Management and Development of a Model Process Essay

Management and Development of a Model Process - Essay Example TABLE OF CONTENTS TITLE PAGE †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..... 1 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦... 2 ABSTRACT †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 3 1.0 INTRODUCTION †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 5 1.1 Investigation & Project Definition 1.2 Statement of the Project 1.3 Objective of the Research Study 1.4 Arrangement and Approach of Study 2.0 PROJECT PROPOSAL & PLANNING †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢ € ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦... 9 2.1 Target Audience 2.2 Methodology of Research 2.3 Corporate Description 2.3.1 The organization’s activities 2.3.2 Strategic Management 2.3.3 Current projects undertaking 2.3.4 Industry Analysis 3.0 RESEARCH RESULT & DATA ANALYSIS †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 18 3.1 Organizational Analysis 3.1.1 Secondary Data 3.1.2 Specific Operational analysis 3.2 Data Analysis 3.2.1 Tables, Charts, Histogram and Pareto Analysis 4.0 DISCUSSION †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 35 4.1 Research Findings 4.2 Contribution of this Project 4.2 Limitations 4.3 Recommendations for Further Development 5.0 CONCLUSION AND LESSONS LEARNED †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 36 6.0 REFERENCES †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 39 Introduction 1.1 Investigation and Project Definition The risk of an event leading to the loss of all data could be devastating and could have a consequential impact on the functional ability of a company. Confidential company information could fall into the wrong hands by either the breach of security of the company databases or by the leakage... The application of risk assessment tools and processes such as a tracking model that would help reduce loss of documents and enable more efficient tracking of documents at the operational level will be examined along with the development of market strategies to achieve the company objectives. This essay declares that the risk of an event leading to the loss of all data could be devastating and could have a consequential impact on the functional ability of a company. Confidential company information could fall into the wrong hands by either the breach of security of the company databases or by the leakage of information either intentionally or unintentionally by the employees who are authorized to access the information. A good account information system that is computerized would aid the company in keeping a good track of company financial and accounting information, reduce the risk of losing sensitive information that could result in costly lawsuits, breaches of data and serious damage to the reputation of the company. During my internship I intend to work on a tracking model in the general services department that will reduce the loss of documents and ensure the security of electronic documents of the company. With the continuous improvement and adoption of new ideas an d innovation by the Borouge Company as well as the expansion of their market to form contractual relationships with partners from different geographic regions, it is necessary to keep a track on the company documents.

Cellular PathologyTissue Processing, Staining and Observation Essay

Cellular PathologyTissue Processing, Staining and Observation - Essay Example A staining schedule of action was put into use and this concerned the usage of ovary cell of Chinese hamster. This was done because they develop as a single layer and when ever they are kept in close vicinity there is a tendency to fuse and join together. Two very different techniques of straining were used for straining the cells. These cells were firstly worked with acridine orange and fluorescent microscope was used for viewing. In the second process the cells were worked with eosin and hematoxylin and were examined under microscope with a bright field. The entire process of staining and growth of the cells was done under a secured parameter of the Leighton tube. However, it can be mentioned that the tissues require processing for the reason that by working out the details of processing the tissues would reveal an improved amount of detail. The processing involves multiple steps that includes vital step of tissue water replacement with wax and the general format in the first stage is using the double stage. In this context the water removal process could be enumerated as the second stage and is specified as dehydration. Methol and ethanol alcohol is used in the next stages that include nucleic acids and proteins denaturing are involved along with chemical reactivity preservation with the addition molecule alteration. Shrinking comes into action with the use of alcohol and the tissues become brittle. To prevent this limited and several alcohol baths can be used with clearing agents like xylene and touleune. Specimen shrinkage can also be decreased by embedding them into resin. Embedding Centre Epoxyresin Aromatic polyhydroxy methacrylates HEMA or Glycolmethacrylate Cellulose tetranitrate or Celloidin Polyester or Ester and wax Wax soluble in water Low viscosity nitrocellulose or LVN Plastic resins Cryostat - Tissues that freezes slowly - Advanced freeze cabinet is used for freezing tissues - Thermoelectric module is used for freezing tissues. - Methods of Rapid freezing - Evaporating liquid used for freezing fast - Carbon dioxide cooling system - Cooling system with the use of frozen carbon dioxide - Liquid nitrogen cooling system While diagnosing tumours Cryostat sections are a preferable element and are a typical procedure in production of histological sections. Bright field Microscope It can be enumerated that the