Satisfying All Stakeholders Is Difficult When the Business Is Competing in Mature Product Markets Essay Example for Free

Satisfying All Stakeholders Is Difficult When the Business Is Competing in Mature Product Markets Essay A stakeholder is defined as an independent party with an interest or concern in something. Stakeholder groups are not all alike and therefore will want different things from a business. As each stakeholder deals with the business in different ways these needs are likely to conflict. With all of these differing needs it will be difficult for the business to satisfy all stakeholders at the same time as it is likely that acting to satisfy one stakeholders needs will end up conflicting with anothers meaning that the second stakeholder will not be satisfied. Examples of stakeholders include the shareholders, employees, suppliers and customers of a business. The Product Life Cycle is a theory used by management to understand where one of its products is in terms of its eventual life expectancy. It involves identifying if the product is in one of four phases: the introduction, growth, mature or decline stage. By identifying which stage of the cycle a product is in management can change its strategies to realise the potential success of a product. It is however, often difficult for management to see where the product is in the cycle as a rise or fall in sales most of the time will not necessarily mean that a product is growing or beginning to decline. It is also very hard, if not impossible, to accurately predict when the product will go into the next part of its life cycle. A business will find it very hard to tell when a market will reach saturation and will only know it while it is happening or in, some cases, after it has happened. While using the product life cycle model it is assumed that all products have a limit to how long they will be used, in practise this may not be the case. The mature stage of the product life cycle is when a product market has finished growing, sales start to slow down and there is no more significant growth. At some point the market will reach saturation at which point the product enters the decline stage. Sales will start to decline slowly and eventually product will become obsolete and not sold anymore. When a product market reaches the mature stage it will usually mean various things. As the mature stage of a product is when there are the most sales it usually means that the costs of producing each product are at the lowest as a result of economies of scale. This means that there is potentially more profit to be made per product if the price stays the same. However, often this is not the case as when a market reaches maturity more competitors emerge. As a result of this a business is likely to decrease the price of its product, eating into the profit margin per product sold, so that customers are more likely to buy its product. By selling more products the business will gain a healthy market share. Market share is what is mostly sought after by a business in a mature market. With little growth to expand into in the market a business must aim to gain the biggest slice of the market as possible to increase profit. The stakeholder that is likely to be one of the most important to a business is the owner or shareholders. They have a say in how the business is run and if they do not feel that the business is doing well will remove their investment and the business will lose finance. Shareholders will want two main things: increase in the size of the business and a good dividend. Therefore it is of great importance that the business keeps the shareholders happy. To do this the business must at the very least turn a profit. This will make the investing shareholder see that their investment is being put to some use. However if the business really wants to make the shareholder feel satisfied it must make a large profit. In a mature market this means that it must have a large share of the market. To do this it must differentiate its product to make its product more attractive to buy than a competitors model. The customer must have an incentive to buy this product over another one such as a lower price or differentiate the product in other ways such as highlighting the products supposed better quality or more impressive features. Differentiating the product can, however, have an effect on the profit taken per sale. Obviously by lowering the price of a product there will be less profit margin as the cost to the business of producing the item will remain the same. Also if the business decides to increase the quality or add extra features the cost of manufacturing the product will increase. While these may eat into the profit margin per product, if the business has marketed correctly and increased market share in the mature market by increasing sales the overall profit of the business may have increased. Management would hope that this would be the case given that this was the whole aim of the product differentiation in the first place. However by actually achieving an increase in the size of the business the shareholder would be satisfied with their investment. Added to this a good dividend could be given out because of the increased profits and the shareholders should be pleased. However another stakeholder that the business will want to satisfy is the customer. As the customer is the way the business will make a profit, by selling to them, it is very important that the business satisfies the needs of the customer and make them want to buy its products. The customer will want a good quality product at a preferably low price at which he feels that he is getting good value for money. In a mature market generally a consumer will get the best value for money with all of the competing businesses producing a large amount of alternative products and vying for market share. As such in a mature market a customer is likely to be most happy. The customer has conflicting needs with the shareholder in that the customer wants a low price whereas the shareholder wants a high profit. As these needs conflict a median must be found where both stakeholders feel that they are getting a good deal. While it may be tempting to favour one group, it is in the interest of the business to find a point where both sides feel happy because if one side feels unhappy the business will either lose the support and investment of the stakeholders or the custom and income from the customer and this will lead to a loss in market share. This is the same as all of the stakeholders. As all of the stakeholders will want different things from the business and some of them will completely contradict each other it must deal with them as best they can and try to find a solution where all stakeholders are satisfied. Keeping all stakeholders satisfied is critical to keeping the business going strongly and losing the faith of one of them could lead to dire consequences and none of the stakeholders being satisfied. For example if, in a bid to cut the cost to the business of producing the product so the shareholders could be given a bigger dividend out of a larger gross profit, the business told the supplier of raw materials that make the product that it must cut its price the supplier would not be happy. This could lead to the supplier refusing to sell the raw materials to the business and this would mean that until an agreement was made or a substitute supplier could be found the business could not produce anything to sell. This would lead to the customer not being able to buy the product that it desires and going to a competitor and the business losing potential profit which would upset the shareholders. In some situations the same groups of stakeholders may not ven have the same sets of ideas of what they want from a business making it even harder for the business to keep everyone satisfied. For example, in the group of shareholders a young businessman who has shares in a company is likely to prefer the profit made to be invested back into the business to expand and increase potential future earnings and increase the share price as opposed to a large dividend as he has less need for the money now and has long term plans for the shares. However an older retired man is more likely to prefer a large dividend to be taken out of the profit so that he can have the money now. In conclusion, it is difficult for a business to satisfy all stakeholders at any time regardless of what stage of its cycle the product is in. The demands of a each stakeholders are different and likely to contradict each other. However, in a mature market where there is fierce competition there is tension between the arguably the business two biggest stakeholder: the shareholders and customers. While the customers want a quality, low priced product, shareholders require a good profit be made. The business must satisfy the customer to compete in the market but also the shareholders to have the backing it needs to carry on functioning. Sometimes even groups of shareholders are fragmented which makes it even harder but it is critical for the business to find a point where all shareholders are content as this is when the business runs the smoothest.

