-7. 2 Mild soap solution 8. 5-10. 0 ____________________ The pH scale ranges from one to fourteen; a pH of 7 is neutral, above 7 acidity increases while below the neutral point alkalinity. | | |ACIDITY INCREASING | | |ALKALINITY | | | | | | | | |INCREASING | | | |1 |2 | |Nitrogen |Essential component of chlorophyll, promote growth especially leaves. | |Phosphorus |Important role in fruit and grain maturity, stimulates flowering, promote the development of | | |the root system. |Potassium |Carbohydrate formation and translocation, essential for the development of flowers, fruits | | |and seeds. | |Calcium |Occurs in the cell walls | |Sulphur |Formation of amino acid which forms protein | |Magnesium |Present in chlorophyll | |Micronutrients | | |Iron | |Sodium | | |Chlorine | | |Selenium | | |Manganese | | |Zinc | | |Copper | | |Molybdenum | | |Boron | | HOW THE SOIL HOLD PLANT NUTRIENTS? Cation exchange capacity (CEC) explains how the soil is able to hold cations such as Ca2+, Mg2+, K+, H+ and NH4+, which are in important for crop nutriti on. Clay and humus both have a net negative charge, so they give the soil the ability to attract cations. These ions will become attached to the soil complex (see diagram below). The CEC cation exchange value can be used in evaluating soil fertility. Soils with higher CEC are usually more fertile for example soil with high clay and or organic matter content. Anion such as sulphates, nitrates and phosphates are not attach to the soil particles therefore they are easily leached from the soil. HOW DOES CEC AFFECTS ABILITY OF THE SOIL TO BUFFER AGAINST pH CHANGES? [pic] MANAGING SOIL FERTILITY The soil is a very import resource in crop production. Therefore, it must be managed properly to ensure the best crop yield possible on a continuous basis. It is very important that we understand how the physical and chemical soil properties affect the fertility of soils FERTILIZERS Fertilizers are materials organic and inorganic which supply elements essential for the growth of plants Organic fertilizers Organic fertilizers are materials from animal waste and plant material which are used to supply plant nutrients. Examples of organic fertilizers; – Fresh animal manure – Sewage – Compost – Green manure Advantages of organic fertilizers †¢ Micro-organism breakdown organic, releasing nutrient slowly. Hence, nutrients are less likely to be wash out of the soil. †¢ Contains less nutrients per kg, therefore it has a low burn potential and less likely to pollute ground water and rivers. †¢ Contains natural growth factors, which are beneficial to crop plants. Disadvantages of organic fertilizers †¢ Nutrient content not precise depends on materials from which it is made †¢ Organic fertilizers have a low quantity of nutrient per kg it require relatively large quantity to be effective. This cause organic fertilizers to be bulky, making it more expensive to transport and difficult to apply. †¢ It may contain disease causing organism and/or weed seeds. Inorganic fertilizers These are inorganic salts containing elements required for plant growth manufactured from natural material or synthetic materials. Physical forms of fertilizers †¢ Salts †¢ Pellets †¢ Liquid Soluble forms of fertilizers †¢ Quick release – very soluble form †¢ Slow release – Fertilizer grade Commercial fertilizers are manufactured to contain a precise quantity. The is shown on the container by number which show the grade e. g. 14-28-14. What does 14 – 28 – 14 means? The fertilizer contains 14% N, 28% P and 14% k. A complete fertilizer contains N, P and K. Incomplete fertilizers supply one or two elements. Examples urea, triple super phosphates and murate of potash. Advantages of inorganic fertilizers †¢ The quantity of nutrient is known †¢ Concentrated source of nutrients †¢ Less bulky †¢ Nutrients are in a more available form, to be used by crops Disadvantages of inorganic fertilizers †¢ They have a high crop burn potential due to concentrated salts. †¢ Excessive use can easily pollute ground water and rivers †¢ Easily leached from the soil. †¢ Excessive use can cause soil to become saline [having too much salt] Practical activity Identifying types of fertilizers Methods of applying fertilizer †¢ Broad casting †¢ Placement -Circular banding – Row banding †¢ Foliar application †¢ Fertigation Importance of plant sexual reproduction in agriculture THINK OF THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF MANGOES THAT YOU HAVE SEEN OR EATEN. What cause this variation in plants? How does variation in crops (cultivars) benefits agriculture? The flower ? A specialized shoot consisting of reproductive organs ? Structures are arranged in whorls ? A complete flower has four whorls WhorlsOrgans a. Calyx – sepals b. Corolla- petals c. Stamen – filament and anther d. Pistil – Stigma, style & ovary One or more of the structures may be absent( |STRUCTURES |Type of flower | | Calyx |Corolla |Stamen |Pistil | | |( |( |( |- |Staminate | |( |( |- |( |Pistillate | |( |( |( |( |Hermaphrodite | ? Some plants have bisexual flowers only e. g. tomatoes, while others such as cantaloupe, have mal e and female flowers on the same plant. Plants such as some cultivars of papaya have male and female on the different plants. ? In addition to reproduction, the flowers of some plants are eaten (broccoli and cauliflower), while many are used for its aesthetic value (anthurium rose and chrysanthemum). Pollination ? Transfer of pollens which contains the male gamete to the stigma ? Pollination is necessary for fertilization ? Fertilization is necessary for the development of true fruits and viable seeds Types of pollinations Self pollination ? Transfer of pollen within a flower or different flowers on the same plant ? Only one plant is involve therefore genetic variation will be reduce ? Plants produce tends to be more uniform in characteristics. Cross pollination ? Flower are on different plants ? Plants have the characteristics of both parent ? Increase variations e. g. ? Yield ? Shape ? Size ? Increase resistance to disease ? Colour ? Taste ? Important for producing new varieties of crop plants and to improve existing varieties ? Crossing plants of the same species that are not closely related can produce new varieties. The offspring produce are called Hybrids. ? Hybrids tend to perform better than both parents i. e. produce higher yield and are more resistant to pest and diseases. Diagram showing crosspollination [pic] Fertilization is the joining of the male and female gamete to produce an embryo. The male gamete is found in the pollen grain while the female gametes are present in the ovule. Diagram showing processes involved in seed and fruit formation. [pic] THINK ABOUT IT You may have eaten or head about seed fruits such as oranges and grades. How is possible for these fruits to be formed without seeds. Mas Joe says that the corns he harvested have ‘scattered grains’ i. e. does not have uniforms rows of corn seeds. He believes that this due to the fact that the worker talked a lot during the planting of the crop. Using your scientific knowledge explain to him the true reason why his corns are ‘ scattered grains’ [pic][pic]