principal of staining is used because in general terms the larger number of tissues are basically colourless and that is the reason this method is used for identifying them. Eosin behaves at par with acidic dyes while Haematoxylin acts like a v in basic state. Both these elements tend to develop salt or electrostatic linkages with tissues that are ionized radicals. It should be mentioned that the acidophilic tissues are those who are attracted towards acid dye and on the other hand basophilic are the ones who acts with basic dyes. Haematoxylin is instrumental in staining the tissue components that are basophilic in nature and the reaction yields a dye purple. One such example is the nucleus. The reason behind this lies in the fact that the compositions are made up with acid glycoproteins, glycosaminoglycans and nucleic acids. On the other hand cytoplasm pink is stained by eosin because

Corrections and Juvenile Justice Research Proposal - 1

Corrections and Juvenile Justice - Research Proposal Example Initially, a letter of interest will be sent to the potential participants, and after receiving the returned responses of interest, an informed consent form will be forwarded to the one hundred subjects. Furthermore, purposive sampling technique will be adopted Participant’s gender (i.e. male), availability to do the study, age (at least 18 years of age), current mental health status, and incarceration status will be included in the selection criteria since they are very important for the purpose of this research. Informed Consent Neuman (2000) argued that research can and should be conducted in an ethical manner. Every attempt would be made to conduct the research in an ethical manner. Since the participants would be at least eighteen years of age, consent would not be necessary from the Department of Children and Family Services. However, in order to address other ethical concerns, informed consent form will be obtained from the participants. All the participants will be inf ormed that their participation is completely voluntary. All interested participants will be made aware of the study's research goals, as well as its ethical mandates. In addition, participants will be allowed to withdraw their participation at any time and that no financial incentives would be offered as compensation for their participation. Participants could also refuse to participate in this study at any stage. The informed consent form will also address the issues of participant anonymity and confidentiality. Anonymity of the participants will be ensured by offering each participant the option to choose a pseudonym for himself. Confidentiality will be ensured by removing any names or identifying characteristics of the participants from all records. To circumvent the risk of psychological harm, participants will be treated with the utmost respect, consideration, and sympathy. Data Collection Clinical records from a private subsidiary of the Department of Children and Family Servi ces (DCFS) concerning the subjects would be utilized in order to assess historical and current behavior. Clinical records of participants would also be helpful in this study as they will provide useful information including: an account of psychiatric familial histories, and a validated Axis I Diagnosis as found in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (American Psychiatric Association, 2000). Furthermore, social history, familial involvement, peer relationships, psychological evaluations with intelligence quotient (IQ) score, history of housing placements, demographics, history of incarcerations including probation/incarceration reports, and purpose of wardship entry reports would also be available in the clinical records. In an effort to effectively provide an analysis of the hypotheses, research would be conducted by reviewing various articles or related literature, and methods/techniques currently utilized in identifying potential criminal behavior characteris tics in juvenile offenders. This study will also refer to the practices and techniques that the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) Behavioral Science Unit uses in formulating criminal profiles for reliability purposes. The purpose of this study is to determine how a sample of incarcerated youth would score on a violence predictor assessment instrument, which is designed to predict

Cellular PathologyTissue Processing, Staining and Observation Essay

Cellular PathologyTissue Processing, Staining and Observation - Essay Example A staining schedule of action was put into use and this concerned the usage of ovary cell of Chinese hamster. This was done because they develop as a single layer and when ever they are kept in close vicinity there is a tendency to fuse and join together. Two very different techniques of straining were used for straining the cells. These cells were firstly worked with acridine orange and fluorescent microscope was used for viewing. In the second process the cells were worked with eosin and hematoxylin and were examined under microscope with a bright field. The entire process of staining and growth of the cells was done under a secured parameter of the Leighton tube. However, it can be mentioned that the tissues require processing for the reason that by working out the details of processing the tissues would reveal an improved amount of detail. The processing involves multiple steps that includes vital step of tissue water replacement with wax and the general format in the first stage is using the double stage. In this context the water removal process could be enumerated as the second stage and is specified as dehydration. Methol and ethanol alcohol is used in the next stages that include nucleic acids and proteins denaturing are involved along with chemical reactivity preservation with the addition