Chinese Communication Style | Essay

Chinese Communication Style | Essay Language is a multifunctional tool that allows people to satisfy variety of needs from socio-cultural to political necessities. The need to express its importance in communication does not have to be stressed since the two are intertwined. The communication style in China has its respective cultural milieus with different forms and purposes as well as varying intensity, emotional charge and dimensions. This has to be understood well by a person wanting to interact in an intercultural dimension. Choosing the appropriate language style is equally important especially in dealing with people from other cultures. The Cultural Revolution in China greatly affected the contemporary Chinese way of communicating particularly with the use of aggressive speeches during conflicts, formalized speeches during public gatherings, and humorous speeches during of turmoil. Dehumanization using undesirable animals was not uncommon during the period when enemies were considered as a class. Because of the diverse and complex communication style of Chinese, several commentators posited their view stating that such kind of communication needs to be improved or perhaps corrected. First, the arrangement of words and design of Chinese calligraphy make it hard for new language learners to embrace the language and adapt the communication style. Second, it deviates from the virtues of the simplistic alphabet. For Chineses part, the factors affecting their communication should first be understood and only then critics can truly appreciate the language. The tonal designs of the language as well as typographical structuring affect how they talk. The discipline as well in schools during early childhood of young Chinese gives them that sense of responsibility to include others and their talks and be concerned for the latters feelings rather than be self-contained. The two dichotomies often used to compare Chinese communication and English communication are the direct/linear style and indirect/circular style. The Chinese communication uses the indirect/circular style of reasoning. Kaplans findings in his contrastive study between English and Chinese communication style revealed that Chinese tend to be indirect, making illustrative and suggestive remarks first before going to the main issue. He called this pattern the Oriental style where people in diffused culture reason in a circling manner, starting from the farthest point, and ends with the main point. This is in contrast to the traditional American style of reasoning wherein they present first the main idea of an issue and then try to discuss the less important issues after. This style of Chinese reasoning appears to be lengthy and irritating for others, but for the Chinese, it serves as a channel in building relationships and saving face. Straightforward reasoning for them in turn appears to be harsh and arrogant. Such indirect reasoning is applied also in dispute resolution where statement of background information comes first before presenting the main argument. In all of these, the need to understand how Chinese think and communicate is important in the hope of a more interrelated world. The communication style of China has existed even during ancient times and up to now continues to be a heritage of the country. It gave them sense of pride as an individual and unity as a nation. INTRODUCTION Different cultures have varying systems of meanings (i.e. language) that makes it difficult to have a smooth flow of communication with them. Language is an important issue in ones intercultural marriage, interpersonal interactions, and interpretation and translation. It is a multifunctional tool wherein from the cultural perspective, serves as a channel in transmitting culture from generation to generation. It also creates linkages between individuals in order for them to establish a shared identity. And lastly, in the political sense, it unites the leaders and members of the society and identifies their boundaries as a country. Communication in China has its respective cultural milieus with different forms and purposes as well as varying intensity, emotional charge and dimensions. The Chinese language has a distinctive feature which has been interpreted by other cultures in different contexts. For instance, in a simple communication between Chinese and American, the latter may inte rpret the formers answer as yes when in fact he means no. A lot of people had posited comments saying that Chinese are very illustrative and suggestive in making statements and often do not go directly to the point. Because they have their own way of expressing emotions, they appear to be inscrutable and reserved to others. In dealing interpersonally, one must be aware that there are rules and standards for appropriate language style to be used. One should see to it that the style fits the genre and tone he wishes to convey. For instance, exaggeration during formal occasions usually gives listeners irritations since most wise people abhor advertisements where everything is over, hyper, or ultra. Better yet, one should remain reserved or attune himself. This study deals with how Chinese communicate, their communication styles, and communication issues. Hopefully after the end of the discussion, one would have a better understanding on the Chinese diaspora and a better appreciation of the Chinese communication style. BRIEF HISTORY OF CHINESE COMMUNICATION STYLES To have a better understanding and stronger foundation on the Chinese communication styles, it is important to tackle first some of the historical events that affected it. After discussing this, only then we can have the better ability to criticize their communication issues from its use in ordinary discourse to the more complicated situations (i.e. dispute resolution). We begin with Chinas Cultural Revolution (1966-1976) which greatly contributed to Chinas symbolic aggressive communication. Moral Language and Political Speeches. Moralistic and political languages are interrelated with one another and cannot be separated, at least in China. The moral language has been used mainly to persuade people. Political speeches from rulers were considered moral sermons. For instance, during religious wars and terrorisms, the use of moral message to justify these events were accepted by people. When a ruler says that a particular individual is Chinas enemy, then he must be so. The danger of moralistic language is that it gives a limited and a fancy sense of superiority and confidence. As an example, an ordinary speaker would try to memorize speeches and poems of a leader he idolizes and condemns the enemies of that leader. Rhetoric Dehumanization. The most common forms of dehumanization during the Cultural Revolution were through animal metaphors. Enemies of China were depicted in pictures as undesirable animals such as cow ghosts, monsters, demons; and parasites. These animal metaphors permeated the way Chinese write and speak. During rallies or political sessions, posters and slogans with dehumanizing animals were used to express their hatred to the social structures or enemies of the society. The use of these posters was the only way Chinese could communicate with the royal persons. Chinese communists created class labels distinguishing the people and the enemies of the people. The Impact on Communication of Chinas Cultural Revolution. The Cultural Revolution of China not only altered its culture but also affected the manner Chinese people communicate both in official and interpersonal levels. The following are the rhetorical patterns relative to communication styles during the Cultural Revolution: Aggressive speech. It became common in China that when a person tried to express his disagreement on the majoritys opinion, he was expected to be disgraced and humiliated. Formalized speech. The formalized language was commonly used during political speeches. The tendency when always used was that it became dry and often gave burden to the listeners leading to linguistic impoverishment. Worse, political speeches were often plagiarized. Humorous speech. The Cultural Revolution also allowed Chinese not to take the current situation too seriously and instead make humorous sense of it. In a sense, it ironically tolerated the vice and evil of people. COMMUNICATION ISSUES OF THE CHINESE CULTURE Having discussed the historical background of Chinese communication in the Cultural Revolution, we now briefly discuss common issues relating to their communication mechanisms. There must be a clarification here with regard to the term issue. Issue on whose perspective? To the Chinese, these might not be issues, but to other cultures they are. For the purposes of this study, we put the issue perspective on the English communicators. In each subsequent topic, this will be explained more thoroughly especially the whys and the hows of Chinese communication. A counterpart of the alphabet. The Chinese lacks the virtues found in the alphabet language despite being a preserved language tracing back to the ancient times. For the critics, the alphabet is simple, easy to memorize, and convenient to draw than the Chinese syllables. Canonical word order. The Chinese has a unique way of arranging words and formulating sentences which when translated to a foreign language gives a different meaning. Unlike Chinese, the grammatical composition of English language is signaled by word order. Vast number of dialects. The Chinese have many dialects across different regions. This is not surprising since they have an ancient civilization and the is the most populated country in the world. There are eight major dialects Chinese use which have a unified writing system; however, this becomes unintelligible when spoken by the different ethnicities (i.e. Mandarin, Hakka, Cantonese). Some scholars consider these dialects as separate languages. Complexity of Chinese calligraphy. Aside from the numerous Chinese characters one has to be familiar with, the writing of these scripts presents an equally big problem. In fact, their calligraphy is now being considered as a form of painting. FACTORS AFFECTING THE WAY CHINESE COMMUNICATE The Chinese culture has complex communication patterns. Facial expressions, movements of body parts, or even styles of dresses affect how Chinese communicate and how a person from other culture respond to them. For the White people, Chinese appear to be humble and reserved, so much concerned about their image that they tend to avoid in all possibilities the discomfort of being embarrassed or humiliated. For Chinese, indirectness allows them to save relationship as a concept of Confucius harmony. Harmony will be discussed more thoroughly in the preceding topics. To understand why Chinese behave and talk like this, it is important to understand the factors that affect how they communicate. The following are some of them: Tonal language. Chinese has is its own syllabic structure and phonemics that differ from the other cultures language such that when they try to speak