molecule alteration. Shrinking comes into action with the use of alcohol and the tissues become brittle. To prevent this limited and several alcohol baths can be used with clearing agents like xylene and touleune. Specimen shrinkage can also be decreased by embedding them into resin. Embedding Centre Epoxyresin Aromatic polyhydroxy methacrylates HEMA or Glycolmethacrylate Cellulose tetranitrate or Celloidin Polyester or Ester and wax Wax soluble in water Low viscosity nitrocellulose or LVN Plastic resins Cryostat - Tissues that freezes slowly - Advanced freeze cabinet is used for freezing tissues - Thermoelectric module is used for freezing tissues. - Methods of Rapid freezing - Evaporating liquid used for freezing fast - Carbon dioxide cooling system - Cooling system with the use of frozen carbon dioxide - Liquid nitrogen cooling system While diagnosing tumours Cryostat sections are a preferable element and are a typical procedure in production of histological sections. Bright field Microscope It can be enumerated that the principal of staining is used because in general terms the larger number of tissues are basically colourless and that is the reason this method is used for identifying them. Eosin behaves at par with acidic dyes while Haematoxylin acts like a v in basic state. Both these elements tend to develop salt or electrostatic linkages with tissues that are ionized radicals. It should be mentioned that the acidophilic tissues are those who are attracted towards acid dye and on the other hand basophilic are the ones who acts with basic dyes. Haematoxylin is instrumental in staining the tissue components that are basophilic in nature and the reaction yields a dye purple. One such example is the nucleus. The reason behind this lies in the fact that the compositions are made up with acid glycoproteins, glycosaminoglycans and nucleic acids. On the other hand cytoplasm pink is stained by eosin because

CORE COMPETENCIES PAPER Dissertation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

CORE COMPETENCIES PAPER - Dissertation Example (Holmes) Public health is "the science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life and promoting health through the organized efforts and informed choices of society, organizations, public and private, communities and individuals" (Winslow, 1920). It focuses on improving health of communities, groups of people and preventing from diseases. It may include curing from diseases, finding ways to prevent from them, making people aware of the diseases and taking measures to contribute to healthy lifestyles. There can be many reasons for different diseases. Some are sexually transmitted diseases like HIV AIDS, many are infectious like small pox, and few are caused due to lack of providing medicines at early stage of life like polio, whereas some are caused by environmental hazards. Environmental Health Hazards At every interaction with the environment, we are in contact with numerous health hazards that are caused by different pollutants and harmful substances. What we feed to our enviro nment is given back to us in the form of diseases and other health hazards. Environmental hazards are caused by chemical waste from industries, harmful substances used in these industries, land degeneration, ozone depletion, nuclear issues, over population, harmful substance used at our homes, poor sanitation, and emission of harmful gases such as carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide. Domestic and hazardous waste cause serious diseases. These wastes are divided into two categories: municipal waste by domestic activities & industrial waste by industrial activities. Municipal waste causes problem for ordinary human being if it is not disposed off in the right way. Industrial waste can cause damage to the workers in the industry as well as common man. Water contamination again causes water-borne diseases that might lead to morbidity and mortality. Clean drinking water is rare in the world. Most people do not enjoy clean water and have to quench their thirst with contaminated and polluted water. This is a very increasing concern of environmental health in entire world. Another way of causing environment related health problems is the air toxicants. Huge amounts of carbon Dioxide, carbon monoxide, and sulfur dioxide in our air are harmful for our health. A large part of air pollutants is caused by the emissions from automobiles. Besides these, in our everyday life we see consumer products full of harmful substances. Lead is one example. Lead is present in many consumer products especially paint. The manufacturers of these products put such harmful substances without realizing the high level of human interaction with these products. (Nweke & William, 2009) Children come into direct contact with environmental toxicants such as lead, methyl mercury, tobacco and other pollutants. These pollutants enter children’s bodies via placental transfer during fetal growth, inhalation of dust, breast milk and other dietary sources during early childhood. (Landrigan et al, 19 98) One of the threats from these environmental hazards is asthma in children. It is more common in children because they have smaller airways. Asthma Asthma causes the airways

Policing has affected a Nation not Just a Race Essay Example for Free

Policing has affected a Nation not Just a Race Essay Throughout the interview process I was able to understand and gain an adequate perception of how others felt about law enforcement here in the United States. I found that many answers were universal and were not only the views of one particular race. Law enforcement is set in place to up hold the laws and to protect and serve the people of the United States. However, I found that a few of my interviewees felt that law enforcement was biased and were not for all people. The interviewing process was very interesting and being able to listen to the participants’ responses was very enlightening. No two people had the same perception however, there were many concerns that were similar. My first interview was conducted on an African American woman. She is 75 years old and is originally from Saint Joseph, Louisiana. However, she is a widower and all of her children have passed on. She moved here to Houston Texas in 1960 with the husband and two children. Where they have resided in the area of Houston known as Fifth Ward for over 54 years. She has spoken about how growing up in Louisiana as a black child was horrible, and how they were taught to avoid the police by all means. The town of Saint Joseph was a very small town, and it was divided by color. Yes my interviewee grew up during segregation, and she recalls that the police were not for the blacks. She recalls classmates being beaten by the police and nothing never being done about the fact that they were beaten for nothing. She spoke of the time when her sister worked for a white family and was raped by the man of the house. Her sister and family could not report such a crime because they feared that it would bring trouble to their entire family. She states that she has no respect for law enforcement, however she states that she never breaks the laws of the land. Obeying the law is her way of staying out of jail and feels as long as she abides the law she is quite alright. During her interview I found her having many stories to tell in regards to how black life has no value, and how she has never seen the law truly work for the African American. Her responses to the  questions left her stumbled sometime, and I found myself finding ways to inform her that law enforcement ha s made great changes since she was a child. I could understand but I was unable to relate because my experience with law enforcement has never been to the extent of hers. I did find it quite interesting when she was asked the question about domestic violence. Her response was, â€Å"I never heard of husband’s hitting their wives and if they did that was not something for the world to know†. She stated that, â€Å"You knew that what went on in your home stayed in your home†. I was shocked and somewhat appalled at her response. Her body language and her tone let me know that she was indeed serious about keeping affairs in the home. She believed that women who were hit must have done something pretty bad to make her husband hit her. I still found myself puzzled by her response. Although during the second interview when asked this very same question. She elaborated about an incident with her cousin who was caught cheating and her husband did abuse her. She inclined to say that, â€Å"You just do not do things in such a manner and not expect such behaviors†. I could understand where she was coming from, but I was not able to agree with a man or a woman hitting their mate. This 76 year old black women was still stuck in the era of when she was a child and very young adult. She felt that law enforcement would never been positioned to serve or protect African Americans, and that the only reason they have allowed blacks to become police officers was because it would not matter if another black man was killed. In her opinion there is no hope for the African American people here in the United States and that it is just a bunch of boloney in the world in which we live. However she did feel that the use of DNA was the greatest thing that could have come along. With a strong understanding that the use of DNA can help to solve crimes and maybe even help from crimes being committed. She believes that if they find a killer this way people may think twice before actually think twice before committing murder. Her wish is that law enforcement stop perceiving and believing that all black people are  criminals. My next interviewee is a Caucasian women and she is 41 years old. She is married and is the mother of three children. She is a fulltime student at the University of Houston-Downtown and she will be graduating in December. She is a Houston native and she grew up near Bellaire. Her and her family now reside in the historical area of the Heights. This too was a very interesting interview, simply because she was truly involved with the questions and she gave a statement as to why she felt the way she did with the answers she gave. Her answer in regards to domestic violence she felt that there are three sides to a story and that both parties should give their side. Then allow the police to determine if the call and the situation requires law enforcement to detain anyone. Her thoughts on how the police perceived citizens was very mind blowing, and she felt that it was not just minorities that were targeted by law enforcement. However she does feel that police are power hungry, bias, hardworking and underpaid, and this only adds stress. Stress can factor in how law enforcement responds and reacts to certain situations when performing their job without allowing race and location to blind their actually duty to the citizens. As stated early she feels that every citizens is scrutinized by law enforcement, and she feels that law enforcement tends to the jump the gun before completely assessing the situation. Being a mother of three she found what it felt like when her son was stopped and harassed by the police for no particular reason. She believes these acts are the very reason that the younger generation shows no respect for law enforcement. However she does feel that reaching out to high schools would be a proactive in the process of recruiting new offi cers. She also feels that there she be additional training included for those citizens with mental illness. Those trainings will help to keep the citizens and the officers out