foreign language, say English, they would give a different tone or pronunciation. The most common is the word fry for fly where they substitute l for r. Typological differences. China has their own way of organizing ideas, connecting facts, or even stressing points. Moreover, their language has no distinction between plural or singular forms. Thus, when translated to foreign language, they would appear absurd, blank, or unrelated. Early education for children. Young Chinese are early nurtured to include others in their conversations by avoiding talking too much about themselves. In addition, they are taught to be cooperative and humble. In nursery schools, instead of requiring students to do recitals alone, teachers would make it a choral presentation. This attitude is expected to be brought into their adult lives. COMMUNICATION PATTERNS IN CHINA Fons Trompenaars, a famous cultural theorist, describes two kinds of communication patterns existing in diffused and specific cultures. People in diffused cultures allow others to relate his other areas of life. The topic is more diverse and less restricted than what the current relationship allows. For instance, an employer can talk about his private life to his employee in the same way as he can talk with him about his professional matters. On the other hand, people in specific cultures, restrict the conversation within the bounds of the existing relationship. In the previous example, the employer would not allow his employee to deal with his personal life since personal matters are different matters. The illustration below, according to Fons, illustrates the way people in diffused and specific cultures communicate. The dots in the center of both pictures represent the issue or topic that a person tries to explain. The image on the right means that a when a person tries to explain something, he begins with the main issue and explains the matter direct to the point. This can be observed often in specific cultures. The image on the left means that when a person explains something, he goes around the bush first before arriving to his main point. This is common in diffused cultures. China belongs to the left image. The Chinese tries to be indirect in their conversation by making the conversation lengthy in order to build relationship. As for them, this is a good strategy to save face and avoid arrogance. DICHOTOMIES OF CHINESE COMMUNICATION NORMS In comparing Chinese communication styles and English communication styles, most researchers fall on two dichotomies namely direct/linear style versus indirect/circular style and deductive versus inductive discourse patterns. These dichotomies help people understand the different communication patterns between English and Chinese in business negotiation, essay writing, and ordinary conversations. Kaplans (1966, 1972) contrastive rhetoric is the most famous work analysis used in distinguishing Chinese communication style and English communication style. Kaplan conducted a study of the 600 compositions of 600 students who were not native English speakers. The Chinese dominated the students number. The result was these dichotomies: Direct/Linear versus Indirect/Circular Style. Kaplan proposed the Oriental style writing wherein before arriving to the main idea the writer goes first around circles. As opposed to American style of writing which states first the main idea, Kaplan described Chinese to start from the broader concept first before arriving to the specific topic. This study supports Trompenaars theory of diffused culture which states that Chinese tend to be indirect in answering or discussing a topic. Oriental Style American Style Deductive Reasoning versus Inductive Reasoning. Deductive reasoning is the process of arriving to a logical conclusion from a general statement. On the other hand, inductive reasoning is the process of arriving to a conclusion from specific set of facts. The distinguishing factor between the two is that in inductive reasoning, one cannot logically make a certain conclusion-only a well-founded or probable conclusion. When one delays the introduction of the topic, he is said to have an inductive pattern of reasoning, while when one introduces the topic early, he is said to have deductive reasoning. The Chinese people first establish a framework before introducing the main topic. Thus, between the two reasoning styles, Chinese have inductive reasoning communication style. FACTORS THAT AFFECT DISPUTE RESOLUTIONS IN CHINA After presenting the styles, issues and factors affecting the Chinese communication, let us now apply such knowledge in dispute resolution among them or even in intercultural ones. The potential disagreement is huge when one is not aware of negotiation styles and barriers to a successful communication between parties having different cultural backgrounds. That is why here we first examine the factors that affect dispute resolution in China. Communication is greatly affected by these since these are the by-products of the Chinese culture (i.e. Confucian philosophy). The four major factors we need to examine are (1) harmony, (2) power, (3) relationship (guanxi), and (4) face (mianze). These factors can be used to establish a powerful framework of conflict management and resolution. a. Harmony (He) à ¥Ã¢â‚¬â„¢Ã…’. Among Chinese people, harmony is one of the most essential values which each one strives to have. Communication exists not to satisfy ones needs but rather, to maintain harmonious relationship with his fellow being. In a harmonious community, people act interdependently by analyzing every action to be done so that in the end, no one will be prejudiced with it. If however, conflict is inevitable, the role of harmony is at least to reduce the negative effects of conflicts in the relationship of the parties or at least to save their faces. b. Power (Là ¬lià  ng) à ¥Ã…  Ã¢â‚¬ º. The second factor is power which refers to how one party controls his resources, whether it be tangible or intangible. In the Chinese context, power determines the degree of ones inclination or cooperation to the others influence. Power in addition, may be equated to authority and seniority. Oftentimes, persons in authority are respected; and it is there advice that people obey since they are believed to be more knowledgeable and familiar in the field of dispute resolution. In addition, seniority gives the people the credibility and experiences which the young Chinese deeply value. c. Relationship (Guanxi) -à ¥Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã‚ ³Ãƒ §Ã‚ ³Ã‚ ». The third factor is the guanxi, which refers to the relationship existing between parties. In Confucius book of Five Code of Ethics, he specified different relationships a man has, which include the ruler and his subject, husband and wife, father and son, older brother and younger brother, and between friends. These relationships vary in degree, and thus have specific communication styles that one has to follow in order to avoid future conflicts. One needs to adjust his verbal and nonverbal ways of communication to show respect and regard for the position, power or authority of the person he is dealing with. For instance, a subject cannot be expected to disobey his ruler implying that a high degree of respect is demanded; else, he gets an equivalent punishment. In the case of husband and wife, the communication is more intimate and reciprocal. Friends tend to treat each other equally and less formally. d. Face (Mianze) à ©Ã‚ Ã‚ ¢Ãƒ ¥Ã‚ ­Ã‚ . Mianze refers to ones social status in life as perceived by other people based on ones position and prestige. Through hard work, a person achieves a high position in the society and in return, gains the respect and appreciation of the watching public. instance, in libel cases, there is a public imputation of wrong to a particular person, thus, the latter loses the product of his hard work and would find it difficult to regain the previous position in life. Without minding the image of the other, a serious conflict would likely result. Applying the inductive/deductive reasoning styles, the Chinese in dispute resolution appear to have an inductive reasoning. In a study regarding conflict styles, Chinese appeared to be less direct, less assertive, and less aggressive during confrontational situations. Answers to questions did not have direct relation or loosely connected to the questions asked. Further, background information comes first before information. The use of indirectness is a means of balancing harmony since in the process of avoiding direct answers, one establishes relationship with the other and avoids losing a face. RAPPORT MANAGEMENT AS A FUNCTION OF LANGUAGES Languages have a dual function. The first is the transfer of information and the second the management of social relations. Helen Oatey in her book Culturally Speaking, uses the term rapport management to describe management of social relations as an aspect of language since the term is broad enough to cover the concept of maintaining or threatening social relationships. Taking into consideration these domains when dealing with Chinese, would be a huge step in avoiding conflicts. The following according to Oatey, play an important role in the management of rapport when interacting with Chinese: Illocutionary Domain. This domain concerns about the speeches such as apologies, compliments, or requests that potentially puts at risk the rapports of individuals. For instance, when someone asks Did you put sugar on this coffee? the implication is that you want sugar. Discourse Domain. This domain concerns the content and structure of the communication such as the decision whether to include private topics or whether a particular topic should be discussed first. This domain should be taken care of because there is a tendency to raise sensitive issues and put lesser priorities on more important matters which would threaten ones rapport. Participation domain. This domain concerns the technicalities of the interchange like turn-taking, the decision whether a third person can be allowed to join the conversation between two people, and the permission from the party to the conversation whether someone will be allowed to ask questions or not. This domain should be guarded in order for a harmonious relation to exist. Stylistic Domain. This domain concerns the tone of interaction such as the choice of informal words, polite expressions, greetings, or jokes. Non-verbal Domain. This domain concerns the actions governing the interchange such as eye contact, facial expressions, and proxemics. In the same way as the above four, this domain needs to be guarded if harmonious relation is wanting. CONCLUSION In trying to adapt to a more interrelated world, it is important to know how the Chinese think and communicate. The language style may seem to be complicated, yet for the Chinese, regard for others is the key to choosing the correct style of communication. Communication for them is more than exchange of words. It is a conduit to building a relationship and establishing harmony in the community.