of harm’s way. I will now move on to my third participant who is a 46 year old African American woman who has recently divorced and has no children. She is originally from East Oakland, California and has been in Houston for 5 years. Returning back home is the plan in the five years. She has dealt with the police on a regular occasions due to her ex-husband being  incarcerated for ten years. Her answers were just as interesting as my second participant, and her answers were very colorful. I want to just note that her lifestyle was one that was accustomed to glitz and glam due to the fact that her ex-husband was a drug dealer. She recalls the time that law enforcement ran into her home and threw her on the floor and she stated talked to her like she was an actual dog. Not allowing her to speak, handcuffed her, and she was thrown in the back of a police car. She says that she was held for questioning for 2 days, and even with her ex-husband stating that she had nothing to do with his dealings. They keep her and continued to question her asking the same questions over and over. However she does not hate law enforcement and she believes that this very incident opened her eyes to a different type of guy she would ha ve. She feels that most part traditional policing strategies have been effective in combating crime, however police use excessive force when utilizing discretion in dealing with citizens sometimes. Recalling an incident that was made into a movie named â€Å"Fruitvale† was based on a true story and was right down the street from which she grew up. She believes that the police in East Oakland are very aggressive and are trigger happy. She feels that law enforcement here in Houston are not as aggressive with law enforcement back home in California. She does feel that in certain areas of town here in Houston. This participant would like to see a substantial increase of specialized training in the mental illness area, sign language for the hearing impaired and subtle prejudice courses for those law enforcement officers who are hiding behind their badge. Police officers are receiving adequate training as for as the physical requirements. To be well rounded you have to have some since of street smarts and able to deal with people from all walks of life. She agrees with every current method of police recruitment, selection, and training of officers, except the minimum age requirement for some law enforcement agencies. She had some personal views on domestic violence seeing that she was a domestic violence survivor. She does believe that women should be arrested for domestic violence, however she feels there is an exception if the woman is trying to defend herself. My fourth participant is 43 year old African American male and he is married with no kids. Had no run in with the law until he mad e 40 years old. His brushes with law came from driving while intoxicated and carrying a handgun. He was  able to have the handgun case dismissed, because he actually had his handgun concealed. However he is on probation for driving while intoxicated. He has lived in Houston his entire life and has very biased views about law enforcement. In his younger days he was a part of a gang and was what he refers to as a thug and drug dealer. He took pride in his past and stated that had he not have met his wife he would probably still be running the streets. I also found that he is a male chauvinist and has some harsh views on domestic violence. When asked about domestic violence he stated that a women should know her place and that the man is head of his home. He feels that as long as a woman is submissive and keeps her husband happy they should not have any problems. He does not feel that a wife should not call the police on her husband and that they should keep what goes on in their home. Being a woman that has experienced domestic violence I got off of subject and asked him why such harsh feelings about domestic violence. He stated that his step father was abusive and his mother stayed. She never called the police on him and over time the abuse stopped. They were pretty happy before his step father passed, and being the grandson of a pastor he feels that bible is key to keeping a happy home. When asked about how the police perceived citizens, he automatically stated that African Americans have no chance with the Houston police department. Growing up in the northeast intercity area of Houston he says he has seen police brutality on a regular. The police were not there to help black people is what he stated. He said the only way the police were on your side was if you had enough money to pay them. They do not fight crime and they are a part of the crimes that are committed. Biased and unethical are his choice words about law enforcement. Still today in 2013 ones race and ethnicity affects how police treat you. Blacks are treated as the criminal and Whites are treated as the innocent bystanders. He feels that police are a threat to minorities and there should be training to new officers so that they do not allow their personal views to interfere with their ability to protect and serve all citizens. He express the fact that the police have no understanding or training when it comes to dealing with the mentally ill, and feels they have no problem with shooting them. Extensive training should be given yearly, and maybe even some classes should be required to be able to realize that there may be some mental illness when dealing with certain individuals. I  want to be honest and inform you that I was not able to complete a second interview with this participant and I was able to find a fifth participant. Now my last participant is 35 year old African American women who is married with three children and is a fulltime student at the University of Houston. She is a Psychology major and will be graduating in May of 2014. She is native Houstonian and grew up in the fifth ward area. Having a daughter in the military has opened her eyes for all those that protect and serve. She is also the daughter of a preacher. She believes that females have more help now to escape an abusive home in a peaceful and confidential manner. However she feels in some cases determining the difference between minor and serious acts of domestic violence are ignored by officers that arrive on the scene. Understanding the frustration when officers deal with mentally ill people because many officers have died trying to help but in many cases officers are there to get them the help they need so yes they do respond appropriately. DNA is vital in most convictions because it can be used to clear suspects and exonerate persons mistakenly accused or convicted of crimes. She believes that laws are put in place to protect not only the citizens but those that are uniformed to do so. When asked about the current methods of recruiting she respond. The current method for recruiting officers is pretty good but as in any field how can you really predict or screen if you have a ‘bad’ or â€Å"good† officer as a candidate despite all the requirements including background and psychological information revealed. She felt that the only inadequate problem of training is the mental state of many of the officers. In the area of training she believes that all officers need to be trained on how to deal with other races and they need to be taught social skills within various cultures. Maybe this will help them erase preconceived notions and ideas of others that are not a part of their ethnic group. There are way too many cases involving officers and issues with minorities, stereotyping, racial profiling, brutality, injustice and racism, many officer perceptions is very negative when it comes to certain ethnicities. There has to be a stamp on the bias that affects the way minorities are treated when dealing with law enforcement. All of the participants were very strong about their views based on personal or others experiences with law enforcement. Listening to their answers and their stories opened my eyes, and allowed me to feel how they truly felt. However  I wondered did any of my participants understand that many officers may have the same opinion about the citizens that they protect and serve. Many men and women that are in law enforcement fear for their lives every day. I understand that some law enforcement officers are biased, however I feel that some of that may extend from personal experiences as well. Maybe there could be some common ground for both parties, and there should be a communal outreach to bring back community involvement.

Income Inequality Reduction in South Africa

Income Inequality Reduction in South Africa â€Å"The disparate distribution of a nations gross domestic product amongst its population†. That is how (Sullivan Sheffrin 2003) define income inequality. It is usually characterised by two underling issues; the inability of an economy to efficiently utilise its factors of production, and limited social mobility ranging from social classes to ethnicity and even nations. History demonstrates how inequality can act as a barrier to sustainable development; highlighted in the Brundtland Report (UN, 1987). â€Å"Quality economic growth† is the significant expression emphasised in the report in an attempt to illustrate the requirements of a more equal and democratic society. Up until recent times, South Africa has boasted the largest economy in Africa. This has resulted in heavy examination of economic growth levels in the country. Between 1960 and 2013, the country recorded average growth rates of approximately 3.25% (World Bank 2013). However, this growth hasn’t been enjoyed by the masses, approximately 23.7 per cent of the country’s labour forces were unemployed in 2009 and 25 per cent in 2012 (World Bank 2013). In South Africa, there are combinations of factors working together causing income disparity in the country. However, even in post- apartheid South Africa, race is still a significant factor responsible for the gap between the rich and poor. (Sherer, 2000) and (Ozler. 2007). This is significant because it has been observed that societies that are more equal experience longer periods of economic growth (UN, 1987). The Gini coefficient measured at 0.6314 in 2009, is incongruously high for an upper-middle-income nation (World Bank 2 013) Gini Coefficients: South Africa According to (World Bank 2013) the Gini index â€Å"measures the extent to which the distribution of income or consumption expenditure among individuals or households within an economy deviates from a perfectly equal distribution†. Gini coefficients measures the variances between all pairs of incomes and their and sum their absolute difference. Between 1948 and into the early 1990s no official data was collected with regards to inequality levels in South Africa. Throughout this period, South Africa was still under the apartheid regime and the government were far from concerned by the clear inequality in the country. Observing the graph above it appears that inequality decreased following the dissolution of the apartheid regime and has gradually increased for most of the first decade in the most-recent millennium. Having said that, perspective is required as the data set is extremely limited, and it is possible that fluctuations may be a result of standard economic business cycles. Therefore it is impossible to use Gini data to provide empirical evidence for or against income inequality patterns. Lorenz curves: South Africa â€Å"The Lorenz curve plots the percentage of total income earned by various portions of the population when the population is ordered by the size of their incomes† (Gastwirth, 1971) Figures