Physics of Road Safety

Physics of Road Safety In our modern world of today we slowly innovate more and more. However as we innovate we forget to advance and improve on our current inventions. One of these inventions is the automobile. One of the current problems facing the automobile is its safety on the road. With more people using automobiles, we should focus on solving these problems before looking towards the future of transportation. I will be discussing the factors which influence the road safety of automobiles. Road safety is preventing the death or injury of people using the road. [1] Most deaths and injuries happen in road accidents, and to prevent these from happening, we must change the friction and texture of the road and adjust the tires so it’s compatible with the road. But for there to be a change to the roads construction will need to be done and some parts will not be new so setting up clear hazard signs may help prevent traffic accidents while improving road safety. The Road The Roads today around the world consist of asphalt, concrete, gravel and chip seal. All these types have factors that influence the friction with the car and it’s ability to slow down or speed up. We’ll be looking first at gravel roads which are mostly set up in rural areas where not much traffic occurs. Because of the type of texture gravel contains. That being a form of stones. Cars will end up creating the road more bumpy and will shift and move the small rocks around due to there being minimal friction between the surface and the road. When the wheels of the car rotate around they shift the gravel as well creating potholes in the road. These make it unsafe to drive at fairly high speeds since the car can be thrown off balance if it encounters these potholes. In addition since most gravel roads are not connected and the road is made of loose gravel, the gravel can fly around and potentially damage parts of the car or even the tyres. [2] During rainy days these gravel roads become muddy and problematic to drive through. Strong control over the steering wheel will be be required as one would need to be watch out for eroded areas on the road and drainage ditches for lar ger cars, as they face the problem of potentially overturning due to their high centre of gravity. [2] To prevent the likelihood of these accidents happening Hazard signs telling one to look out at the road will have to be set up to alert drivers that they could encounter such problems if they pass through here, if improvement of the road is not possible. The asphalt roads are much better than the gravel roads. They are not crushed rocks laid out on a road but a chemical mixture that has a smooth surface. Asphalt is mostly laid out on gravel roads to improve its durability. The bitumen allows the asphalt to endure significant plastic deformation. [12] Because of the asphalt being so compact it is unable to erode as easily as gravel and will suffer minimal fatigue from heavy cars passing on it. This will make driving more comfortable and safer than driving on a gravel road. Another type of Asphalt is Chip seal. This is used for pavements and streets in rural and minor traffic areas. Chip seal is made from combining layers of asphalt with aggregate. [4] Chip seal roads aren’t particularly safe to drive on at fast speeds. Because of the crushed stone that may be sometimes left behind while applying the chipseal on the road they can chip of the paint on some cars and cause loss of control for smaller vehicles. [4] Concrete is considerably popular in most countries around the world and is what most are made of nowadays. Concrete is made from mixing cement, sand and water. Concrete can sometimes have a smooth surface depending with what it’s mixed with. Compared to asphalt, concrete is resistant to weather conditions, lasts longer but doesn’t provide better traction. The Tyre There are different types of tyres but they all require traction to be able to move, stop and turn on the road. There is Dry Traction and Wet Traction. Tyres have different tread patterns that suit for better traction on dry or wet surfaces. [5] Adjusting tread patterns to increase the traction to the surface of a road may also increase in reducing the braking distance and increase road safety. By using only one type of road it will be easier to produce more tyres that have a strong traction to that specific road and the only worry would be whether the traction is suitable for dry or wet surfaces. This can easily be determined by the climate and condition of some parts of a road (floodable or not) and when the time comes the tyres can be changed to provide traction on wet surfaces. Braking Distance The most popular and common roads are concrete so we’ll use that as the road for our solution. Concrete roads don’t provide much traction due to their smooth surface however they are resistant to weather conditions and last longer so we won’t have to worry much apart from the tyres. Since the road isn’t affected by the weather we can expect that there won’t be completely wet surface unless flooded. So we can focus on having our tyres maintain a dry traction to the surface although this may vary for different countries which have different climates. Most common tyres are ones with symmetrical tread patterns but we’ll be using asymmetrical tread patterns as these benefit us more since it offers greater contact area giving us more stability on a dry surface which is want we want on a concrete road. [7] [8] Since we know what tyre and road we will be using we can now calculate the braking distance this will give us. The formula we have for Kinetic Energy is . [11] m being the mass of the car and v being the velocity at the start of breaking. The average mass of a car is 1500 kg and in this case our velocity is going to 5ms/s. [5] Our equation should then look something like this Then leaving us with and finally . But to find the braking distance we need to find the Work done by the force of the break to give us an equation for the distance. The formulae for Work done is . [11] being the coefficient of friction while m is the mass of the car, g is the gravity of the earth and d is the stopping distance. But to solve this equation we need to figure out the stopping distance. The formula for the stopping distance is . [11] If we substitute our numbers then we end up with . For this equation is the coefficient of friction for concrete. [10] If we substitute this in for our second formulae then we will end up with which will be but the answer we get is not equal because So this means that the car will not come to a complete halt after braking for 1.59 metres. However the car will come to a complete stop after 1.6 metres because the since which would mean that the car will come to a halt between 10 cm after the car has passed 1.59 metres while braking. The Impacts Impacts of Implementing this solution into society will be a huge change and may need to involve a large amount of investment in the construction project. This may benefit the local economy by providing more jobs to people but the cost of the project may be to overwhelming for a single country to pay on it’s own and will have to borrow money from other countries. This may cause the country to go into debt despite partially benefitting the local economy. Even though tyre manufacturers can now start producing 1 type of tyre (depending on where they are manufacturing to( can easily be invested in and demands of their product will cause a rise in the economy. For the locals creating a huge construction project that will make roads unusable until they are finished constructing may be a bother and people will not be willing to have their roads unusable if they are a car user and want use their car to travel around. This may spark protests and can escalate into violent riots since the reactions of people may vary from country to country depending on their situations. Politicians may use this solution to convince and win the favour of the people by granting them safer roads and cars. This may influence peoples votes but creation requires destruction and our environment could be damaged by the large scale construction project and cause animals to lose their habitat since they need to first gather the resources to make concrete, use the energy required to make concrete, and finally lay out the concrete all of these may be done by non environmentally friendly machines which cause damage to it’s surroundings through different means (eg. pollution). Conclusion To be able to reduce all the negative impacts of the solution we came up with we can limit the use to only when a country decides to construct / repair a road and when manufacturers create new cars. To make the impact even smaller and more environmentally friendly we can only allow the use of our solution in major cities of a country and not on every road although this will limit our general goal of our solution. But it will increase your safety on the road. Bibliography [1](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Road_traffic_safety). [2]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gravel_road [3]http://www.innovateus.net/innopedia/what-are-roads-made-out [4]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chipseal [5]http://www.gcse.com/fm/braking.htm [6]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tread [7]http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tiretech/techpage.jsp?techid=180 [8]http://www.ctyres.co.uk/tyre_info/tyretreaddesign.html [9]http://www.answers.com/Q/What_is_the_mass_of_an_average_car [10]http://hypertextbook.com/facts/2006/MatthewMichaels.shtml [11]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Braking_distance [12]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Road_surface

Anthem :: essays research papers

Removing the Stains From Society The world’s creatures have always yearned for a special peace that would allow all to become equal. This peace may bring about a utopian world but reality may strike and send a message of what life is really about. Some may think of life as a time to form justice and equality amongst all yet, others think of life as a time to become a higher more authoritative person that the rest of the world. The Residential Community at Beacon Hill Friends House provides the sort of utopian community that many imagine achieving. Everything is equal in a small world like this starting from the management of food to the use of the VCR. The Residential Community at Beacon Hill Friends House has set a realistic utopian society and has not yet corrupted the uniqueness of justice and equality amongst the residents as in Anthem. A utopian society is a form of society in which there is only equality and justice for all. Many utopian societies are formed for means of shelter to those who form similar opinions of how the world should work, some for educational purposes and others for a spiritual communion. The Residential Community at Beacon Hill Friends House was formed â€Å" To advance and foster the distinctive principles of the Religious Society of Friends, to provide opportunities for the development of leadership for the Society, and especially to establish and maintain a center where members of the Society and persons sympathetic to its principles, including those pursuing programs of study at other educational institutions, whether undergraduate, graduate, or special, may meet together, and where such persons may live, and where the principles of the Society may be advanced and fostered by study and example.† This society is still successful in its mission to provide what has been stated. This c ommunity is still open and willing to accept any applicant. There are many elements that are required to maintain a utopian society such as equal chores of an everyday household. There are responsibilities of every resident from cooking food to keeping the house clean. These chores have to be just otherwise the purpose of the utopian society is corrupted. All residents have the same right as any other member of the society yet there are some rules that are to be followed to help maintain the community. This is when a form of self-government comes into action.