in the graph below are centred on monthly per capita household expenditures in 2000 ZAR (South African Rands) The Lorenz curve illustrated above is a graphical representation of the distribution of income among the South African population. It is clear for the graph that the Lorenz Curve for South Africa in the year 2000 is underneath that of the year 1995 until it reaches the 85 per cent percentile. The Lorenz principle is void in this case as there is a intersection in the Lorenz curves. Results from the Lorenz curve should not be taken as factual as it does not take into account key dynamics that are responsible for income inequality. For example, trade union bargaining, land ownership and educational achievement (Azam Rospabà ©, 2007). Kuznets Ratio: South Africa The Kuznets ratio can be defined as a measurement that observes the income share attained by the richest 20 per cent of the population divided by that held by the poorest 40 per cent. Data for Kuznets ratio table in South Africa is based on data available from the World Bank to date. Above is table illustrating the Kuznets ratio in South Africa, this table is based on the data available from the World Bank to date. Looking at the table it is clear that the disbandment of the apartheid lifestyle inequality seems to decrease. This is observable by comparing the 1993 and 1995 Kuznets ratios. From the data available it can be deduced that from 2000, inequality in South Africa has been increasing (7.24 in 2000, and then 9.30 in 2009). This hypothesis matches that of the Gini-coefficient data which proposes a notion of inequality rising since the turn of the twenty-first century. 20:20 Ratio: South Africa The 20:20 ratio is a measurement of the income share of the richest 20 per cent compared to that of the poorest 20%. Its methods in measuring inequality are similar to that of the Kuznets ratio. However the 20:20 ratio can be more revealing of the actual impact of inequality in a society. This is because the effect of outliers is reduced on the top and bottom and prevents the middle 60 per cent concealing inequality levels. Data for 20:20 ratio table in South Africa is based on data available from the World Bank to date. Results from the 20:20 ratio follow similar patterns to that of the Kuznets ratio. Inequality is seen to decrease between 1993 and 1995, however again like the Kuznets ratio it increases at the turn of the twenty first century; (20.5 in 2000 but then 25.26 in 2009). Theil-T index: South Africa The Theil-T index is another statistic that measures inequality in societies. The Theil-T index however is unique compared to other economic inequality measurements. It is a specialised form of the entropy index, differentiating inequality between and across various groups in society. According to (Woolard, 2002) approximately 40 per cent of inequality in South Africa is between races. 33 per cent is â€Å"intra-African† and 21 per cent â€Å"intra-White. Average household monthly wage by race and spending quintle (ZAR) Mean hourly wages by racial group (ZAR/Hour) The unproductive nature of rural farming in rural South Africa has had an effect of encouraging a culture of dependency. Rural families have become heavily reliant on migrated â€Å"family member’s remittance†. Due to this culture, labour market access has played a key role in providing income for job seekers, and to those who depend on them to repatriate income. (Allanson Atkins 2005) claim that African worker’s wages have improved by roughly 30 per cent. It is believed that the introduction of minimum wage policies (OECD 2010) has caused this change. These policies were introduced in an attempt to start rectifying the injustices of apartheid. Looking at the figure 6 above, it is clear that there has been an improvement in the wages of rural migrants. Pro-labour acts as well as increases in labour mobility have meant that more rural migrants have been able to find employment in urban areas. However, the introduction of minimum wage policies as mentioned before has not been completely successful. In fact, it has significantly contributed to the high unemployment levels currently witnessed in South Africa. The African National Congress (ANC) attempted to combat this problem through wage subsidies. However this attempt has been mostly unsuccessful in reduce inequality as businesses prefer highly-skilled workers (Delfin 2010) Access to Crop Land and its use in Rural Areas â€Å"Apartheid institutionalised both conflict and environmental degradation †¦ by allocating, through the homelands system, 14 per cent of the nations land to 72 per cent of the population† (UN, 1987). Figure 7 above illustrates how, across rural South Africa post-apartheid, the three most deprived quintiles, measured by consumption, had relatively smaller quantities of land which were shared communally, and were un-irrigated. Research undertaken by (UNDP, 2003) has hypothesised that inequitable land distribution within the country has been a stumbling block to the eradication of extreme poverty in rural South Africa. (UNDP, 2003) also highlights how â€Å"In 2002, 37.3 per cent of households’ disposable income was from property†. This indicates that the property right concentration policy enforced under the 1912 Native Lands Act, continues to extend income disparities in South Africa. At this time the African National Congress (ANC) was the new party in power. They developed a â€Å"reconstruction and development programme† (RDP) in order to combat the underlying issues in South Africa. The foundation of the programme was based around three key land-reform pillars; restitution, redistribution and tenure reform. The ANC took a market-led ‘willing seller, willing buyer’ approach. The main objective of this approach was to promote economic growth, social and food security (UNDP, 2003). According to the work of (Philip David, 2003) roughly 1 per cent of entitled South Africans applied for restitution under the above-mentioned RDP. (UNDP, 2003) cites the fact that since redistribution was not complemented by the provision of a sufficient support scheme, success has limited. Cross-sectional studies conducted in Limpopo, (province in South Africa), established that the resources required by rural farmers to make land arable were too expensive (Eastwood, Kirsten, Lipton, 2006). The Department of Agriculture and Land Affairs (DALA), who is responsible for implementing the land reforms, were allocated only a third of a per cent of the South African national budget in 2002 (UNDP, 2003). A DALA report on the quality of life of South African farmers, found that only 22 per cent of those farmers who profited from the land reform were able to make sufficient revenue from the land (UNDP, 2003). Academic specialists of rural South Africa believe that â€Å"suitably adapted land reform could play an important part in restructuring the rural sector in South Africa† (Deininger, 1999). This hypothesis is backed up by the fact that pilot studies led by the South African government have successfully increased rural farmer’s income. This increase has been a chieved by facilitating joint schemes between White and African commercial farmers, resulting in increased access to credit, technology and consumer markets (UNDP, 2003). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Income_inequality_metrics Unequal access to humdamian capital has been one of the biggest income-inequality drivers within post-apartheid South Africa. It has led to racial wage discrimination, both as a result of skills biased technological change and institutional racism (Azam Rospabà ©, 2007). These factors have led to an increase and fall in the demand for white and black workers respectively (Michaud Vencatachellum, 2003). These low returns to education for black children have negatively affected African parents’ human capital investment. As shown in Graph 7, South Africa, in comparison to most other Sub-Saharan African countries, has had relatively high levels of primary school enrolment. However, it is also worth observing that during the apartheid, the 1953 Bantu Act restricted the quality of education available to ‘non-whites’ (Michaud Vencatachellum, 2003). â€Å"Roughly, for every 4 R spent on a White child, only 3 R were spent on an Indian child, 2 R on a Coloured child an d 1 R on a Black child.† (Thomas, 1996). A panel study in Cape Town found that the amount of African students enrolled in school was positively correlated with grade repetition (Lam, Ardington, Leibbrandt, 2011). This was as a result of the inadequate internal assessment procedures undertaken across predominantly-black public schools. Hence, grade progression within these schools was sparsely linked with cognitive ability. The study concluded that, often, for African students grade advancement is a lottery. Inadequate management within South Africa’s public school system makes human capital investment too costly for poorer African households (Edmonds, 2006). The inability of the poorest South African parents to invest in future generations’ educational attainment has exacerbated income inequality. A study into the effects of credit constraints on schooling decisions, found that, amongst the poorest black South African families, the opportunity costs of sending children to school decreased as anticipated pension eligibility increased (Edmonds, 2006). The study found that â€Å"each additional schooling year of exposure to a male pensioner increases the probability that a male completes primary school by three percentage points. (Edmonds, 2006)†. Another study (Duflo, 2004), found that increases in an elder female’s pension increased the height of younger females in the same households by 1.16 standard deviations. Cash transfers in South Africa have had successful re-distributional effects, which have extended beyond their recipients in the form of increased spending on children’s wellbeing. Within both state-run and private South African educational institutions, school fees directly limit the quality of education poorer households have access to (Seloda Zenou, 2003). The schools with higher fees tend to offer better facilities and higher teacher-student ratios, but are often further away from the black students. A study (Seloda Zenou, 2003) assessed the cross-cultural human capital effects of transportation subsidies, private-school vouchers and public-school spending in Central Business Districts and Black Townships. The study found that a ‘restricted-voucher’ policy, which could be offered to low-income families, would offset the fee-setting behaviour in predominantly-white areas. The study estimated that if the policy was financed by a 1% income tax rate, it could increase black student’s access to better schools by over 50 per cent (Seloda Zenou, 2003) . In conclusion, income inequality reduction measures have been, for the most part, unsuccessful in South Africa. Market-led principles, which have driven reforms in education, labour and land markets, have not achieved the desired trickle-down effect on many of the poorest South Africans. Rather, they have directly increased the returns to factors which have traditionally been monopolised by the white minority population (Murray Leibbrandt, 2010). However, more recent signs indicate that inequality may be falling across races but increasing within them (OECD, 2010). In light of falling world commodity prices and an uncertain global economic outlook, I believe the long-term success of South Africa’s economy primarily hinges on initiatives, such as cash transfers, which will help poorer households finance their children’s access to higher-level human capital.