Lift, Weight, Thrust And Drag :: essays research papers

One of the first things that is likely to be noticed during a visit to the local airport is thewide variety of airplane styles and designs. No matter what each looks like like they alldepend on the the same four factors which are lift, weight, thrust, and drag Lift is the upward force created by the effect of airflow as it passes over and under the wings. It supports the airplane in flight. Weight opposes lift. It is caused by the downward pull of gravity. Thrust is the forward force which propels the airplane through the air. It varies with the amount of engine power being used. Opposing thrust is drag, which is a backward, or retarding, force that limits the speed of the airplane.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Lift is the key aerodynamic force. It is the force that opposes weight. In straight-and-level, unaccelerated flight, when weight and lift are equal, an airplane is in a state of equilibrium. If the other aerodynamic factors remain constant, that airplane neither gains nor loses altitude. When an airplane is stationary on the ramp, it is also in equilibrium, but the aerodynamic forces are not a factor. In calm wind conditions, the atmosphere exerts equal pressure on the upper and lower surfaces of the wing. Movement of air about the airplane, particularly the wing, is necessary before the aerodynamic force of lift becomes effective. During flight, however, pressures on the upper and lower surfaces of the wing are not the same. Although several factors contribute to this difference, the shape of the wing is the principal one. The wing is designed to divide the airflow into areas of high pressure below the wing and areas of comparatively lower pressure above the wing. This pressure differential, which is created by movement of air about the wing, is the primary source of lift.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The weight of the airplane is not a constant. It varies with the equipment installed, passengers, cargo, and fuel load. During the course of a flight, the total weight of the airplane decreases as fuel is consumed. Additional weight reduction may also occur during some specialized flight activities, such as crop dusting, fire fighting, or sky diving flights. The direction in which the force of weight acts is constant. It always acts straight down toward the center of the earth.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Thrust is the forward-acting force which opposes drag and propels the airplane. In most airplanes, this force is provided when the engine turns the propeller.

Child Discipline

Forms of Discipline: What is best for the child? Children are like flowers, if well taken care of they will bloom. If ignored or tortured, they will wither and die. Child discipline is one of the most important elements of successful parenting. Today, many people have this notion that physical abuse is in no way a solution to helping children discern between right and wrong. Since generations children have been taught the art of discipline through physical punishment.Often this approach to disciplining has resulted in two outcomes, one is where the child becomes more tolerant and is willing to adhere to what he/she has been told, or the other which more often results in children developing a sense of anguish and desire to revolt. Physical punishment often destroys the psychological mindset of a child and can scar his/her childhood, resulting in them to grow up to be particularly irritable and frustrated individuals. Over the decades we have seen that fewer and fewer parents are resor ting to this sort of method of violence to discipline their children.However contradictory to all that has been stated, I believe that sometimes parents are caught in a situation when children cross all boundaries of discipline and spanking is the only effective solution. Therefore, it is imperative to do so. Nonetheless, before spanking is even taken into consideration; all the other non-violent forms of discipline should be used. If none work then finally the act of spanking can be justifiable. The act of spanking is not merely a punishment that should be conducted on a whim by parents; there must be reasoning and evidence of a clear sort of rebellion or revolt that requires such treatment.However in such a situation I am of the firm belief that dialogue or discussion is not the option that will placate the issue in the long run. I feel this approach may only last for a short period of time until the child feels that his or her parents have forgotten the issue and will once again go back on the same path. A spanking advocate says, â€Å"I don't think it hurt me, in fact, it helped me in the long-run. It made me look at consequences, things kids don't normally think about. I was always told, ‘Listen, or you'll have to feel it. I listened when I was told, and now, I'm grateful I was raised like that because I feel now I am much more respectful to my peers and my elders especially. † Thus, the act of a spanking induces a fear, a fear that is necessary for children to experience, as it is this fear that rings in a child’s mind when he or she is on the verge of pursuing a mistake he or she is aware is wrong. When a child is noncompliant, I agree that a spanking is desirable by any parent, however spanking works best when followed by a serene conversation with the child about why was he/she spanked.There are many parents today who do not know how to use this disciplinary action on their children. They usually end up excising too much or too lit tle control over their child without giving them a suitable reasoning. A ‘Fact sheet from the Rocky Mountain Family council’ states that â€Å"pairing reasoning with a spanking in the toddler years delayed misbehavior longer than did either reasoning or spanking alone. Reasoning linked with a spank was also more effective compared with other discipline methods. Talking with the child about what behavior is expected and why-with the potential of a follow-up spank-worked best. Hence, Spank a child only when necessary and in conjunction with reasoning and other forms of discipline. Reality is a question of perspective; the further you get from it the more plausible it seems. Being raised in a traditional Indian family, I have been exposed to all forms of disciplines depending on the situation. As a child, I was spanked when I did something wrong. Being spanked taught me respect and kept me in line. The way my parents disciplined me is an accepted method of punishment back home. It is only today that I understand the importance of what they did.Just as my parents did not have the intention to physically abuse me, the entire concept of spanking too is not directed towards hurting the child, it is more of a lesson taught to make the child realize his/her mistake. Hence, there needs to be a limit to how much parents can spank their kids. If the act is carried out on a daily basis, there are higher chances of the kid behaving inappropriately behind closed doors. At the end of the day these kids get so frustrated of being spanked everyday that they end up doing unnecessary things such as lying, cheating, bullying other people behind their parents backs.Research by Murray Straus, a Co-Director at the Family Research Laboratory at the University of Durham,  indicated that â€Å"frequent spanking (three or more times a week) of children 6 to 9 years old, tracked over a period of two years, increased a child's antisocial behaviour, measured in activities l ike cheating, bullying, or lying†. Hence, it is important for the parents to learn which behaviours deserve a spanking. For instance, spilling water, making noise, wetting-pants are normal behaviours all children tend to pick. They do not need to be spanked as these are all age-appropriate behaviours.A key concept of discipline is to identify the behaviour that is typical for the age of the child. Based on the behaviour, parents can then take appropriate actions. For instance, Lisa Berlin, research scientist at the Centre for Child and Family Policy at Duke University says, â€Å"We're talking about infants and toddlers, and I think that just, cognitively, they just don't understand enough about right or wrong or punishment to benefit from being spanked,†Ã‚  As Berlin states, it is pointless to spank an infant, however as children grow older and begin to understand the severity of the punishment, a spanking is desirable.Today, there is a common misconception that spanki ng is a form of child abuse. Some parents are actually afraid to discipline their own children using the same method used for their own upbringing. Who is correct in the notion of right and wrong discipline? Is there such a thing as a correct way to spank your child? In my opinion, there is. So, my objective is to show that there is a fine line between the two terms Spanking and Child abuse. A Cambridge Dictionary states that Child Abuse occurs â€Å"when adults intentionally treat children in a cruel or violent way. On the other hand, Spanking in the same dictionary means â€Å"to hit a child with the hand, usually several times on the bottom as a punishment. † In this way, the line between the two can be drawn where too much spanking results in bruises and scars on the child. Therefore, parents should not spank their children when they are angry themselves as the spank would turn out to be an unintentional smack. When this occurs, parents tend to accidently take out their frustration on the child.Primarily, this is when Spanking, a form of discipline, starts drifting towards the entire concept of ‘child abuse’. However, this misconception has led to many unwanted situations where parents have been sent to jail by their own children. In a general conversation with a waiter at IHOP in Charlottesville, I got to know that he spanked his child twice due to confidential reasons and the child sent his dad, Greg, to the court. In this way, mild spanking is an essential tool to bring the child on the right path of success.A pro-spanker, Leeanne, mother to three children says â€Å"I gave a spanking (more like a weak handed swatting) on the butt when my children were small a couple of times†¦. after that, just a warning and a look was all they needed to keep in line, because they knew they didn't want one. All three of my children have told me that they are ashamed of their generation and each have thanked me, at one point or another for tho se little spanks. (Again, I don't mean pain†¦ just attention getting and disapproval of their behaviour). †Ã‚  As claimed by her, I too believe that spanking causes no harm on the child.It is just the way the parent does it. Love your children more than you spank them. At the end of the day, that is all what a child needs in life. Other than that, I also carried out my own survey for this essay where I asked fifteen friends their opinion on spanking. Each of them said that they have been spanked in at least one circumstance. They all agreed that it is proper to discipline in this way. It is only now after coming to UVA and being so successful they have realized the importance of the punishments their parents used to give them.When I asked them at what occasions did they get spanked, one said, â€Å"I have done a lot of silly things in life that my parents have disapproved, they believe that not all negative behaviours require a spanking; but spanking is their number one choice when all other methods of discipline fail. † Life is all about making decisions, taking risks and then finally facing their consequences. Hence, their parents took the risk and landed on the safe end where their children are reaching the pinnacle of success.As stated, spanking shouldn’t be the only form of discipline used on children. Parents need to take into account all the other forms as well to teach their children right from wrong. Parents can inculcate discipline in their child by showing discontent to the unsuitable behaviour of the child. This usually has a lasting effect as they know that if they do it again their parents will be disappointed, which is usually harder to deal with. This type of punishment only gives you more of a guilt feeling and it remains till you are in good terms with your parents again.When parents give that silent treatment, it becomes very hard to live in the same house where parents are not in talking terms with their kids. Scold ing is another form which is widely used all over the world. If it becomes an everyday situation then it may lessen the effect on the child. The child may start considering this as a normal act for parents to shout at him/her and will start ignoring them. The aim of the parents to teach the kid a lesson and make sure he/she does not make the same mistake again would fail.However, if scolding is the only process used then parents need to also praise their children when they do something good as well. In this way, scolding and  praising should be balanced so that children understand the entire concept properly. Another very effective form of discipline is ‘Time-Out’. This is mainly used on young children. â€Å"A  time-out  involves temporarily separating a child from an environment where inappropriate behaviour has occurred, and is intended to give an over-excited child time to calm down. †Ã‚  This method can be very effectual if carried out appropriately.To o much of something doesn’t attain the goal it is looking for. Similarly, excessive scolding or use of time-out does not have the same effect on the child as a one or two time would. For example, a child throwing a tantrum can be put in time-out for him/her to calm down. After that, parents need to make sure they kindly explain the kid that whatever he/she did is not acceptable in society. Even in this case, age matters as a one year old cannot be asked to sit and listen to a long lecture as they do not have long attention spans.An American mother stated Once the child gets older and as they start experiencing the real world, parents tend teach them a lesson by withholding privileges. When they reach a certain age i. e. when they are in grade 5-6, they start to differentiate precisely between family and friends. Sometimes as they enter the teenage world, they begin to value friends over family. At this point, parents know that their kids are growing and might go on the wrong path if not taught a lesson at the right time. Hence, some of the techniques such as ‘if they come home later than expected then take away what they love the most’ are used.For example, if you come home late, you will not be allowed to watch TV for two days. This is usually used once the child is old enough to understand. In this way, as they grow older they learn how to make thoughtful decisions. A balanced approach should be used in order to raise the child in the right manner. By ‘balanced’, I mean that parents should spank their children only to a certain extent primarily depending on their age and the type of mistake committed by the child. Spanking along with other forms of discipline should be used in order to make the child realize his/her mistakes in life. Child Discipline GOALS OF EFFECTIVE DISCIPLINE Discipline is the structure that helps the child fit into the real world happily and effectively. It is the foundation for the development of the child’s own self-discipline. Effective and positive discipline is about teaching and guiding children, not just forcing them to obey. As with all other interventions aimed at pointing out unacceptable behavior, the child should always know that the parent loves and supports him or her. Trust between parent and child should be maintained and constantly built upon.Parenting is the task of raising children and providing them with the necessary material and emotional care to further their physical, emotional, cognitive and social development. Disciplining children is one of the most important yet difficult responsibilities of parenting, and there are no shortcuts. The physician must stress that teaching about limits and acceptable behavior takes time and a great deal of energy. The hurried pace of today†™s society can be an obstacle to effective discipline. The goal of effective discipline is to foster acceptable and appropriate behaviour in the child and to raise emotionally mature adults.A disciplined person is able to postpone pleasure, is considerate of the needs of others, is assertive without being aggressive or hostile, and can tolerate discomfort when necessary. The foundation of effective discipline is respect. The child should be able to respect the parent’s authority and also the rights of others. Inconsistency in applying discipline will not help a child respect his or her parents. Harsh discipline such as humiliation (verbal abuse, shouting, name-calling) will also make it hard for the child to respect and trust the parent.Thus, effective discipline means discipline applied with mutual respect in a firm, fair, reasonable and consistent way. The goal is to protect the child from danger, help the child learn self-discipline, and develop a healthy conscience and an internal sense of responsibility and control. It should also instill values. One of the major obstacles to achieving these goals is inconsistency, which will confuse any child, regardless of developmental age. It can be particularly hard for parents to be consistent role models. Telling children to â€Å"Do as I say, but not as I do† does not achieve effective discipline.Parental disagreements about child-rearing techniques, as well as cultural differences between parents, often result in inconsistent disciplining methods. The physician needs to be mindful of these challenges and suggest steps that parents can take to resolve these differences (1). It is important that in teaching effective discipline, physicians do not impose their own agendas on the families they counsel. A balanced, objective view should be used to provide resources, and the goal should be to remain objective. This means using principles supported by academic, peer-reviewed literature.This is particular ly important when dealing with controversial issues such as disciplinary spanking. MEANINGS: Discipline means obedience to a superior authority. Accepting the norms of the family, society, the commands of elders and obeying them is also discipline. Discipline means accepting punishments for violation. Discipline also means training of mind and character, developing self-control and the habit of obedience. In the entire universe, there is an order and discipline. The stars, the planets, the earth on which we live, the moon and the sun we see, move according to a system of discipline.We can see that plants, insects, birds and animals too observe discipline in their lives, only man who has a thinking mind finds it difficult to observe discipline. Discipline could be divided into two broad categories, external and internal. External discipline is that which is imposed by outside authority. It is often linked with authority and force. Discipline in the army is one such. Soldiers do not h ave a say in it except implicit obedience. As Tennyson says â€Å"Theirs not to make reply. There’s not to reason why, theirs nut to do and die†.A soldier in a war field cannot ask for reasons. He has to obey commands; otherwise, the war is lost. Our ancient educational system believed in enforcing discipline by force. They used to say, if you spare the rod you will spoil the child. But that view is not correct. It will produce only negative results. That is why discipline has taken a new shape in schools and colleges now. It is call self-discipline. It is discipline by acceptance, not by imposition. We live in a democracy. Democracy is based on the will of majority of its citizens.It has to be accepted and obeyed. Otherwise democracy loses its meaning and leads to anarchy. Family customs and traditions, laws of the society, and moral and spiritual laws of the religion are all to be obeyed. That is discipline. Discipline demands obedience to commands fro leaders, respe ct for women, devotion to god etc. Though discipline starts at home, there is much more need for it in schools. Schools are nursing places for various virtues and values. Discipline in the classroom, on the playground and elsewhere in the school is all important.Force has no place in student discipline. Teachers are to be first disciplined, so one, who cannot control oneself, cannot control others. Students emulate teachers in all ways. It is more so in the matter of discipline. They observe discipline by acceptance not by force. Some argue that discipline limits freedom and that also kills the man’s initiative. This is a wrong view. Indiscipline cannot bring order of growth. Self-discipline or discipline by acceptance is self-control. One controls his emotions and desires and gives room to listen to other’s points of views.Man has many desires and impulses. If they are allowed free play without discipline, it will end in chaos. Nature and society are best disciplinari ans. Violate their laws, and you are in for punishment. Put your finger in fire. It burns, no matter who you are. There we learn discipline by experience. That is why Gandhi has rightly said that discipline is learning in adversity. It is therefore necessary that, if you wish to achieve anything enduring in life, you have to be first disciplined in life. Lack of discipline is like a ship without a rudder. Child Discipline Forms of Discipline: What is best for the child? Children are like flowers, if well taken care of they will bloom. If ignored or tortured, they will wither and die. Child discipline is one of the most important elements of successful parenting. Today, many people have this notion that physical abuse is in no way a solution to helping children discern between right and wrong. Since generations children have been taught the art of discipline through physical punishment.Often this approach to disciplining has resulted in two outcomes, one is where the child becomes more tolerant and is willing to adhere to what he/she has been told, or the other which more often results in children developing a sense of anguish and desire to revolt. Physical punishment often destroys the psychological mindset of a child and can scar his/her childhood, resulting in them to grow up to be particularly irritable and frustrated individuals. Over the decades we have seen that fewer and fewer parents are resor ting to this sort of method of violence to discipline their children.However contradictory to all that has been stated, I believe that sometimes parents are caught in a situation when children cross all boundaries of discipline and spanking is the only effective solution. Therefore, it is imperative to do so. Nonetheless, before spanking is even taken into consideration; all the other non-violent forms of discipline should be used. If none work then finally the act of spanking can be justifiable. The act of spanking is not merely a punishment that should be conducted on a whim by parents; there must be reasoning and evidence of a clear sort of rebellion or revolt that requires such treatment.However in such a situation I am of the firm belief that dialogue or discussion is not the option that will placate the issue in the long run. I feel this approach may only last for a short period of time until the child feels that his or her parents have forgotten the issue and will once again go back on the same path. A spanking advocate says, â€Å"I don't think it hurt me, in fact, it helped me in the long-run. It made me look at consequences, things kids don't normally think about. I was always told, ‘Listen, or you'll have to feel it. I listened when I was told, and now, I'm grateful I was raised like that because I feel now I am much more respectful to my peers and my elders especially. † Thus, the act of a spanking induces a fear, a fear that is necessary for children to experience, as it is this fear that rings in a child’s mind when he or she is on the verge of pursuing a mistake he or she is aware is wrong. When a child is noncompliant, I agree that a spanking is desirable by any parent, however spanking works best when followed by a serene conversation with the child about why was he/she spanked.There are many parents today who do not know how to use this disciplinary action on their children. They usually end up excising too much or too lit tle control over their child without giving them a suitable reasoning. A ‘Fact sheet from the Rocky Mountain Family council’ states that â€Å"pairing reasoning with a spanking in the toddler years delayed misbehavior longer than did either reasoning or spanking alone. Reasoning linked with a spank was also more effective compared with other discipline methods. Talking with the child about what behavior is expected and why-with the potential of a follow-up spank-worked best. Hence, Spank a child only when necessary and in conjunction with reasoning and other forms of discipline. Reality is a question of perspective; the further you get from it the more plausible it seems. Being raised in a traditional Indian family, I have been exposed to all forms of disciplines depending on the situation. As a child, I was spanked when I did something wrong. Being spanked taught me respect and kept me in line. The way my parents disciplined me is an accepted method of punishment back home. It is only today that I understand the importance of what they did.Just as my parents did not have the intention to physically abuse me, the entire concept of spanking too is not directed towards hurting the child, it is more of a lesson taught to make the child realize his/her mistake. Hence, there needs to be a limit to how much parents can spank their kids. If the act is carried out on a daily basis, there are higher chances of the kid behaving inappropriately behind closed doors. At the end of the day these kids get so frustrated of being spanked everyday that they end up doing unnecessary things such as lying, cheating, bullying other people behind their parents backs.Research by Murray Straus, a Co-Director at the Family Research Laboratory at the University of Durham,  indicated that â€Å"frequent spanking (three or more times a week) of children 6 to 9 years old, tracked over a period of two years, increased a child's antisocial behaviour, measured in activities l ike cheating, bullying, or lying†. Hence, it is important for the parents to learn which behaviours deserve a spanking. For instance, spilling water, making noise, wetting-pants are normal behaviours all children tend to pick. They do not need to be spanked as these are all age-appropriate behaviours.A key concept of discipline is to identify the behaviour that is typical for the age of the child. Based on the behaviour, parents can then take appropriate actions. For instance, Lisa Berlin, research scientist at the Centre for Child and Family Policy at Duke University says, â€Å"We're talking about infants and toddlers, and I think that just, cognitively, they just don't understand enough about right or wrong or punishment to benefit from being spanked,†Ã‚  As Berlin states, it is pointless to spank an infant, however as children grow older and begin to understand the severity of the punishment, a spanking is desirable.Today, there is a common misconception that spanki ng is a form of child abuse. Some parents are actually afraid to discipline their own children using the same method used for their own upbringing. Who is correct in the notion of right and wrong discipline? Is there such a thing as a correct way to spank your child? In my opinion, there is. So, my objective is to show that there is a fine line between the two terms Spanking and Child abuse. A Cambridge Dictionary states that Child Abuse occurs â€Å"when adults intentionally treat children in a cruel or violent way. On the other hand, Spanking in the same dictionary means â€Å"to hit a child with the hand, usually several times on the bottom as a punishment. † In this way, the line between the two can be drawn where too much spanking results in bruises and scars on the child. Therefore, parents should not spank their children when they are angry themselves as the spank would turn out to be an unintentional smack. When this occurs, parents tend to accidently take out their frustration on the child.Primarily, this is when Spanking, a form of discipline, starts drifting towards the entire concept of ‘child abuse’. However, this misconception has led to many unwanted situations where parents have been sent to jail by their own children. In a general conversation with a waiter at IHOP in Charlottesville, I got to know that he spanked his child twice due to confidential reasons and the child sent his dad, Greg, to the court. In this way, mild spanking is an essential tool to bring the child on the right path of success.A pro-spanker, Leeanne, mother to three children says â€Å"I gave a spanking (more like a weak handed swatting) on the butt when my children were small a couple of times†¦. after that, just a warning and a look was all they needed to keep in line, because they knew they didn't want one. All three of my children have told me that they are ashamed of their generation and each have thanked me, at one point or another for tho se little spanks. (Again, I don't mean pain†¦ just attention getting and disapproval of their behaviour). †Ã‚  As claimed by her, I too believe that spanking causes no harm on the child.It is just the way the parent does it. Love your children more than you spank them. At the end of the day, that is all what a child needs in life. Other than that, I also carried out my own survey for this essay where I asked fifteen friends their opinion on spanking. Each of them said that they have been spanked in at least one circumstance. They all agreed that it is proper to discipline in this way. It is only now after coming to UVA and being so successful they have realized the importance of the punishments their parents used to give them.When I asked them at what occasions did they get spanked, one said, â€Å"I have done a lot of silly things in life that my parents have disapproved, they believe that not all negative behaviours require a spanking; but spanking is their number one choice when all other methods of discipline fail. † Life is all about making decisions, taking risks and then finally facing their consequences. Hence, their parents took the risk and landed on the safe end where their children are reaching the pinnacle of success.As stated, spanking shouldn’t be the only form of discipline used on children. Parents need to take into account all the other forms as well to teach their children right from wrong. Parents can inculcate discipline in their child by showing discontent to the unsuitable behaviour of the child. This usually has a lasting effect as they know that if they do it again their parents will be disappointed, which is usually harder to deal with. This type of punishment only gives you more of a guilt feeling and it remains till you are in good terms with your parents again.When parents give that silent treatment, it becomes very hard to live in the same house where parents are not in talking terms with their kids. Scold ing is another form which is widely used all over the world. If it becomes an everyday situation then it may lessen the effect on the child. The child may start considering this as a normal act for parents to shout at him/her and will start ignoring them. The aim of the parents to teach the kid a lesson and make sure he/she does not make the same mistake again would fail.However, if scolding is the only process used then parents need to also praise their children when they do something good as well. In this way, scolding and  praising should be balanced so that children understand the entire concept properly. Another very effective form of discipline is ‘Time-Out’. This is mainly used on young children. â€Å"A  time-out  involves temporarily separating a child from an environment where inappropriate behaviour has occurred, and is intended to give an over-excited child time to calm down. †Ã‚  This method can be very effectual if carried out appropriately.To o much of something doesn’t attain the goal it is looking for. Similarly, excessive scolding or use of time-out does not have the same effect on the child as a one or two time would. For example, a child throwing a tantrum can be put in time-out for him/her to calm down. After that, parents need to make sure they kindly explain the kid that whatever he/she did is not acceptable in society. Even in this case, age matters as a one year old cannot be asked to sit and listen to a long lecture as they do not have long attention spans.An American mother stated Once the child gets older and as they start experiencing the real world, parents tend teach them a lesson by withholding privileges. When they reach a certain age i. e. when they are in grade 5-6, they start to differentiate precisely between family and friends. Sometimes as they enter the teenage world, they begin to value friends over family. At this point, parents know that their kids are growing and might go on the wrong path if not taught a lesson at the right time. Hence, some of the techniques such as ‘if they come home later than expected then take away what they love the most’ are used.For example, if you come home late, you will not be allowed to watch TV for two days. This is usually used once the child is old enough to understand. In this way, as they grow older they learn how to make thoughtful decisions. A balanced approach should be used in order to raise the child in the right manner. By ‘balanced’, I mean that parents should spank their children only to a certain extent primarily depending on their age and the type of mistake committed by the child. Spanking along with other forms of discipline should be used in order to make the child realize his/her mistakes in life.

Biography of Andrew Jackson Essay

From his early childhood to his days in presidency, Andrew Jackson’s fueled a revolution in politics and the search for vindication of the American people. In this psychoanalytical biography of Andrew Jackson, James C. Curtis explores Jackson’s tenacious personality and lifelong quest for power, which was deeply rooted in his troubled past. Beginning in the backwoods of the Carolina’s, young Andrew Jackson was born to a couple from Northern Ireland that migrated here during a time of social and economic turmoil. Arriving in the late 1760’s, Jackson explored the prospective rolling countryside with the uncontrolled freedom that encouraged his wild behavior. By the age of fourteen, Jackson had lost his brothers and both parents, leaving a young troubled boy to fend for himself in the turbulent south. Evidently, Jackson’s rebellious attitude brought him nowhere in school. The local schoolmaster barley taught him to read or write, but he expressed himself directly. Even into his presidency his advisors had to revise his public writings due to his horrid grammar and spelling. Throughout the beginning of the book, Curtis extensively relates Andrew’s early encounters to his future motivations in personal and political thought. Andrew’s break came at the age of seventeen when he landed a job with a lawyer to practice law. Soon Andrew had a legitimate chance in frontier diplomacy. In 1784 he was involved in the Spanish Conspiracy. In this conflict the colonists were looking for a bold, reactionary person to represent them. Andrew took to this and forcefully went after the Indians. Obviously, his rashness toward the Indians was rooted in his own struggles with authority as a child. † They were doubly evil, reminding him of a past he was trying to forget and threatening a future he was trying to achieve. The Indian was a fit target for wrath.†(23) Curtis’ style emphasizes that Jackson was relating the unconstrained conditions of the frontier to his own unconstrained behaviors. As a result, Jackson wanted to suppress this feeling and took out his angers on the Indians. Finally in 1796, Jackson’s political chieftain, William Blount, selected the young judge advocate of the Davidson County Militia. After two years he  replaced Blount’s seat in the senate. Senator Jackson sat in office for about a year before he realized that his brash public speaking skills and high temper could not contest with the polemical persuasion the other Senators possessed. Once again Jackson returned to the profitable judgeship that the Blount regime offered. He served giving six years of crude but fair justice as a prominent judge. In 1806, Jackson once again revealed his reckless and impulsive behavior when he challenged a fellow opponent to a duel. Jackson exercised his boldness after allowing the sharpshooter take the first shot. Wounded, he immediately raised his gun and killed the other man. Curtis showed that this level of bravery would be his greatest alibi in future encounters. With the return of peace in 1815 allowed for more productive use of transportation. Consequently, the Market Revolution was born, as well as a time for political change. The old regimes were being taken over by new ones that represented a different generation of Americans. The majority favored Americans that were born and raised in the light of the Revolution. Andrew Jackson was and acted like that kind of person. His unstable past caught the admiration of the working class as well as the slave owners, but the old political parties saw Jackson as a frantic militiaman. He disappointed those † whose minds were prepared to see me with a Tomahawk in one hand and a scalping knife in the other.†(82) These reactions concerned Jackson and inspired him to seek a different course of action. Curtis showed, † the candidate desperately wanted such vindication.†(82) From 1828 to 1836 Jackson served the presidency with the same motivation that got him there. Tragedy struck again with the death of his wife, a serious illness, and the Eaton affairs. In 1831 allegations from the banks were swarming Jackson. The pressure of presidency was taking its toll. The fight with the Indians was showing progress, but the south was deteriorating. Jackson soon elected a new cabinet that contained federalists and Bank members. He even went to the extent in terminating his administration. Later in his retirement, he claimed,† It was the sovereign people that†¦.enabled me to terminate my administration so satisfactorily.†(179) This partisan  split showed Jackson’s trust in the people. Thus, his vindication was cured by the endorsement of the American citizen. For most he showed that the poor and unfortunate individuals could rise to the top, but he didn’t realize the human costs of economic expansion. During this time period Curtis presents Jackson as a resilient and self-promoting individual. However, there were just as important issues that should have been addressed besides the Market Revolution, issues with state banks, and Jackson fulfilling his need to clear his name from criticism. For instance, minorities, primarily blacks, didn’t have the slightest chance in rising to the point to make social change. The slaves were used as economic fuel to ignite the Market Revolution. I think this book did address Andrew Jackson as a genius in promoting change, but lacked in promoting his moral character and I would not recommend it. It seemed to me, Curtis represented him as an American hero more than a dynamic political figure. Andrew Jackson was the result of the troubled lives Americans lived during the Revolutionary period. The emotions of those people were the catalyst in Andrew Jackson’s search for vindication.